We analyzed 965 verified reviews for the Samsung Galaxy A54 to understand its real-world performance. Our method focuses on what actual users say, not just their star ratings.
We identify mentions of key features like the screen, camera, performance, and battery. Each mention is then classified as positive, negative, or neutral. This allows us to calculate a precise sentiment score for every aspect of the phone, showing you exactly where it shines and where it falls short.
💰 Value for Money: Premium Feel, Hidden Costs
In the fiercely competitive mid-range market, the Samsung Galaxy A54’s Value for Money is a compelling, but complicated, story. While users feel they receive a device that punches well above its weight, the initial excitement is often tempered by frustrating omissions that add unexpected costs. The core of the A54’s appeal lies in its remarkable ability to deliver a premium-like experience without the flagship price tag.
This sentiment is captured by its impressive 88% positive score for overall satisfaction relative to its cost, a figure that is 4 points higher than the category average. Users repeatedly feel they’ve secured a bargain, with one owner stating:
“rock solid phone that doesn’t break the bank.”
This feeling of smart consumerism is a powerful driver of satisfaction, as another user explains:
“This phone is a great choice if you don’t want to pay a premium price for a brand new Samsung but still want the premium Samsung feel.”
A Frustrating Omission
However, this strong sense of value is immediately undermined by what’s missing from the box. An extremely low 20% positive score for unexpected costs and missing items, which is just below the category average of 21%, highlights a significant source of user frustration. Buyers are consistently dismayed to find no charger included, a decision that feels particularly grating for a device marketed on value.
One user complained:
“It’s quite absurd that there was not a plug and a USB to USB C charging cable.”
Another voiced their irritation at:
“having to have this stupid attachment to play music in my car!”
Competitive Context
This duality becomes even clearer in a competitive context. The A54 represents a tangible step up from its own predecessor, the A53, scoring a full 10 percentage points higher on overall satisfaction versus cost (88% vs. 78%) and an 8-point improvement in Upgrade Justification. This leap is not lost on users, with one stating:
“So should you buy it if you’ve got the fine Galaxy 53? Oh yes! Buy this immediately.”
Yet, when compared to direct rivals, the shine dulls. The OnePlus Nord CE3, for example, boasts a 94% satisfaction score for its cost, suggesting it delivers an even more convincing value proposition. More tellingly, the A54’s failure to include a charger is a stark contrast to competitors like the Motorola Edge 40 Neo and OnePlus Nord CE3, which score a much healthier 69% and 70% respectively for including necessary items, a decision that respects the customer’s budget and avoids the “expensive inconveniences” that A54 owners resent.
Trade-Off: The Galaxy A54 offers a near-flagship experience at a mid-range price, but this value is immediately challenged by the frustrating and costly absence of essential accessories in the box.
📸 Camera: Great Shots, No Zoom
An evaluation of the Samsung Galaxy A54’s camera performance reveals a device that delivers exceptional quality where it matters most to users. The foundation of this praise is its excellent general image and video quality, which earns an 86% positive sentiment score—a full 8 points above the category average. This isn’t just a number; for users, it means capturing memories with confidence.
As one parent explained:
needed a phone to also have a great camera to take pictures nice enough I have the option to print them out!
This satisfaction extends to challenging lighting, with low-light performance scoring a remarkable 85% positive rating, far exceeding the 61% category average. This translates to real-world results, as one user celebrated:
takes great pictures in any light including a dark room.
The experience is further enhanced by an impressive suite of camera features and modes (82% positive), which lets users get creative:
options of blurred background and portrait mode [that] give loads of opportunities for great photos of family members.
Zoom Capabilities
However, this glowing picture is significantly marred by one glaring weakness: zoom capabilities. This factor plummets to a dismal 31% positive sentiment, falling 15 points short of the category average of 46%.
For users who want to get closer to their subjects, this is a source of immense frustration. One customer provided a detailed technical reason for their disappointment:
the main 50 mgp camera has no zoom on it… Therefore, there is only a zoom feature on the lesser 12 mgp camera which has vastly reduced quality.
The practical impact is clear and immediate, as another user lamented:
when you’re trying to get a shot from far away it can be quite blurry.
Comparison to Predecessors
This stark divide between core quality and zoom performance becomes even more pronounced against its predecessor and competitors. The A54 represents a major step up in primary photo quality, with its 86% positive score dwarfing the 76% achieved by the older Galaxy A53. This tangible improvement is a key reason for upgraders to feel satisfied.
The frustration, however, is that this progress did not extend to the zoom. Users coming from older models feel the regression keenly, with one stating their:
previous A50 is vastly superior to this phone and zooms on its main 25mgp camera, resulting in far better photos than this NEW model.
This weakness makes the A54 a mixed bag, offering users a leap forward in one area while taking what feels like a step back in another.
Trade-Off: Users gain a near-flagship primary camera experience at a mid-range price, but they must accept the near-total sacrifice of usable zoom.
📱 Screen: Visuals Shine, Touch Drags
For the Samsung Galaxy A54, the screen is an area of significant praise, delivering an experience that often feels far more premium than its price tag suggests. The underlying data reveals a deep appreciation for its visual capabilities, primarily driven by an almost flawless score of 97% for screen smoothness and refresh rate—towering over the 75% category average.
This isn’t just a number; it translates into a tangible feeling of quality during daily use. This fluidity, combined with a 93% positive score for display quality and vibrancy, makes for a viewing experience that users feel is an “over achiever,” with users stating things like
the themes look amazing with the 120hz Super Amoled screen
and that their
favourite part about this phone is how smoothly you can flick through images and look online.
Touchscreen Responsiveness
However, this visual excellence is undercut by a specific, persistent frustration: touchscreen responsiveness. While the screen is beautiful to look at and scrolls smoothly, interacting with it can be a different story. This factor scores just 54% in user satisfaction, the phone’s lowest-performing screen metric. Although this is technically better than the category average of 43%, the user frustration is palpable.
People report that you “have to tap on screen really hard when navigating through the device or texting,” and some experience glitches where “the screen doesn’t respond frequently.” The issue can be maddeningly inconsistent, as one user explained:
Touch screen is awful, either way too sensitive or won’t work at all.
Improvement and Competitive Context
This flaw is put into crucial context when compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy A53, which scored a dismal 20% on the same touch responsiveness metric. This highlights a significant engineering improvement, even if the result isn’t perfect. The A54’s 54% score also comfortably beats competitors like the Motorola Edge 40 Neo, which sits at just 29% for touch accuracy.
For users upgrading from an older Samsung or cross-shopping in the mid-range market, the A54’s screen, despite its touch imperfections, represents a noticeable step up in overall quality and a massive leap forward in responsiveness from its direct predecessor.
Trade-Off: Users gain a visually stunning, premium-feeling display but must accept occasional touchscreen responsiveness issues that, while improved from its predecessor, still fall short of the screen’s visual excellence.
💎 Design: Premium Look, Practical Pain
Regarding the design of the Samsung Galaxy A54, the story is one of a premium first impression that gives way to nagging practical frustrations. Users are overwhelmingly impressed by its construction, with build quality and materials earning an 86% positive score—a full 10 percentage points above the category average. This isn’t just a number; it translates to a tangible sense of value and security.
Owners feel like they’re “holding a much more expensive device in hand,” an experience reinforced by its remarkable resilience. One user, who describes themselves as “super clumsy,” was astounded, stating:
I have dropped this phone over 50 times since I’ve got it and not a single scratch, which is most impressive.
This confidence in the phone’s durability, with its glass back and sturdy frame, is a powerful driver of satisfaction for those seeking a device that will last.
Practicality Sacrificed for Aesthetics
However, this premium shell houses a number of design choices that leave users wanting more, pulling the experience back down to earth. The most significant source of frustration is found in its design features, which score a lackluster 38% positive rating, slightly below the category average of 40%. These aren’t minor gripes; they are functional omissions that impact daily use.
The removal of the headphone jack is a common complaint, with one user exclaiming:
The worst part is the headphone jack is non existent!!!!!!!!!!
Another significant flaw is the puzzling placement of the earpiece speaker, which makes private conversations difficult. A user explained:
What I cant live with is the speaker when your on a phone call is at the bottom of the phone so it’s not even close to your ear. Trying to have a private conversation is impossible because of this. It literally echos and people around you can hear everything.
These issues, combined with complaints about the phone’s weight and slippery finish, create a sense that practicality was sacrificed for aesthetics.
Competitive Landscape
This internal conflict becomes even clearer when comparing the A54 to its predecessor and key competitors. While the A54’s aesthetics (84% positive) are a major leap forward from the Galaxy A53‘s 74% score, explaining why so many users feel it “looks as premium as the S23,” it falls well short of the competition in other areas.
The Nothing Phone (2a), for instance, scores a perfect 100% for both handling and aesthetics. The crucial difference is that while users praise the A54’s superior build quality score of 86% over the Nothing Phone’s 43%, they are simultaneously frustrated by usability choices like the lack of a headphone jack or wireless charging, features that competitors often include.
This contrast perfectly illustrates the user’s dilemma: the A54 feels more durable and premium in its materials, but less thoughtfully designed for everyday human interaction.
Trade-Off: The Galaxy A54 delivers a premium and durable physical build that punches above its price, but this comes at the cost of ergonomic comfort and practical design features that competitors are getting right.
🔥 Performance: Hot Phone, Cool Multitasking
When evaluating the performance of the Samsung Galaxy A54, a dual narrative emerges from the data. While users praise its day-to-day fluidity, a significant flaw lurks beneath the surface.
The phone’s greatest strength lies in its multitasking capability, which earns a stellar 91% satisfaction score, soaring 8 points above the category average. For users, this translates into a reliably smooth and frustration-free experience.
As one person described, it enables:
seamless switching quickly between apps,
while another noted:
the RAM is very helpful while doing several things.
This represents a major 20-point jump in satisfaction over its predecessor, the A53, meaning upgraders will immediately feel a more responsive and capable device in their hands.
A Worrying Warmth
However, this positive experience is powerfully undermined by a critical weakness: thermal management. With a dismal satisfaction score of just 20%, the A54 trails the category average by 13 points and represents a significant step backward from the previous model.
Users consistently report the phone becoming uncomfortably hot during use, a problem that causes genuine concern. One review stated:
Phone gets hot when used for a fairly extensive period – somewhat worrying.
Another user expressed a more severe experience, reporting that the:
phone is getting heat very high that you fingers get burned.
This isn’t just an annoyance; it’s a tangible, physical issue that mars the user experience.
Rival Comparison
This performance paradox becomes even clearer when compared to its rivals. While the A54’s general processing speed (84%) is respectable, it can’t match the zippier feel of the OnePlus Nord CE3 (91%).
But the most telling difference is in how they handle heat. The Nord CE3 boasts a perfect 100% satisfaction score for thermal management, completely eliminating the overheating problem that plagues A54 owners.
This puts potential buyers in a tough spot, forced to weigh the A54’s competent daily performance against a significant engineering flaw. As one user conceded:
the processor of the A54 5G isn’t something you can brag about,
…but the heat is what truly separates it from superior competitors.
Trade-Off: Users gain a significantly smoother multitasking experience over the previous model, but at the cost of alarming overheating issues that key competitors have completely solved.
🤖 Software & Operating System: Smooth, Buggy Contrast
For the Samsung Galaxy A54, the story of its Software & Operating System is one of stark contrasts. The daily user experience is largely defined by a feature-rich and fluid interface, which earns a 79% positive sentiment score—a full 5 points above the category average. Users feel this tangible benefit in their day-to-day lives, praising how Samsung’s software makes complex tasks feel simple.
One user highlighted its role in organization, stating:
“I use the routine function every single day for my quality of life, It reminds me to do chores around the house or to remember to do things at specific points of the day.”
This sense of a helpful, integrated system is a recurring theme, with another user noting how “connecting to my PC or laptop is flawless and automatic,” making the phone a seamless part of their digital life.
Significant Stability Problems
However, this smooth surface is undermined by significant stability problems. With only 33% of mentions about software stability being positive—just a few points above the dismal category average of 27%—it’s clear that a majority of users encounter frustrating issues. These aren’t minor hiccups; they are significant disruptions that sour the entire experience.
Users report a range of serious problems, from basic functions failing to persistent bugs. As one owner frustratingly described:
“during calls at random it would just end calls. So frustrating. Then the charging port moisture alert was a constant problem.”
Others point to a system bogged down by unwanted additions, complaining that the phone:
“comes jam-packed with Samsung junkware… Most of the bloatware is Samsung’s version of perfectly good Google software. I can’t uninstall or disable the majority of it.”
Competitive Context
This inconsistent performance becomes clearer when placed in a competitive context. The A54 represents a clear and meaningful upgrade over its predecessor, the Galaxy A53. User sentiment for stability jumped by 11 percentage points between models (from 22% on the A53 to 33% on the A54), a difference that owners feel directly.
One user who upgraded urged others to:
“buy this immediately and feel good about yourself and the almost total lack of hang ups, phone freezes and so on that the 53 sometimes does.”
Yet, despite this improvement, the A54’s interface smoothness (79%) still falls short of the polish seen in key competitors like the OnePlus Nord CE3 (88%). This leaves some users acknowledging that while the experience is good, it isn’t the best available, with one reviewer concluding:
“The software – iPhone beats ’em here too… but the android works good – very good in fact, so the small trade off isn’t a deal breaker.”
Trade-Off: Users gain a highly capable and smooth user interface that is a significant stability improvement over its predecessor, but they must tolerate a level of bugs and bloatware that keeps it from feeling truly premium.
🔋 Battery: Lasts, But Slow to Charge
When it comes to the Samsung Galaxy A54’s battery, the experience is a tale of two very different stories: impressive endurance clashing with frustrating limitations. The primary source of user satisfaction is its fundamental battery life, which earns a 77% positive sentiment score, slightly edging out the 74% category average.
For users, this translates into a powerful sense of freedom from battery anxiety. One owner, a self-described Uber driver, praised this reliability:
it last me the whole day without needing any charge. When I get home, it still has 30 % most the time.
This real-world stamina provides a crucial feeling of confidence, with another user noting a newfound dependability:
The ability to take my phone off the charger in the morning and get home from work and not have it die on me is something I hadn’t had ever.
Frustrating Charging Methods
However, this freedom is severely undercut by a significant point of frustration: the phone’s charging methods. This factor registers an overwhelmingly negative response, with a dismal 8% positive score that falls a staggering 24 points below the category average of 32%.
The core of this issue is the lack of wireless charging, a feature many now consider standard. One user explained the daily inconvenience this causes, especially when compared to their old S8:
The lack of wireless charging capability is annoying as it was a feature I had on my old S8 (I had assumed it was standard). It’s only annoying because now I need a cable in my car.
For some potential buyers, this isn’t just an annoyance; it’s a significant deterrent, as one reviewer admitted:
This has been a deal breaker for people who I’ve recommended this phone to.
Market Context
This weakness becomes even more pronounced when compared to the competition. Key rivals like the Motorola Edge 40 Neo and Nothing Phone (2a) offer far more flexibility, scoring 58% and 50% respectively for their charging methods, leaving the A54 far behind.
Even more telling is the comparison to the OnePlus Nord CE3, which not only provides better battery life (87% positive) but also a perfect 100% positive score for its superior charging speed. This means Nord CE3 users experience both longer endurance and a far quicker, more modern refueling process, highlighting a significant capability gap that A54 owners must live with daily.
Trade-Off: Users get a battery that confidently lasts all day but must accept the frustrating inconvenience of outdated charging methods that rivals have long since surpassed.
Bottom Line
- ✅ Premium Camera: The main camera is the standout success, earning an 86% positive score for photo quality and excellent low-light performance.
- ⚠️ Critical Performance Flaws: Alarming overheating is a huge complaint (20% satisfaction), compounded by frustrating software bugs and missing essentials like a charger.
- 🔻 A Step Backwards: Users feel key features have regressed, with some finding the zoom on their older A50 phones “vastly superior” to this new model.
- 📉 Worse Battery Life: Despite some upgrades, overall battery satisfaction actually drops 4 points compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy A53 (60% vs 64%).
- 🏁 Outmatched by Rivals: Competitors solve its biggest problems; the OnePlus Nord CE3 boasts a perfect 100% satisfaction for thermal management, avoiding the A54’s overheating.
- 💡 The Verdict: Excellent for users who prioritize a premium screen and main camera, but only if you can tolerate significant practical flaws like overheating and outdated charging.