Samsung Galaxy S7 Active vs. Galaxy A54: A Generational Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Galaxy A54 offers a significantly improved display, camera, and performance thanks to its modern chipset. While the S7 Active boasts incredible battery endurance, its age shows in other areas. The A54 is the clear winner for most users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S7 active | Samsung Galaxy A54 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 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) Cat9 450/50 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| - | 25, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2016, June. Released 2016, June | 2023, March 15 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2023, March 24 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), plastic back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 148.8 x 74.9 x 9.9 mm (5.86 x 2.95 x 0.39 in) | 158.2 x 76.7 x 8.2 mm (6.23 x 3.02 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 184.8 g (6.53 oz) | 202 g (7.13 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) MIL-STD-810G compliant | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 2560 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~576 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.1 inches, 71.7 cm2 (~64.3% 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) |
| Always-on display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Quad-core (2x2.15 GHz Kryo & 2x1.6 GHz Kryo) | Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 (14 nm) | Exynos 1380 (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 530 | Mali-G68 MP5 |
| OS | Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), upgradable to 7.0 (Nougat), TouchWiz UI | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 7 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 32GB 4GB RAM | 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Single | 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS | 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@30fps (gyro-EIS), 1080p@60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., OIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@480fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | - |
| Single | 5 MP, f/1.7, 22mm (wide), 1/4.1", 1.34µm | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Video | - | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.2, A2DP, LE, aptX | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | Stereo FM radio, RDS | No |
| USB | microUSB 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 (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer (USA only) |
| ANT+ S-Voice natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | Virtual proximity sensing | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 15W wired, QC2 Wireless (Qi) (market dependent) | 25W wired |
| Music play | Up to 110 h | - |
| Stand-by | Up to 384 h (3G) | - |
| Talk time | Up to 32 h (3G) | - |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh, non-removable | 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Camo Green, Titanium Gray, Sandy Gold | Lime, Graphite, Violet, White |
| Models | SM-G891A | 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 360 EUR | € 210.00 / $ 119.11 / £ 169.95 / ₹ 28,999 |
| SAR | 0.92 W/kg (head) 0.75 W/kg (body) | 0.81 W/kg (head) 0.67 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.32 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) | 0.69 W/kg (head) 1.34 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -94.3dB / Crosstalk -93.4dB | - |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 96h | Endurance rating 119h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 72dB / Noise 66dB / Ring 78dB | -26.6 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | Basemark OS II 2.0: 2487Basemark X: 32362 | AnTuTu: 506678 (v9) GeekBench: 2703 (v5.1), 2797 (v6) GFXBench: 25fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S7 active
- Modern Chipset (Exynos 1380)
- Excellent Display (980 nits)
- Improved Camera System
- Faster Charging (25W)
- More Current Software Support
- Battery Life Not as Extreme as S7 Active
- Can be pricier than used S7 Active
Samsung Galaxy A54
- Exceptional Battery Endurance (96h)
- Rugged Design & Durability
- Compact Size
- Outdated Processor
- Lower Resolution Display
- Older Camera Technology
- Limited Software Updates
- Slower Charging
Display Comparison
The Galaxy A54's 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with 980 nits brightness and an infinite contrast ratio blows the S7 Active's 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display out of the water. Colors are more vibrant, and visibility in sunlight is significantly better. The A54's higher resolution also contributes to a sharper image.
Camera Comparison
The Galaxy A54's camera system is a major upgrade. It offers improved image quality, better low-light performance, and more versatile shooting options. The S7 Active's camera is functional but noticeably dated in comparison, lacking the detail and dynamic range of the A54.
Performance
The Exynos 1380 in the Galaxy A54 provides a substantial performance boost over the Snapdragon 820 in the S7 Active. Apps launch faster, multitasking is smoother, and demanding games run better on the A54. While the S7 Active was powerful in its time, it struggles to keep up with modern software demands.
Battery Life
The S7 Active's endurance rating of 96h is truly remarkable, a testament to its efficient design and older software. However, the Galaxy A54's active use score of 11:15h and endurance rating of 119h are still very competitive, especially considering its larger display and more demanding chipset. The A54 also supports faster 25W charging.
Buying Guide
The Samsung Galaxy S7 Active is ideal for those needing extreme durability and exceptional battery life, prioritizing longevity over modern features. The Galaxy A54 is perfect for users seeking a well-rounded experience with a great display, camera, and performance at a mid-range price.