Google Pixel 7a vs Samsung Galaxy S22 5G: The Ultimate Showdown

The Google Pixel 7a and Samsung Galaxy S22 5G are both excellent mid-range and flagship contenders, respectively. Choosing between them can be tough, as they both offer compelling features and unique strengths. This comprehensive comparison will break down every aspect, helping you decide which phone best suits your needs.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Galaxy S22 5G generally offers a more premium experience with a brighter display, faster charging, and potentially better performance depending on the chipset variant. However, the Pixel 7a excels in software, camera processing, and often provides better value for money.

PHONES
Phone Names	Google Pixel 7a	Samsung Galaxy S22 5G

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71 - GWKK3, G0DZQ	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GWKK3	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL)
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GHL1X, G82U8	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA

Launch
Announced	2023, May 10	2022, February 09
Status	Available. Released 2023, May 10	Available. Released 2022, February 25

Body
Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, plastic back	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame
Dimensions	152 x 72.9 x 9 mm (5.98 x 2.87 x 0.35 in)	146 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm (5.75 x 2.78 x 0.30 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + eSIM	Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)
Weight	193.5 g (6.84 oz)	167 g / 168 g (mmWave) (5.89 oz)
	IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min)	IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised)

Display
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 3	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+
Resolution	1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~429 ppi density)	1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~425 ppi density)
Size	6.1 inches, 90.7 cm2 (~81.8% screen-to-body ratio)	6.1 inches, 90.1 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	OLED, HDR, 90Hz	Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak)
	Always-on display	Always-on display

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (2x2.85 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.35 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)	Octa-core (1x2.8 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A510) - EuropeOcta-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) - ROW
Chipset	Google Tensor G2 (5 nm)	Exynos 2200 (4 nm) - EuropeQualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) - ROW
GPU	Mali-G710 MP7	Xclipse 920 - EuropeAdreno 730 - ROW
OS	Android 13, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades	Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8

Memory
Card slot	No	No
Internal	128GB 8GB RAM	128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
	UFS 3.1	UFS 3.1

Main Camera
Dual	64 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1.12µm	-
Features	Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama	LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Single	-	10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF
Triple	-	50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video
Video	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, OIS	8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS

Selfie camera
Features	HDR, panorama	HDR
Single	13 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.12µm	10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video	4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	No	No
35mm jack	No	No
Loudspeaker	Yes, with stereo speakers	Yes, with stereo speakers
	-	32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG

Comms
Bluetooth	5.3, A2DP, LE	5.2, A2DP, LE
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC	GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C 3.2	USB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer	Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
	-	Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified)

Battery
Charging	18W wired, PD3.0 7.5W wireless	25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
Type	Li-Po 4385 mAh	Li-Ion 3700 mAh

Misc
Colors	Charcoal, Snow, Sea, Coral	Phantom Black, White, Pink Gold, Green, Graphite, Sky Blue, Violet, Cream, Bora Purple
Models	GWKK3, GHL1X, G0DZQ, G82U8	SM-S901B, SM-S901B/DS, SM-S901U, SM-S901U1, SM-S901W, SM-S901N, SM-S9010, SM-S901E, SM-S901E/DS
Price	€ 179.90 / $ 150.00 / £ 170.00 / ₹ 25,980	$ 172.63 / C$ 304.00 / £ 186.11 / € 198.01
SAR	-	1.03 W/kg (head) 1.15 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	-	1.21 W/kg (head) 1.59 W/kg (body)

Tests
Battery life	-	Endurance rating 85h
Camera	-	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-	-26.4 LUFS (Good)
Performance	-	AnTuTu: 745496 (v8), 881428 (v9) GeekBench: 3682 (v5.1) GFXBench: 69fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Google Pixel 7a

Excellent camera software
Clean Android experience
Competitive price
Smooth performance for everyday tasks
Good value for money

Slower charging speeds
Less premium design
Performance can be slightly behind flagship devices

Samsung Galaxy S22 5G

Brighter and more vibrant display
Faster charging (wired & wireless)
Premium design and build quality
Versatile camera system
Feature-rich Samsung ecosystem

Can be more expensive
Performance varies by chipset (Exynos vs Snapdragon)
Software can be bloated for some users

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S22 5G boasts a brighter display (982 nits vs 1070 nits for the Pixel 7a, though both are excellent) and a theoretically infinite contrast ratio, offering richer blacks and more vibrant colors. While the Pixel 7a's display is also very good, the S22's is noticeably more impactful, especially outdoors. Both offer smooth 120Hz refresh rates.

Camera Comparison

Both phones have excellent cameras. The Pixel 7a is renowned for its computational photography, producing consistently impressive images with accurate colors and excellent dynamic range. The Galaxy S22 5G offers more versatility with its multiple lenses and zoom capabilities. Video recording is strong on both, but the Pixel 7a's processing can sometimes result in a slightly softer look.

Performance

Performance is nuanced. The Pixel 7a's Tensor G2 chip is optimized for AI and machine learning tasks, providing a fluid experience. The Galaxy S22 5G's performance varies by region – Exynos 2200 in Europe and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in other regions. The Snapdragon variant generally outperforms the Exynos, offering faster raw processing speeds. Gaming performance is generally better on the Snapdragon S22 5G.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy S22 5G holds a slight edge in battery endurance (85h vs 76h), though real-world usage will vary. The S22 5G also supports faster 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging, while the Pixel 7a is limited to 18W wired and 7.5W wireless.

Buying Guide

The Google Pixel 7a is ideal for users prioritizing a clean Android experience, exceptional camera software, and a more budget-friendly price. The Samsung Galaxy S22 5G is a better choice for those seeking a premium design, a brighter display, faster charging speeds, and a more feature-rich ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Which phone has better software support?

Google Pixel phones are known for receiving faster Android updates and longer software support periods.

❓ Is the Galaxy S22 5G worth the extra cost?

If you prioritize a premium design, brighter display, and faster charging, the Galaxy S22 5G is worth the investment. However, the Pixel 7a offers exceptional value for its price.