What will Google’s soon-to-arrive budget Pixel bring to the table to battle competitors such as the Galaxy S23 FE? Let’s find out.
Intro
If you are looking to purchase a brand new mid-range phone in 2024, two options you simply cannot ignore are the Google Pixel 8a and the Galaxy S23 FE. Picking which one to purchase, however, might be a bit tricky if you don’t have a clear view of how they compare to each other.
While the Pixel 8a and Galaxy S23 FE share some characteristics, they also differentiate in key areas such as their camera systems, software, and design. There’s also a clear price difference, with the S23 FE going for a starting price of $630 vs the $500 for the Pixel 8a.
Now that Google has officially announced the Pixel 8a and we know its specs, we can picture a more realistic comparison with Samsung’s mid-ranger for this year. By the looks of things, it appears that we have
Pixel 8a vs Galaxy S23 FE differences:
Pixel 8aGalaxy S23 FE
Much lighter and more compact
Bigger and heavier
Smaller but significantly brighter display (2000 nits peak brightness) A bit larger but dimmer display at 1450 nits peak brightness
Somewhat faster and 2-years newer Tensor G3 chipset Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the US/Exynos 2200 in the RoW
8GB RAM Same, 8GB RAM
Dual rear cameras, no native zoom lens Triple camera system with a dedicated 3X telephoto
Same-ish 4,492 mAh battery size 4,500 mAh battery
Gorilla Glass 3 and an IP67 rating More durable glass and higher water resistance with Gorilla Glass 5 and an IP68 rating
Slower charging
18W wired
7.5W wireless Faster charging
25W wired
15W wireless
More affordable at $500 Priced at $600
7 years of software support (starts from Android 14) 4 years of software updates (starts from Android 13)
Table of Contents:
Design and Size
Display Differences
Performance
Camera
Audio Quality
Battery and Charging
Specs
Summary
Read more:
Google Pixel 8a review
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE review
Design and SizeBold vs understated
Google’s Pixel phones have been well-known for their bold design thanks to that iconic camera bar on the back, which contrasts well with Samsung’s more minimalist and simple approach that drops the camera island altogether and leaves a few protruding lenses from the back instead.
Besides the cameras, though, the two phones have a very different feel to them, as the Galaxy S23 FE embraces the current trend of a more blocky design with flat sides, whereas the Pixel 8a has a more oval shape with curved sides, looking much more like a pebble.
We should also note the obvious: the Pixel is a smaller phone and it weighs less, great for compact phone lovers. Here’s a quick size comparison with a couple of other phones so you get a better idea of the size difference between the two:
Front view
Side view
Google Pixel 8a
Dimensions
5.99 x 2.84 x 0.35 inches
152.1 x 72.2 x 8.9 mm
Weight
6.63 oz (188 g)
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
Dimensions
6.22 x 3.01 x 0.32 inches
158 x 76.5 x 8.2 mm
Weight
7.37 oz (209 g)
Samsung Galaxy S24
Dimensions
5.79 x 2.78 x 0.3 inches
147 x 70.6 x 7.6mm
Weight
5.93 oz (168 g)
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Dimensions
6.4 x 3.01 x 0.35 inches
162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8 mm
Weight
7.51 oz (213 g)
Google Pixel 8a
Dimensions
5.99 x 2.84 x 0.35 inches
152.1 x 72.2 x 8.9 mm
Weight
6.63 oz (188 g)
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
Dimensions
6.22 x 3.01 x 0.32 inches
158 x 76.5 x 8.2 mm
Weight
7.37 oz (209 g)
Samsung Galaxy S24
Dimensions
5.79 x 2.78 x 0.3 inches
147 x 70.6 x 7.6mm
Weight
5.93 oz (168 g)
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Dimensions
6.4 x 3.01 x 0.35 inches
162.6 x 76.
