Samsung announced two new mid-range Galaxy A phones today: the Galaxy A34 5G and Galaxy A54 5G. And I find them two of the most intriguing mid-range Galaxy A phones in recent memory because they seem to be more than yearly rehashes with improved hardware. They approach the budget-conscious segment from a new angle, while borrowing a few key features and ideas from much more expensive phones.
On the surface, I believe Samsung's new approach to mobile phones in 2023 is reflected by the exterior design of the Galaxy A34 and Galaxy A54. And what I mean by this is that the two new phones look like slightly less expensive versions of the Galaxy S23 rather than looking intentionally different from phones found at the higher end of the market. And in some ways beyond the exterior design, the Galaxy A34 and A54 are indeed more similar to Samsung's flagships than previous mid-range Galaxy A models.
The Galaxy A34 and A54 feel more “new-gen” than previous models
Take Vision Booster technology, for example. Unveiled last year for the Galaxy S22 flagship series and carried onward by the Galaxy S23, Vision Booster is now available to budget smartphone buyers thanks to the Galaxy A34 and Galaxy A54. And not only are the new displays brighter and more color accurate, but they're also friendlier to eyesight thanks to a considerable reduction in harmful blue light. Needless to say, blue light emissions are rarely even mentioned in low-to-mid-range smartphone press releases.
Furthermore, and for the first time in the history of the Galaxy A series, these new 2023 models borrow more advanced camera AI and post-processing capabilities from premium phones and allow users to remove unwanted shadows and reflections from their photos.
Samsung further improved nighttime photography, autofocus, and OIS for the new Galaxy A phones, all the while giving them better audio, with enriched stereo sound and deeper bass presentation for the Galaxy A54 through Dolby Atmos, and clearer voice/video calls through Voice Focus — available for both the Galaxy A54 and A34.
The two new price-conscious phones also benefit from four years of Android OS upgrades, just like Samsung's high-end phones. And lo and behold, for the first time, the Galaxy A54 even adopts a glass sandwich design with Gorilla Glass 5 protection at the front and back.
Sure, these phones also benefit from the usual hardware upgrades anyone expects year after year. But beyond that, they seemingly adhere to a new Samsung philosophy for mobile phones, wherein features and quality-of-life improvements are more important than on-paper numbers. Samsung applied this strategy to the Galaxy S23 series, and as a result, the company created three of the best high-end phones in years.
I didn't expect this philosophy to extend to cheaper Galaxy A phones in 2023. Yet, it did. And because of this paradigm shift, I think the Galaxy A34 and Galaxy A54 are two of the most intriguing Galaxy A devices in recent memory. They might represent a historic turning point in Samsung's mid-range lineup, signaling a new approach to low-cost smartphone development that borrows more from high-end phones.
