Huawei Mate 9 vs Samsung Galaxy A54: A Clash of Titans
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy A54 is the clear winner. While the Mate 9 boasts impressive endurance ratings, the A54's modern chipset, brighter display, and continued software support make it a more compelling choice for most users in 2024. It offers a better overall experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Huawei Mate 9 | Samsung Galaxy A54 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (MHA-L29 model only) | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - MHA-L29, MHA-L09 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 29, 38, 39, 40, 41 - MHA-L29 | 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 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (3CA) Cat12 600/150 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 29, 38, 39, 40 - MHA-L09 | 25, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2016, November. Released 2016, December | 2023, March 15 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2023, March 24 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 156.9 x 78.9 x 7.9 mm (6.18 x 3.11 x 0.31 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 | · 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 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~373 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.9 inches, 96.0 cm2 (~77.5% 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 | Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A73 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A53) | Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Kirin 960 (16 nm) | Exynos 1380 (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G71 MP8 | Mali-G68 MP5 |
| OS | Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie), EMUI 9.1 | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 7 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 32GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 4GB RAM | 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 12 MP, f/2.2, 27mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm, PDAF, OIS 20 MP B/W, f/2.2, 27mm (wide), 1/2.7" | - |
| Features | Laser AF, Leica optics, dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDR | 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 | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@480fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single | 8 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.4µm, AF | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.2, A2DP, EDR, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer (USA only) |
| - | Virtual proximity sensing | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 22.5W wired | 25W wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable | 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Agate Red, Topaz Blue, Space Gray, Moonlight Silver, Champagne Gold, Mocha Brown, Ceramic White, Black, Obsidian Black | Lime, Graphite, Violet, White |
| Models | MHA-L29, MHA-L09, MHA-AL00, MHA-TL00 | 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 320 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -92.2dB / Crosstalk -93.3dB | - |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 82h | Endurance rating 119h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: 1622 (nominal), 3.680 (sunlight) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 83dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 85dB | -26.6 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | Basemark OS II 2.0: 2637Basemark X: 36519 | AnTuTu: 506678 (v9) GeekBench: 2703 (v5.1), 2797 (v6) GFXBench: 25fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Huawei Mate 9
- Exceptional battery life (rated)
- Good contrast ratio display
- Decent performance for its age
- Outdated chipset
- Limited software updates
- Lower brightness display
- Older camera technology
Samsung Galaxy A54
- Bright and vibrant display
- Modern chipset with good performance
- Excellent battery life
- Regular software updates
- Improved camera system
- Charging speed could be faster
- Plastic build (compared to premium materials)
Display Comparison
The Galaxy A54's display is significantly superior. Its 980 nits max brightness provides excellent visibility outdoors, a feature the Mate 9 lacks. The 'infinite' contrast ratio suggests superior black levels and overall image quality compared to the Mate 9's 1622:1 ratio. While the Mate 9's contrast is good, the A54's is noticeably better.
Camera Comparison
While both phones offer 'Photo / Video' capabilities, the Galaxy A54's camera system is generally considered superior. It likely benefits from newer sensor technology and image processing algorithms. The Mate 9's camera was good for its time, but it can't compete with the A54's image quality, especially in low light.
Performance
The Exynos 1380 in the Galaxy A54, built on a 5nm process, offers a substantial performance advantage over the Mate 9's Kirin 960 (16nm). The A54's Cortex-A78 cores provide faster processing speeds, resulting in smoother multitasking and gaming. The Mate 9 is still usable, but the A54 feels more responsive and future-proof.
Battery Life
The Mate 9's endurance rating of 82h is impressive, but the Galaxy A54's active use score of 11:15h and endurance rating of 119h demonstrate excellent battery efficiency. The A54's more modern processor and optimized software contribute to its longevity.
Buying Guide
The Huawei Mate 9 is for budget-conscious users who prioritize extreme battery life and don't mind an older device with limited software updates. The Samsung Galaxy A54 is ideal for those seeking a well-rounded mid-range phone with a great display, capable camera, and consistent performance.