Google Pixel 7a vs the competition: Pushing the boundaries of a budget phone
How does Google's latest phone compare to its rivals?
Google's announced the Pixel 7a — and made it available for immediate purchase — during its annual I/O conference. Like other A-model Pixel phones, this is a budget version of what came before, namely the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. At $499, it's $100 cheaper than either of its siblings but manages to meet or exceed many of their specs. It has a similar design, uses the same Tensor G2 processing chip, and offers 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage like the base model Pixel 7. The 7a also matches the water resistance and display refresh rate of that phone, but has a larger battery and higher-res cameras. One key difference is the smaller screen, measuring 6.1 inches versus the Pixel 7's 6.3-inch display.
We know it stacks up nicely against other current-model Pixels, but how does it compare to other budget-model phones? It's a little pricier than either the iPhone SE or the Galaxy A54 and falls between the two on battery capacity, screen size and number of cameras. The Pixel 7a beats both of its competitors on base-level memory and is also the only budget model to use the same processor as its top-end, flagship counterpart. Here are the specs for each phone side-by-side so you can see which one makes the most sense for you.
Google Pixel 7a vs. Apple iPhone SE vs. Samsung Galaxy A54
Google Pixel 7a | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) | Samsung Galaxy A54 | |
Pricing | Starts at $499 | Starts at $429 | Starts at $450 |
Release date | May 10, 2023 | March 18, 2022 | March 24,2023 |
Dimensions | 6.0 x 2.87 x 0.35 in (152.4 x 72.9 x 9.0 mm) | 5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 in (138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm) | 6.23 x 3.02 x 0.32 in (158.2 x 76.7 x 8.2 mm) |
Weight | 6.81 oz (193 g) | 5.09 oz (144 g) | 7.13 oz (202 g) |
Operating system | Android | iOS | Android |
Screen size | 6.1 in | 4.7 in | 6.4 in |
Screen resolution | 1080 x 2400 at 429ppi | 1334 x 750 at 326ppi | 2340 x 1080 at 403ppi |
Screen type | OLED (90Hz) | Retina HD LCD (60 Hz) | Super AMOLED (120Hz) |
Processor | Tensor G2 | A15 Bionic chip | Exynos 1380 |
Water and dust resistance | IP67 | IP67 | IP67 |
Battery | 4385 mAh | 2018 mAh | 5000 mAh |
RAM | 8GB | 4GB | 6GB / 8GB |
Internal storage | 128GB | 64GB / 128GB / 256GB | 128GB / 256GB |
Rear camera(s) | Two cameras: Main: 64MP, ƒ/1.89 aperture Wide: 13MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture | One camera: Main: 12MP, ƒ/1.8 aperture | Three cameras: Main: 50MP, ƒ/1.8 aperture Wide: 12MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture Macro: 5MP, ƒ/2.4 aperture |
Video capture | 4K 60 fps | 4K at 60 fps | 4K at 30 fps |
Front camera | 13MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture | 7MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture | 32MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture |
WiFi | WiFi 6E | WiFi 6 | WiFi 6 |
Charging | 18W fast charging, 7.5W wireless | 20W fast charging, 7.5W wireless | 25W fast charging |
Connector | USB-C | Lightning | USB-C |
Follow all of the news from Google I/O 2023 right here.
