The Galaxy S24 series is the latest and greatest new Android phone lineup from Samsung. They gave the world its first taste of Galaxy AI, and we explained how impressive the top-of-the-line model is in our Galaxy S24 Ultra review. Needless to say, however, the S24 lineup is also very expensive. That’s why Samsung recently announced the new Galaxy A55 as a great mid-range alternative… but you still shouldn’t buy one, even if Samsung decides to sell it in the US. Instead, I strongly recommend that our readers pick up the previous-generation model right now.
Samsung’s Galaxy A54 smartphone comes in two different colorways: Awesome Black and Awesome Violet. Both models cost $450 unlocked and have 128GB of storage. But now that the A55 has been unveiled, you can get a Galaxy A54 in brand-new condition for way less than that.
The Galaxy A54 is no Galaxy S24 or Galaxy Z Fold/Flip, and that goes without saying. After all, it’s not supposed to be.
Samsung’s Galaxy S and Z lineups are comprised of flagship phones that offer the best possible user experience that Samsung offers. That experience comes at a price, of course, and it’s generally well over $1,000 if you want one of the models that Samsung advertises most aggressively.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra is even on sale right now, so you can save up to $750 with a trade-in. But you’ll need to trade in a current-generation flagship smartphone to get the full discount, so most people will see much smaller trade-in bonuses.
On the other hand, Samsung’s new Galaxy A54 is all about value. You get a very capable smartphone that offers plenty of power and performance. In terms of specs, the Galaxy A54 includes an octa-core Exynos 1380 processor, a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED screen, IP67 dust and water resistance, a 50-megapixel main camera, a 32-megapixel selfie camera, and so much more.
At $349.99 on sale, the Galaxy A54 is an absolute steal. This is the kind of smartphone you can buy factory unlocked and bring to any wireless carrier.
It’s also worth noting that there’s another benefit to buying your smartphone this way. Remember, most free smartphone deals at major US wireless carriers require you to sign a very long three-year contract. Three years! I would much rather get a smartphone on my own than be locked into a carrier contract for that long.
With the Galaxy A54, you get a fantastic factory unlocked 5G smartphone with great performance, impressive specs, and the latest Android experience with Samsung’s vastly improved One UI.