Samsung Galaxy S23 FE vs Google Pixel 7a: Which budget Android phone is best for you?

• Editor's choice

  

  Samsung Galaxy S23 FE

  SoC

  Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1

  Display

  6.4-inch FHD+ Active AMOLED 2X with 120Hz adaptive refresh rate

  RAM

  8GB

  Storage

  128GB or 256GB

  Battery

  4,500mAh

  Ports

  USB-C

  Samsung's Fan Edition phone is finally back in the new Galaxy S23 FE, which is poised to deliver an excellent flagship-like Android experience without a flagship price tag. Although it runs on a last-gen Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, the Galaxy S23 FE is still a solid performer that looks and feels good, has a great display, and delivers a slick Android 13 experience. It's the mid-range Android flagship alternative to buy in 2023.

  Pros & Cons

  • Good performance
  • Great AMOLED display
  • Premium feel
  • Fast charging

  • Inferior camera

  $600 at Best Buy

  Expand Collapse
• Great for photographers

  

  Like

  Follow

  Followed

  Google Pixel 7a

  Brand

  Google

  SoC

  Tensor G2

  Display

  6.1-inch FHD+ gOLED @90Hz

  RAM

  8GB

  Storage

  128GB

  Battery

  4,385mAh

  Even if it lags slightly behind the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, the Google Pixel 7a is no slouch and is a very attractive option. It's cheaper than the Galaxy S23 FE, but boasts a noticeably better camera module that makes it appealing for hobbyist photographers. However, it lags behind in too many other areas and its abysmally slow charging speed is a pain. Still, it's a very capable Android phone for the price.

  Pros & Cons

  • Great camera setup
  • Solid performance
  • Nice design
  • Attractive price point

  • Screen could be better
  • Slow charging

  $499 at Amazon

  Expand Collapse

After Samsung ditched plans to release the Galaxy S22 FE last year due to the semiconductor shortage, it looks like the FE is back on. After months of speculation and rumors, the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE officially lands on October 4, but will it unseat the Google Pixel 7a as the budget Android king? Both the Galaxy FE lineup and the Pixel A-series devices have competed heavily in the "flagship alternative" space in recent years, and by the looks of it, the fight isn't about the cool down.

If you're in the market for a new phone and are eyeballing one of these brand-name budget Androids, read on. We've put together a side-by-side comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE and the Google Pixel 7a, looking at their specs, displays, cameras, and other features, which should make your decision a little easier. After you've made your choice, be sure to check out the best cases for the Galaxy S23 FE and our picks for the top Google Pixel 7a cases, so you can protect your investment.

Samsung Galaxy S23 FE vs Google Pixel 7a: Price, specs & availability

The Google Pixel 7a dropped on May 10, 2023, with a competitive retail price of $499 at launch. The official release date for the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is October 4 with the price tag rumored to be $599. That's more expensive than the Pixel 7a, but $100 less than the $699 sticker price that the Galaxy S21 FE came with at launch. Both are a far cry from the asking prices of many of today's premium flagship phones, which are enough to cause sticker shock nowadays. These phones are available for purchase from the official Samsung and Google online stores as well as major network carriers and online retailers such as Best Buy and Amazon.

• 	Samsung Galaxy S23 FE	Google Pixel 7a
  SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1	Tensor G2
  Display	6.4-inch FHD+ Active AMOLED 2X with 120Hz adaptive refresh rate	6.1-inch FHD+ gOLED @90Hz
  RAM	8GB	8GB
  Storage	128GB or 256GB	128GB
  Battery	4,500mAh	4,385mAh
  Ports	USB-C	USB Type-C
  Operating System	Android 13	Android 13
  Front camera	10MP, f/2.4	13MP
  Rear camera	Main: 50MP, f/1.8, Adaptive Pixel, Ultrawide: 12MP, f/2.2, Telephoto: 8MP, F/2/4, 3x optical zoom	64MP primary, 13MP ultra-wide
  Connectivity	5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 5.3	5G(mmWave & sub 6), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
  Dimensions	6.22x3.01x0.32 inches (158x76.5x8.2mm)	6 x 2.87 x 0.35 inches (152.4 x 72.9 x 9mm)
  Colors	Mint, Purple, Cream, Graphite, Indigo, Tangerine	Charcoal, Coral, Snow, Sea
  Charge speed	25W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W Wireless Powershare	18W wired, 7.5W wireless
  IP Rating	IP68	IP67
  Security	Optical fingerprint	In-display fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock

Design

The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE looks very much like its predecessor, the Galaxy S21 FE, with some noticeable refinements. The chassis sports similar lines and a triple-camera setup on the back, although there's no longer a raised panel surrounding the lenses. A pinhole selfie camera is nestled into the top of the display, and it has a 0.32-inch thickness, making it slightly thicker than the S21 FE. It has an IP68 rating against dust and water and is available in six colors: Mint, Purple, Cream, Graphite, Indigo, Tangerine.

For the 2023 Pixel 7a, Google followed the same tack in not changing much of the overall design from the Pixel 6a. It's instantly recognizable as a Pixel smartphone with its plastic backing and raised camera bar on the rear. At 6.1 inches, it's smaller overall than the 6.4-inch Galaxy S23 FE, although it's slightly thicker at 0.35 inches. The Pixel 7a is available in four colors: Charcoal, Coral, Snow, and Sea, and features an IP67 water resistance rating. Both phones feature hybrid aluminum and plastic construction and feel good in the hand.

Display

These two mid-price Android phones are similar in size overall, with the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE sporting a 6.4-inch display and the Google Pixel 7a screen measuring 6.1 inches. The Galaxy S23 FE's 6.4-inch FHD+ display is an AMOLED panel with a 1080 x 2340 resolution and a pixel density of 403 PPI. The Pixel 7a's 6.1-inch FHD+ OLED panel boasts a slightly superior pixel density of 429 PPI thanks to its 1080 x 2400 pixels being packed into a smaller space. However, the Galaxy S23 FE has a 120Hz refresh rate as well as support for HDR10+, while the Pixel 7a display is limited to 90Hz and HDR. Although the Pixel 7a screen isn't "bad" by any means, the Galaxy S23 FE has the edge here.

Software

Both the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE and the Google Pixel 7a run on Android 13. The Galaxy S23 FE wraps that OS in Samsung's customized One UI, which is currently in version 5.1. The Pixel 7a offers a more "pure" Android 13 experience as Google intends it to be experienced. Whichever you prefer, if you even have a preference, will come down to personal taste. However, it's worth noting that the Pixel smartphones are likely to be first in line to receive Android 14 and other updates as they become available.

Performance

Considering the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is being released almost a half-year later than the Google Pixel 7a, one might assume it has the benefit of using newer hardware (even six months is a long time in the world of mobile tech). In the U.S., the Galaxy S23 FE packs a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, a mobile chipset that's nearing its second birthday. Samsung equipping its latest Fan Edition phone with last-gen hardware is one of the reasons the company was able to knock a Benjamin off the price tag. Both phones also come loaded with 8GB of RAM.

That said, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is still likely to outperform Google's Tensor G2 chip that sits inside the Pixel 7a, although both phones are more than capable of delivering good performance. Everyday activities such as loading and switching between apps, streaming videos, and playing less demanding mobile games. The Google Pixel 7a gave us no major performance issues in the time we spent with it, and the Galaxy S23 FE should be even more capable, although not by a huge margin.

Finally, for storage, the Pixel 7a is limited to 128GB, while the Galaxy S23 FE is available with 128GB or 256GB. Neither has an SD card slot for expanding that, either. That likely won't be a deal-breaker for most people, but for those who tend to keep a lot of videos or other large files on their phones, it's a limitation to be aware of.

Battery Life

The Google Pixel 7a packs a 4,385mAh internal battery, while the Galaxy S23 FE's battery has 4,500mAh of juice. Users aren't likely to notice a huge difference in daily longevity between the two phones, as they have similar hardware and software configurations, with the Galaxy S23 FE's larger display offsetting its slightly larger battery capacity. A difference will be noticeable is when it's time to charge your device, however, as Samsung's phone supports 25W wired and 15W wireless charging -- a considerable improvement over the Pixel's shamefully slow 18W wired and 7.5W wireless charging. The result is that the Galaxy S23 FE will charge up considerably faster than the Pixel 7a, which is a major benefit for people who are on the move a lot and don't have the luxury of keeping their phone parked on a charging stand.

Camera

Google Pixel smartphones have long been known for their excellent photography capabilities, even with the budget-minded A series devices. The Pixel 7a is no exception, and the camera module is one category in which Google's offering outshines Samsung. The Pixel 7a boasts a dual-camera setup on the back, with a 64MP primary lens and a 13MP ultra-wide lens. The Galaxy S23 FE comes with a triple-lens camera module comprised of a 50MP main shooter, a 12MP telephoto lens, and an 8MP ultra-wide lens.

It's a similar situation on the front, with the Google Pixel 7a featuring a 13MP selfie cam that stands above the 10MP selfie lens of the Galaxy S23 FE. Both phones are also capable of shooting 4K video at up to 60fps or 1080p video at up to 240fps, although the Galaxy S23 FE supports the HDR10+ content format. All in all, however, we give the nod to the Pixel 7a as to which device has the superior camera setup, which should come as no huge surprise to anybody familiar with the Pixel smartphone family.

Samsung Galaxy S23 FE vs Google Pixel 7a: Which is right for you?

The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE and Google Pixel 7a are both excellent and reasonably priced flagship phones. Both phones perform admirably, even if they aren't packing the latest and greatest hardware, and both deliver a slick and intuitive Android experience. Overall, however, we have to give the nod to the Galaxy S23 FE as the superior phone thanks to its more powerful hardware, and superior display.

Samsung's flagship alternative doesn't outpace Google's by a wide margin, though, and the Pixel 7a is still a great phone for the money and does have a few clear advantages over the Galaxy S23 FE. For starters, the Pixel 7a is cheaper than the Galaxy S23 FE, so shoppers on a budget may not be willing to dish out the extra cash for a few relatively moderate upgrades. It also has the better camera module, making it the superior choice for hobbyist photographers. Finally, as a Google smartphone, the Pixel 7a offers a pure Android 13 experience and will be first in line to receive firmware updates as they roll out.