In recent times, the mid-range device market has become quite the happening place, and every manufacturer wants in on the action. It's no secret that mid-range devices dominate sales worldwide, offering some premium features while cutting some corners. Samsung's A series knows what people want and delivers, earning its fair share of success.
Now, they've brought in the M54, part of the M series, aiming to impress with big numbers – like a huge battery, a massive screen, and a camera with tons of megapixels. Originally meant for markets like India, it's now the cool big brother of the A54 in Israel. Let's see what this hip device brings to the party.
The M54 follows Samsung's 2023 design trends, with those familiar rounded edges that feel oh-so-nice to the touch. Its screen doesn't do the fancy slope thing, and the three camera lenses boldly stand out from the body. It's not exactly a head-turner, but it's not hideous either. What's more, it's even bigger than the S23 Plus, a veritable giant among Samsung devices.
Surprisingly, it's not too thick (8.4 mm) and relatively lightweight for its size (199 grams). But here's the plastic party trick: it's packed with plastic! No pretending or disguising, just plain ol' plastic all around. Not a bad choice, but maybe not the best quality plastic out there.
Which brings up another unfavorable point - there's fancy water and dust protection here, none at all. So, better not take this bad boy to any pool parties or beach bonanzas. The camera isn't screaming "look at me!" and the device won't do a table dance when you put it on its back. Conveniently (or not, depending on your preference), the fingerprint scanner hides behind the power button. It's like a game of hide-and-seek, bringing back some nostalgia from when everyone hid the scanner under the screen glass.
Ergonomically speaking, it's a smooth operator - pleasant to use without any fancy beauty contest wins. It leans heavily into the pragmatic side and unless you're planning to swim with it, no complaints on that front. The M54 offers solid assembly quality and no rattling parts that we noticed. It comes in two colors - gray or blue.
While Galaxy S devices opt for Qualcomm chips, the intermediate series, like ours, sticks to Samsung's Exynos series, featuring the 5 nm Exynos 1380. It's not a powerhouse, but perfectly sufficient for regular usage. With 256 GB storage and 8 GB RAM, it's more than enough for most users, and expandable with an external memory card. While not the most powerful hardware out there, Exynos chips still complement Samsung devices well, delivering good performance and operating at a reasonable temperature without any issues.
The primary selling point for customers should be the large 6.7-inch FHD Super AMOLED Plus screen with a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, ideal for media consumption. Although it's not the brightest and lacks vibrant color calibration compared to other models, it remains a very good display. However, for tasks like photo editing, it may not be the best choice.
On the bright side, the 6,000 mAh battery lasts impressively long, providing around a day and a half to two days of regular use, even with multiple apps running. The single speaker at the bottom offers reasonable quality. While it might not be the most extraordinary hardware in its price range, the exceptional battery capacity makes up for it just fine.
The M54 runs on the One UI 5.1 interface and Android 13 operating system, and Samsung promises five years of software updates, ensuring usability until at least 2028. The interface performs well, featuring all the premium device features without lag. Media consumption on the large screen is enjoyable, but using it in direct sunlight might be challenging due to the slightly low brightness. The fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button works flawlessly for unlocking the phone. However, it comes pre-loaded with several external apps, mostly games, indicating its potential target audience.
Photography is a key strength in Samsung's devices, including the M54 which features a 108-megapixel main camera using an older Samsung-made sensor. Although showing some signs of aging compared to modern cameras, the optical image stabilizer (OIS) enables decent image quality, even in low-light conditions. The second 8-megapixel wide-angle sensor, unfortunately, delivers subpar photos with distortions at the edges. As for the 2-megapixel macro camera, it seems unnecessary and possibly added just to boast a third sensor.
The 32-megapixel selfie camera performs admirably, matching the A54's capabilities. It excels in well-lit conditions, delivering high-quality selfies even in low-light settings. Portrait mode also impresses, while the "fun" mode, designed for Snapchat and Tiktok enthusiasts, adds to its appeal. This makes the camera ideal for young people and social media enthusiasts. However, if you seek more extensive or professional camera features, this may not be the best choice as a pocket camera replacement.
The M54 was primarily designed for developing markets like India or Eastern Europe, where large-screen smartphones are more affordable. Overseas, it competes with Xiaomi or Poco models like the Redmi Note series or X5, being priced similarly. In Israel, the M54 costs around NIS 2,050, while the successful A54 offers better features and protection against water and dust for about NIS 250 less.
At this price point, unless you prioritize a large screen or social media features, there is little reason to choose the M54. It's puzzling why the importer set this price, as it competes with Xiaomi and One Plus mid-premium devices that usually offer more value. If sold at the same price as abroad, it could be a serious contender against Chinese manufacturers. Unfortunately, at its current price, the cost-benefit equilibrium seems unfavorably skewed.