Samsung has been striking the right chords lately with the launch of its much anticipated S23 series which brought the best of Android to users around the world. Be it the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 or the competitive cameras, there are no boxes the S23 series doesn’t tick effectively. However, as we come down the Samsung chain of devices things start to get a little diversified when it comes to performance, design and much more. This is where the new Samsung A series comes into the picture with two of its new devices the Samsung A54 and A34. While these devices belong to the A series, they’re considerably different from one another perhaps even catering to two different consumer categories.
We have been testing the waters with these two devices for a while now and here is what we think about the Samsung A54 5G and A34 5G –
Starting off with A54 5G
While this device is smaller than the A34 at 6’4 inches it packs more power with Samsung’s 5nm Exynos processor as compared to A34’s MediaTek Dimensity 1080. Talking about the design, the highlight of this phone’s aesthetic appeal has to be its glass panel which is furthermore complimented by the matte-black-like side finish for the black variant. It has a hole punch display that inches the phone towards the premium-looking Samsung devices. And the eye candy factor only enhances furthermore when the device is turned on and we have a look at that display. It flaunts a massive 5000 mAh battery which can be juiced up with 25W charging support, however, you do not get a charging brick in the box and get a type-C to type-C cable.
It features a beautiful Super AMOLED display at full HD+ that is a treat to watch content on. There is no beating Samsung when it comes to displays and the company carries its legacy with flying colours. The display comes with HDR10+ certification as one would expect and delivers punchy colours and an immersive experience. The device comes with an IP67 rating making it resistant to water and dust considerably. Talking about the cameras, we’ve got a triple camera setup with a 50MP OIS primary lens coupled with 12MP and 5MP lenses for ultrawide and macro shots. On the front, we have a 32MP selfie camera. Overall, the camera setup here neither underwhelms nor overwhelms. It is a pretty standard setup capable of clicking some usable shots. Check out some of the camera samples of the A54 below –
Besides the standard pack and parcel of the device, let’s talk about what I think about this new offering by Samsung. The device is pretty much a standard affair when it comes to performance. It does heat up often and more than the A34 at times keeping true to the Exynos fashion. However, no lags were witnessed during my testing of the device. While do not see straight-up ads on the A54, it is definitely loaded with a bunch of bloat apps that can thankfully be removed. It has a 5000 mAh battery that can support only 25W battery charging leading to longer charging times. The device is expected to be placed in the 35-45K price category which puts it in the premium-midrange category where currently the OnePlus 11R stands tall. However, Samsung A54’s classy design, display, and reliable performance will surely attract many towards the device. Both the A54 and A34 come with an under-display fingerprint sensor which is not snappy but is definitely reliable.
Now, on to the second new A series device launched by Samsung, the A34.
A controversial opinion but the A34 feels like a better proposition for the average user out there. Talking about the specifications, the A34 comes with a larger 6.6-inch AMOLED FHD+ display. It doesn’t have the premium feeling glass panel like the A54 but the plastic back is no less aesthetically pleasing. It’s equipped with Dimensity 1080 and while the chipset falls short in the geek bench arena when compared to the A54 but does not come with the heating issues witnessed in the latter device. The A34 comes with an iP67 rating making it dust and waterproof. It sports a similar 5000 mAh battery and 25W wired charging support. Similar to the A54, the A34 also comes with a triple camera set up however, the primary lens here is a 48MP OIS camera tagged along with 8MP and 5MP lenses. The selfie lens also sees a downgrade to 13MP. Check out some of the camera samples from the A34 below –
The one and only deciding factor for me between the A54 and A34 is that notch. The Samsung A34 while expectedly priced in the 30-35K range, comes with an outdated waterdrop notch. There is a lot to love in both the A54 and A34 devices but unfortunately, their competitors offer a lot at the same price point which cannot be ignored. In conclusion, Samsung has basically delivered two standard devices with standard performances that deliver just above the average! While the devices stand in the same A-series lineup, they’re vastly different from each other allowing users to have a wide range of choices.
So should you buy the new galaxy A54 or A34? The answer is rather subjective. If you’re looking for a Samsung phone that is not in the premium price range like the S23 series then the A series is definitely one for you to go for.