Samsung Galaxy A54 vs Galaxy A34: which phone you should buy

After the unsuccessful Galaxy J series (which is now discontinued), Samsung has set its sights on the Galaxy A series, which are aimed at the budget- and mid-range phone buyer.

The A series has been very popular around the world for years, exemplified by the fact that phones from this series often appear in roundups of the best smartphones are among the best-selling phones.

And it’s no wonder: unlike the former Galaxy J series, A-series phones are characterised by very solid build quality, a design that strongly aspires to the flagship Galaxy S series and decent specifications at a relatively low price.

Of course, you’re here because you want to know how the Galaxy A54 and its cheaper counterpart, the Galaxy A34, compare. Here we’ll outline the key differences, and what they’re like in everyday use. By the end, you’ll know which one will be a better choice for you.

Differences between the Galaxy A54 and Galaxy A34

Starting with the design, the Galaxy A54 and Galaxy A34 exhibit a striking resemblance, featuring three separate camera rings and a pastel colour scheme. Both phones also sport a plastic frame and boast an IP67 rating for water- and dust resistance.

The primary distinction lies in the material used for the back panel. The A34 employs plastic for its back cover, while the A54 gets the more premium Gorilla Glass 5.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Galaxy A34 is slightly larger than the A54, featuring a 6.6in AMOLED display compared to the A54’s 6.4in display. If you prefer a smaller screen, the A54 might be the preferred choice. Nevertheless, both phones offer a similar feel when held: there’s not really much in it.

Both screens offer a speedy 120Hz refresh rate, but the A54 has the added capability to lower it when the phone is idle to conserve energy. They also offer equivalent brightness levels, but the A54 stands out by supporting HDR10+ video playback, unlike the A34.

Additionally, the front camera design differs, with the A54 featuring a hole punch, while the A34 employs a visible ‘teardrop’ notch. Regarding audio, both phones have stereo speakers that deliver good volume and sound quality, with little discernible difference between them.

Both devices also come with Samsung’s One UI 5 on top of the Android 13, and presumably, they will receive the same level of software support in the next years.

In terms of performance, the Galaxy A34 features a slightly less potent chipset compared to the A54. In our Geekbench 5 Multi-core test, the A34 achieved a score of 2312, while the A54 reached 2852.

Both phones offer pretty reasonable performance and support 5G connectivity, and even though the A54 outperforms the A34 in terms of CPU grunt, again there’s no noticeable difference in real-world use. It’s worth noting that neither phone is a great choice for top-tier mobile gaming. Casual games, however, play just fine.

The two phones feature batteries with the same capacity and nearly identical battery life, although the A54 tends to charge a bit faster. In real-world usage, you can expect around 11 hours of mixed usage, with the ability to charge both phones to approximately 15-20% in 15 minutes and reach a full charge in about two hours. Neither phone includes a charger in the box, and neither supports really fast charging.

The Galaxy A54 and the A34 boast a similar camera setup, although the primary and ultra-wide cameras on the A54 have a slight advantage. Nevertheless, the macro camera for close-up shots remains the same on both models and isn’t that useful: the cynical view is that it’s only there to make up the numbers.

In terms of photo quality, both phones excel in capturing daylight photos with high contrast and wide dynamic range, with the A54 holding a slight edge over its more affordable counterpart.

When it comes to low-light photography, neither of the two are the best camera phones, but both perform decently, especially with their primary cameras. Overall, the A54 offers slightly better quality in this regard.

The selfie camera is another area where the A54 shines, and both phones support 4K video recording on their main rear lenses.

Price & availability

The Galaxy A54 is available for purchase from Samsung at a price of $449/£449, providing you with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. For UK customers, there is also the choice to select a model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, priced at £499. Both options come with the flexibility to expand storage by adding a microSD card of up to 1TB. However, it’s important to note that US buyers are limited to the base model only.

It’s also available from a range of places including Amazon, John Lewis, Very, and Currys. Find out more on where to buy the Galaxy A54 in our separate guide.

The 6GB/128GB version of the Galaxy A34 costs £349 and is available to buy directly from Samsung as well as other places such as Amazon, Argos and Currys.

There is also an 8GB/256GB model for which you have to pay an extra £50. You can expand the internal storage via microSD card. What’s worth noting, the Galaxy A34 is not available in the US at all.

Verdict

The Galaxy A54 offers advantages in terms of its chipset, camera performance, and faster charging. It also introduces features such as automatic screen refresh rate adjustment and support for HDR10+ video. Additionally, it boasts a slightly superior build quality with its glass back and a hole punch design instead of a notch. On the other hand, the Galaxy A34 provides a slightly larger display and a more budget-friendly price.

In terms of the overall user experience, both phones are quite similar, and if you are looking for the best budget phone, the A34 emerges as the preferable choice in this comparison. However, for those willing to invest an extra £100, the A54 represents a superior option across the board, especially when compared to the Galaxy S23, which offers not that much more at twice the price.

Of course, if you’re reading this in the US, there is only one option, the A54. And, as I’ve said, it’s a good-value choice.

Specs

Samsung Galaxy A54:

• Android 13 with One UI 5.1
• 6.4in AMOLED, 2340 x 1080, 120Hz, 19.5:9 ratio
• Exynos 1380 chipset
• 6/8GB RAM
• 128/256GB of storage (expandable via microSD)
• Cameras:
  • 50Mp f/1.8 OIS main camera
  • 12Mp f/2.2 ultrawide
  • 5Mp f/2.4 macro
  • 32Mp f/2.2 selfie camera
• Dual-SIM/microSD
• Stereo speakers
• NFC
• GPS
• Bluetooth 5.3
• Wi-Fi 6
• Under-display fingerprint sensor
• 5000mAh battery
• 25W wired charging
• USB-C charging port
• 158.2 x 76.7 x 8.2mm
• 202g

Samsung Galaxy A34:

• Android 13 with One UI 5.1
• 6.6in AMOLED, 2340 x 1080, 120Hz, 19.5:9 aspect ratio
• Mediatek MT6877V Dimensity 1080 chipset
• 6/8GB RAM
• 128/256GB of storage (expandable via microSDXC)
• Cameras:
  • 48Mp f/1.8 OIS main camera
  • 8Mp f/2.2 ultrawide
  • 5Mp f/2.4 macro
  • 13Mp f/2.2 selfie camera
• Dual-SIM (microSDXC shares second slot)
• Stereo speakers
• NFC
• GPS
• Bluetooth 5.3
• Wi-Fi 6
• Under-display fingerprint sensor
• 5000mAh battery
• 25W wired charging
• USB-C charging port
• 161.3 x 78.1 x 8.2mm
• 199g