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The Samsung Galaxy S22 series are some of the best smartphones in 2022. They’re not only lightweight, compact, and feature the latest technology and features, but they’re also beautiful, and come with several years of updates. Now, imagine the Galaxy S22’s hardware in a device that costs nearly half as much without any major sacrifices. Meet that Galaxy A54, a device that promises the same level of beauty on the inside and outside.
Samsung has been consistent over the years, and the Galaxy A52 and A53 were a no-brainer when recommending the best devices for under $500. They always feature a high-resolution display, a powerful chipset, capable cameras, and a long-lasting battery. Samsung has also become one of the best OEMs to provide timely updates for its premium and budget offerings, making it one of the best manufacturers on the market. The new Galaxy A54 will reportedly go above and beyond like its successor, offering the same level of upgrades, likely making it one of the most appealing products in 2023. Here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy A54.
Pricing & Availability
Samsung’s midranger devices are often announced in the first half of each year and are usually announced in the spring. The Samsung Galaxy A52 was announced on March 17, 2021, while the Galaxy A53 was unveiled on March 17, 2022. Because of this, it’s fair to assume that we might see Samsung reveal the Galaxy A54 sometime in March, possibly sooner, since the Galaxy S23 series has reportedly been brought forward, launching slightly earlier in 2023.
When it comes to the price, the Galaxy A52 5G retailed for $499, while the newer Galaxy A53 5G cost $449. There haven’t been many leaks about the pricing so far, but we expect the Galaxy A54 to cost around the same. Even if there is a price increase, we expect it to be below the $500 mark.
Samsung Galaxy A53
Samsung Galaxy A53 packs in a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED Display, the Exynos 1280, and a 5000 mAh battery alongside a decent set of camera sensors. For $350, it offers a combination that is a perfect balance of price and specifications.
Colors
The current Galaxy A53 5G launched in a single color, Black, in the US. However, the device is available in four colors in other regions, including Black, Blue, White, and Peach. It’s currently unclear if the US market will see the introduction of new colors, but we would like to see Samsung include a bit of a variety for more customization options. While there are no rumors about any of this, we could also see a new color announced to refresh the lineup.
Technical Specifications
Rumored specifications
| Specification | Samsung Galaxy A54 5G |
| Build |
|
| Dimensions & Weight |
|
| Display |
|
| SoC | Samsung Exynos 1380 |
| Memory & Storage |
|
| Battery & Charging |
|
| Security | Optical fingerprint sensor (under display) |
| Rear Camera(s) |
|
| Front Camera(s) | 32MP |
| Port(s) | USB Type-C |
| Connectivity | |
| Software | One UI 5.0 (Android 13) |
| Others |
Design
The design of the new Galaxy A54 is rumored to look very similar to the Galaxy A53. While the recent leaks didn’t mention the material of the device, we’ll assume that it will be the same as last year’s model, plastic. The phone is expected to be slightly wider and thicker, but it’s rumored to shrink about a millimeter. The leaked dimensions claim it will be 158.3 x 76.7 x 8.2 mm (via 91Mobiles).
On the back, the large camera island housing the sensors are rumored to be gone to follow the design language of the new Galaxy S23 series. Each camera sensor will have its own island, and the back of the device will be significantly streamlined for an even more minimalistic approach. We’re still expecting to see an IP67 water and dust-resistant certificate, and the same placements for the ports, microphone, and buttons on the side.
Display
The same leak from 91Mobiles has mentioned that we’re expecting a slightly smaller 6.4-inch OLED display, compared to the 6.5-inch panel on the A53. The screen will have an FHD+ (2,400 x 1,080) resolution panel with 120Hz refresh rate. Despite the display shrinking ever so slightly, we expect the same accurate colors and great brightness levels inside and outside.
Previous Galaxy A-series devices had excellent displays that excelled in daily use, entertainment and gaming, and we don’t expect to be disappointed. Judging by the renders, the A54 will have the same center hole-punch cutout as the A53.
Processor, RAM, and Storage
The Galaxy A53 was powered by the Exynos 1280 with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of built-in storage. While the device performed well and efficiently, the Exynos wasn’t as powerful as the competition’s mid-range chips in some departments. The upcoming Galaxy A54 is rumored to come equipped with the Exynos 1380 chipset, which should provide a much better speed improvement over the Exynos 1280.
The chip will reportedly come with a new 5G modem, supporting both mmWave and sub-6GHz connectivity, which should improve wireless connectivity. The chip will also support Bluetooth 5.3, and we expect it to be far more efficient, further extending the battery life.
Camera
The Galaxy A52 and A53 had a primary sensor, an ultrawide, a macro, and a depth sensor on the back. This year, the Samsung Galaxy A54 is rumored to come with just three camera sensors on the back. According to GalaxyClub, the A54 will have a 50MP primary sensor, and it could be skipping on the depth sensor, suggesting that we might see an ultrawide, and a macro camera instead. Some other leaks claimed that the A54 would house a 50MP primary, an 8MP ultrawide, and a 5MP macro camera.
Battery
Recent leaks suggest the Galaxy A54 could pack a large 5,000 mAh battery, the same capacity as its predecessor. There are rumors of the device supporting 25W fast wired charging, and we expect it to go from flat to 50% after about 30 minutes. As usual, we don’t expect to see any support for wireless charging here.
The Galaxy A53 performed well under load and received a lot of praise for its longevity. We hope that Samsung made even more improvements this time, and we expect the same excellent performance and endurance ratings on the upcoming Galaxy A54.
What we want to see
- Faster charging: We might sound like a broken record, but Samsung has lost the plot when it comes to providing faster charging. The entire Galaxy lineup supports up to 25W fast wired charging, which is no longer fast enough today. We would love to see Samsung improve its charging speeds, and the Galaxy A54 would be a great starting point.
- Better performance: The Exynos 1380 promises a lot of advancements and upgrades when it comes to gaming and multitasking, and we’re hoping to see even more of a leap when it comes to performance. The last generation worked fine for the most part, but we’d like to see the chip handle graphics-intensive games better.
- More colors: The Galaxy A53 is only available in a single Black color in the US, while other regions have four color options to choose from. The A-series are some of the most sold devices, and we would love to see Samsung include even more colors.
- Telephoto camera: Including a macro camera on a smartphone at this price range doesn’t make too much sense and doesn’t offer a whole lot. Instead, we would love to see a 2x telephoto sensor, providing better close-up photos.
