Huawei Nova 9 vs Samsung Galaxy A54: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy A54 emerges as the overall winner thanks to its superior display brightness, significantly faster charging, and longer battery life. While the Nova 9 boasts a powerful chipset, the A54's broader appeal and Samsung's software support make it the more compelling choice for most users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Huawei nova 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, 66 - Europe | 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 / CDMA / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 18, 19, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China | 25, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, September 23 | 2023, March 15 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, September 30 | Available. Released 2023, March 24 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 160 x 73.7 x 7.8 mm (6.30 x 2.90 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 | 175 g (6.17 oz) | 202 g (7.13 oz) |
| - | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~392 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.57 inches, 106.0 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~82.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10 | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Kryo 670 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 670) | Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 4G (6 nm) | Exynos 1380 (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 642L | Mali-G68 MP5 |
| OS | HarmonyOS 2.0 (China), EMUI 12 (Europe), no Google Play Services | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 7 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Quad | 50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | - |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.0, (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 | 4K, 1080p, 720p@960fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@480fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | - |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.0, (wide) | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, 720p@240fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 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 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/a/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer (USA only) |
| - | Virtual proximity sensing | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 66W wired, 60% in 18 min, 100% in 38 min Reverse wired | 25W wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4300 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Starry Blue, Black, Green, Violet | Lime, Graphite, Violet, White |
| Models | NAM-AL00, NAM-LX9 | 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 120 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 96h | Endurance rating 119h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -27.3 LUFS (Good) | -26.6 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 469798 (v9) GeekBench: 2973 (v5.1) GFXBench: 28fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 506678 (v9) GeekBench: 2703 (v5.1), 2797 (v6) GFXBench: 25fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Huawei nova 9
- Powerful Snapdragon 778G 4G chipset
- Fast 66W charging
- Sleek design
- Good performance for gaming
- Lower display brightness
- Shorter battery life
- Limited software support (due to Huawei restrictions)
- No official Google Play Services
Samsung Galaxy A54
- Bright and vibrant AMOLED display
- Excellent battery life
- Reliable camera performance
- Guaranteed software updates
- Water and dust resistance (IP67)
- Slower 25W charging
- Exynos chipset slightly less powerful than Nova 9
- Design can be considered somewhat bland
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy A54 takes a clear lead in the display department. Its 980 nits max brightness is significantly higher than the Nova 9's 608 nits, making it much easier to see outdoors. Both offer excellent contrast ratios (infinite nominal), but the A54's brightness advantage is a game-changer. The A54 also likely has a slightly better color accuracy and viewing angles, typical of Samsung's AMOLED panels.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer versatile camera systems, but the Galaxy A54 is generally considered to have a more consistent and reliable camera experience. Samsung's image processing is well-regarded, and the A54's larger sensor sizes often result in better low-light performance. The Nova 9's camera is still very good, but may require more tweaking to achieve optimal results.
Performance
The Huawei Nova 9's Snapdragon 778G 4G chipset is a powerhouse, offering excellent performance for gaming and demanding apps. While the Exynos 1380 in the Galaxy A54 is also capable, the Nova 9 generally edges it out in raw processing power. However, real-world performance differences may be minimal for everyday tasks.
Battery Life
The Galaxy A54 dominates in battery life. Its endurance rating of 119h significantly surpasses the Nova 9's 96h. Coupled with its 25W charging (compared to the Nova 9's 66W), the A54 offers a more sustainable and convenient battery experience. While the Nova 9 charges faster, the A54's larger battery capacity provides longer usage time.
Buying Guide
The Huawei Nova 9 is ideal for users prioritizing performance and fast charging, particularly those already invested in the Huawei ecosystem. The Samsung Galaxy A54 is a better fit for those seeking a reliable, long-lasting phone with a vibrant display, excellent camera, and guaranteed software updates.