Hot Take Dedoimedo: Samsung A54 phone review - Solid all-rounder with big flaws

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Do sit down, because today, you get a pretty long, detailed, thorough review of the Samsung A54 mid-range smartphone, covering reasons for purchase, specifications, first-time setup and data migration from an existing Android device, privacy-focused configuration and tweaking, problems with default apps, permissions and requirement for Samsung account, security updates, everyday usage and performance, problems using Play Store - ads and difficulty finding right software, ergonomics - weight, feel, audio quality, and screen scratching, camera quality, charging speed, battery life, some other considerations and observations, and more. Have fun.

Samsung A54 phone review - Solid all-rounder with big flaws

Long, detailed, thorough review of Samsung A54 mid-range smartphone, covering reasons for purchase, specifications, first-time setup and data migration from an existing Android device, privacy-focused configuration and tweaking, problems with default apps, permissions and requirement for Samsung...

www.dedoimedo.com

 

[Bot]

Thank you for sharing the link to the detailed review of the Samsung A54 smartphone. It seems like the review covers a wide range of aspects, providing a comprehensive analysis of the device. I will go through the review and provide my thoughts on each section.

Reasons for Purchase:
It's always helpful to understand the reasons why someone would choose a particular smartphone. This section should provide insights into the target audience and the device's strengths.

Specifications:
The specifications of a smartphone play a crucial role in determining its capabilities and performance. It would be interesting to see how the Samsung A54 compares to other mid-range smartphones in terms of its hardware.

First-Time Setup and Data Migration:
Setting up a new smartphone and transferring data from an existing device can be a crucial step for users. This section should provide guidance and highlight any issues or challenges that users may face during this process.

Privacy-Focused Configuration and Tweaking:
With privacy becoming an important concern for users, it's great to see a section dedicated to privacy-focused configuration and tweaking. This should cover features like app permissions, privacy settings, and any additional privacy-focused options provided by Samsung.

Problems with Default Apps, Permissions, and Requirement for Samsung Account:
Default apps and permissions can sometimes be a source of frustration for users. It would be interesting to know if the review highlights any issues with the default apps on the Samsung A54 and the necessity of a Samsung account for certain features.

Security Updates:
Regular security updates are essential for the long-term usability and security of a smartphone. This section should provide information on the frequency and reliability of security updates for the Samsung A54.

Everyday Usage and Performance:
This section should cover the day-to-day experience of using the Samsung A54, including performance, responsiveness, and any noteworthy features or shortcomings.

Problems Using Play Store - Ads and Difficulty Finding Right Software:
The Play Store is a vital component of the Android ecosystem, and any issues with its usability can significantly impact the overall user experience. It would be interesting to see if the review highlights any problems with ads or difficulty finding the right software on the Samsung A54.

Ergonomics - Weight, Feel, Audio Quality, and Screen Scratching:
Ergonomics play a crucial role in determining how comfortable a smartphone is to use. This section should cover aspects like weight, build quality, audio quality, and any issues related to screen scratching.

Camera Quality:
The camera is often a significant factor for many users when choosing a smartphone. This section should provide an in-depth analysis of the Samsung A54's camera capabilities, including image quality, low-light performance, and any additional camera features.

Charging Speed and Battery Life:
Battery life and charging speed are essential considerations for any smartphone user. This section should provide information on the Samsung A54's battery life, charging speed, and any power-saving features.

Other Considerations and Observations:
This section should cover any additional considerations or observations that the reviewer found noteworthy during their usage of the Samsung A54. It could include aspects like software features, user interface, or any unique selling points of the device.

Overall, it seems like the review covers a wide range of aspects, providing readers with a detailed understanding of the Samsung A54 smartphone. I look forward to reading the review and discussing each section in more detail.

 

[Balrog]

It is the model I use and so far I am very satisfied with its performance. It reacts immediately to the opening of applications and files (I have uninstalled many applications that my provider includes, I also run Adguard and Bitdefender). The incorporation of WiFi 6 is appreciated and the download/upload speed using 5G is a good advance compared to 4.5G. The screen resolution and its clarity even under bright lighting conditions are very useful for me. The battery performance is adequate for the use I give it (I use it a lot during the day and need to charge it every two days). I quite like the touch because it feels well built, resistant.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Samsung A54 long-term usage report 3 - One UI 6.0, Android 14

Conclusion

I respect money. This makes it pretty hard for me to just discard my newly bought smartphone. But quite often, I feel like it would be the right thing to do. Simply buy a new, different device and start from scratch. Every device will have its annoyances and problems, but if I compare say the Nokia X10 and its successor, the A54, I didn't have to invest so much time cleansing the phone and purging the pointless stuff. To make it worse, the tribulation never ends. There's always something new to prune and remove.

The One UI 6.0 brings nothing of value to me. Security updates, fine, but everything else, meh. If anything, my level of disdain has grown, because the phone teases some new features, like Auto Blocker, but it be poison fruit, as you need to accept everything or nothing. I also hate the idea of Studio, whatever it is. I hate the accountification, the shameless usage model that perhaps appeals to the average low-IQ ape, but which makes my blood boil. I refuse to be treated as some casual idiot with the attention span of a used soda can. For now, I will keep the Samsung A54, but there's a good chance I won't see its five years of updates. I am now thinking about buying a Pixel or a Fairphone. It will be a financial penalty, but that's a lesson for me, right there. When it comes to hardware, the A54 ain't a bad one. When it comes to its user interface, it's ultra-annoying. And that's the end of my third report, folks.

Samsung A54 long-term usage report 3 - One UI 6.0, Android 14

Review and report 3 of Samsung A54 mid-range smartphone long-term usage, including major version upgrade to One UI 6.0 (Android 14), look and feel, settings and permissions, new features, new privacy controls, Auto Blocker, additional cleaning and removal of apps, battery life, some other...

www.dedoimedo.com

 

[ForgottenSeer 107474]

It is always good when people (influencers and bloggers) complain about mid range phones with an excellent price/performance ratio. The A53 was a disappointing upgrade of the A52, all magazines wrote about it. Result mobile operators had to much A53 in stock and they dropped prices. Same happened to the A54. I have a A53 paying only 17 euro's a month with 5 GB data on 4G+, my wife has a A54 with 10GB data on 5G and she pays 21 euro's a month. Big thank you to all complainers

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Samsung A54 long-term usage report 4

Conclusion

Day by day, the experience with this Samsung A54 is getting worse. It's not that it does not work, it's the nerve-wearing vigil that I must keep to make sure no low-IQ nonsense invades my personal space. I am well aware that true privacy and the use of smartphones is a paradox - after all, these touch devices are the ideal prison for idiots worldwide - but even so, across my entire Android usage spectrum, it's never been this annoying. Maybe it has to do with the vendor brand, respect for privacy laws and such. But deep down, honestly, I just don't care.

All I know is that this Samsung A54 brings me more grief than joy. The "good" things stand - it's fast, its camera can provide, it was cheapish to buy, very reasonably priced for its hardware spec, and the five years of patching are a solid plus. Fantastic. But then, the software is just stupid. Stupid and rude and in-yer-face pointless. It's ridiculous than I still have to tweak random crap months and months into the purchase. Now, I also don't want to throw my hard-earned money into the gutter. But I feel like I need to swallow the cost, and buy a fresh device. For now, I'm considering Fairphone 5 and maybe Pixel 8 - the latter is all Google, for better and worse when it comes to Android, and then, there was that Play Store update fubarism recently. If you have ideas or suggestions, please ping me. With that, we end the fourth long-term usage report of this phone. Peace and intelligence be with you.

Samsung A54 long-term usage report 4

Review and report 4 of Samsung A54 mid-range smartphone long-term usage, including fix for broken thumbnails in Gallery, annoying applications and settings, problems with display brightness, performance, heating, battery life, and more

www.dedoimedo.com

 

[oldschool]

I'm sticking with my old Samsung J3 rather than a new phone with all of the new crapware and annoyances. Sometimes old tech is better tech.

 

[Oxygen]

I've got the Samsung A53 5G (which is now a spare) and I really have no complaints about it. It was a good phone, and I've had no issues with it at all. Seeing as how I replaced it with a iPhone 14 Pro Max, I've seen more bugs in iOS than I ever have in Android. Anyhow, the selling point when I bought the A53 was the 4 OS Upgrades and 5 Years of Security Updates. At the time I bought it, there is a $700 price difference between the A53 and the 14PM (less or more, depending on the carrier and if it's locked to a specific one).

I'll look into the A54 more and might end up giving it a run as the previous iteration was good enough for me. Although the A52 to A53 was not really significant update if I remember.

 

[oldschool]

I'll look into the A54 more and might end up giving it a run as the previous iteration was good enough for me.

I believe @Gandalf_The_Grey uses one and is happy with it. I'll probably look into it as well if or when my J3 bites the dust. No more security patches for the J3 but hey, it's an Android and I use it mainly for talking and texting.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

I have a A34 and my son has a A54.
We are both very happy with it.
A34:

Samsung Galaxy A34 5G smartphone review: Affordable all-rounder with an extra-bright OLED display

The 6.6-inch Samsung Galaxy A34 5G features a 2340 x 1080 pixel Super AMOLED display and is powered by the MediaTek SoC Dimensity 1080. The hardware includes 6 GB RAM, 128 GB UFS 2.2 storage, a 48 MP quad camera, IP67 certification and a 5000 mAh battery that can be charged at up to 25 watts.

www.notebookcheck.net

A54:

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Samsung-Galaxy-A54-5G-review-A-powerful-mid-range-smartphone-with-many-upgrades.710600.0.html

 

[harlan4096]

Here also A54 5G model for around 7 months now...

 

[oldschool]

Here also A54 5G model for around 7 months now...

So it was your post about it that I must have been thinking of.

 

[ForgottenSeer 107474]

Because I was happy with my Samsung A53, we bought an A54 for my wife (when it was introduced in NL, the 6GB 256 GB version was sold with big discount) and she is also happy with it (although it had a bug that it sometimes shut down after opening a picture, but that was solved after first updates).

I read in this thread only about satisfied Samsung owners Dedoimedo is also not positive about Linux Mint, but on distro watch it is the distro with best user rating Some of the charm of his posts is that he can rant passionately about things, making it a good read, but not the best advice

 

[oldschool]

the charm of his posts is that he can rant passionately about things, making it a good read, but not the best advice

Indeed, always good for a dose of "sarchotic" humor but not always relevant generally.

 

[JustInTime]

I think Galaxy S23FE is better option than A55/54. Price in my country for 8/256 config for A55 46000INR, S23FE 40000INR. S23FE is only 6 months older than A55, better processor Exynos 2200 vs 1480. Here is the comparison.
Compare Samsung Galaxy A55 vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 FE - GSMArena.com

Exynos 2200 vs Exynos 1480: tests and benchmarks Nanoreview

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Samsung A54 long-term usage report 5

Conclusion

It is time to conclude my fifth report on the Samsung A54. What did we learn today? One, it seems that the phone nonsense is finally, finally simmering down. Maybe. No massive bucket of anger was required to re-create a harmonious, privacy-rich experience this time around. The 6.1 update went fine, and the device works pretty much the same. Good. How it should be, really.

There are some odds problems here and there, still. A handful of apps aren't as responsive as they used to be. The battery usage could be a lot better. The camera behaved, the old Gallery photo deletion bug is gone. The screen dimness issue remains, though. I was thoroughly disappointed by Google Play. All in all, perhaps the A54 did deliver a bit more gracefully this time, but I remain largely apathetic to negative about this device. Well, that would be all for today. Enjoy your Dystopian Internet, fellow peasants, and remember your place!

Samsung A54 long-term usage report 5

Review and report 5 of Samsung A54 mid-range smartphone long-term usage, including One UI 6.1 update, preserved privacy and security baseline, everyday usage, some responsiveness issues with several apps, broken system search, difficulty finding right software in Google Play, battery life, and more

www.dedoimedo.com

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Samsung A54 smartphone review, a year later

Conclusion

There you go. A lot has happened since my last report. I didn't expect to encounter so many fresh bugs, so much nonsense, so many new aggressive in-yer-face marketing tricks. The brief glimmer of hope that the A54 has settled down and won't bother me anymore is gone, evaporated. I am now quite convinced I will hate this phone until I decide to get rid of it. This might happen before the natural demise of this device, be its support cycle or its hardware longevity.

A year later, the A54 is still ... A54. The hardware is solid, the phone feels durable, the camera is pleasant, the audio is good (and proper stereo and all that), and the battery can hold 3-4 days if you don't use your phone like a modern touch-inspired chimp. But on the software side, it's the Wild West. Total nonsense, in every sense. Hyperactive, ad-heavy usage model, pointless apps, pointless bugs. The more I have to interact with the apps designed for clueless idiots, the more I hate them. I really don't know what my future phone should be. A different Android, which might be less annoying? Unlikely, given the AI frenzy. Would iPhone be the answer? 'Tis an expensive, gilded cage, but at least you know what you're getting.

Anyway, here we are. I am still quite unhappy with the A54. Now and then, I forget the tribulations, and in those moments, the phone delivers a reasonable punch. But every time I let my guard down, a sucker punch comes my way, delivering a solid blow of disappointment. Yes, I could simply succumb to the stupidity, and use the phone like a random ape. But I don't want to. For now, I'm still willing to endure the pointless rituals, but my patience is wearing thin.

Samsung A54 smartphone review, a year later

Review and report 6 of Samsung A54 mid-range smartphone long-term usage, including overall impression after one year, new updates with separate focus on Android, Samsung and Google Play patches, Gemini AI nonsense in Messages, new privacy annoyances, search engine selection, tons of fresh bugs...

www.dedoimedo.com

 

[oldschool]

@Gandalf_The_Grey I think this is the best part:

AI nonsense
In two words: Don't want. There aren't enough words in any language in this world that can describe my utter disdain for the stupidity that passes off as modern consumerism, in every aspect of it, all of it. From ordinary home appliances via "smart" TVs, across the entire range of IoT junk to modern vehicles, anything touch really, I breed resentment like radioactive fungi. Part of my emotional bitterness is reserved for so-called AI, which is just digital assistants 2.0, a bit wordier than before, equally useless, and ten times as annoying when it comes to your private data and habits. Don't want. Don't care.

Lo and behold what I discovered after the latest phone update. In my messages, there was this new "contact". Gemini (plus, above the normal Compose button, a stupid second button to compose messages with it). Did I ask for it? Did I allow a new contact to be added to my device? And even if you don't get tempted to interact with the machine, any ordinary message will show the AI contact in the very first spot. Notice the wording: "Write, plan, learn, and more with Google AI". How about noooo (Dr. Evil style).

Gemini in Messages

Typical MBA-flavored turdonics. Push, shove, sales, marketing, ads. Ugh. Vomit sounds. In Message settings, there's a toggle to show the AI button (preselected, of course). I removed this, but it wasn't enough. The "contact" was still there. And so, I blocked this contact (I didn't report it as spam, and in retrospect, I should have). Enough? Nope. It will "still" show in the list of suggested contacts, regardless. Nope. Don't want.