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Samsung Galaxy A54 5G
A more affordable choiceSamsung's mid-range phone offers a similar design as the Galaxy S23, a great quality build and much cheaper price, but has a less accomplished camera and less power.
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Samsung Galaxy S23+
A clear winner$849.99 $999.99 Save $150The Galaxy S23+ is just about the same size as the Galaxy A54, but is more powerful, has a better display and a more accomplished camera system - for a lot more money.
Samsung launched its flagship Galaxy S23 devices in February 2023 and in March 2023 they were followed by the launch of the Galaxy A series. The Samsung Galaxy A54 5G was announced on 15 March, offering a cheaper alternative for those who want the latest Samsung phone, but can't quite stretch to the flagship model.
So what actually is the difference? Here's how the Galaxy A54 compares to the Galaxy S23.
Price and specs
The Samsung Galaxy S23 family has launched globally, starting from $799.99 for the Galaxy S23, but with the S23+ from $999.99 and the Ultra above this. There are a wide range of trade-in options, so you can get some really great deals on it.
The Samsung Galaxy A54 5G costs from $449 in the US. In the UK and Europe it started shipping from 25 March, with prices from £449 in the UK and €489 in Europe.
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Samsung Galaxy A54 5G
- SoC
- Exynos 1380
- Display
- 6.4-inch, Super AMOLED, Full HD+, 120Hz
- Battery
- 5000mAh
- Operating System
- Android + One UI
- Front camera
- 13MP, f/2.2
- Dimensions
- 158.2 x 76.7 x 8.2mm, 202g
- IP Rating
- IP67
- RAM and Storage
- 8GB, 128/256GB, microSD to 1TB
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Samsung Galaxy S23+
- SoC
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
- Display
- 6.6in Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2340 x 1080, 48-120Hz
- Battery
- 4700mAh, 45W wired, 15W wireless
- Operating System
- Android + One UI
- Front camera
- 12MP, f/2.2
- Dimensions
- 76.2 x 157.8 x 7.6mm, 196g
- IP Rating
- IP68
- RAM and Storage
- 8/256GB, 8/512GB
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Samsung Galaxy S23
- SoC
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Display
- 6.1-inch, 120 hz, AMOLED 2X
- Battery
- 3900mAh, 25W wired, 15W wireless
- Operating System
- Android + One UI
- Front camera
- 12MP, f/2.2
- Dimensions
- 70.9 x 146.3 x 7.6mm
- IP Rating
- IP68
- RAM and Storage
- 8GB, 128/256/512GB
Design
The Samsung Galaxy A54 made a revision from the design of the Galaxy A53, with an interesting change around the back. The camera array on the rear of the phone has moved over to individual lenses, rather than on a raised island like the previous iteration, so it looks almost identical to the Galaxy S23+.
That's not the only thing it has in common with the Galaxy S23 - it also has a glass back, while offering an IP67 rating. The Galaxy S23, has Gorilla Glass Victus front and back, while the Galaxy A54 is only Gorilla Glass 5, and is IP68 rated, so it's a higher quality device with better protection, but to look at you wouldn't really notice. The Galaxy S23+ is close in size - but thinner.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 comes in a range of colours and the A54 also offers a range - graphite, white, lime and violet.
Display
The Samsung Galaxy A54 is packed with a Super AMOLED panel, with many of the same characteristics as the Galaxy S23. It's not going to be the same level of panel technically, but our experience with Galaxy A devices is that you get a decent display, almost as capable. It measures 6.4-inches, a FHD+ panel - 2400 x 1080 pixels - with a 120Hz refresh rate. It will also offer a peak brightness of 1000 nits.
So what's the difference? The Galaxy S carries a better panel that's brighter with a 1750 nits peak, as well as offering adaptive refresh rates, so the screen will refresh at rates between 48 and 120Hz to suit the content. That will make the Galaxy S23 potentially more efficient - but that top brightness might, on the other hand, increase the battery drain as it's using more power on the illumination. In reality, we've not seen a huge difference between Galaxy A and Galaxy S models when it comes to the display performance.
Hardware and specs
One big difference between these models is the hardware that powers them. All models of the Galaxy S23 family have the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 at their heart, with 8GB RAM in the S23 and S23+. This is supported by storage starting at 256GB.
The Galaxy A54, however, uses Samsung's own hardware, in this case the Exynos 1380. That's more aligned with Snapdragon 7 series hardware, for example, the Snapdragon 778G, common in mid-range or sub-flagship devices. Those with a memory for Galaxy A devices will recall that this was the level of hardware used in the Galaxy A52 in 2021.
While the Galaxy S23 models will outperform the Galaxy A54 in all areas, it has a storage advantage in offering microSD support up to 1TB.
There's also a big battery at 5000mAh - and this is one of the Galaxy A's strong points: with lower power demands and lower display brightness, as well as the sizeable capacity, it will often outlast the Galaxy S models.
Camera
When it comes to the cameras, the Galaxy A54 takes a hit: it will offer many of the same features, but won't deliver the same quality when it comes to the results. In terms of the camera hardware, the biggest omission is the telephoto lens. Instead the Galaxy A54 has a macro lens - which generally speaking isn't worth having. However, with a decent main camera and ultrawide, there's no shortage of opportunities for creative capture - and this new sensor boosts the low light shooting performance.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 camera is good however - and it betters the performance of the Galaxy A54 pretty easily.
Which should you buy?
The Samsung Galaxy S is designed as a showcase of what Samsung can achieve. While the S23 and S23+ don't quite reach to the heights of the Galaxy S23 Ultra, it's the Galaxy S23+ that's most closely comparable to the Galaxy A54.
Samsung Galaxy S23+
That mostly comes down to size. With an uplift in design, the Galaxy A54 has a design closer to the Galaxy S23+, is about the same size, but takes a slight step down in the quality of materials used.
There's a great display on the Galaxy A54, close in performance to the Galaxy S23, but not quite as technically proficient. The Galaxy A54 offers good battery life, but it doesn't have the core power to match the performance of the Galaxy S23. However, at around half the price, it could well hit those core essentials that people are after: good design, enough power, a great display with decent size, good battery life and an IP rating to keep it all protected.