Galaxy M54: Samsung's upcoming mid-ranger could pack some serious firepower

Samsung is no stranger to putting generations-old flagship chips in its mid-rangers. Last year's Galaxy F62 used the now three-year-old Exynos 9825 that powered the Galaxy Note 10 series. The upcoming Galaxy M54 could also follow suit but with a Qualcomm chip this time.

According to The Pixel on YouTube, the mid-ranger will supposedly use a Snapdragon 888 SoC. That should give it an edge over its Dimensity 900-powered predecessor, the Galaxy M53. However, our in-depth review rated the device poorly due to display flickering and inaccurate GPS tracking. It would be ideal if Samsung addressed those issues on the Galaxy M54. The rest of the device is a mixed bag of upgrades and downgrades, though.

The Galaxy M54 will do away with its ancestor's 108 MP primary sensor and replace it with a 64 MP alternative, presumably as a cost-cutting measure. It is paired with a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 5 MP macro/depth sensor. The 32 MP front-facing sensor will remain unchanged.

On the plus side, the Galaxy M54 will draw power from a beefy 6,000 mAh battery. Powering it up could take a while, though, as the maximum charging wattage is restricted to 25 Watts. Unfortunately, the screen gets a significant downgrade. The Galaxy M53 and the Galaxy M52 before it both ran FHD+ 120 Hz panels, but the Galaxy M54 will use a 90 Hz panel instead.

The Samsung Galaxy M54 should be an excellent mid-ranger, even if Samsung sells it for around US$400. There is no word about its launch date yet, but if previous launch cycles are anything to go by, one can expect to see it before the year ends.

Buy the Samsung Galaxy A53 on Amazon