Really amazing
The Pixel 6a has it all: fantastic cameras, powerful hardware that’s perfect for gaming, an IP67 rating, and clean software without any bloatware. The phone is smaller and lighter than the A53, and the two-tone design on the back is striking. It lacks a 120Hz panel, but other than that there aren’t any downsides here, and the Pixel 6a is the best mid-range phone money can buy right now.
A familiar choice
Samsung got a lot right with the Galaxy A53; it has a familiar design, a great 120Hz AMOLED screen, good rear cameras, IP67 resistance and a large battery that lasts more than a day. It’ll also get more software updates than the Pixel 6a, but the software itself isn’t as clean and you’ll find software bloat. It’s not as fast or takes the same caliber of photos, but if you’re already using a Samsung phone and need something familiar, this is the obvious choice.
For
- Beautiful 120Hz AMOLED screen
- Four Android OS updates
- Usable cameras
- Large battery 5000mAh
- IP67 dust and water resistance
Against
- It’s not as powerful as the Pixel 6a
- No Wi-Fi 6 connectivity
- No wireless charging
- No charger included
Samsung continues to deliver with its mid-range Galaxy A series, and the Galaxy A53 is one of the best options you’ll find under $500. However, Google offers a solid contender in the Pixel 6a, delivering a stunning two-tone design backed by incredible internal hardware and the best cameras of any mid-range phone today.
So should you get the A53 or go for Google’s latest mid-ranger? Let’s find out.
Google Pixel 6a vs Samsung Galaxy A53: Design and screen
Google’s earlier efforts with the Pixel A devices weren’t what I’d call bold, and thankfully, the Pixel 6a changes that. The phone looks like the rest of the Pixel 6 series, including a large camera strip on the back that houses the dual cameras, and a two-tone finish that gives the phone a bit more character.
The Pixel 6a combines a bold two-tone design with a rugged chassis and IP67 water resistance.
The Sage variant of the Pixel 6a in particular is stunning and one of the best-looking mid-range phones on the market today. Although the design aesthetic is in line with Google’s flagships, the Pixel 6a does not have a glass back, instead Google uses a polycarbonate coating. That’s a good thing in my opinion, as it makes the Pixel 6a just that little bit lighter and more durable. What really matters here is the middle frame, and it’s made of aluminum.
For its part, Samsung didn’t make too many changes with the Galaxy A53; the phone has a similar design to its predecessor, including a matte finish with pastel shades. Like Google, Samsung has opted for a polycarbonate back for the A53, and a key design change is that the phone has flat sides with a glossy finish – making it a bit awkward to hold and use.
The Pixel 6a also has flat sides, but there’s a subtle curve where the back meets the mid-frame, and that makes a big difference when it comes to hand-held use. Additionally, the middle bezel has the matte texture of the Pixel 6a, while the back has a glossy finish. But what makes the Pixel 6a the far better choice for usability is its size; it’s 7.4mm shorter and 3mm narrower than the A53, and 11g lighter. The downsizing comes down to a smaller screen, and the 6.1-inch panel is perfect for one-handed use.
Both phones have IP67 dust and water resistance as standard and that’s great to see. Of the two devices, I like the Pixel 6a better; the design stands out a bit more and is better to grip and use and lighter than the A53.
On the screen side of things, the Pixel 6a has a 6.1-inch OLED panel backed by Gorilla Glass 3, and controversially, Google has limited the screen to 60Hz. The Galaxy A53 has no such drawbacks; the phone has a larger 6.5-inch AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and you get a layer of Gorilla Glass 5.
The Pixel 6a is limited to 60Hz, while the Galaxy A53 has a 120Hz screen – but Google has done a better job optimizing its phone.
The lack of a high refresh rate screen is a real limitation of the Pixel 6a, but having said that, it doesn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. The phone is very well optimized for the hardware on offer and you don’t notice the fact that the screen is locked at 60Hz in everyday use. Of course, if you’re using an older phone and want to upgrade, you won’t notice anything wrong.
This is even more apparent when using the Pixel 6a alongside the Galaxy A53; Samsung didn’t do as well as other brands when it came to making full use of the 120Hz refresh rate, and there were a few instances of lag and stuttering on the A53. You don’t notice any of this on the Pixel 6a.
When it comes to panel quality itself, the Galaxy A53 shines bright and delivers excellent colors, and the Pixel 6a isn’t far behind. Both phones also get stereo sound, and that makes a difference when streaming video.
Google Pixel 6a vs Samsung Galaxy A53: Hardware and cameras
Google hasn’t paid much attention to the internal hardware for its Pixel A series in the past; often using off-the-shelf Qualcomm hardware and limited memory. That changed with the Pixel 6a, with the phone using Google’s custom Tensor platform – the same as the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. The best part is that it has the same core configuration at the same frequencies as its flagship siblings and that sets it apart from any other mid-range phone.
The Pixel 6a is the fastest mid-range phone you can buy today.
Basically, the Pixel 6a is the fastest mid-range phone you can get right now, and the combination of hardware along with crisp and clean software makes the Pixel 6a a joy to use. It blazes through demanding games without breaking a sweat, and I haven’t seen any issues with multitasking either — it comes in a single 6GB/128GB variant, and that’s more than enough for most users.
Samsung has also made a few changes on the hardware front; The Galaxy A53 uses Samsung’s Exynos 1280 LSI as standard in all global markets, with the brand eschewing Qualcomm. The main issue here is that the Exynos 1280 doesn’t deliver anywhere near the same level of power as the Google Tensor, and as such the A53 isn’t suitable for gaming or demanding tasks. It holds up well in everyday use, but stresses the hardware even a little and tends to throttle. Google has an absolute advantage here.
However, the one area where the Galaxy A53 scores better is battery life. The phone has a larger 5000mAh battery and manages to last more than a day with ease – I regularly used two days on a full charge. The Pixel 6a has a 4,400mAh battery that also lasts all day, but it doesn’t measure up to the A53.
Neither phone has wireless charging, but you get 25W wired charging on the A53, with the Pixel 6a limited to a paltry 18W. You don’t find a charger included in the box with either phone, so you’ll need to buy your own.
Google has always delivered strong cameras on its phones, and the Pixel 6a is no different. It uses the same lenses as the Pixel 5 and includes all the camera magic that Google introduced with the Pixel 6 series, taking generally phenomenal photos. Whether it’s outdoors, indoors with artificial lighting, or in low-light situations, the Pixel 6a always delivers stellar photos.
The Galaxy A53 performs well in this area, but it doesn’t come close to the Pixel 6a. If you want a mid-range phone for taking photos, the Pixel 6a is the best choice.
Google Pixel 6a vs Samsung Galaxy A53: Software
Right now, Samsung is the brand to beat if you’re looking for long-term Android software updates. The Galaxy A53 will get four guaranteed Android OS updates along with five years of security updates and that’s the best in the industry. Google will release three Android OS updates for the Pixel 6a along with five years of security patches.
The Galaxy A53 will get more software updates, but the Pixel 6a has cleaner software that’s better to use.
Now, while it’s great that Samsung will deliver more updates, the A53 probably won’t get the Android 13 update this year. However, the Pixel 6a has already received the stable version. So even though Google is releasing one less update, the Pixel 6a will be first in line to receive a new platform update as soon as it’s available.
As for the software itself, One UI 4.1 has a lot of customization options and should already be familiar if you’re using a Samsung phone. Samsung has done a good job of cleaning up the UI and making it look more modern while ensuring that the legacy features remain intact. That said, you’ll find a lot of bloatware on the A53, and some of it can’t be uninstalled.
Google doesn’t provide as much customization, but the Pixel 6a has a clean and tidy interface that feels great to use. The Material You design aesthetic brings the vanilla Android look to life with bright colors and whimsical widgets, and there’s zero software here. And Google has its own range of Pixels-exclusive features, and they make the 6a stand out that little bit more.
As much as I like One UI, I prefer Google’s clean aesthetic — it just feels better to use. But if you use a Samsung phone and need all the extra features, you’ll love what you get on the A53.
Google Pixel 6a vs Samsung Galaxy A53: Which should you buy?
Choosing between the Pixel 6a and the Galaxy A53 is pretty easy. The Pixel 6a is more powerful, has the best camera in its category, a unique two-tone design, and clean software with fast updates. In short, it’s the perfect mid-range phone, and if you’re looking for a device that will last a few years and take fantastic photos, the Pixel 6a is my recommendation.
The Pixel 6a gets my vote – Google has done a fantastic job here.
However, the Pixel 6a misses out on a 120Hz panel, and the 18W charging technology isn’t ideal. If you need a screen with a high refresh rate and multi-day battery life, the Galaxy A53 is the better choice. You also get a bigger screen on the A53, and there’s no learning curve if you’re already using a Samsung phone. Just know that the A53 isn’t as powerful and doesn’t take anywhere near as good photos as what you get with the Pixel 6a.
At the end of the day, the Pixel 6a is the ultimate mid-range phone, and while the A53 is a great phone in its own right, it doesn’t measure up to what Google has to offer.
Really amazing
Google did all the right things with the Pixel 6a. The phone has fantastic cameras, high-end hardware that’s great for gaming, and an impressive design backed by clean software without any bloat. This is the best mid-range phone you can buy right now.
A familiar choice
Samsung knows how to make a good mid-range phone, and the Galaxy A53 has a good 120Hz AMOLED screen with solid hardware, cameras and a durable battery. It’s not as fast as the Pixel 6a or takes the same caliber of photos, but if you’re used to Samsung, this is the one to get.