Galaxy A54 and S23 are two popular smartphone models manufactured by Samsung, a leading technology company renowned for producing cutting-edge devices. These two smartphones are highly sought-after due to their impressive features, powerful hardware, and sleek designs.
In this Galaxy A54 vs S23 comparison, we’ll examine the key differences between the Galaxy A54 and S23 to help you decide which one is right for you. Check out the latest price of the Galaxy S23 here.>> Or the Galaxy A54 Here>>
Their unique design, distinctive features, and notably their pricing had previously distinguished them. However, this year it is evident that these two phones have become more alike than ever, not only in appearance but also in their specifications and features.
It is highly likely that most individuals would struggle to differentiate between them now. This is advantageous for the A54, as it is priced at half the cost of the S23 while offering a significant amount of features. On the other hand, it is disadvantageous for the S23 as it now appears less attractive than before.
I will provide you with comprehensive information about these two phones, so that you can choose the most suitable device for your specific requirements. While there are factors to consider when choosing between them, if you prefer a brief summary, my recommendation is that most people should opt for the A54. It offers almost 90% of the features of the S23 but costs $400 less.
DESIGN
As I mentioned earlier, the A series phones used to have a cheaper build and less modern design with smaller cameras compared to the S series. However, the A54 and the S23 now have a similar appearance. The main difference in size is that the S23 has a smaller screen at 6.1 inches, while the A54 has a larger 6.4-inch screen.
Depending on your preference, you could argue that either phone has an advantage, as the S23 is one of the smallest smartphones available, while the A54 offers a bigger screen for less money. To make a fairer comparison, we could compare the A54 to the S23 Plus, which has a 6.6-inch screen. With the closer dimensions, these two phones are almost identical, and if they were the same color, it would be hard to tell them apart.
If you want to be picky, the A54 has a slightly smaller screen-to-body ratio compared to the S23, with bigger bezels and a more pronounced chin at the bottom of the display. However, at a glance, both phones have an 80-something percent screen-to-body ratio and a hole-punch selfie camera, so the difference is not significant.
The differences between the materials and design on the back of the phone are also minimal. The A54 has a glossy glass back with Gorilla Glass 5, while the S23 has a frosted matte Gorilla Glass Victus back with a polished real metal aluminum frame, which scores it an extra point.
The camera layouts on both phones are similar, and they are both water and dust resistant, although the S23 has a slightly higher IP68 certification compared to the A series’ IP67 rating.
Overall, I am surprised at how closely Samsung has made the A54 resemble the S series. With the premium build and similar appearance, it’s almost impossible to tell if someone has a $450 A series phone or a thousand-dollar S23 Plus.
FEATURES
Looking at other features, there is nothing on the left side of either phone. On the right side, there are identical power and volume buttons. On the top, the SIM and SD card tray can be found on the A series, and yes, this phone still has expandable storage which is great. The S series has abandoned that and only has a single SIM tray at the bottom of the phone.
Both phones also have matching USB-C ports for charging and a downward-facing speaker. There are center hole-punch selfie cameras just below the earpiece and secondary speaker on both, and around the back, surprisingly similar triple-lens camera setups on both, which we will compare shortly.
When it comes to displays and viewing experience, both phones offer AMOLED screens with the same 2340 by 1080 resolution and HDR10+ support. They also have 120hz adaptive high refresh rate screens.
Although the S23 has a couple of advantages such as Samsung’s Dynamic 2X AMOLED panel, compared to the A54’s lesser Super AMOLED, there is not a huge difference in color. Both phones deliver bright bold, and punchy displays with deep inky blacks and visually stunning colors.
The A54 offers a surprisingly good screen for its price, while the S series display has remained unchanged for a few years. They are equally as sharp, although the S23 has a higher pixel density which is not noticeable up close.
The S23 is much brighter with a lot less glare and can reach up to 1200 nits with the slider and 1750 nits outdoors with auto-brightness enabled, while the A54 peaks at just 1000 nits. In less-than-ideal conditions, the S23 will be much brighter, but at home on the couch at 60% brightness, there is no difference.
Both phones have a 120hz adaptive refresh rate, which is now a common feature on Android phones priced over $300 or $400. The displays, however, tell different stories.
The A series offers a high-end screen at a significantly lower cost, while the S series has a perfectly adequate screen that has not been updated in the past 2-3 years, at least in terms of specifications. Overall, this is another significant victory for the A54.
SPEAKER AND AUDIO
With the out-loud listening experience, both these phones have a dual speaker setup – the one big one at the bottom and the secondary one in the earpiece up top. I’m personally not aware of any major differences – I don’t think the speakers on these phones have changed for a long time and to me they sound identical.
GALAXY A54 VS S23 PERFORMANCE
When it comes to specs and performance, the Galaxy S23 finally has some advantages over the A54. Inside, the S23 is powered by the latest and most powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor paired with the Adreno 740 GPU and 8GB of RAM as the only option.
On the other hand, the A54 is a mid-tier phone with mid-tier specs, equipped with the relatively new Exynos 1380 from Samsung, along with the Mali G68 GPU, and a choice between 6 or 8GB of RAM.
However, you can match the RAM with the S series at least, although mine here has 6 gigs of RAM. The Geekbench 6 scores show that the S23 is measurably more powerful and capable than the A54.
You could argue that the S23 is also quicker to launch and load just about everything in day-to-day tasks. So if you’re looking for a reason to still buy the flagship, this would be it.
Both of these devices run on Android 13 with the latest Samsung One UI Update, providing a similar app and software experience. The A54 doesn’t run OneUI core like the cheaper A0 series phones, but it still has most of the Samsung stuff, excluding Dex. Both phones will receive 4 years of major Android updates and 5 years of security updates, ensuring long-term support for their users.
This means that even with the lower price point of the A54, it will still receive updates for years to come. means the fewer dollars you spent can now be stretched a lot further. Now for as powerful as the S series is, I think it really depends on what you use your phone for as to whether you’re going to reap the benefits of all its potential power.
To be honest, if your usage is limited to just switching between YouTube, Instagram, a web browser, and WhatsApp, you might not even need all that processing power – the A54 should suffice.
However, if you’re into gaming, using resource-intensive apps for work, or editing pictures and videos, the speed and performance advantages of the S series would definitely be worth it. That being said, I believe that the majority of people use their phones for simple tasks, and the A54 is more than capable of handling that.
It’s worth noting that Samsung’s Exynos processors, such as the one in the A54, don’t have the best reputation when it comes to optimization or heat management. The S23, on the other hand, has the new Snapdragon chipset inside, which some people may justify as a reason to opt for the S series. However, I think many others wouldn’t even notice the difference.
BATTERY CAPACITY AND CHARGING TIME
The internals of these phones differ significantly in terms of their batteries. The smaller S23 is powered by a 3900mAh battery, while the larger A54 accommodates a much bigger 5000mAh battery.
Although the A54’s bigger screen does consume more power, it still has more battery left over by the end of the day compared to the S23. This is not unexpected, and while it may not last twice as long, an additional hour or two is certainly feasible, and both phones can be recharged at the same 25W wired charging speed.
The S23, on the other hand, has additional power features like wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, which the A54 lacks. It could be argued that the newer, more powerful Snapdragon chipset in the S series is better optimized to conserve battery life, but it’s difficult to compensate for size. The A54’s battery is even larger than the S23 Plus, which is a surprising advantage for this phone overall.
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CAMS SPECS AND QUALITY
In terms of the camera, it’s common to assume that the flagship S series has a superior camera setup. While that’s generally true, the differences may not be as significant as you think. Both phones have similar hardware with a 50mp f1.8 aperture main lens and a 12mp ultra-wide lens.
The S23 has a 10mp telephoto lens while the A54 has a 5mp macro lens. The S23 does have an advantage there, but surprisingly, the A54 has a 12mp selfie camera compared to the 32mp shooter on the S23. However, megapixels aren’t always the deciding factor.
Both phones offer a wide range of features and capabilities within their camera apps. The A54 impresses with its multitude of options, while the S23 has certain advantages, particularly with its superior zoom capabilities and support for Expert Raw and Directors View, along with more comprehensive pro controls.
Both phones also offer a 50mp shooting mode, and while the S series can shoot up to 8k video, the A54 can handle 4k at 30fps. In terms of real-world performance, side-by-side comparisons of pictures and videos show that the S23 tends to perform better overall.
It excels in keeping everything in focus, balancing color, managing exposure in dark and light areas, providing more detail, and capturing better night mode and wide-angle shots, along with superior selfies. However, I don’t believe that the S23 is twice as good at taking pictures compared to the A54.
The A series is not to be underestimated as it is not the budget phones of the past with subpar camera setups. It is fully capable and if you only use your phone to snap pictures on auto, the A54 will meet your needs. Most people do not use manual controls to film a video or require 8k video, they just want to capture the moment and the A54 can deliver great pictures and videos.
The S23 is undoubtedly one of the top 5 or top 3 smartphone cameras in the market, but only a small fraction of S23 owners use it to its fullest potential. If you are part of that 1%, you probably already have an S23 and this video is not relevant to you. However, for the majority of people, the A54 is more than good enough and actually pretty great.
GALAXY A54 VS GALAXY S23 PRICE COMPARISON
One major difference between these two phones is their price. The A54, which was recently announced, has an unlocked retail price of $449. On the other hand, the S23 was released a few months ago with an original full retail price of $799.
However, there are already discounts available for the Galaxy S23, such as a $100 discount on Amazon, and both phones are likely to be offered with various promotions from major carriers, such as buy one get one deal or a free phone with the purchase of a new line.
Despite these discounts, the flagship S23 still costs several hundred dollars more than the A54, which is a significant difference for most people. I typically compare price with features and specifications, and question whether the more expensive S23 is twice as good overall as the A54. The answer to this question will be revealed shortly, but the spoiler alert is that it’s not twice as good.
VERDICT
In my opinion, not only is the S23 not significantly better than the A54 this year, but Samsung made the A54 too attractive. It has the same design and build as the flagship, a similar display, and will receive software updates for years to come. The camera is also good enough for most people’s needs.
While the A54 may not be the fastest or most powerful phone, it’s not far behind the S23. It’s about 90% as good for half the price. I think this speaks volumes about Samsung’s S series, which hasn’t changed much in the past three years.
Devices under $500 are now just as good as flagship phones, and most people no longer need to pay a nearly four-figure price to get a really good device. Check out the latest price of the Galaxy S23 here.>> Or the Galaxy A54 Here>>
