Samsung Galaxy A54 vs Google Pixel 6a 2026 February: Review, compare

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Samsung Galaxy A54 vs Google Pixel 6a is likely to be one of the toughest battles in the world of smartphones, as these two devices go head-to-head to see who is the best cheap phone. Right now, Google is sitting on the throne. The Pixel 6a is a midrange phone that has the same Tensor chipset as the Pixel 6, and it also looks and feels like Google’s best phones.

The Pixel 6a is hard to beat when you consider that it has the best cameras we’ve seen on a phone that costs less than $500. But based on our time with the Galaxy A54, Samsung’s newest midrange phone could give the Pixel 6a a run for its money. The Galaxy A54 has a lot going for it, from its 120Hz screen to its good cameras to its better performance than its predecessor. And Samsung didn’t change the price, so in the U.S., the Galaxy A54 costs the same as the Pixel 6a.

Samsung Galaxy A54 vs Google Pixel 6a Comparison

Specifications	Samsung Galaxy A54	Google Pixel 6a
Display	6.5-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display	6.2-inch FHD+ OLED display
Processor	Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G	Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G
RAM	4GB or 6GB	6GB
Storage	64GB or 128GB (expandable)	128GB (non-expandable)
Battery	5,000mAh	4,614mAh
Rear Camera	48MP main, 5MP ultra-wide, 2MP depth, 2MP macro	50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide
Front Camera	13MP	8MP

Samsung Galaxy A54 vs Google Pixel 6a: DESIGN

Both the Galaxy A54 and the Pixel 6a take design cues from the best phones made by their respective companies. In the case of the A54, this is even more true than before. When Samsung released the Galaxy S23 line earlier this year, it changed the look of the basic phone and the Galaxy S23 Plus to make them look more like the Galaxy S23 Ultra. That means that the back camera lenses slide down instead of being in a row that sticks out from the back of the phone.

This look has also been given to the Galaxy A54, making it hard to tell this midrange model apart from its more expensive flagship siblings at first glance. The Samsung A54 is easy to spot because it has larger bezels. Also, the Galaxy A54 uses Gorilla Glass 5 instead of the tougher Gorilla Glass Victus 2 found in the S23 line. In the same way, the Pixel 6a looks a lot like the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7, but without the more polished camera bar on the Pixel 7.  You can buy this smartphone from its official website.

Samsung Galaxy A54 vs Google Pixel 6a: DISPLAY

The Galaxy A54 has a 6.4-inch OLED screen that refreshes at 120Hz. It has the same 1080p resolution as its predecessor, but the new display is brighter. One of the biggest complaints about the Galaxy A53 was that it was hard to see outside. It’s good to see that Samsung is addressing this by increasing the peak brightness from 800 nits to 1,000 nits.

The new screen is just a little bit thinner than the one on the Galaxy A53 5G, but it is taller. To put things in perspective, the Galaxy A54 has a 6.4-inch screen, which is between the 6.1-inch screen of the Galaxy S23 and the 6.6-inch screen of the Galaxy S23+.

OLEDs have deeper blacks and better contrast, and you can see that on the Pixel 6a’s 6.1-inch screen when you watch videos or play games. When we were streaming Turning Red on Disney Plus, the main character, a panda, had bright orange-red fur that filled the Pixel 6a’s screen.

More impressively, the phone’s screen showed all the textures that make a Pixar movie stand out, from the soft fur to a green nightcap worn by one of Meilin’s friends. The top and bottom speakers also make clear sound, but when you hold the Pixel 6a horizontally to play a game, you can mute these speakers.

Samsung Galaxy A54 vs Google Pixel 6a: Cameras

The Galaxy A54’s optics are different from those of its predecessor, and at first glance, they seem to be worse. At the back, you no longer have four cameras, but instead have three. It has a 50MP f/1.8 main camera, a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide camera, and a 5MP f/2.4 macro camera. This might seem worse than the 64MP f/1.8 standard wide sensor on the phone from last year, but the smaller number of megapixels is less likely to make a big difference here. The 50MP standard wide camera also has a bigger sensor, which makes the pixels bigger, from 0.8m to 1.0m.

The Pixel 6a has the same two cameras as the Pixel 5a, but the ultrawide angle lens has fewer megapixels. The Pixel 5a has a 16MP sensor, while the Pixel 6a has a 12MP sensor. This time, though, the sensor is bigger, so the Pixel 6a should let in more light when you use its ultrawide angle lens. The sensor in the main camera is still 12.2MP. Some people might be disappointed by the Pixel 6a’s camera specs, since Google made the Pixel 6 line’s hardware better.

Samsung Galaxy A54 vs Google Pixel 6a: Battery life

Samsung hasn’t changed the Galaxy A54’s battery, so it still has the same 5,000mAh battery as the Galaxy A53. A 5,000mAh battery unit in a phone like the Galaxy A54, which isn’t as powerful as flagship phones, will last for a long time. Even with the refresh rate set to 120Hz, we had no trouble using this phone for more than a day. When we are not running benchmarks or playing games all the time for testing, we consider myself a moderate user, and we are ending my days with almost 50% battery left for the next day. 

With the Pixel 6a, it’s been hard to figure out how long the battery will last. Google says that the phone can be used normally for up to 24 hours. Using the Extreme Battery Saver Mode, which turns off features and pauses many apps, this time can be extended to 72 hours. Even though the Pixel 6a’s battery is smaller than the one in the Pixel 5a (4,410 mAh vs. 4,680 mAh), this is still the case. The Pixel 6a failed our battery test, in which phones continuously surf the web until they run out of power. 

Which one should you buy?

Whether the Samsung Galaxy A54 or the Google Pixel 6a is better for you depends on your needs and wants. The Samsung Galaxy A54 has a bigger 6.5-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED screen, while the Google Pixel 6a has a smaller 6.2-inch FHD+ OLED screen.

Both phones have octa-core processors that are fast and do a good job. The Google Pixel 6a has a better camera than the Samsung Galaxy A54. The Samsung Galaxy A54 has a bigger battery. In the end, you should choose based on things like design, screen size, camera quality, battery life, and price.

Samsung Galaxy A54: THE GOOD AND THE BAD

Google Pixel 6a: THE GOOD AND THE BAD

FAQS

Why choose Pixel over Samsung?

Being made by Google, the Pixel is better than any other Android phone at using Google apps and services. It also doesn’t have a lot of unnecessary apps, gets updates quickly, and gets new Pixel Feature Drops every few months to make it easier to use.

Why is Google Pixel better than other phones?

The Pixel 7 has the best version of Android and will get security updates until the fall of 2027. It also has the best Android camera we’ve ever tested. It is also well made and costs half as much as the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Why is Google pixel so special?

In addition to these prioritized software updates, Pixel phones also get “Feature Drops,” which are small software updates that add new features without a full Android software update. The fact that these software updates come straight from Google is another benefit.