Samsung Galaxy A51 5G UW vs. Galaxy A54: The Ultimate Showdown

Choosing a mid-range Samsung phone can be tough. The Galaxy A51 5G UW offered a compelling 5G experience at a competitive price, but the newer A54 brings significant upgrades. Let's dive into a head-to-head comparison to see which device deserves your money.

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🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy A54 is the clear winner. While the A51 5G UW was a solid phone in its time, the A54 boasts a brighter display, a more powerful chipset, improved camera capabilities, faster charging, and significantly better battery life, making it a worthwhile upgrade.

PHONES
Phone Names	Samsung Galaxy A51 5G UW	Samsung Galaxy A54

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	2, 4, 5, 13, 66	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands	260, 261 mmWave	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	2020, August 14	2023, March 15
Status	Available. Released 2020, August 14	Available. Released 2023, March 24

Body
Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, aluminum frame	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame
Dimensions	158.8 x 73.4 x 8.6 mm (6.25 x 2.89 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 (pre-installed)	· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	188.8 g (6.67 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 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~405 ppi density)	1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density)
Size	6.5 inches, 102.0 cm2 (~87.5% screen-to-body ratio)	6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~82.9% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	Super AMOLED	Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM)

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver)	Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
Chipset	Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm)	Exynos 1380 (5 nm)
GPU	Adreno 620	Mali-G68 MP5
OS	Android 10, One UI 2	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 6GB RAM	128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
	UFS 2.1	-

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, panorama, HDR	LED flash, panorama, HDR
Quad	48 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens	-
Single	5 MP, AF	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@30/120fps; gyro-EIS	4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@480fps, gyro-EIS

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	-
Single	32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm	32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm
Video	4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps	4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	No
35mm jack	Yes	No
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes, with stereo speakers

Comms
Bluetooth	5.0, A2DP, LE	5.3, A2DP, LE
NFC	Yes	Yes (market/region dependent)
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
Radio	FM radio, RDS, recording	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 (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer (USA only)
	ANT+	Virtual proximity sensing

Battery
Charging	15W wired	25W wired
Stand-by	Up to 672 h	-
Talk time	Up to 5 h	-
Type	Li-Po 4500 mAh	5000 mAh

Misc
Colors	Prism Bricks Blue	Lime, Graphite, Violet, White
Models	SM-A516V	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 470 EUR	€ 210.00 / $ 119.11 / £ 169.95 / ₹ 28,999
SAR	0.70 W/kg (head) 1.25 W/kg (body)	0.81 W/kg (head) 0.67 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	0.59 W/kg (head) 1.32 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)

Samsung Galaxy A51 5G UW

5G Connectivity
Affordable Price (when new)
Decent Display

Older Chipset
Slower Charging (15W)
Less Bright Display
Lower Camera Quality
Shorter Battery Life

Samsung Galaxy A54

Brighter Display
More Powerful Chipset (Exynos 1380)
Improved Camera
Longer Battery Life
Faster Charging (25W)

Higher Price (than A51 5G UW when new)
No expandable storage

Display Comparison

The Galaxy A54’s display is a major upgrade. Its 980 nits peak brightness offers excellent visibility outdoors, a significant improvement over the A51 5G UW. The A54 also features an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, providing richer blacks and more vibrant colors. The A51 5G UW's display is adequate but lacks the A54's punch and outdoor usability.

Camera Comparison

The A54’s camera system is a step up, offering improved image quality, especially in low-light conditions. While specific camera specs aren't detailed, the A54 generally produces more detailed and vibrant photos and videos. The A51 5G UW's camera is decent but struggles in challenging lighting situations.

Performance

The Exynos 1380 in the A54 delivers noticeably better performance than the Snapdragon 765G in the A51 5G UW. The A54 handles multitasking and demanding apps with greater ease, and its 5nm process offers improved efficiency. While the A51 5G UW is still usable, the A54 provides a smoother and more responsive experience.

Battery Life

The A54 dominates in battery life. Its endurance rating of 119h is exceptional, and active use lasting 11 hours and 15 minutes is impressive. The A51 5G UW's battery life is respectable but falls far short of the A54's longevity.

Buying Guide

Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy A51 5G UW? Those looking for a budget-friendly 5G phone and are comfortable with older hardware. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy A54? Anyone seeking a modern, well-rounded mid-range phone with a great display, capable camera, and long-lasting battery.