Nothing Phone (3a) Lite vs Samsung Galaxy A54: A Deep Dive Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing long-lasting battery life and efficient performance, the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite emerges as the winner. Its significantly superior battery endurance (53:56h vs 11:15h active use) and modern 4nm Dimensity 7300 Pro chipset outweigh the A54’s brighter display.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Nothing Phone (3a) Lite | 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, 38, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71 | 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, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 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 / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| - | 25, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2025, October 29 | 2023, March 15 |
| Status | Available. Released 2025, October 29 | Available. Released 2023, March 24 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Panda Glass), plastic frame, glass back (Panda Glass) | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 164 x 78 x 8.3 mm (6.46 x 3.07 x 0.33 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 | 199 g (7.02 oz) | 202 g (7.13 oz) |
| - | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Panda Glass, Mohs level 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2392 pixels (~388 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.77 inches, 110.9 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~82.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 2160Hz PWM, HDR, 800 nits (typ), 1300 nits (HBM), 3000 nits (peak) | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.5 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 7300 Pro (4 nm) | Exynos 1380 (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G615 MC2 | Mali-G68 MP5 |
| OS | Android 15, up to 3 major Android upgrades, Nothing OS 3.5 | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 7 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC | 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 |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Single | - | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.57", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 15mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) | 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@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@480fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide) | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS | 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/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 | 33W wired, 50% in 20 min 5W reverse wired | 25W wired |
| Type | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Blue | Lime, Graphite, Violet, White |
| Models | A001T | 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 250 EUR | € 210.00 / $ 119.11 / £ 169.95 / ₹ 28,999 |
| SAR | - | 0.81 W/kg (head) 0.67 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.98 W/kg (head) 1.28 W/kg (body) | 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) |
| EU LABEL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 53:56h endurance, 1400 cycles | - |
| Energy | Class A | - |
| Free fall | Class C (90 falls) | - |
| Repairability | Class C | - |
Nothing Phone (3a) Lite
- Exceptional battery life (53:56h endurance)
- More efficient 4nm Dimensity 7300 Pro chipset
- Faster 33W charging
- Display brightness likely lower than A54
- Camera details currently limited
Samsung Galaxy A54
- Brighter 980 nit display
- Established Samsung brand and ecosystem
- Potentially refined camera image processing
- Significantly shorter battery life (11:15h active use)
- Less efficient 5nm Exynos 1380 chipset
- Slower 25W charging
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy A54 boasts a brighter display, reaching a measured 980 nits peak brightness, making it more legible under direct sunlight. While the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite’s display brightness isn’t specified, the A54’s advantage is clear for outdoor users. Samsung also claims an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, typical of its AMOLED panels, offering deep blacks. However, the absence of LTPO technology on either device suggests neither offers adaptive refresh rates for optimal power saving. Bezels appear comparable based on available imagery, and color accuracy data is currently unavailable for both.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer photo and video capabilities, but detailed camera specs are limited. The A54 likely benefits from Samsung’s established image processing algorithms. Without sensor size information, it’s difficult to definitively assess image quality. The inclusion of OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) on the A54 is probable, given Samsung’s typical implementation, which would improve low-light performance and video stabilization. The presence of a 2MP macro camera on the A54 is largely inconsequential, offering limited practical benefit. A detailed comparison requires side-by-side image samples.
Performance
The Nothing Phone (3a) Lite’s Mediatek Dimensity 7300 Pro (4nm) and the Samsung Galaxy A54’s Exynos 1380 (5nm) represent different approaches to mid-range performance. The 4nm process of the Dimensity 7300 Pro generally translates to better thermal efficiency and potentially lower power consumption compared to the 5nm Exynos 1380. Both CPUs feature an octa-core configuration with 4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 and 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55 cores, suggesting similar multi-core performance. However, the Dimensity 7300 Pro’s newer architecture may offer a slight edge in single-core tasks and GPU performance, benefiting demanding applications and gaming. RAM speed is not specified, but LPDDR5X would be a significant advantage for either device.
Battery Life
Battery life is where the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite truly shines. Its impressive 53:56h endurance rating significantly surpasses the Samsung Galaxy A54’s 11:15h active use score and 119h endurance rating. This difference is likely due to the Dimensity 7300 Pro’s superior efficiency and potentially a more optimized software experience. While the A54 offers 25W wired charging, the 3a Lite’s 33W charging is faster, reaching 50% charge in just 20 minutes. The 5W reverse wired charging on the 3a Lite is a useful addition for topping up accessories.
Buying Guide
Buy the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite if you need exceptional battery life, prioritize efficient performance for everyday tasks and light gaming, and appreciate a unique, minimalist design. Buy the Samsung Galaxy A54 if you prefer a brighter display for outdoor visibility, a more established brand ecosystem, and a potentially more refined camera experience, understanding that battery life will be a compromise.