Phone Comparisons: Samsung Galaxy A71 vs Google Pixel 4a

We’re here to compare the Samsung Galaxy A71 vs Google Pixel 4a. Both of those devices are quite compelling budget smartphones. If you ask a tech-savvy person to recommend you an Android phone at around $350, these are the two names that will probably pop up. That being said, these two devices are quite different in comparison. They’re aimed at different types of consumers, so we’re here to try and help you decide. Do note that we’ll compare the 4G variant of the A71 with the Pixel 4a, as they’re much closer in terms of pricing.

These two smartphones are not only different in the size and design departments, but their internals differ quite a bit, and the same goes for their software offerings. As per usual, we’ll first list the spec sheets of these two smartphones, and then move to other aspects. We’ll compare their designs, displays, performance, batteries, cameras, and audio performance. That being said, let’s kick off the Samsung Galaxy A71 vs Google Pixel 4a comparison, shall we.

Specs

Samsung Galaxy A71 vs Google Pixel 4a: Design

When it comes to the design, there are quite a few differences here. Both devices are made out of plastic, though, that goes for both their frames and backplates. The Galaxy A71 may seem to offer a glass back at first, but it doesn’t. Both of them offer thin bezels, and display camera holes. Those holes are placed in different spots, though, as the Galaxy A71’s is centered, while the Pixel 4a’s is moved to the left side.

Now, they differ a lot in the size department. The Galaxy A71 has a much larger display, and it’s much larger because of it. The Google Pixel 4a is a lot shorter, and narrower, even though it’s a little bit thicker. That device is also considerably lighter in the hand (143 vs 179 grams). The in-hand feel is also different. Neither of the two devices is especially grippy, but at least it’s better than holding a phone made out of glass in that regard.

Both phones offer fingerprint scanners, but only the Pixel 4a’s is visible. It’s visible because it’s located on the back of the device, while the Galaxy A71’s is placed under the display (optical one). If you’re into smaller, one-hand devices, the Pixel 4a is a great choice. If you prefer a larger canvas, the Galaxy A71 is the way to go here.

Samsung Galaxy A71 vs Google Pixel 4a: Display

As already mentioned in the previous section, the difference in the size of these displays is vast. The Galaxy A71 features a 6.7-inch panel, while the Pixel 4a includes a 5.81-inch display. Both of those are OLED displays, though, the A71 includes a Super AMOLED Plus display, while the Pixel 4a offers an OLED one. Both displays run at 60Hz, and both are fullHD+ with a slightly different aspect ratio (20:9 vs 19.5:9).

Both of these displays are protected by the Gorilla Glass 3 from Corning, by the way. We’re also looking at flat displays in both instances. Do note that only the Pixel 4a’s display supports HDR content, though. When it comes to real-life usage, you’ll be glad to know that they both look great. They also offer good viewing angles, which is not something we can say about many budget phones. The colors are vivid, and the blacks are deep, as they should be. I’ve seen better fullHD+ OLED displays out there, but these are more than good enough.

Samsung Galaxy A71 vs Google Pixel 4a: Performance

When it comes to performance, both phones deliver. You cannot really ask for more at these price tags, to be quite honest. As long as you’re not big on gaming, chances are that both phones will satisfy your needs. They can open apps rather quickly, and they can also multitask without a problem. Keeping apps in the background is also not an issue, while you can also do some light gaming without a problem.

Both phones are equipped with the Snapdragon 730 SoC, the difference is, the Pixel 4a actually comes with the 730G variant. That variant offers slightly higher clock speeds. The Pixel 4a also comes with lighter software compared to the Galaxy A71, though both offer similar performance, at least at this point in time. Both phones offer 6GB of RAM, though the Galaxy A71 is also available in a variant with 8GB of RAM.

The performance is great, as long as you’re not expecting miracles. Will these two phones offer the same performance as a phone that costs three times as much? No, but that’s not what they’re trying to do. Both are reliable enough in the performance department, that’s for sure.

Samsung Galaxy A71 vs Google Pixel 4a: Battery

So, what about battery life? Well, in our experience, the Galaxy A71 was able to offer more in that regard, but that is to be expected. The Galaxy A71 does come with a larger display, but it also has a much larger battery pack. It comes with a 4,500mAh battery, while the Pixel 4a includes a 3,140mAh battery. Chances are that most of you will be able to get a full day’s worth of use out of both phones.

The Pixel 4a should be able to provide around 5 and a half to 6 hours of screen on time, at least that was the case during our usage. Depending on what you do with a phone. The Galaxy A71, on the other hand, can easily cross that, and push beyond 7 hours of screen on time. Once again, this is our experience with the two devices, and yours may vary. Each of us uses a phone in a different way, and we’ve seen different numbers from different people… vastly different, even. There are many aspects that go into it.

When it comes to charging, the Galaxy A71 takes the cake. The device comes with support for 25W fast wired charging, The Pixel 4a, on the other hand, supports 18W fast wired charging. Neither device supports wireless charging, nor reverse charging, in case you were wondering.

Samsung Galaxy A71 vs Google Pixel 4a: Cameras

What about the cameras? The Galaxy A71 has a much larger main sensor, does that mean it can provide better pictures? Well, no, not necessarily. Truth be said, the Pixel 4a does provide a better picture most of the time. The phone comes with the same main camera as the Pixel 5, Google’s flagship handset. That camera is still very capable, even though it has been used by Google for years. The company’s camera software is top-notch, the camera simply shines in most conditions.

The thing is, you’re limited to only that camera, while the Galaxy A71 also has ultra-wide and macro cameras, in addition to the main camera, and the depth camera. If you’re looking for a simple point and shoot camera that will get the job done, the Pixel 4a is probably the way to go. Don’t get me wrong, the Galaxy A71 can take good images, but the Pixel 4a does a better job overall. It has excellent dynamic range, and pictures turn up well-balanced, with enough detail, even in low light.

Both phones are limited to 4K at 30 FPS when it comes to video recording. Neither of them are amongst the best in terms of video recording, but will get the job done. Such content will turn up good, but not as great as you’d might expect. The stabilization is good on both, though it was a bit better on the Pixel 4a in our experience. We’d recommend shooting at fullHD resolution at 60 FPS, though, for best results.

Audio

The first thing I’ll notice in the audio department is that both phones offer a 3.5mm headphone jack. If that is something you need, you’ll get it with both phones. That being said, only the Pixel 4a has stereo speakers. The Galaxy A71 relies on a single, bottom-firing speaker. That speaker is really good, but it cannot match stereo speakers. The Pixel 4a, granted, doesn’t have the best stereo speakers around, not even close, but they’re more than good enough for the price. Speakers on both phones do get quite loud, though the Pixel 4a is the clear winner here.

If you plug in a good set of stereo headphones, you can get good audio quality that way as well. It’s far from the best we’ve heard, but not many people will complain. The audio is good across the spectrum, though not great. In fact, the performance in that regard is quite similar between the two devices. Bass could be a bit better, we can’t really complain much at this price tag. These two phones are definitely not for audiophiles, but they’re really good for most people, as far as audio is concerned.