In the first glance we published earlier, we said the Samsung Galaxy A54 actually deserves the name Samsung Galaxy S23 Lite. It has various interesting features like the S23 series but offered at a more affordable price. After reviewing the A54 for a week, we feel it's a great value for the price buyers pay. Why do we say this? Read the full review below.
SPECIFICATIONS
Samsung Galaxy A54
6.8″ Super AMOLED screen,
FHD+, 120Hz
Exynos 1380 processor (5nm)
4 X 2.4 GHz Cortex A78 chips
4 X 2.0 GHz Cortex A55
Mali-G68 MP5 Graphics Chip
8GB LPDDR4X RAM
Internal Storage 256GB UFS 3.1
Micro SD 1TB
Primary Camera 50MP f/1.8, OIS (Wide Angle)
12MP f/2.2 (Ultra Wide Angle)
5MP f/2.4, (Macro)
Selfie Camera 32 Megapixel f/2.2
5000 mAh battery
25W wired charging
SIM/Telephony Dual SIM nano / 5G
NFC Yes
No Audio Jack
Waterproof IP67
Scanning System Optical under-screen fingerprint scanner
Sale Price RM 1899 (8/256GB)
SCREEN
The 6.4″ screen is from the Super AMOLED family with a 120Hz refresh rate. However it is not from the LTPO family. Users are given a choice of Adaptive 120Hz refresh rate all the time or Standard 60Hz. In terms of size it is bigger than S23 (6.1″) and S23+ (6.6″). The screen displays a sharp image, very smooth scrolling and detects every touch well. As usual, the SAMOLED screen displays colors that are quite vivid and can be used in bright sunlight.
According to Samsung, the screen brightness can reach 1000 nits. Not as high as the 1750 nits on the S23 Ultra series but it's still higher than normal screens. HDR content can be viewed but is currently limited to YouTube and Prime only. There is no official support for Netflix at this time. For us this is disappointing as many other mid-range devices like from Xiaomi can support HDR on Netflix.
The bezel is a bit thick but not obtrusive as it is even on all four corners. We quite like the flat screen used because it doesn't interfere with watching videos or using other apps.
There is a fingerprint scanner of the optical type built under the screen. The location is ergonomic and easy to access even if the device is used one-handed. The scanner is quick to detect fingerprints and over several days of use has never failed to work. Face scan support can also be used if the user wants another biometric system.
For those with color blindness, this screen can be adjusted so that they can display colors that they cannot easily see. In the Color Correction settings, there are modes for Deutan, Protan, Tritan and Greyscale color blindness.
DESIGN
The body design as we said a few paragraphs above is very similar to the S23. The only difference is that the sides of the A54 are still rounded and uneven. Personally, we prefer the design of the S23 because the flat surface makes the device feel neater in the hand.
The metal frame is matched with glass panels on the back and front. The power button and audio adjustment are located on the right side. It's firm and nice to press without the issue of feeling loose or cheesy. At the bottom there is an audio grille, and a hole for a microphone. A bit oddly the SIM tray is now placed at the top. This SIM tray is of the hybrid type with two nano SIM slots and one micro SD card slot. If a micro SD card is to be used, only one nano SIM is supported.
The device is still comfortable in the hand because with a screen size of 6.4″, the A54 is a relatively small device when compared to other devices that have screens beyond 6.6″ now. The back panel has a smooth glass panel and hence traps dirt quite easily. Another thing is that this panel causes the device to easily fall off the table, sofa and in the car. We put it on the sofa and if there is a slight gradient the device will slide down. Buy the frame immediately if you want to avoid damage because Samsung does not give a free frame with every purchase.
There are three bumps for the camera lens that are of equal size. The Floating Camera design on the S23 series is now also used on the A54 and A35 series. This is a standardization process carried out by Samsung this year. The camera bump, although not large, still results in the device tipping over when placed on a table.
The main camera system combines a 50MP wide-angle, 12MP ultra-wide-angle and 5MP macro sensors. Only the 50MP lens is equipped with an OIS system. Meanwhile on the front a 32MP sensor is used with it placed in the camera hole on the screen.
From an audio point of view, there is stereo support and also a Dolby Atmos audio system. Another speaker is placed on the earpiece. Another interesting thing about the A54 is that it passes the IP67 waterproof and dustproof standard. Not as good as the IP68 on the S23 but good enough for a mid-range device as it can be submerged in water for a few minutes.
EXYNOS 1380 PERFORMANCE
The Exynos 1380 chip used is an eight-core chip with a high-power 4x Cortex-A78 and 4x Cortex-A55 configuration paired with a Mali-G68 MP5 GPU. It is manufactured using 5nm technology. Therefore it is in the same class as the Snapdragon 778G+. This is a new chip with only A54 devices using it so far.
This chip is paired with up to 8GB LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB UFS 3.1 storage. Memory can be increased up to 6GB virtually using the RAM Plus feature. The model we received is equipped with 6GB of memory and 128GB of storage. Here are the scores recorded by the Exynos 1380 using three popular benchmarks.
The score recorded is now compared to Samsung Galaxy A52S (Snapdragon 778G), Oppo Reno8T 5G (Snapdragon 695) and Poco X5 Pro 5G (Snapdragon 778G).
Geekbench 6
Samsung Galaxy A54 – 755/2663
Samsung Galaxy A52S – 1010/2610
Oppo Reno8 T 5G – 686 / 2004
Poco X5 Pro 5G – 781 / 2892
Antutu 3D
Samsung Galaxy A54 – 502,442
Samsung Galaxy A52S – 506,621
Oppo Reno8 T 5G – 373,259
Poco X5 Pro 5G – 529,942
The performance of normal application usage is good especially if the 120Hz refresh rate is selected. Social media apps, YouTube, web browsers and 2D previews all run smoothly even though the Eyxnos 1380 is not a popular chip. There are no issues installing apps through Play Store or Galaxy Store. No app issues were interrupted during the review period.
Initial performance is also satisfactory with COD Mobile, Asphalt 9 and PUBG Mobile being playable at high settings. However, we recommend choosing medium-high settings only because we realize in COD Mobile, for example, if a multiplayer map with a high number of players is selected, the frame rate can be seen to be affected.
The A54 can also heat up after a few rounds of MP in COD Mobile. The Exynos 1380 heats up faster than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy used in the S23 Ultra. Overall the chip performance is satisfactory for a mid-range device.
USE AND SOFTWARE
The One UI 5.1 operating system is used on it and it is based on Android 13. This is the latest version of One UI which is also used on the S23 series. In terms of features no significant difference can be seen between A54 and S23. Because it is based on Android 13, there is a feature to automatically change the color of the interface theme based on the background image used. Also included is more comprehensive lock screen customization.
During the review period we activated the RAM Plus mode with a setting of 4GB making the device have 10GB of RAM at all times. The device operates quite smoothly with applications being launched quickly. Even though the Exynos 1380 chip is still new, we haven't experienced any issues with major apps not being supported. Then there is no need to worry that the application cannot be installed as it exists on some devices with MediaTek chips.
Scrolling feels smooth because of the 120Hz screen. No issues with slow animations and no heating issues so far. We can say that so far the A54 operates more smoothly than the Galaxy A73 5G that we reviewed last year which was equipped with a Snapdragon 778G chip.
The usage experience is similar to the S23 Ultra which has higher specifications and features. For those looking for a device that can be used for a long time, the A54 is certified to receive four Android version updates and five years of security patches.
Here are some interesting features of the Samsung Galaxy S54.
Edge Panels – Side panels for apps, compass, Smart Select and more.
RAM Plus – Virtual RAM increase up to 6GB.
Edge Lighting – Lights on the screen when receiving notifications.
AOD – Active display even when the screen is off.
Easy Mode – Elderly friendly interface.
Secure Folder – Store files in a password/fingerprint locked container.
Live Captions – Real time subtitles.
Link To Windows – Uses the device directly on a Windows computer.
Modes – Device settings depend on location and time.
Color Correction – Changes the screen display for color blind users.
CAMERA
Here are some pictures we managed to take using the 50MP wide-angle main camera, 12MP ultra-wide-angle, 5MP macro and 32MP selfie camera. The 50MP wide-angle lens is equipped with an OIS system. In terms of performance, the camera can record video up to 4K 30FPS resolution. There are Macro, AR, Portrait, Panorama, Pro Video, Pro and Hyperlapse features.Nightography mode for taking pictures at night can also be used.
There is no color difference when switching from a wide-angle lens to an ultra-wide-angle lens. Surprising because on the S23 Ultra there is a significant color difference. We noticed the time taken to switch between lenses and zooms was not very fast. This is an issue on mid-range Android devices. If it's speed you're looking for, buy a flagship device.
The camera supports digital zoom mode up to 10 times only. Below are sample photos taken at 1X, 2X, 4X and 10X settings.
BATTERY
The 5000 mAh battery used charges at a maximum power of 25W. In terms of capacity it is the same as the S23 Ultra but with a lower charging power (25W vs 45W). Charging is wired using the USB-C port only supported. Chargers are not included with every purchase.
Battery performance is quite good as it can last up to 9 hours SOT and operate up to 19 hours in moderate use. SOT goes down to around 7 hours and operation up to 12 hours in more intensive use.
Because the charger is only 25W, the recharging period is 90 minutes. In 2023 Samsung still stubbornly offers charging that no longer deserves to be called fast. Other manufacturers such as Xiaomi already offer 120W charging on their mid-range devices. If Samsung wants to stay competitive, it's time to offer much faster charging.
AUDIO
The included stereo speakers are asymmetrical. Below it shoots to the side and above it shoots forward. This causes the speaker on the bottom to be louder. Even at the loudest audio settings the music heard is clear. With Dolby Atmos support, the audio quality is also very satisfying without feeling flat or empty.
IN THE BOX
Here is what is received in the box with purchase.
1x Samsung Galaxy A54.
1x USB-C to USB-C charging cable.
1x Manual.
1x SIM Pin.
CONCLUSION
The Samsung Galaxy A54 is a mid-range device that is quite attractive because it has a solid screen, a powerful mid-range processor, a camera that does not disappoint, full-featured software, a large capacity battery and support for four Android versions. Therefore we feel it should be more compatible if it uses the name Samsung Galaxy S23 Lite because it has some comparable features.
The design is almost identical to IP67 waterproof capability. It also still brings micro SD card support which is increasingly endangered on devices of this class. Looking at the whole package, the Samsung Galaxy A54 is worth it because it is sold at a price of RM1899 which is still affordable. In the same class Honor 70 5G (RM1999) and Nothing Phone (1) (RM2399) are sold at a higher price.
Pro
The compact body design feels good in the hand.
50MP main camera with OIS.
IP67 waterproof.
Four Android version updates and five years of security.
A large 5000 mAh battery.
Cons
Charging is only 25W.
No charger in the box.
There are no other accessories in the box except the charging cable.