It’s become almost cliche to declare that the gap between cheap phones and their flagship counterparts is shrinking. It’s also true, especially in the hyper-competitive, sub-$500 mid-range market. Google’s Pixel 6a packs the Tensor chip with its brilliant image processing and AI smarts, and Apple’s iPhone SE (2022) carries the ridiculously powerful A15 Bionic chipset — even if it’s trapped in the body of an iPhone 8. Samsung, however, kept its Galaxy A50 series distinct from its premium Galaxy S series for the last few years, relying on varying designs and camera setups to entice buyers. Not anymore. The Samsung Galaxy A54 5G looks and feels like a budget-friendly Galaxy S23, and in doing so becomes the de facto replacement for two generations of missing Galaxy S Fan Editions. But what sacrifices did it have to make to get there? Find out in our Samsung Galaxy A54 5G review.

Samsung Galaxy A54 5G review: What you need to know