big screen, slim body
The Galaxy A57 is a midrange phone with a 6.7-inch OLED, and Samsung somehow managed to make it thinner and lighter than its predecessor. Combine this with a slight redesign and IP68 certification for the first time, and the Galaxy S57 impresses in the $550 segment.
Pros
- thin and light form factor
- 6.7-inch display with thin bezels
- One UI 8.5 with six years of software support
- triple-camera system
- 45W fast wired charging
Shortcoming
- 5MP macro lens is uninspiring
- No wireless charging support
- asymmetric bezels
- “Awesome Intelligence” is less strong than Galaxy AI
- more expensive
small and cheap
The Google Pixel 10a made headlines by not upgrading the Tensor G4 processor carried over from its predecessor. Once you look past that fact, the Pixel 10a is a great midranger that offers longer software support at a lower price than the Galaxy A57. It also has a large battery, wireless charging support and a flat back.
Pros
- Compact, 6.3-inch form factor
- Affordable $500 retail price
- flat back without camera bump
- Well-optimized Android 16 with Gemini and Google AI features
Shortcoming
- thick and heavy
- Last-gen Tensor G4 chip
- slow charging
The latest mid-range phones from Samsung and Google are here, and both phones take different approaches to making an affordable Android phone. Google opted to keep the Pixel 10a’s affordable $500 price, and as a result, the handset didn’t get much of an upgrade this year — even The Tensor G4 chip is taken from the Pixel 10a. Meanwhile, Samsung made even bigger upgrades to the Galaxy A57, but it’s become even more expensive this year.
But should you buy basic Google Pixel 10a or the more expensive Samsung Galaxy A57? Let’s compare all the differences to help you find out.
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Samsung Galaxy A57 vs Google Pixel 10a: Design and display
The Samsung Galaxy A57 and Google Pixel 10a are complete opposites in terms of design, and which hand you prefer will likely determine which midrange Android phone is best for you. One is not inherently better or worse than the other; They are completely different. The biggest differentiator is screen size, and the Galaxy A57 is incredibly attractive to those who want a phone with a large display at an affordable price.
Samsung offers a 6.7-inch screen on the Galaxy A57, which is great news for those who like a larger phone with enough space for content consumption and multitasking. The display bezels are still not symmetrical, and that’s a disappointing compromise of buying a budget Samsung phone, but they are thinner than the bezels on the Galaxy A56. The Samsung Galaxy A57 has 1.5mm top and side bezels, while the bottom bezel is 2.5mm thick.
The screen offers a 1080×2340 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 1,900-nit peak brightness. Overall, this is a solid midrange display, but the Google Pixel 10a offers a sharp, bright panel in a smaller package.
Google has equipped the Pixel 10a with a 6.3-inch display, which is a breath of fresh air for small phone lovers. It has a resolution of 1080×2424 on a smaller screen than the Galaxy A57, which means the Pixel 10a will have a sharper display due to the higher pixel density. The maximum 120Hz refresh rates match the Galaxy A57’s capabilities, but the Pixel 10a is brighter, with a peak brightness rating of 3,000 nits. Additionally, the Pixel 10a has similar display bezels, albeit thicker.
Build quality is where Samsung starts to make gains. To Google’s credit, the IP68 durability rating, aluminum side rails, and fully flush back are major benefits of going with the Pixel 10a. However, the Galaxy A57 also offers IP68 certification and metal side rails and Gorilla Glass Victus Plus on both the front and back. By comparison, the Pixel 10a only has Gorilla Glass 7i on the front while using a plastic back.
I don’t mind the Pixel 10a’s plastic back – it feels great in the hand – but most will find the Galaxy A57’s glass more premium.
Samsung also wins in the in-hand feel of the Galaxy A57, as long as you can live with the larger screen size. Despite the larger overall footprint, Samsung managed to make the Galaxy A57 just 6.9mm thick and weigh just 179 grams. It is not only smaller than the Galaxy A56, but also significantly thinner and lighter than the Pixel 10a. Google’s midranger is 9mm thick and weighs 183 grams.
It’s worth reiterating that the Pixel 10a’s thick chassis is the reason the phone lacks a camera bump. While the Galaxy A57 has a triple-camera system that protrudes from the rear case, the Pixel 10a’s dual-camera cover is actually hidden beneath a plastic back. This means the Pixel 10a will feel completely flat in the hand and won’t rock back and forth on the table.
This is a nice benefit and really makes the Pixel 10a stand out, especially compared to phones like the Galaxy A57, which has a larger camera bump.
Samsung Galaxy A57 vs Google Pixel 10a: Hardware and specifications
In terms of performance, neither the Galaxy A57 nor the Pixel 10a offer top-of-the-line specs. However, both will be able to handle daily smartphone needs for years to come with long software support guarantees. Each handset ships with Android 16 is launching with Pixel 10a with Pixel UI and Material 3 Expressive and Galaxy A57 with One UI 8.5. Google offers seven years of OS upgrades, while Samsung only offers six years.
Google chose to use the Google Tensor G4 on the A-series Pixel for another year, which is disappointing for those who wanted the extra performance and more RAM. The Pixel 10a performs almost the same as the Pixel 9a, as both phones have the same chip and 8GB of RAM. Meanwhile, the Galaxy A57 offers a Samsung Exynos 1680 chip and 8GB or 12GB of RAM, depending on the configuration.
|
Social class |
Samsung Galaxy A57 |
google pixel 10a |
|---|---|---|
|
operating system |
One UI 8.5 (Android 16), six years of OS upgrades |
Android 16, seven years of OS upgrades |
|
Display |
6.7-inch Super AMOLED, 1080 x 2340 resolution, 120Hz, 1900 nits peak brightness, Gorilla Glass Victus+ |
6.3-inch Actua P-OLED display, 1080 x 2424 resolution, 120 Hz, 3000 nits peak brightness, Gorilla Glass 7i |
|
processor |
exynos 1680 |
Google Tensor G4 |
|
to hit |
8GB, 12GB |
8 GB |
|
storage |
128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB |
128 GB, 256 GB |
|
rear cameras |
50MP Wide Camera, 12MP Ultrawide Camera, 5MP Macro |
48MP wide camera, 13MP ultrawide camera |
|
front camera |
12MP |
13MP |
|
Battery |
5,000mAh |
5,100mAh |
|
charge |
45W wired, no wireless charging |
30W wired, 10W wireless |
|
Tolerance |
Aluminum frame, glass back |
plastic frame, glass back |
|
ip rating |
IP68 |
IP68 |
|
weight |
179 grams |
183 grams |
|
DIMENSIONS |
161.5 x 76.8 x 6.9 mm |
153.9 x 73 x 9 mm |
|
Colour |
Navy, Grey, Iceblue, Lilac |
Obsidian, Fog, Berry, Lavender |
The Google Pixel 10a has a slightly larger battery, but the Samsung Galaxy A57 charges faster. Google packs a 5,100mAh battery inside the Pixel 10a, while you get a 5,000mAh cell inside the Galaxy A57. That said, the Samsung midranger charges up to 45W over a single cable, while Google’s maxes out at 30W. This may prove more valuable than a little extra capacity in real-world use.
However, it comes at a cost. The Galaxy A57 does not support wireless charging, leave alone magnetic charging. Wireless charging used to be a common omission on midrange phones as a cost-cutting measure, but it looks like it’s a feature that should be standard in 2026. The Google Pixel 10a includes wireless charging, albeit at a slower 10W speed without any built-in magnets.
Samsung Galaxy A57 vs Google Pixel 10a: Camera
The camera systems on the Galaxy A57 and Pixel 10a are an excellent example that more is not always better. The Galaxy A57 has three cameras, and the Pixel 10a only has two, so the Samsung phone should be better, right? no way. The third camera on the Galaxy A57 is a small, low-resolution 5MP macro lens that you’ll probably never use.
Pixel 10a is a software based Macro Focus mode that lets you take macro shots with the ultrawide lens, and it may actually outperform the Galaxy A57’s dedicated macro lens. On midrange phones like this, the secondary lenses are usually weak, and it all depends on the primary shooters.
With that in mind, the main cameras on the Galaxy A57 and Pixel 10a are quite similar. The Samsung phone offers a 50MP sensor, while the Google handset offers a 48MP sensor. The Google Pixel 10a and Samsung Galaxy A57 also have 13MP and 12MP ultrawide cameras, respectively. On the front, the Pixel 10a comes with a 13MP sensor, and the Galaxy A57 has a 12MP camera.
Samsung Galaxy A57 vs Google Pixel 10a: Which one should you buy?
Nobody likes skyrocketing prices, but the Samsung Galaxy A57 has a large screen, a premium design, and near-flagship specs to justify the price. There’s just one issue – Samsung is competing with itself. The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE is a better all-around phone, and it’s only $500 off right now. You can get the Galaxy S25 FE for less than the Galaxy A57, and that makes it hard to recommend the new A-series midranger.
However, the same can be said about the Google Pixel 10a. Although it’s a great phone at a price of $500, it has a lot of similarities with the Pixel 9a. The difference is that the Pixel 9a isn’t getting a big discount right now — it’s only $30 cheaper than the Pixel 10a. Therefore, it makes more sense to buy the Pixel 10a at full price than the Galaxy A57, even though the latter is arguably better.
If you’ve got your eye on the Galaxy A57, maybe consider waiting for a discount. If the price of the Galaxy A57 gets cut by $50 or even $100, it becomes a much easier sell. It’s inevitably going to happen, but there’s no point buying the Galaxy A57 at full price when the Galaxy S25 FE and Google Pixel 10a are available.
more expensive
The Galaxy A57 could be an excellent midrange phone when it gets discounted in a few months, but now, it’s hard to justify paying more. This phone has a larger screen and a sophisticated design, although the Galaxy S25 FE and Pixel 10a come out with better value propositions.
better value
With a lower price and an extra year of Android OS support, the Pixel 10a is a valuable Android midranger. The compact 6.3-inch screen may appeal to some buyers and the same goes for the flat back. It will become cheaper only when discounts start available.
