Asus Zenfone 9 vs Samsung Galaxy A54: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Zenfone 9 offers flagship performance in a pocketable size, boasting a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and impressive brightness. The Galaxy A54 provides a more mainstream experience with a vibrant display, solid camera, and longer battery life, all at a more accessible price point. It depends on your priorities: power vs. value.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Asus Zenfone 9 | Samsung Galaxy A54 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 - A version | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 38, 77, 78 - A version | 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat20 2000/211 Mbps, 5G 4.5/0.9 Gbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 - C version | 25, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, July 28 | 2023, March 15 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, September 15 | Available. Released 2023, March 24 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 146.5 x 68.1 x 9.1 mm (5.77 x 2.68 x 0.36 in) | 158.2 x 76.7 x 8.2 mm (6.23 x 3.02 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 169 g (5.96 oz) | 202 g (7.13 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~445 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.9 inches, 84.4 cm2 (~84.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~82.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1100 nits (peak) | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM) |
| Always-on display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | Exynos 1380 (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Mali-G68 MP5 |
| OS | Android 12, upgradable to Android 14 | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 7 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, gimbal OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 113° (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF | - |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Single | - | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Triple | - | 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.X", 1.12µm 5 MP (macro) |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps; gyro-EIS, HDR | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@480fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.5, 28mm (standard), 1/2.93", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer (USA only) |
| - | Virtual proximity sensing | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, QC4 5W reverse wired | 25W wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4300 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Starry Blue, Moonlight White, Sunset Red, Midnight Black | Lime, Graphite, Violet, White |
| Models | AI2202-1A006EU, AI2202, AI2202_B | SM-A546V, SM-A546U, SM-A546U1, SM-A546B, SM-A546B/DS, SM-A546E, SM-A546E/DS, SM-A5460, SM-A546M, SM-A546M/DS, SM-A546W |
| Price | £ 619.99 | € 210.00 / $ 119.11 / £ 169.95 / ₹ 28,999 |
| SAR | - | 0.81 W/kg (head) 0.67 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.69 W/kg (head) 1.34 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 108h | Endurance rating 119h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -26.7 LUFS (Good) | -26.6 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 1083092 (v9) GeekBench: 4338 (v5.1) GFXBench: 89fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 506678 (v9) GeekBench: 2703 (v5.1), 2797 (v6) GFXBench: 25fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Asus Zenfone 9
- Flagship Performance
- Compact Size
- Bright Display
- Fast Charging (30W)
- Smaller Battery
- Potentially Less Versatile Camera
- Higher Price
Samsung Galaxy A54
- Excellent Battery Life
- Vibrant Display
- Versatile Camera System
- More Affordable
- Mid-Range Performance
- Slower Charging (25W)
- Larger Size
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy A54 takes the display crown with a measured peak brightness of 980 nits, significantly brighter than the Zenfone 9's 831 nits. Both offer excellent contrast ratios (infinite nominal), but the A54's higher brightness makes it more usable outdoors. The A54 also likely has a slightly larger screen size, contributing to a more immersive viewing experience. The Zenfone 9's smaller size means a more manageable device, though.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems, but the A54 likely has a more versatile setup with potentially better low-light performance due to its larger sensors. The Zenfone 9's camera is no slouch, but it might not offer the same level of detail or dynamic range as the A54 in challenging conditions. Video recording capabilities are likely comparable, though the A54 might offer more stabilization features.
Performance
Here, the Zenfone 9 absolutely dominates. Its Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset is a flagship-level performer, easily outclassing the Galaxy A54's Exynos 1380. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and significantly better gaming performance on the Zenfone 9. The A54 is still capable, but it won't match the Zenfone 9's raw power.
Battery Life
The Galaxy A54 has a clear advantage in battery life. While the Zenfone 9 boasts an impressive endurance rating of 108h, the A54's endurance rating of 119h and active use score of 11:15h suggest it will comfortably last a full day, even with heavy usage. The Zenfone 9's smaller battery means you'll need to charge it more frequently.
Buying Guide
The Asus Zenfone 9 is ideal for users who prioritize performance, a compact form factor, and don't mind a smaller battery. The Samsung Galaxy A54 is a great choice for those seeking a well-rounded experience with a beautiful display, reliable camera, and excellent battery life, especially on a budget.