Google Pixel 10A vs. Samsung Galaxy A57: Which midranger do you have to purchase?

Reasonably priced telephones are bearing the brunt of provide chain constraints, which is reshaping what you possibly can count on from a $500 telephone. Whereas mid-range telephones in 2026 do not present the identical worth as they used to, the newest telephones from Google and Samsung are nonetheless competing neck-and-neck. The brand new Pixel 10A and Galaxy A57 stay probably the most profitable midrange telephones out there proper now. Whereas they are not terribly totally different from their predecessors, every telephone has its personal distinct attraction.

The Google Pixel 10A did not get loads of upgrades this yr, but it surely has stored the $499 value of the Pixel 9A and has already gotten the occasional low cost. However, Samsung’s Galaxy A57 is without doubt one of the lightest telephones on this value vary, even with a bigger display screen. I put them head-to-head, and each telephones have their very own highlights that might be higher for various causes.

Design and construct

The 2 Google and Samsung telephones are drastically totally different when it comes to design. The Pixel 10A is a small telephone with a relatively compact 6.3-inch display screen, whereas the Galaxy A57 is a giant telephone with a 6.7-inch show. Each are snug to carry and use in day-to-day life.

Nevertheless, the Samsung telephone is impressively light-weight this time round. You not must accept a cumbersome telephone if you’d like a giant display screen. At 6.9mm in thickness and 179 grams in weight, the Galaxy A57 is thinner than the smaller Google Pixel 10A (9mm thick and 183 grams weight).

I favored utilizing the A57 extra due to its slimmer bezels, which give it a extra fashionable look. As compared, Google’s telephone appears outdated with its thick borders across the display screen. Samsung’s slimmer, albeit asymmetrical, bezels additionally permit for a extra immersive content material consumption expertise. Each of those shows are seen in direct daylight, however they’re smudge-prone and extremely reflective panels. Nevertheless, I did not have any main points when navigating on Google Maps open air.

Each the Pixel 10A and Galaxy A57 are rated IP68 for mud and water resistance. This implies they often can survive most plunges into shallow water and days on the seaside with out letting sand within them. Google retained the plastic again on its Pixel telephone together with an aluminum body, whereas Samsung gave its system a glass again. The Galaxy A57 is theoretically extra sturdy, because of the Gorilla Glass Victus Plus on each the back and front. To check, the Pixel 10A has a much less scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass 7i on the entrance.

The Google midranger has a novel design, the place its dual-camera cowl is recessed beneath the plastic again. However, the Galaxy A57 has three rear cameras, organized vertically, just like the Galaxy S26.

If you happen to’ve ever wished for a telephone with no digital camera bumps, the Pixel 10A is the system to get. Nevertheless, if you’d like a extra immersive display screen in a useful and extra premium-feeling design, the Galaxy A57 scores a simple win.

Efficiency and battery

Neither of the 2 telephones will provide you with flagship-grade efficiency, however each of them are powered by succesful in-house chips. The Google Pixel 10A has a Tensor G4, paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage, whereas the Galaxy A57 homes an Exynos 1680 processor with the identical quantity of RAM and storage. Nevertheless, you may get a 12GB RAM Galaxy A57 variant outdoors of the US that is paired up with 256GB or 512GB of storage in some markets.

I used each telephones in related methods – messaging on social apps (WhatsApp, Instagram), navigating on Google Maps, work conversations on Slack, and utilizing the cameras when wanted. I did not face any noticeable stutters or lags on both system. Whereas neither of them is constructed for gaming at excessive graphics settings, the Galaxy A57 generally is a bit higher due to a extra succesful processor.

Each of them lasted me a complete day on a single cost. To check, the Pixel 10A has a barely bigger battery with a 5,100-mAh capability (charging at 30 watts), however the Galaxy A57 fees its 5,000-mAh battery sooner at 45 watts. The Google telephone helps 10-watt wi-fi charging, whereas the A57 would not help wi-fi top-ups.

I might nonetheless say that Google missed out by not together with its PixelSnap magnetic expertise within the lower-cost 10A after offering it to all the different Pixel 10 telephones. It might’ve been a serious promoting level, however third-party circumstances can as an alternative carry help for magnetic equipment to each the 10A and the Galaxy A57.

Each telephones run Android 16 with their very own variations on prime. The Pixel 10A debuted with Pixel UI and Materials 3 Expressive, whereas the Galaxy A57 launched with One UI 8.5 onboard. Each units will provide you with long-term software program help with Google promising seven years of Android OS updates, whereas Samsung will provide you with six years of OS upgrades.

I like One UI higher for its customizations and widgets however the Pixel UI has its personal distinctive capabilities and expertise. Each telephones help various AI options for enhancing pictures, together with a function for enhancing a bunch picture in case somebody’s blinking. The Pixel model of this function is named Auto Greatest Take, whereas the Galaxy A57 calls it Greatest Face. Extra AI options embody AI Eraser to take away undesirable objects from a photograph and Gemini for a wise digital assistant, amongst others.

The cameras

The Google Pixel 10A has a twin rear digital camera setup. It has a 48-megapixel foremost digital camera, which is accompanied by a 12-megapixel ultrawide-angle lens. However, the Galaxy A57 has a 50-megapixel foremost digital camera, a 13-megapixel ultrawide-angle lens and a 5-megapixel macro sensor.

Nevertheless, solely two of the three Samsung cameras are usable. In my overview interval, I relied on 4x zoom in 50-megapixel digital camera mode to get sharper photos with natural-looking bokeh moderately than utilizing the macro sensor, which outputs noisy outcomes with poor colour copy. This places each the mid-rangers head-to-head in digital camera efficiency.

Each telephones’ foremost cameras seize quantity of element. You get pixel-binned pictures by default however the Galaxy A57 presents a 50-megapixel digital camera mode, which lets you seize larger decision pictures. As for the ultrawide sensors, there is no noticeable colour shift however each of them have the “fishbowl” impact that is frequent on ultrawide cameras.

As for the selfie shooters, you get a 13-megapixel entrance digital camera on the Pixel 10A and a 12-megapixel sensor on the Galaxy A57. Each provide passable outcomes.

Google Pixel 10A vs. Samsung Galaxy A57: Specs