In the Indian smartphone market, the sub-INR 30,000 price range has become highly competitive, attracting numerous companies. Recently, there have been some notable launches that have captured attention. Samsung, in particular, has been gaining traction in this segment with its A, F, and M series. Joining their lineup is the latest addition, the Galaxy F54 5G. This smartphone offers a familiar design, a large battery, and a high-resolution camera system. Samsung’s F series has always focused on delivering excellent battery life, and this time, the company claims to have enhanced the design of the F54 as well. After using the phone for more than two weeks, we present our comprehensive review.
Samsung Galaxy F54 5G Specifications
Before starting with the Samsung Galaxy F54 5G review, let’s glance at the phone’s specifications, pricing, and things we get with the device.
- Display: 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate
- CPU: Octa-core Exynos 1380 processor
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 256GB
- Software: Android 13, OneUI 5
- Main Camera: 108MP primary sensor + 8MP ultra-wide + 2MP macro sensor
- Selfie Camera: 32MP
- Connectivity: USB Type-C, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS/ A-GPS, FM Radio
- Cellular: Dual SIM
- Fingerprint Scanner: Yes, side-mounted
- Battery: 6,000 mAh, non-removable
- Charging: 25W fast charging
Box Contents
Here’s a complete list of items you get inside the box:
- Samsung Galaxy F54 smartphone
- USB Type-C charging cable
- Sim Ejector Tool
- Documentation
Design & Display
At first glance, the Samsung Galaxy F54 5G exudes a sleek and polished appearance. It is available in two color options: Meteor Blue and Stardust Silver. The handset is constructed with a combination of polycarbonate and glass, with the back panel featuring an eye-catching design and a glossy gradient finish. On the back, the camera arrangement follows a familiar layout used even in Samsung’s premium Galaxy S23 models. The triple cameras are individually housed, accompanied by the LED flash and the Samsung logo at the bottom.
Upon observing the phone as a whole, its thickness and weight immediately catch the eye. The frame of the device is composed of plastic, while the front is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 to prevent scratches and shattering. As for the button placement, the power button on the right edge also functions as a fingerprint sensor, along with the volume rockers. On the left side, there is only the SIM tray. The bottom of the phone features a USB Type-C port, a speaker grille, and a microphone, while the top houses a secondary microphone. However, it is disappointing that the Samsung Galaxy F54 5G lacks stereo speakers, which is a significant omission, particularly for a smartphone in the INR 30,000 price range.
The phone boasts a large edge-to-edge AMOLED display on the front, featuring a centered punch-hole design. More on this in the next segment. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy F54 5G offers excellent ergonomics. It is comfortable to hold and operate, thanks to the rounded edges of the frame. Although the three camera bumps on the rear are not overly protrusive, the phone’s weight of nearly 200 grams can be felt.
The front of the Samsung Galaxy F54 5G features a flat, 6.7-inch AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. The display is taller than the outgoing model and has thinner bezels. The display comes with all the bells and whistles like the WideVine L1 support, which is compatible with Netflix, even though the panel supports HDR10, you don’t get to enjoy the content in HDR, something we hope gets fixed in future updates. Along with a strong speaker, the display produces vivid colors and deep blacks, elevating your multimedia experience. When using the Galaxy F54 5G outside in direct sunlight, we encountered no problems. The peak brightness on the display is well above 600 nits, and can go even higher in auto-brightness mode.
Software and Performance
The Samsung Galaxy F54 comes preloaded with the Samsung One UI 5.1 operating system, which is based on Android 13. Samsung has made significant strides in their software department, and the Galaxy F54 5G benefits from this progress. Samsung has committed to providing four years of OS updates and five years of security updates for this device, which currently sets the industry standard. The One UI 5.1 version that ships with the phone includes the usual array of shortcuts, gestures, and customization options that we have seen on recent Samsung devices. Users can take advantage of features such as floating notifications, one-handed mode, experimental options in the Labs section, various Edge panels, and camera enhancements. Although some preinstalled bloatware apps can be a nuisance, most of them can be removed, which is a relief for users.
Powering the Samsung Galaxy F54 is Samsung’s in-house Exynos 1380 chipset. The performance of the Exynos 1380 is comparable to that of the MediaTek Dimensity 1080 chipset. The chipset handles day-to-day tasks smoothly, including texting, calling, light gaming, web browsing, and more. Throughout our two-week usage period, we did not encounter any noticeable performance issues with the phone. In terms of benchmarks, the Galaxy F54 5G achieved a score of 4,51,850 points in AnTuTu (v10). Its Geekbench scores were 1,016 for the single-core test and 2,859 for the multi-core test.
We tested some gaming on the device and found that it can handle light to mid-level games without any issues. Titles like Asphalt 9 Legends ran smoothly with consistent frame rates. It’s worth noting, however, that the Galaxy F54 5G tends to heat up quickly during gaming sessions, and certain areas of the back panel can become hot to the touch. Aside from this, the overall performance of the device has been satisfactory considering its price.
Camera and Battery
The Samsung Galaxy F54 5G is equipped with a triple camera setup on the back, featuring a 108MP primary sensor with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), an 8MP ultra-wide angle camera, and a 2MP macro camera. For selfies, the device sports a 32MP front-facing sensor.
In terms of camera performance, the primary camera captures images at a default resolution of 12MP through pixel binning, but you also have the option to capture full 108MP photos. In daylight conditions, photos taken with the main camera exhibit good quality, natural colors, pleasing HDR, and impressive details. The ultra-wide angle camera also delivers similar results, while the macro camera proves useful for capturing extreme close-up shots.
In low-light environments, the main camera performs well by maintaining good exposure and capturing details effectively. When the Scene Optimiser is enabled, the Night mode automatically activates based on ambient lighting conditions. As for the selfie camera, it also defaults to capturing 12MP photos, although you can opt for 32MP shots. The image quality is decent in well-lit situations, producing natural skin tones once the face beautification filters are disabled. However, the camera’s performance suffers in low-light scenarios.
The standout feature of the Samsung Galaxy F54 5G is its impressive battery life, thanks to the inclusion of a 6,000mAh battery. During our testing, we were able to achieve nearly two full days of usage on a single charge. The device can be fully charged from empty in approximately an hour and a half or slightly longer, depending on the charger used, as Samsung does not provide one in the retail package.
Samsung Galaxy F54 5G Review – The Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy F54 5G presents itself as a solid all-around smartphone option for those seeking a reliable offering from a top-tier brand. It excels in areas such as display quality, battery performance, and aesthetics, but falls short in the camera department. Priced at INR 29,999, if your priorities lie in having an extensive battery life or a camera with a very high resolution, then the F54 is a suitable choice for you!
