YMMV was Able to Bypass port requirement after getting device activate on total website click activate at top of page>New Phone One you've purchased through Total Wireless>I want a newer number. Plan is tied to phone IMEI when activating.
Once Activated Text UNLOCK to 611611 (Customer Service Number) it will reply with unlock date might have to send twice.
expiredLavenderSeagull1623 posted Jul 12, 2024 05:36 PM
Item 1 of 2
Item 1 of 2
expiredLavenderSeagull1623 posted Jul 12, 2024 05:36 PM
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G Prepaid - Total by Verizon $55
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$280
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even then, i'm reading too many posts about how it lags or doesn't lag, which leads me to think its the samsung SOC silicon lottery right now. I heard the A55 fixed the issue with a newer designed SOC but the A55 hasn't/isn't arrived in the USA
One person mentioned failed flashing if update to latest firmware
https://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=
"There are certain restrictions such as carrier exclusive models (ex. Verizon, AT&T, Tracfone)"
https://en-us.support.moto
Both have 60 day unlock policy!
Some people bring up the Samsung apps. Not a big deal. Not really junk if you are invested in the Samsung ecosystem. I have a Samsung watch, Samsung earbuds, Galaxy Tags, etc. I put the Samsung apps in a Samsung folder. I put Google apps in a Google folder. Microsoft apps in a Microsoft folder. I am fine with pixel, Motorola and Samsung user interfaces. I like them all.
The ratings for this phone at best buy are 4.6 out of 5 stars (650 reviews) from best buy. It has a 4.5 out of 5 star rating on Amazon from the Samsung seller. The high majority of actual owners are very happy with it.
I used a pixel 5a (midrange) until just recently because security updates were being cut off. It ran android 14 quite well - no performance issues, even though it was released with Android 11.
Midrange phones have come a long way - if you don't do really heavy stuff like gaming, they're everything you need. Browsing, streaming music and video, banking, social media, phone and text are all fine. Camera is good.
I really can't see plunking down several hundred or more for a flagship when a midrange phone does everything I need, and do it well.
Both have 60 day unlock policy!
- Set display timeout down to 2 min, but turn on keep on when viewing (for battery life)
- Upgraded to OneUI 6.1 and most recent updates (for security and performance)
- Uninstalled a ton of stuff/bloatware
- Disabled a bunch of stuff I couldn't uninstall (takes care of your double apps problem)
- Removed permissions and cleared storage from stuff I couldn't disable (like Device Pulse)
- Forbade a bunch of apps from using mobile data (like Device Pulse, to reduce bandwidth use)
- Turned display down to 60Hz (for performance/battery)
- Shut off RAM Plus (for performance)
- Turned on developer mode
- Set Window, Animator, and Transition Animation Scale to .5x (for performance)
- Turned on auto optimization and auto restart at 3AM every saturday (for performance)
- Turned on power saving and maximum battery protection (for battery life)
- Turned off fast charging (for battery life)
- Turned on power saving mode (for battery life)
- Turned on data saver (You probably don't need this on Total's unlimited plan)
- In intellegent wifi, turn off wifi automatically (save battery)
- In intellegent wifi, turn off switch to mobile data (save cellular bandwidth)
- Set background to solid black (conserve battery life)
- Set lock screen to dynamic cats (because I like cats more than battery life)
- Set Camera and Chrome to save downloads and photos to SD card by default
- Tweaked out UI and icons the way I wanted it.
- Installed netmonitor (required for next step)
- Changed the preferred network type in netmonitor from "NG/LTE/GSM/WCDMA" to "LTE/TDSCDMA/GSM/WCDMA". This disables 5G, leaving you with 4G and LTE, conserving battery life. OneUI 6.1 does not have a settings option to turn off 5G, so I needed netmonitor to do it.
- I also use a device called Chargie (google it if interested) that limits the maximum charge, and don't charge it above 70% unless I'm going on a long road trip or will really need it, and won't charge it at all if it gets too hot. (for battery life)
- I use a slow 15W charger (for battery life)
Now, you might not want to do all of that, and I don't think it was really necessary to get adequate performance, but I did it and am very happy with the phone's performance.
I plan on using this phone until security updates sunset, so I care about battery durability a lot.
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My A54 was the MetroPCS variant, but I waited until the 6-month SIM unlock happened and then flashed to U1.
Google Nexus 5 was fantastic and fast. The Moto G4 was $250 unlocked, clean android and snappy fast.
I found an old LG from 2017 from MetroPCS and on an old version of android. Even that POS cheap low end LG was faster and smoother than the A54. All the Apps and widgets etc. opened and functioned faster and smoother.
So IMHO a mid range 2023/2024 phone should be better than what the A54 provides. Even cheap free Moto G line of phones are faster and snappier.
Google Nexus 5 was fantastic and fast. The Moto G4 was $250 unlocked, clean android and snappy fast.
I found an old LG from 2017 from MetroPCS and on an old version of android. Even that POS cheap low end LG was faster and smoother than the A54. All the Apps and widgets etc. opened and functioned faster and smoother.
So IMHO a mid range 2023/2024 phone should be better than what the A54 provides. Even cheap free Moto G line of phones are faster and snappier.
It's worth a half hour to tweak a phone you will be using for years.
It probably works fine on One UI 6.1 ootb - wouldn't really know as any phones ootb experience annoys the crap out of me (even default android)
But, I'd do most of that stuff on any phone I would be using for years. Maybe if it was a flagship id skip some of the performance items.
I used a pixel 5a (midrange) until just recently because security updates were being cut off. It ran android 14 quite well - no performance issues, even though it was released with Android 11.
Midrange phones have come a long way - if you don't do really heavy stuff like gaming, they're everything you need. Browsing, streaming music and video, banking, social media, phone and text are all fine. Camera is good.
I really can't see plunking down several hundred or more for a flagship when a midrange phone does everything I need, and do it well.
I went from pixel 6a to samsung galaxy a54. I can't see myself ever going back to a 6.1" screen. I like the Pixel too but screen is too small.
Meanwhile Samsung was churning along and set the standard for Android. Not saying the a54 is the end game, but it offers a lot and there's been millions of people who buy these phones and usually the folks having good experiences don't post about them online. Likely millions of people who have no idea what Exynos is are just using this phone out of the box and satisfied with it, which is why Samsung keeps making more of these models.
The galaxy a14 which is 3 tiers down from this phone was the best selling phone worldwide and costs more than this slick deal.
There have been reports of both sides of the lag/No lag parties on the A54.
Samsung isn't at TSMC's level of manufacturing yet. Hence why in my previous post I stated it might be the silicon itself.
Bonus claims? its the truth, i was so surprised about how much better it was I looked at older youtube videos of mid range phones from 2014-2017 and they're faster than what others and myself have experienced with the A54.
Sure you might own both Moto and the A54, but thats just only 1 sample/example. So I say, you have no idea what you're talking about when speaking about the overall performance since you're only speaking about 1 persons experience and not taking into account 1000's if not millions of others....
Did you know the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE with the same Exynos chip has a 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon? Now you are going to tell me how your old Fire tablet hd (2017) is faster right? Haha.... cool story
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It's worth a half hour to tweak a phone you will be using for years.
It probably works fine on One UI 6.1 ootb - wouldn't really know as any phones ootb experience annoys the crap out of me (even default android)
But, I'd do most of that stuff on any phone I would be using for years. Maybe if it was a flagship id skip some of the performance items.
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