Google Pixel 5a vs. Samsung Galaxy S21: Which Android phone wins?
Google Pixel 5a vs. Samsung Milky way S21: Which Android phone wins?
Google'southward affordable Pixel 5a is here, only y'all might exist left wondering how it compares to the Samsung Galaxy S21. We've got you lot covered in this Pixel 5a vs. Milky way S21 face-off.
It might seem a bit silly to compare these ii phones given the gap in price. Just thank you to Google's photography prowess, the Pixel 5a punches well higher up its weight. When you utilise both phones side-past-side, Google's phone feels very similar to Samsung'due south device in several areas.
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The winner in some of the post-obit categories might be obvious — the Milky way S21 has a much better processor, for example — but we wanted to give the Pixel 5a a fair shot. Yous might actually exist surprised at how well Google'due south phone holds upward, even if you've already guessed the end event.
Google Pixel 5a vs. Samsung Milky way S21: Specs
| Pixel 5a | Galaxy S21 | |
| Starting price | $449 | $799 |
| Screen size | vi.43-inch OLED (2400 x 1080) | 6.2-inch Super AMOLED (2400 x 1080) |
| Refresh charge per unit | 60Hz | 48-120Hz |
| CPU | Snapdragon 765G | Snapdragon 888 |
| RAM | 6GB | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB | 128GB, 256GB |
| Rear cameras | 12.2MP (f/one.7), 16MP (f/2.2) ultrawide | 12MP (f/1.8) wide; 12MP (f/2.ii) ultrawide; 64MP (f/2.0) telephoto 3x optical |
| Front camera | 8MP (f/2.0) | 10MP (f/two.two) |
| Battery size | iv,680mAh | 4,000 mAh |
| Battery life (Hrs:Mins) | 9:45 | 09:53 (60Hz) / 06:31 (adaptive) |
| Size | half-dozen.one ten two.9 x 0.three inches | five.97 ten 2.viii x 0.31 inches |
| Weight | 6.five ounces | 5.96 ounces |
Google Pixel 5a vs. Samsung Milky way S21: Price and availability
The Pixel 5a costs most half of what Samsung charges for the Galaxy S21. Google set the price at $449 ($100 more than the Pixel 4a) for a telephone with a half-dozen.43-inch OLED display, 128GB of storage, 6GB of RAM, and two cameras.
The Galaxy S21 starts at $799, which nets you a vi.2-inch Super AMOLED display (with a 120Hz refresh rate), 128GB of storage, 8GB of RAM, and three cameras (including a telephoto). You also get a much ameliorate Snapdragon 888 processor.
The S21 has the added benefit of beingness available almost anywhere. Practically every carrier has one for auction, plus the major retailers and Samsung itself. The Pixel 5a is limited to the Google Shop and the Google Fi wireless service.
On the 1 manus, the Pixel 5a is a meliorate bargain, but it'south more difficult to become one (especially on a payment plan through your preferred carrier). On the other, the Galaxy S21 is several hundred dollars more, but you can often find trade-in deals and other discounts. It'south difficult to telephone call a winner in this section considering both phones are meant for separate markets, but the Pixel 5a's incredibly attractive price point earns it the victory here.
Winner: Pixel 5a
Google Pixel 5a vs. Samsung Galaxy S21: Design
The Google Pixel 5a and Samsung Galaxy S21 couldn't await more dissimilar. The 5a offers a minimalistic, very safe design. It doesn't stand out, make whatever statements, or draw attention to itself. Information technology'south just there to be a phone with its polycarbonate body and big display. Google has kept its design language very low-cardinal for years now, and the Pixel 5a is no dissimilar.
The Galaxy S21, meanwhile, is a very pretty telephone, specially the lavander colorway I've been using. The golden frame shines brilliantly, as long equally it's non covered in fingerprints. The camera hump, a notoriously ugly thing on virtually phones, blends seamlessly with the frame on the S21. The polycarbonate back is polish to the affect, made with a special material that helps it stand up out from the very plastic-y experience of the Pixel 5a.
Both phones feature an IP water resistance rating — a first for the Pixel A-series — but the Galaxy S21 has a slightly stronger designation with IP68. The 5a has IP67, so it'll still survive a douse in the water.
Considering the $350 price divergence between the ii, I expected the Milky way S21 to experience more premium in comparison to the Pixel 5a. They're non on the same level, only it's interesting how close the 5a comes to challenging Samsung'due south telephone. Even then, the Milky way S21 wins for its better h2o resistance rating, prettier design, and nicer construction. It likewise has ameliorate colour options compared to the 5a's single not-quite-black colorway.
Winner: Galaxy S21
Google Pixel 5a vs. Samsung Galaxy S21: Brandish
The Pixel 5a has the largest display since Google started releasing all-screen phones with the Pixel 4a. At 6.43 inches, the 1080p OLED screen is pretty skillful, offer dainty colors, truthful blacks, and improved viewing angles over its predecessor.
But the Galaxy S21's screen is just better. Information technology's a smaller 6.2-inch Super AMOLED, too at 1080p, with a 120Hz refresh rate — the Pixel 5a is stuck at 60Hz, unfortunately. Colors are more vibrant on the S21 panel, and the screen gets brighter.
Videos and games wait better on the Milky way S21, but this should surprise no one. Whether it's the saturated, anime-esque vibe of Genshin Touch on or the gritty visuals of Telephone call of Duty: Mobile, the S21 is the more pleasant viewing experience. That'south not to say that the Pixel 5a is bad, but I never expected a $449 phone to match the all-time brandish tech from Samsung.
In our testing, the Pixel 5a managed 119.3% of the sRGB spectrum with a Delta-Due east color accuracy score of 0.32 (where 0 is best). In the Galaxy S21's Natural way, it produced 109.2% of the sRGB color gamut with a better Delta-E of 0.29. While Google's phone has slightly more than saturation, the S21 had improve color accuracy. The Galaxy S21 also gets bright at 703 nits, versus the Pixel 5a's 501-nit max.
Winner: Milky way S21
Google Pixel 5a vs. Samsung Galaxy S21: Cameras
Though our Google Pixel 5a vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 face up-off hasn't looked too practiced for the Pixel 5a thus far, photography is where Google's telephone tin can brand its stand. Google has worked hard to make the Pixel phones into the best camera phones, and it delivers each year. Even the $349 Pixel 4a concluding yr landed in our top picks for camera phones.
This year, Google added a 2d camera to the Pixel 5a: a 16MP sensor backside an ultrawide lens joins the same 12.2MP master shooter we had last year. With the Galaxy S21, Samsung packed in iii cameras: a 12MP main, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 64MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom.
In this photo of flowers on a tree, you lot can immediately meet ii very different approaches to the final product. The Pixel 5a kept a natural tone, still showing off how vibrant the flowers and greenery are while keeping the photo more realistic. The Milky way S21 went the opposite way by cranking up the saturation to the point where the motion picture doesn't resemble the real-life scene much at all. I strongly prefer the Pixel's prototype.
Inside, things are a scrap more equal, though non by much. The Pixel 5a'southward shot is a naturally cool tone that withal captures all of the colors in the scene. Information technology's a adequately calm image. The Galaxy S21's shot is significantly warmer, equally if the phone was over-compensating for the yellowish candle on the correct. Once once more, I prefer the Pixel's photo.
Both phones once again differ in portrait mode. The Pixel 5a zoomed out a chip more, but kept a really strong blur radius around my likeness. The Galaxy S21 zoomed in, but I think the bokeh effect is softer. I actually don't have a preference on this comparison, then I'll call it a draw.
Side by side up is a night shot, with both phones performing very well. The smoker is quite clear in either paradigm, though the Pixel 5a'south picture is cooler in contrast to the Galaxy S21's warmer one. It's difficult to call a clear winner here, only to run across a phone that costs virtually half what the S21 does put out a night mode image this expert is impressive. And so over again, Google'south Night Sight is itself quite good. That makes this one a draw.
I was surprised by how both phones handled selfies. Normally, I don't like Samsung'due south selfies and prefer Google's, just in all of the shots I took, the Galaxy S21 came out on top. That phone's image is just brighter with better colors — the Pixel 5a is dimmer. I will say that the Galaxy S21 applied too much face smoothing, but it's all around a amend selfie. The S21 wins this ane.
The Pixel had better photos altogether, but the Galaxy S21 has that actress telephoto lens that gives information technology a leg upward over the Pixel 5a. Considering the Pixel 5a's camera prowess, it ultimately wins in this section. Information technology's downright incredible that a telephone of this price can match or even beat the $799 Galaxy S21 (and the $999 Milky way S21 Plus) in some photography situations.
Winner: Pixel 5a
Google Pixel 5a vs. Samsung Galaxy S21: Performance
In terms of raw performance, the Pixel 5a and Galaxy S21 are radically different. The Pixel 5a uses the older Snapdragon 765G, the same one we saw in the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 last year. The S21, meanwhile, uses the Snapdragon 888, which is the best you lot tin go far an Android phone.
The proof is in the pudding, with the Milky way S21 knocking the Pixel 5a for a loop in our benchmark tests. In twenty-four hours-to-day use, yet, both phones feel pretty like. Simple things like web browsing, messaging, and scrolling through social media don't stress either phone.
But gaming is where the Galaxy S21 surges alee. Not only does it play intensive titles similar Genshin Impact, Asphalt ix, and Telephone call of Duty: Mobile with better graphics at higher frame rates, but information technology also performs well in synthetic graphics benchmarks. In 3DMark's Wild Life Unlimited, for instance, the S21 averaged 34.viii frames per second. The Pixel 5a barely managed 10 fps.
In Geekbench 5, which measures the CPU's performance, the Pixel 5a received a multicore average of 1,345. Compare that to the Galaxy S21's 3,302. That'due south a huge deviation, even if nosotros initially establish the Pixel 5a's score to be low for a Snapdragon 765G device.
Equally far equally 5G goes, both the Pixel 5a and Galaxy S21 support mmWave and sub-6Ghz networks. That means you lot tin can accept either telephone to any US carrier and information technology'll work. That'southward to be expected for a flagship like the Galaxy S21, but it's more impressive to meet the Pixel 5a support mmWave (which is usually a premium affair) at its $449 price signal.
Winner: Milky way S21
Google Pixel 5a vs. Samsung Galaxy S21: Battery life and charging
Google equipped the Pixel 5a with the biggest battery nosotros've always seen in a Pixel device at iv,680 mAh. The Galaxy S21, being a smaller telephone, uses a 4,000 mAh power pack. You'd await the 5a to take stronger battery life, then, but that'southward actually the case.
In the Tom's Guide battery life examination, phones are tasked with endlessly reloading web pages on a cellular connection at 150 nits of effulgence. Pixels accept historically struggled with bombardment life and the Pixel 5a is a step in the correct direction. With a time of 9 hours and 45 minutes in our test, the new affordable Google phone gets through the solar day just fine.
But the Galaxy S21 is one very small step ahead at nine hours and 53 minutes with its brandish locked to 60Hz. In its adaptive fashion, the telephone falls far to 6 hours and 31 minutes.
As for charging, the Pixel 5a tops out at 18W, while the Milky way S21 goes up to 25W. This leads to faster charging times with the Samsung phone, with it going from empty to 55% in thirty minutes. The Pixel 5a got to 43% in the same amount of time. The S21 too has wireless charging; the Pixel 5a does not.
The Pixel 5a is an improvement over last year'south Pixels for battery life, merely the Galaxy S21 can friction match it, given you lock the display to 60Hz. It also tin charge faster and wirelessly.
Winner: Milky way S21
Google Pixel 5a vs. Samsung Galaxy S21: Software and special features
Both the Pixel 5a and Galaxy S21 ship with Android eleven out of the box, just they each take separate approaches to the expect and feel of the software. In Google's instance, Android eleven is a spartan matter with few customizations. It's the stock Android vibe, where the OS stays out of the way and focuses on doing things well. It works, virtually of the time.
With the Galaxy S21, you get One UI 3.1, Samsung's own take on what Android should look like. Basically everything is different, even in the notification shade and Settings menu. I UI is not to anybody'south liking, but information technology is certainly leagues better than Samsung software of the past. Once you lot go used to information technology and dig in, you lot'll find there's a lot to discover.
Of class, with a Google telephone, y'all get access to updates and new versions of Android on solar day ane. So when Android 12 launches with its huge swath of changes (notably to visual customization), the Pixel 5a volition exist first in the line to get it. The Galaxy S21 can't say that, and it will accept a few months before that telephone gets Android 12.
Both phones are set to receive three years of platform updates, with the Milky way S21 also getting a guaranteed 4 years of security patches. The Pixel 5a has a minimum of 3 years of patches, with Google ofttimes going longer.
Samsung has a lot going on in 1 UI, with the Border panel, a defended game launcher, a one-handed mode, and a lot more than. While the Pixel 5a will get some of these once Android 12 lands, it doesn't take them right now at time of writing.
Winner: Galaxy S21
Google Pixel 5a vs. Samsung Milky way S21: Overall winner
| Pixel 5a | Galaxy S21 | |
| Price (x points) | 9 | 7 |
| Design (10 points) | eight | vii |
| Display (15 points) | 12 | 14 |
| Cameras (20 points) | 18 | 16 |
| Performance (20 points) | xiv | 18 |
| Bombardment and charging (xv points) | 12 | thirteen |
| Software (10 points) | 9 | x |
| Overall (100 points) | 82 | 85 |
It should come as no surprise that the Galaxy S21 won practically across the lath in this face up-off. The Pixel 5a put up a keen fight, only the extra hardware chops worked in the S21's favor. The Pixel 5a exceeded the S21'due south camera, but that'southward nearly it.
Still, a $449 telephone going against a $799 one also it did is impressive. Both phones are actually good, simply the Milky way S21 has the added benefit of packing in more powerful specs. Samsung likewise did a better job with battery life (if just slightly) and the S21's display is better. And the Pixel 5a simply offers less raw operation.
Even though the Milky way S21 came out on top in this face-off, the Pixel 5a is still a wonderful phone and an splendid value. At $449, y'all're getting very capable cameras and a phone that does most tasks very well. You'll fifty-fifty have that'll get most people through a day of use.
Which phone you lot choose will depend entirely on your budget. The best bang for cadet is the Pixel 5a, but the Milky way S21 has added features to keep in heed. $350 makes a huge difference in this case.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/face-off/google-pixel-5a-vs-samsung-galaxy-s21
Posted by: carrhasold.blogspot.com
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