Smartphone makers will describe their latest and greatest (and most expensive) devices as “flagships.”
Pieces of technology they can proudly point to as evidence of their highest-quality innovation, design, and manufacturing capabilities.
For Samsung, its flagship smartphones are in the Galaxy S range with the Galaxy S23 Ultra being the current standard bearer for the brand. This particular smartphone brings all of Samsung’s superlatives into one body and fetches R30 999 at the shops.
If this price strikes fear into your heart, fret not. Samsung’s mid-range models of the Galaxy A are far more affordable, and by our reckoning, capable stand-ins for the Galaxy S devices.
In years past we have reviewed the Galaxy A52s 5G, the A53 5G, and now the latest of the South Korean giant’s mid-rangers to land in South Africa, the Galaxy A54 5G.
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G – Specifications and performance
The Galaxy A54 5G manages to pack just enough hardware into its case to bring you consistent performance without breaking the bank.
It includes:
- 1080×2340 Super AMOLED screen,
- Samsung Exynos 1380 chipset,
- 8-core ARM 4×2.4 Ghz processor,
- Mali-G68 MP5 graphics card,
- 6GB of RAM,
- 128GB of storage space,
- Four-camera setup (50MP main camera, 32MP selfie cam, 5MP macro cam, 12MP ultra-wide cam),
- 5 000mAh battery,
- Thunderbolt USB-C input,
- 5G internet capabilities,
- Android 13.
At this point, it is more than evident that Samsung can make a fine smartphone and the A54 is frictionless on startup. Get in and get everything. There are no performance hitches, no lagging windows, and no slow-to-startup apps. Its 6GB of RAM, while half of the S23 Ultra’s, purrs along with help from the in-house Exynos chip.
In benchmarks, we saw a multi-core score of 2 902 on Geekbench 6 – a serviceable B+ when it comes to smartphone performance – absolutely crushing its A53 predecessor.
In terms of gameplay, graphical performance and framerate, we saw an overall score of 5 805 on 3DMark Sling Shot, and 2 828 on Wild Life.
On Sling Shot we averaged about 37 frames per second. A good showing for the Mali G68. Player Unknown’s Battle Ground (PUBG) runs perfectly well on the A54 5G with no noticeable dropped frames or lag spikes even with the high-definition textures.
In terms of display, the AMOLED HDR10+ screen is a pleasure. Crystal clear like the Dead Sea. The flourishes and sparkles of Samsung’s in-built animated wallpaper dazzled and images are vibrant.
Camera
The four-lense camera setup on the Galaxy A54 5G is another highlight of the device.
There is a host of options and styles to play with in regards the 50MP main camera, which switches unnoticeably to the Macro lens and Ultra Wide lens when the smartphone detects their requirement.
AI capabilities will provide depth of field to your images automatically, and the main camera gives a bounty of detail.
We particularly enjoyed playing around with and testing the formidable zoom on offer. Not only can it absorb impressive detail from afar, but it goes beyond what the naked eye is capable of.
Battery
The beefy 5 000mAh cell offered by the Galaxy A54 5G ensures all-day operation. Sometimes during the review period we managed two days without needing to charge. The longest stretch was three but that was without sustained use.
It will charge from zero to 100 percent in a few hours so you can basically forget about it, go and do some chores and return to find it ready to go for the next day or two. Our only gripe with the charging – and the only real issue with the phone – is that it only comes with a USB Type-C cable in the box.
There is no charger bundled with the Galaxy A54 5G. This means that if you do not have a USB Type-C adapted charger you will not be able to use this device. This would have to be purchased separately, or cannibalised from another smartphone which is what we hah to do.
We find this to be a particularly annoying practice, especially because contemporaries in its price range, like the Vivo V27 5G for example come with a charger, cable and an extra phone case.
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G verdict
For R9 999, the Galaxy A54 5G is a great everyday phone. A fantastic camera array is bolstered by a wonderful display and solid performance. If you’re looking for a taste of the Galaxy, but don’t have the budget for a flagship, the A54 5G is easily recommended.
One may even argue that the specifications of the likes of the S23 series are over the top and the A54 will give you everything you need for far less.
Its only drawback is the lack of charger included in the box. An unnecessary fumble in an otherwise great all-round deal.
FINAL SCORE: 8 OUT OF 10.
