The smartphone market is brimming with options, making it tough to choose. Today, we're pitting the budget-friendly Honor Play 30 Plus against the popular Samsung Galaxy A54. Both offer compelling features, but cater to different needs. Let's dive into a detailed comparison to help you decide which one is right for you.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy A54 is the clear winner, offering a superior display, more powerful chipset, and significantly better camera capabilities. While the Honor Play 30 Plus provides decent value, the A54's overall performance and features justify its higher price point.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | LTE | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | SA/NSA | 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| | CDMA2000 1x | 25, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2021, December 16 | 2023, March 15 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, January 02 | Available. Released 2023, March 24 |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 167.6 x 77.2 x 8.6 mm (6.60 x 3.04 x 0.34 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 | 198 g (6.98 oz) | 202 g (7.13 oz) |
| | - | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~260 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.74 inches, 109.7 cm2 (~84.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~82.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD, 90Hz | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM) |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 700 (7 nm) | Exynos 1380 (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G57 MC2 | Mali-G68 MP5 |
| OS | Android 11, Magic UI 5.0 | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 7 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| | eMMC 5.1 | - |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Dual | 13 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF
Auxiliary lens | - |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Single | 5 MP, f/2.2, (wide) | 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 | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@480fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Single | 5 MP, f/2.2, (wide) | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Video | - | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 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, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer (USA only) |
| | - | Virtual proximity sensing |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 22.5W wired | 25W wired |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black, Blue, Silver, Gold | Lime, Graphite, Violet, White |
| Models | CMA-AN00 | 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 | About 150 EUR | € 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 119h
|
| Camera | - |
Photo / Video |
| Display | - |
Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - |
-26.6 LUFS (Good)
|
| Performance | - |
AnTuTu: 506678 (v9)
GeekBench: 2703 (v5.1), 2797 (v6)
GFXBench: 25fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Honor Play 30 Plus
- Affordable price
- Large display
- Decent performance for basic tasks
- Less powerful chipset
- Subpar camera
- Lower display quality
- Slower charging
Samsung Galaxy A54
- Excellent display
- Powerful chipset
- Superior camera
- Long battery life
- Premium build quality
- Higher price
- Charging speed could be faster
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy A54 boasts a significantly brighter display (980 nits) with an impressive contrast ratio (Infinite), offering vibrant colors and excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. The Honor Play 30 Plus likely has a decent display, but lacks the A54's premium quality and brightness. The A54's display is a clear advantage.
Camera Comparison
The Galaxy A54's camera system is a major upgrade. While specific megapixel counts aren't the only factor, Samsung's image processing and overall camera hardware are superior. Expect better image quality, dynamic range, and low-light performance from the A54. The Honor Play 30 Plus camera is likely adequate for casual snapshots but won't compete with the A54.
Performance
The Exynos 1380 in the Galaxy A54, built on a 5nm process, provides noticeably better performance than the Mediatek Dimensity 700 (7nm) in the Honor Play 30 Plus. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and better gaming performance on the A54. While the Dimensity 700 is adequate for everyday tasks, it struggles with more demanding applications.
Battery Life
Both phones offer good battery life, but the Galaxy A54 shines with an endurance rating of 119 hours (old) and an active use score of 11:15h. This indicates exceptional longevity. The Honor Play 30 Plus's battery life is respectable, but falls short of the A54's impressive endurance.
Buying Guide
The Honor Play 30 Plus is ideal for users on a tight budget who prioritize basic functionality and a large screen. The Samsung Galaxy A54 is perfect for those seeking a well-rounded smartphone with a great display, capable camera, and long-lasting battery, even if it means spending a bit more.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the Honor Play 30 Plus good for gaming?
While it can handle some games, the Honor Play 30 Plus's chipset isn't ideal for demanding titles. The Samsung Galaxy A54 offers a much smoother gaming experience.
❓ Which phone has better software support?
Samsung is known for providing longer software update support than Honor. The Galaxy A54 will likely receive updates for a longer period.
