Google Pixel 10A vs. Samsung Galaxy A57: Which midranger should you buy?

Affordable phones are struggling supply chain constraintswhich reshapes what you can expect from a $500 phone. While in the distance phones in 2026 they don’t offer the same value as they always have, the latest phones from Google and Samsung are still competing neck-and-neck. New Pixel 10A again Galaxy A57 remain the most profitable midrange phones on the market right now. Although they are not very different from their predecessors, each phone has its own unique attractions.

The Google Pixel 10A didn’t get much of an upgrade this year, but it kept the $499 price of the Pixel 9A and has already received occasional discounts. On the other hand, Samsung’s Galaxy A57 is one of the lightest phones in this price range, even with a large screen. I’m putting them head to head, and both phones have their own strengths that could be better for different reasons.

Design and build

The two phones of Google and Samsung are very different in terms of design. The Pixel 10A is a smaller phone with a relatively compact 6.3-inch screen, while the Galaxy A57 is a larger phone with a 6.7-inch display. Both are comfortable to hold and use in everyday life.

However, the Samsung phone is surprisingly simple in this regard. You no longer need to pay for a big phone if you want a big screen. At 6.9mm thick and 179 grams in weight, the Galaxy A57 is thinner than the smaller Google Pixel 10A (9mm thick and 183 grams in weight).

I liked using the A57 a lot because of its small bezels, which give it a modern look. In comparison, the Google phone looks outdated with its thick borders on the screen. Samsung’s small, or asymmetrical, bezels also allow for a more focused content experience. Both displays are visible in direct sunlight, but they are prone to distortion and are very bright. However, I didn’t have any major problems when navigating Google Maps outdoors.

Both the Pixel 10A and the Galaxy A57 are rated IP68 for dust and water resistance. This means they can usually survive shallow dives and days at the beach without getting sand between them. Google has returned its Pixel phone to plastic and an aluminum frame, while Samsung has returned its device to glass. The Galaxy A57 is conceptually extremely durable, thanks to Gorilla Glass Victus Plus on both the front and back. For comparison, the Pixel 10A has a less sensitive Gorilla Glass 7i on the front.

Google’s Midranger has a unique design, where its cover with two cameras is placed under the plastic on the back. On the other hand, the Galaxy A57 has three rear cameras, arranged vertically, like the Galaxy S26.

If you’ve ever wanted a phone without camera bumps, the Pixel 10A is the device for you. However, if you’re looking for a more immersive screen with a practical design and a premium feel, the Galaxy A57 gets an easy win.

Battery operation

Neither of the two phones will offer flagship-grade performance, but both are powered by in-house chips. The Google Pixel 10A has a Tensor G4, paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage, while the Galaxy A57 keeps the Exynos 1680 processor with the same amount of RAM and storage. However, you can get the 12GB RAM variant of the Galaxy A57 outside the US paired with 256GB or 512GB of storage in other markets.

I used both phones in similar ways – messaging on social apps (WhatsApp, Instagram), navigating on Google Maps, work chats on Slack, and using the cameras when needed. I didn’t face any stutters or lags on any device. Although none of them are built to play at high graphics settings, the Galaxy A57 can be a bit better thanks to a more capable processor.

Both lasted me all day on one charge. For comparison, the Pixel 10A has a larger 5,100-mAh battery (charges at 30 watts), but the Galaxy A57 charges its 5,000-mAh battery faster at 45 watts. The Google Phone supports 10-watt wireless charging, while the A57 does not support wireless top-ups.

I’ll still say that Google missed out by not including its PixelSnap magnetic technology on the low-cost 10A after offering it on all other Pixel 10 phones. It would be a big selling point, but third-party cases could bring support for magnetic accessories to both the 10A and the Galaxy A57.

Both phones run Android 16 with their versions up. The Pixel 10A was released with Pixel UI and Material 3 Expressive, while the Galaxy A57 was launched with One UI 8.5 on board. Both devices will offer long-term software support with Google promising seven years of Android OS updates, while Samsung will offer six years of OS upgrades.

I like the One UI better with customizations and widgets but the Pixel UI has its own unique capabilities and experience. Both phones support AI features to improve photography, including a group photo editing feature in case someone blinks. The Pixel version of this feature is called Auto Best Take, while the Galaxy A57 calls it Best Face. Other AI features include AI Eraser to remove unwanted objects from the image and Gemini for intelligent visual assistant, among others.

Cameras

The Google Pixel 10A has a dual rear camera setup. It has a 48-megapixel main camera, which is accompanied by a 12-megapixel ultrawide-angle lens. On the other hand, the Galaxy A57 has a 50-megapixel main camera, a 13-megapixel ultrawide-angle lens and a 5-megapixel main sensor.

However, only two of the three Samsung cameras are functional. In my review session, I relied on the 4x zoom in the 50-megapixel camera mode to get sharp images with natural-looking bokeh rather than using a large sensor, which produces noisy results with poor color reproduction. This puts both central monitors in line with the camera’s functionality.

Both the main cameras of the phones capture a lot of detail. You get pixel-bound photos by default but the Galaxy A57 offers a 50-megapixel camera mode, which lets you capture high-resolution photos. As for the ultrawide sensors, there is no noticeable color shift but both have the “fishbowl” effect common to ultrawide cameras.

As for the cameras, you get a 13-megapixel front camera on the Pixel 10A and a 12-megapixel sensor on the Galaxy A57. Both give satisfactory results.

Google Pixel 10A vs Samsung Galaxy A57: Details