Google Pixel 7a vs Samsung Galaxy A54

The Google Pixel 7a launched quite recently during Google I/O 2023, and it became Google’s brand new mid-range offering. We’ve already compared it to several devices at this point, and the next in line is a mid-ranger from Samsung. In this article, we’ll compare the Google Pixel 7a vs Samsung Galaxy A54. These two phones do have similar price tags, and are kind of direct competitors, especially in the US. So, it’ll be interesting to see how they compare.

We’ll first list their specifications, and will then move to compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance. These two phones are quite different, both in terms of the design, and their internals. That ought to make for an interesting comparison. Let’s get to it.

Specs

Google Pixel 7a vs Samsung Galaxy A54: Design

Both of these phones feature a centered display camera at the top of their displays, and have flat displays. That’s where similarities end, though. The Pixel 7a has a more squarish shape, while the Galaxy A54 includes considerably rounded corners. Its display corners are also more rounded than the ones on the Pixel 7a. Both smartphones do include physical buttons on the right-hand side, but the order is different. The Pixel 7a has a power key above the volume rocker buttons, while it’s the other way around on the Galaxy A54.

If we flip them around, you’ll see even more differences. The Pixel 7a has a camera visor on the back, which is covered by metal. The Galaxy A54 includes three separate camera islands on the back, which are vertically oriented in the top-left corner. The Pixel 7a comes with a frame made out of metal, and a plastic back. The Galaxy A54 is the other way around, it includes a plastic frame, with a glass back (Gorilla Glass 5).

The Pixel 7a is considerably smaller, so it’s easier to use with one hand. It’s noticeably shorter, a lot narrower, and slightly thicker. It is also lighter than the Galaxy A54, but not by much. It weighs 193.5 grams, compared to 202 grams of the Galaxy A54. Both smartphones are IP67 certified for water and dust resistance. They are both slippery, so keep that in mind. The Pixel 7a is easier to grip, however, due to its size. They both feel like well-built pieces of tech.

Google Pixel 7a vs Samsung Galaxy A54: Display

There is a 6.1-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) 90Hz OLED display included on the Pixel 7a. That display supports HDR content, and it is flat. You will notice that the bottom bezel is thicker than the rest of them, and the display ratio is 20:9. This panel is protected by the Gorilla Glass 3. That is not the most modern or the best protection, so it would be wise to use a screen protector here.

The Galaxy A54, on the flip side, has a 6.4-inch fullHD+ (2340 x 1080) Super AMOLED display. This panel is also flat, and it has a 120Hz refresh rate. It supports HDR10+ content, and gets up to 1,000 nits of peak brightness. This display has an aspect ratio of 19.5:9, and a slightly higher screen-to-body ratio. Its bezels are also not uniform, and the Gorilla Glass 5 protects this panel. That’s a considerably better option than Gorilla Glass 3.

Both of these displays are quite good. They have good viewing angles, and are quite vivid. The blacks are deep, to respectable levels, and the touch response is also good. Both displays are more than sharp enough. They also get similarly bright. The Galaxy A54 does have the advantage of a higher refresh rate, which you’ll notice during usage, and it also comes with better display protection.

Google Pixel 7a vs Samsung Galaxy A54: Performance

The Google Pixel 7a is fueled by the Google Tensor G2 SoC. The phone also includes 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB of UFS 3.1 flash storage. The Galaxy A54 is fueled by the Exynos 1380 processor, while it comes in 6GB and 8GB LPDDR5 RAM variants with either 128GB or 256GB of UFS 3.1 flash storage. The Tensor G2 is the more powerful processor here. Does that reflect on performance, though?

Well, for regular, everyday stuff, both smartphones do a great job. Both are quite snappy, and do everything you’d want them to rather fast. We could nitpick here, but there’s really no need to. Both are fast in opening apps, multitasking, browsing, and so on. The difference can be seen when it comes to gaming, however. The Tensor G2 is not really made for gaming, but it still does a better job than the Exynos 1380.

The Pixel 7a has proven capable of playing basically anything we threw at it, including Genshin Impact, though it doesn’t perform at the same level as some Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones. That is to be expected. The Galaxy A54 is below that level too, and below what the Pixel 7a has to offer. Don’t get me wrong, you can play games with both phones, without a problem, but the Pixel 7a will ultimately offer better performance.

Google Pixel 7a vs Samsung Galaxy A54: Battery

Out of the two, the Pixel 7a has a smaller battery, but that is to be expected considering the fact it has a smaller display, and a lower display refresh rate too. The Pixel 7a has a 4,385mAh battery, while the Galaxy A54 comes with a 5,000mAh unit. Having said that, we’ve had some issues with the Pixel 7a battery life at first, but it stabilized since our initial usage, and it’s now quite good, actually.

Getting around 7 hours of screen-on-time from the phone is not a problem, though your mileage may vary, of course. The Galaxy A54 does go beyond that, however. You can cross the 8-hour screen-on-time, well, some of you will be able to. Your usage, apps that you have installed, and your location (cell signal) will play a huge role when it comes to battery life. So, your results may be vastly different from what we’ve seen.

Now, do note that neither phone comes with a charger. The Pixel 7a does support 18W wired charging though, and 7.5W wireless charging. The Galaxy A54 offers support for 25W wired charging, and no wireless charging. The wireless charging on the Pixel 7a is very slow, so chances are you won’t be using it all that much, unless you’re charging overnight, of course. The phone’s wired charging is not particularly fast either. That goes for both devices, actually.

Google Pixel 7a vs Samsung Galaxy A54: Cameras

There is a 64-megapixel main camera on the back of the Pixel 7a, and a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera. The Galaxy A53, on the other hand, has a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 5-megapixel macro camera. Spoiler alert, the Pixel 7a is the better camera smartphone here, and it’s not even close. That actually goes for video recording too, but let’s take it one step at a time.

Images from the Pixel 7a end up looking more balanced, with better dynamic range and white balance. The Galaxy A54 images do not exactly look washed out, but in comparison with the Pixel 7a, it may seem that way. Both phones do capture plenty of detail, but the colors look richer on the Pixel 7a. In low light, the Pixel 7a manages to capture more detail, as the images end up looking less blurry than on the Galaxy A54, and also show more color at the same time.

The video is more stable on the Pixel 7a, even though the footage looks good on both, if we disregard the stabilization factor. Even if we talk about the front-facing cameras, the Pixel 7a comes out on top. The bokeh effect from its front-facing camera looks more realistic, and the images look richer and overall better. The Pixel 7a is not the best camera smartphone out there, not at all, but it does beat the Galaxy A54, at least in our opinion.

Audio

You will find a set of stereo speakers on both of these devices. Those speakers are good on both phones, they’re loud and offer good sound. If we had to nitpick, however, we’d side with the Galaxy A54 here. Its speakers are a bit louder, and do offer slightly more bass.

You will not find an audio jack on either of these two smartphones. You can always use their Type-C ports to connect wired headphones, though. If you opt for a Bluetooth connection, do note that both phones are equipped with Bluetooth 5.3.