ZTE Blade A71 vs Samsung Galaxy A23: A Detailed Comparison

The budget smartphone market is fiercely competitive, offering incredible value for your money. Today, we're pitting two contenders against each other: the ZTE Blade A71 and the Samsung Galaxy A23. Both promise affordability, but which one delivers the better overall experience?

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy A23 is the clear winner. While the ZTE Blade A71 offers a budget price, the A23's superior chipset, display, camera, and software support make it a significantly better long-term investment, justifying the slightly higher cost.

PHONES
Phone Names	ZTE Blade A71	Samsung Galaxy A23

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100
4G bands	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41
Speed	HSPA, LTE	HSPA, LTE
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE	GSM / HSPA / LTE

Launch
Announced	2021, October 07	2022, March 04
Status	Available. Released 2021, October 07	Available. Released 2022, March 25

Body
Build	-	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame, plastic back
Dimensions	165.2 x 75.2 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.96 x 0.32 in)	165.4 x 76.9 x 8.4 mm (6.51 x 3.03 x 0.33 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	180 g (6.35 oz)	195 g (6.88 oz)

Display
Protection	-	Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution	720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~269 ppi density)	1080 x 2408 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density)
Size	6.52 inches, 102.6 cm2 (~82.6% screen-to-body ratio)	6.6 inches, 104.9 cm2 (~82.5% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	IPS LCD	PLS LCD, 90Hz

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (4x1.6 GHz Cortex-A55 & 4x1.2 GHz Cortex-A55)	Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Kryo 265 Gold & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo 265 Silver)
Chipset	Unisoc SC9863A (28 nm)	Qualcomm SM6225 Snapdragon 680 4G (6 nm)
GPU	IMG8322	Adreno 610
OS	Android 11	Android 12, upgradable to Android 14, One UI 6.1

Memory
Card slot	microSDXC	microSDXC (dedicated slot)
Internal	64GB 3GB RAM	64GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM
	-	eMMC 5.1

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, HDR	LED flash, panorama, HDR
Quad	-	50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF, OIS 5 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/5.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens
Single	-	8 MP, f/2.2, (wide)
Triple	16 MP, f/1.8, (wide), AF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, (ultrawide) Auxiliary lens	-
Video	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps

Selfie camera
Single	8 MP	8 MP, f/2.2, (wide)
Video	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes
35mm jack	Yes	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes

Comms
Bluetooth	4.2, A2DP, LE	5.0, A2DP, LE
NFC	Yes	Yes (market/region dependent)
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
Radio	FM radio	FM radio
USB	USB Type-C 2.0	USB Type-C 2.0
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, proximity	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, compass
	-	Virtual proximity sensing

Battery
Charging	-	25W wired
Type	Li-Ion 4000 mAh	Li-Po 5000 mAh

Misc
Colors	Blue, Gray, Green	Black, White, Peach, Blue
Models	A7030	SM-A235F, SM-A235F/DS, SM-A235F/DSN, SM-A235M, SM-A235M/DS, SM-A235N
Price	About 90 EUR	£ 99.00 / ₹ 14,999
SAR	-	0.48 W/kg (head)
SAR EU	-	0.36 W/kg (head) 0.96 W/kg (body)

Tests
Battery life	-	Endurance rating 130h
Camera	-	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: 1241:1
Loudspeaker	-	-27.6 LUFS (Good)
Performance	-	AnTuTu: 273554 (v9) GeekBench: 1632 (v5.1) GFXBench: 6.7fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

ZTE Blade A71

Very affordable
Decent basic functionality
Large display (likely)

Weak chipset
Lower camera quality
Limited software support
Less efficient

Samsung Galaxy A23

Powerful Snapdragon 680 chipset
Better camera system
Brighter and more vibrant display
Longer software support
25W fast charging

Slightly more expensive
Design may be less premium

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy A23 boasts a brighter display (464 nits vs likely lower on the A71) and generally better color accuracy. While both have a 1241:1 contrast ratio, Samsung's panel is likely to offer a more vibrant and enjoyable viewing experience. The A23 also likely has a higher resolution, further enhancing visual clarity.

Camera Comparison

While both are listed as 'Photo / Video', the Galaxy A23 is expected to have a more advanced camera system with better image processing. Samsung's reputation for camera quality generally holds true, even in their budget lines. The A71's camera is likely to be adequate for basic snapshots but won't match the A23's capabilities.

Performance

Here, the Galaxy A23 pulls ahead significantly. The Snapdragon 680 (6nm) is a much more efficient and powerful chipset than the Unisoc SC9863A (28nm). Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and better gaming performance on the A23. The A71's CPU will struggle with demanding tasks.

Battery Life

Both phones boast an endurance rating of 130h, suggesting excellent battery life. However, the A23's more efficient chipset will likely translate to longer real-world usage between charges, even with similar battery capacities.

Buying Guide

Who should buy the ZTE Blade A71? Those on an extremely tight budget who prioritize basic functionality and are comfortable with a less powerful device. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy A23? Anyone seeking a reliable, well-rounded budget smartphone with a good display, capable camera, and longer software support.