Google’s Pixel 6A was one of our favorite budget phones of last year, earning a CNET Editors’ Choice award for its combination of good camera, solid performance and reasonable price. The newly unveiled Pixel 7A aims to take this winning formula further, with the latest Google Tensor G2 processor, upgraded cameras and a sleek, refreshed design. But Samsung is going hard on its budget offerings with its Galaxy A54 5G offering good all-round performance, a triple rear camera setup and an extremely reasonable price. So how do these two compare?
On price, Samsung takes the win. The Galaxy A54 5G launched in March at $449 but is available on Best Buy and Amazon for only $375, unlocked. The Pixel 7A costs $499, which is a sizable chunk more than the A54, but we would expect deals and discounts to bring that price down over the coming months. You can pick up its predecessor, the Pixel 6A, for only $320 on Amazon, for example. That’s a big savings from its original $499 asking price.
You can see the full breakdown of core specs in the chart below, but there’s not a world of difference between the phones. The A54’s 6.4-inch display is a little bigger than the Pixel 7A’s 6.1-inch display, the 5,000mAh battery of the A54 is a touch more capacious than the Pixel 7A’s 4,385mAh one and the A54’s main camera captures shots with 50 megapixels of resolution — a touch under the Pixel 7A’s 64 megapixels.
Both phones have 5G connectivity, both have 128GB of storage as a base and both allow for face and fingerprint unlocking. They also have IP67 ratings for water resistance. The differences that really matter will come down to processor and camera performance, both of which we’ll be putting to the test in the full reviews.
Pixel 7A vs. Galaxy A54 5G specs compared
Pixel 7A | Galaxy A54 5G | |
Display size, resolution | 6.1-inch FHD OLED, 60/90Hz | 6.4-inch Super AMOLED; 2,340×1,080 pixels; 120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate |
Pixel density | 361 ppi | 403 ppi |
Dimensions (inches) | 6.23 x 3.02 x 0.32 in | |
Dimensions (millimeters) | 72.9 x 152.4 x 9.0 | 158.2 x 76.7 x 8.2 mm |
Weight (Ounces, Grams) | 193 g | 202 g (7.13 oz) |
Mobile software | Android 13 | Android 13 |
Camera | 64-megapixel (main) 4k @ 6fps; 13-megapixel (ultra-wide) 4k @ 30 fps | 50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 5-megapixel (macro) |
Front-facing camera | 13-megapixel 4K@30fps | 32-megapixel |
Video capture | 4K | 4K |
Processor | Tensor G2 | Exynos 1380 |
RAM/Storage | 8GB / 128GB | 6GB + 128GB; 8GB + 256GB |
Expandable storage | None | Micro SDXC |
Battery/Charger | 4,385 mAh (18W fast charging 7.5W wireless charging) | 5,000 mAh (25W wired charging) |
Fingerprint sensor | Side | In-display |
Connector | USB-C | USB-C |
Headphone jack | None | None |
Special features | 5G (5G sub6 / mmWave ), IP67 rating, 18W fast charging, 7.5W wireless charging | 5G (mmWave/Sub6), IP67 rating |
Price off-contract (USD) | $499 / $549 (mmWave) | $449 (6GB/128GB) at launch |
Price (GBP) | £449 | £449 (6GB/128GB) at launch |
Price (AUD) | AU$649 (6GB/128GB) at launch |