Samsung Galaxy A54 vs A52 5G: Which Mid-Range Samsung is Right for You?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy A54 is the better choice. Its brighter 980 nit display, more efficient Exynos 1380 chipset fabricated on a 5nm process, and slightly improved battery endurance offer a noticeable upgrade over the A52 5G, despite both phones sharing a 25W charging rate.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy A52 5G | Samsung Galaxy A54 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 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 | 2021, March 17 | 2023, March 15 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, March 19 | Available. Released 2023, March 24 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 159.9 x 75.1 x 8.4 mm (6.30 x 2.96 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 | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 189 g (6.67 oz) | 202 g (7.13 oz) |
| IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~407 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 101.0 cm2 (~84.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~82.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (HBM) | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM) |
| Always-on display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 570 & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 570) | Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7225 Snapdragon 750G 5G (8 nm) | Exynos 1380 (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | Mali-G68 MP5 |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14, One UI 6.1 | 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 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 4GB 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 |
| Quad | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.7X", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1.12µm 5 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | - |
| 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; 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, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | FM radio (market/region dependent) | 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, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer (USA only) |
| Virtual proximity sensing | Virtual proximity sensing | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, 50% in 30 min | 25W wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Awesome Black, Awesome White, Awesome Violet, Awesome Blue | Lime, Graphite, Violet, White |
| Models | SM-A526B, SM-A526B/DS, SM-A5260, SM-A526W, SM-A526U, SM-A526U1 | 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 | $ 137.39 / £ 280.00 / € 115.49 | € 210.00 / $ 119.11 / £ 169.95 / ₹ 28,999 |
| SAR | 0.74 W/kg (head) 0.53 W/kg (body) | 0.81 W/kg (head) 0.67 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 1.05 W/kg (head) 1.42 W/kg (body) | 0.69 W/kg (head) 1.34 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 111h | Endurance rating 119h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -27.5 LUFS (Good) | -26.6 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 334981 (v8), 386474 (v9) GeekBench: 1820 (v5.1) GFXBench: 16fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 506678 (v9) GeekBench: 2703 (v5.1), 2797 (v6) GFXBench: 25fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
- Lower price point (likely)
- Proven reliability
- Capable 5G connectivity
- Dimmer display
- Less powerful processor
- Shorter battery life
Samsung Galaxy A54
- Brighter, more vibrant display
- More efficient and powerful processor
- Improved battery endurance
- Enhanced image processing
- Higher price
- Potential for software bloat (typical Samsung)
- May not represent a massive leap for existing A52 5G owners
Display Comparison
The A54 boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 980 nits compared to the A52 5G’s 787 nits. This translates to better visibility outdoors under direct sunlight. Both displays share an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, typical of Samsung’s AMOLED panels, but the A54’s higher peak brightness is a clear advantage. While both likely utilize similar AMOLED technology, the A54’s increased brightness suggests potential improvements in panel efficiency and color calibration. The A52 5G’s display, while still good, feels comparatively dim in side-by-side viewing.
Camera Comparison
Both the A52 5G and A54 feature capable camera systems, but detailed sensor information is lacking in the provided data. However, the A54’s newer image signal processor (ISP) within the Exynos 1380 likely delivers improved image processing, resulting in better dynamic range and noise reduction. The A54 benefits from the advancements in Samsung’s computational photography algorithms. Without specific sensor details, it’s difficult to definitively declare a camera winner, but the A54’s newer chipset provides a strong advantage in image quality and video stabilization.
Performance
The shift from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G (8nm) in the A52 5G to the Samsung Exynos 1380 (5nm) in the A54 represents a key upgrade. The 5nm fabrication process of the Exynos 1380 is more efficient, leading to better thermal management and potentially less performance throttling under sustained loads. The A54’s CPU configuration – a combination of 4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 and 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55 cores – offers a performance boost over the A52 5G’s 2x2.2 GHz Kryo 570 & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 570 setup. While both phones are adequate for everyday tasks, the A54 will handle demanding apps and games with greater ease.
Battery Life
The A54 edges out the A52 5G in battery endurance, achieving an endurance rating of 119 hours versus the A52 5G’s 111 hours. This improvement, coupled with the A54’s active use score of 11:15h, suggests better power efficiency thanks to the 5nm Exynos 1380. Both phones support 25W wired charging, with the A52 5G claiming 50% charge in 30 minutes. While the A54’s charging speed isn’t explicitly stated, it’s likely comparable. The A54’s more efficient chipset translates to longer real-world usage on a single charge.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G if you prioritize finding the absolute lowest price for a capable 5G Samsung phone and don't require the latest display or processor technology. Buy the Samsung Galaxy A54 if you value a brighter, more vibrant display, improved performance for multitasking and gaming, and a slightly longer-lasting battery, even if it means spending a bit more.