The Samsung Galaxy A53 is still pretty much brand new, but my thoughts are already going for the Pixel 6a. After seeing how close the Galaxy A53 vs. The Pixel 5a face-off was (with Samsung’s phone winning), the prospect of a new budget device from Google has thrilled me. If Google plays its cards right, the Pixel 6a could become the leader in the best cheap phones and definitely take the place of the Galaxy A53 as the favorite phone for Android users.
Don’t get me wrong, I think the Galaxy A53 is a good buy for $ 449. The Exynos 1280 chipset that powers Samsung’s phone is fine for most tasks, and the 6.5-inch FHD + AMOLED display features a 120Hz refresh rate. I would have liked to have seen the 5,000 mAh battery last longer in our test, but one can not get everything.
But based on current rumors and leaks, I imagine the Pixel 6a will give the Galaxy A53 – and even the iPhone SE (2022) – a serious run for its money when the phone arrives. (And that could happen as early as next month.) Here are five things the 6a needs to get the best A53.
Pixel 6a vs. Galaxy A53: Battery life
Our selection of the best cheap phones seems to be struggling with battery life. In terms of holding on for a long time on a charge, the Pixel 5a is probably the best of the current crop of Pixels (yes, even beating the Pixel 6 Pro by a significant margin) with the Galaxy A53 hardly much better. The latter device, in its 120Hz mode, lasted 9 hours and 48 minutes in the Tom’s Guides battery life test. Turn the screen down to 60Hz and the Galaxy A53 lasted 10 hours and 38 minutes.
Pixel 5a with its 60Hz screen ran for 9 hours and 45 minutes. For reference, we like to see a minimum of 10 hours from modern smartphones, especially those with large batteries. (Galaxy S22 Ultra did not do much better when we tested the flagship for $ 1,199, so Samsung and Google really need to figure out what happens to the life of their respective phones.)
The Pixel 6a does not have a high bar to handle to beat the Galaxy A53 in this regard. Honestly, if I saw more than 10 hours in our test (especially with a feature I get to a minute), I would be happy. Battery life is a major drawback for most Pixels.
Pixel 6a vs. Galaxy A53: Performance and artificial intelligence
Rumors and leaks are currently suggesting that the Pixel 6a could get the same GS101 Tensor chip that drives the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. We even saw a Geekbench result where a supposed Pixel 6a beat Pixel 6 by a hair. So the idea of a Pixel in the A-Series getting Tensor silicon in the flagship class has me very excited. In fact, this was my most bizarre prediction for 6a, and some called me crazy.
Pixel 5a uses Snapdragon 765G from 2020 (the same chip that drives Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G). Even when it was brand new, the 765G was not a powerful chip as it was designed for more midrange use.
Exynos 1280 in Galaxy A53 is nice. It’s nothing special and barely beats Pixel 5a in benchmarks. The A53 is far from a good gaming device with its 120Hz screen that is ultimately wasted in terms of gameplay. Pixel 6a, if it uses a Tensor chip, will definitely blow the A53 out of the water.
There’s also the AI and machine learning power from Tensor, which lets the Pixel 6 do some incredible things. With Tensor, the Pixel 6a could also run laps around the Galaxy A53 in this area. Just imagine the Magic Eraser photo editing feature on an A-Series Pixel.
Pixel 6a vs. Galaxy A53: High refresh rate display
The Galaxy A53 is not the first budget-friendly handset to offer a high refresh rate, but it is certainly the best. With Samsung’s AMOLED technology, the A53’s screen is definitely a step above the rest, even the Pixel 5a.
Although I think the Pixel 5a’s OLED panel is good, it’s locked to 60Hz. I think if the Pixel 6a really wants to turn our socks off, it should have at least a 90Hz screen like the Pixel 6. I would definitely prefer it to be adaptive. (Galaxy A53 is locked to either 120Hz or 60Hz like the Galaxy S21 FE.)
This would obviously put the Pixel 6 in some hot water as the 6a would have many of the same features. So maybe Google will not give 6a a high refresh rate. If I’m forced to choose features, I honestly would rather have Tensor.
But if the Pixel 6a gets a 90Hz or 120Hz screen, it puts even more pressure on Google to make the battery last longer, as high refresh rates use more power than static 60Hz screens.
Pixel 6a vs. Galaxy A53: Cameras
This may be the easiest place for Pixel 6a to beat Galaxy A53 because Pixel 5a already does it in my opinion. While the A53’s cameras are good – especially for a phone for $ 449 – the Pixel 5a won in my test. So 6a only needs to do as well as its predecessor to get this point.
Current rumors say that the Pixel 6a will get a 12 MP main camera, accompanied by a 12 MP ultrawide sensor and 8 MP selfie cam. The Galaxy A53 has a 64 MP main shooting game with 12 MP ultrawide, 5 MP macro, 5 MP depth and 32 MP front cameras. Do not get caught up in the sensor resolutions as there is much more going into these than just the megapixel number.
I have no doubt that the Pixel 6a will take some incredible pictures, especially if the Tensor and its image signal processor are on board.
Pixel 6a vs. Galaxy A53: Software
We already know that Pixel 6a will be launched with Android 12 and all its goodies. The Galaxy A53 also has the latest version of Android, but Samsung has improved Google in one key area: updates.
The Galaxy A53 will see four years of platform updates and five years of security fixes, beating the Pixel 5’s three- / four-year policy. Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will also see five-year patches, but Google has only committed to three-year Android updates.
In a world where times are tough and the environment is a major concern for many, it is very important that your phone runs longer, both in terms of software and hardware. Samsung and Apple understand this and I would also like to see Google jump on board. With the company controlling Tensor, I have yet to see a reason why Pixels cannot have support timelines at the iPhone level.
If the Pixel 6a does not have at least four years of platform updates, I will be deeply disappointed.
Pixel 6a vs. Galaxy A53: outlook
I hope the Pixel 6a does not suffer from the same accessibility issues as the Pixel 5a, which was limited to the US and Japan only. If the upcoming Google phone hits the UK, EU and the rest of Asia, it has a much greater chance of success. The other obstacle here in the US will be airlines as the Galaxy A53 is available directly through AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. Pixel 5a, on the other hand, is limited to Google Fi, Google’s own wireless service.
The biggest deciding factor, of course, will be the price. If Google can keep the same price of $ 449 as the Pixel 5a and Galaxy A53, I think the Pixel 6a will be my favorite budget phone recommendation. Even if the phone only does one of these five things, I think it will be a victory.