Sometimes we like to go beyond well-roundedness and seek for features that excel in certain fronts. For Gen Zs, it might be heavy on the camera and gaming performance. Right on cue, Samsung launched its midrange smartphones — Galaxy A54 and A34 — tailor-fit for young and adventurous souls.
We’ve got our hands on Samsung’s upper-midrange Galaxy A54 and here are our thoughts:
Design and build
I’m sure it’s not just me who has an inclination towards rear designs with a matte finish. We cannot deny that glossy rears offer a more premium touch, but it’s often difficult to appreciate as it gets covered in fingerprint marks unlike the former. Case in point, the Samsung A54’s shiny finish might be an exception since smudges are received more discreetly.
At first glance, you might confuse the A54 as the brand’s flagship Galaxy smartphone. Don’t be mistaken as we’re reviewing a midrange smartphone. And yes, the resemblance is uncanny just by looking at the neat camera panel, presenting a unibody look. The difference lies mainly on the hardware, which will show given its relative affordability.
Notably, the device leans more on the heavier side, weighing 202g and measuring 8.2mm. The device we’re reviewing comes in a classy shade: Awesome Graphite. Other awesome colors include Lime and Violet.
Display
The 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display props up a bright and lively greeting in front. Thus, as you soak up the sun, you’ll be able to indulge in the screen’s good visibility with 1000 nits of brightness.
The front panel is great for those who like to spend time streaming Netflix series or playing mobile games. You get to feel engrossed as you witness the vividness of the colors and sharpness of details. Not to mention, the 120Hz refresh rate will aid in giving users a breezy experience in both scenarios.
What’s the catch? Perhaps it has something to do with its screen-to-body ratio of 82.9%. Unfortunately, it gets in the way of a fully immersive viewing experience. Bezels are indeed noticeably thick on all sides.
Camera
As mentioned earlier, the rear panel houses a tidy camera layout that inherits the design language of Samsung’s flagship lineup. What we have is the 50MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide camera, and 5MP macro camera. On the flip side is the 32MP selfie camera.
Shots taken in well-lit scenarios are easily likable given how vibrant images appeared. One might think it’s a little over the top. But a little editing can bring back the balance. Another admirable thing about the photos I captured is the level of details — on point and very crisp.
How about in challenging light situations? We’re happy to report that it fared well in various dim settings. If you’re all about the nightlife, then you’ll enjoy how it captures the beautiful city lights and aesthetic pubs — all while retaining a good amount of detail.
Before After (REMASTERED)
It seems like Samsung understood the assignment, providing Gen Zs with built-in editing tools that can help them get the job done instantly. Want to remove photo bombers? There’s an object eraser tool. You can also further enhance your shots with the remastering tool. No need to download photo editing apps to do this.
As for the 32MP front camera, quality of selfies was at par with the rear setup. You can effortlessly vlog and take nice selfies amid picturesque vacation spots in the metro.
Performance
The A54 is powered by Exynos 1380 chipset and runs on 8GB of RAM. This translates to a smooth and lag-free light-to-moderate use from simply switching apps to multitasking with several windows open in the background.
If you decide to take it up a notch and engage in more graphically demanding activities like mobile gaming, it will still deliver with enthusiasm. This was evident as I ran titles like Asphalt 9 for sustained periods and I didn’t encounter any hitch.
The same is true for long hours of content creation, including video recording and editing. On a different note, the 128GB storage will be adequate for what feels like your unlimited safety shots.
Battery
Housing a large 5000mAh battery life, it certainly caters to the always on-the-go lifestyle of Gen Zs. This can last you a full day outdoors without needing to reach for a charger until you get home.
Verdict
Overall, we can say that the Samsung Galaxy A54 offers well-rounded features from its trendy design to its large battery life and superb performance on the daily.
More importantly, it allows users to exercise their creative juices with highly accessible tools for photo editing. Since a lot of young people make a career out of content creation, a device that excels in the camera department is their major investment. Considering what the A54 offers, it’s a worthy one to make at PHP24,990.
