The smartphone market is overflowing with options, but finding a great phone without breaking the bank can be tough. Today, we're pitting two contenders against each other: the ultra-budget HTC Wildfire E Plus and the mid-range powerhouse, the Samsung Galaxy A54. Let's see which one offers the best value.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy A54 is the clear winner. While the HTC Wildfire E Plus offers affordability, the A54's superior performance, camera, display, and battery life make it a significantly better overall package, justifying 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 | - | 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| | - | 25, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2022, October 24 | 2023, March 15 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, October 24 | 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 | 164.1 x 75.9 x 8.8 mm (6.46 x 2.99 x 0.35 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 | 190 g (6.70 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 (~269 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.52 inches, 102.6 cm2 (~82.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~82.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM) |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 | Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6739 (28 nm) | Exynos 1380 (5 nm) |
| GPU | PowerVR GE8100 | Mali-G68 MP5 |
| OS | Android 12 (Go edition) | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 7 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 32GB 2GB RAM | 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| | eMMC 5.1 | - |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Dual | 13 MP, (wide), AF
5 MP | - |
| Features | LED flash | 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 | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@480fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Single | 5 MP | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Video | Yes | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.2, A2DP | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | Unspecified | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Accelerometer, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer (USA only) |
| | - | Virtual proximity sensing |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | - | 25W wired |
| Type | Li-Po 5150 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black | Lime, Graphite, Violet, White |
| Models | - | 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 130 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) |
HTC Wildfire E plus
- Extremely affordable
- Compact size (likely)
- Basic functionality
- Weak performance
- Low-quality display
- Basic camera
- Slow charging
- Limited storage
Samsung Galaxy A54
- Excellent performance
- Vibrant Super AMOLED display
- Great camera system
- Long battery life
- Fast charging (25W)
- Water and dust resistance (likely)
- Higher price than Wildfire E Plus
- Exynos processor can be slightly less efficient than Snapdragon in some scenarios
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy A54 boasts a stunning Super AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 980 nits and an infinite contrast ratio, offering vibrant colors and excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. The Wildfire E Plus likely has a standard LCD display with lower brightness and contrast, resulting in a noticeably less immersive viewing experience. The A54's display is a clear winner.
Camera Comparison
The Galaxy A54's camera system is a major advantage. While specific megapixel counts aren't the whole story, the A54's image processing and features are far more advanced. Expect better image quality, dynamic range, and low-light performance. The Wildfire E Plus camera is likely adequate for basic snapshots but won't compete with the A54.
Performance
The Exynos 1380 in the Galaxy A54 is a significant leap ahead of the Mediatek MT6739 in the Wildfire E Plus. The A54's octa-core processor and 5nm architecture provide vastly superior processing power, resulting in smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and better gaming performance. The Wildfire E Plus will likely struggle with demanding tasks.
Battery Life
Both phones offer impressive battery life with endurance ratings of 119h. However, the Galaxy A54's active use score of 11:15h suggests efficient power management and potentially faster charging (25W wired) compared to the Wildfire E Plus, which likely has slower charging speeds.
Buying Guide
The HTC Wildfire E Plus is for users on the absolute tightest budget who prioritize basic functionality over premium features. The Samsung Galaxy A54 is ideal for those seeking a well-rounded smartphone experience with a great camera, vibrant display, and long-lasting battery, without spending flagship money.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the HTC Wildfire E Plus worth buying?
Only if you're on an extremely tight budget and need a basic phone for calls and simple tasks. Otherwise, the Samsung Galaxy A54 offers significantly better value.
❓ What is the biggest difference between these two phones?
The biggest difference is performance. The Samsung Galaxy A54's powerful processor and advanced features provide a much smoother and more enjoyable user experience.
