Technologies
Pixel 7A vs. Galaxy A54, Pixel 6A: Which Should You Buy?
These three phones are cheap and offer great all-round performance. But which one is worth your money?
Buying an affordable phone doesn’t mean suffering with nasty design and slow, frustrating hardware. These days you can get a phone that looks and acts almost like a flagship, and still have a bunch of cash left in your pocket. Google’s latest entry-level phone, the Pixel 7A, packs an amazing lineup of specs, at a very attractive price. Yet the older Pixel 6A remains on sale for even less and is a great option for people on a tighter budget.
Meanwhile, Samsung has a solid value offering in the form of the Galaxy A54 5G, which ticks all your everyday, essential boxes and can frequently be found on sale at an extremely competitive price.
But which of these phones should you buy to make the best use of your money? I put the three side by side to help you choose.
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Price
As the most recent phone, it’s no surprise that the Pixel 7A is the most expensive, costing $499 directly from Google. It technically replaces the Pixel 6A, though both phones are on the market. The 6A has now been reduced to only $349, and it’s been seen for even less with store discounts.
The Galaxy A54 runs Android 13 at its core, with four years of Android generation updates promised by Samsung.
Samsung sells the Galaxy A54 5G for $449 — slightly undercutting the Pixel 7A but costing a full $100 more than the Pixel 6A. Since its launch in March, though, we’ve seen it discounted further ($375 on BestBuy at the time of writing), so it’s always worth shopping around and seeing if you can save a few more bucks.
Display size, quality
At 6.4 inches, the Galaxy A54’s display is larger than the 6.1-inch displays of both the Pixel 6A and 7A. During general use, we also found that it appeared brighter, making it easier to read outdoors under sunshine. Though its resolution is marginally higher than that of the Pixel 7A, side by side there’s no noticeable difference in terms of sharpness.
The Pixel 6A has a standard screen refresh rate of 60Hz, and the 7A ups that to 90Hz. Frankly, it isn’t something you’d really notice during everyday use. The Galaxy A54 takes that further, providing «up to» 120Hz. Using both phones side by side and scrolling through menus simultaneously, I couldn’t see much difference. Maybe the more keen-eyed among you could, but even so, it shouldn’t be a reason to consider one over the other.
The Pixel 6A’s display is smaller than the Galaxy A54’s and appears less bright.
Processor performance
With its more recent Tensor G2 chip, you might expect the Pixel 7A to be the more powerful model, but on benchmark tests, it actually falls just behind the 6A. It’s a marginal difference, though, and during everyday use it isn’t something you’d ever notice. Both phones are swift, with smooth navigation, fast-loading apps, and gaming that’s handled perfectly well.
The A54 performed the worst on the tests, with quite disappointing scores on benchmarks, particularly against the more affordable 6A. Still, I found it to be capable of handling all my daily essentials, and it only really seemed to slow down when I was playing more graphically demanding games, like Genshin Impact, at higher quality settings.
Cameras
Both Pixels offer standard and superwide cameras, eschewing the telephoto zoom camera found on the pricier Pixel 7 Pro. The Pixel 7A beats the older 6A with higher resolution sensors, but overall image quality is comparable. Both phones capture shots with great dynamic range, accurate colors and plenty of details.
The Galaxy A54’s main camera adds a lot of saturation to its images.
The Pixel 6A’s shot looks much more natural.
The Pixel 7A’s colors are more similar to the 6A’s, but its higher resolution sensor delivers more details.
The Galaxy A54 adds a 5-megapixel macro camera to its main and ultrawide lenses, but beyond the odd novelty close-up shot of a bug, it’s pretty redundant. Its main camera has a generous 50 megapixel resolution, but its images are disappointing compared with both Pixel phones. Colors tend to look unnaturally saturated, with high-contrast skies sometimes resulting in blown-out highlights.
The main lens also tends to produce quite cold-looking images that dramatically shift to warmer tones when you switch to the ultrawide lens. Both Pixels, however, do a good job of maintaining color tones when switching between normal and wide views.
The A54’s main camera sometimes delivers quite cold-looking images.
Switching to the ultrawide lens results in a much warmer image. I prefer this look, but it’s frustrating to see so much color shift between the two cameras, which isn’t as much of an issue on either of the Pixel phones.
While the A54 5G is good for casual snappers just wanting vibrant shots of their kids at the beach, the Pixel 7A is worth a look if photography is more of a priority.
Battery
Though the Galaxy A54 packs a slightly more capacious battery than either of the Pixels, its slightly larger (and therefore more power hungry) display means its overall battery life is roughly on par with its rivals. On my YouTube streaming battery test, it drained slightly faster than the Pixels, but in overall use there’s little difference to worry about.
If you’re careful with your usage and avoid too much video streaming or gaming, then you should be able to get a full day out of any of the phones. All of them will need a full recharge every night.
All three phones offer 128GB of storage at their base configurations, but only the Galaxy A54 lets you expand that with microSD cards.
Software, storage and extras
All three phones run the latest Android 13 software, and both Google and Samsung promise five years of security updates for their phones. As it was launched last year, this will mean that the Pixel 6A will be cut off from support in 2027 while both the Pixel 7A and Galaxy A54 will still be safe to use into 2028.
However, Samsung takes things a bit further, by offering an additional fourth generation of Android version updates over the Pixels, which is worth keeping in mind if you want to ensure you’re getting the most out of your phone for longer.
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I much prefer the Pixel’s Android 13 interface though. It’s generally neater and easier to use than Samsung’s One UI skin. This is especially true with the A54, as Samsung preloaded a lot of third-party apps that make it feel cluttered and bloated.
While all three phones have base storage of 128GB, the A54 has an ace up its sleeve; it’s one of the last remaining phones that offers expandable storage with microSD cards. It supports cards of up to 1TB, and with a 128GB card costing only $12, you can essentially double the storage of the phone, providing tons of room for photos, videos and apps.
The A54’s additional macro lens is pretty pointless.
Which should you buy?
Samsung’s Galaxy A54 5G might have longer software support and expandable storage, but it falls behind both Pixel phones in most other respects. The cameras, user interface, processor performance and battery life is better on the Pixel 6A and 7A and either of those phones is where my money would go.
Deciding between the two Pixels is trickier, however. The 6A is incredibly cheap yet still offers excellent performance for all your daily needs and packs a great camera. If you’re looking for the best phone that also leaves the most money in your bank, then the older 6A is the one for you.
But the Pixel 7A’s camera is better and it includes other more recent features like wireless charging, face unlock, and as the more recent phone, it’ll receive software updates for longer. But those are expensive extras, given its $150 bigger price tag over the 6A.
The Pixel 7 (seen here with the Pixel Watch) is still great, but the new Pixel 7A is the better buy.
What about the Pixel 7?
The Pixel 7 is Google’s lower-end flagship that offers a similar set of specs to the Pixel 7A but costs $100 more. Though it’s a superb phone that earned a CNET Editors’ Choice Award, the arrival of the 7A has meant that it’s very difficult to justify spending the extra on the older model.
As CNET’s Lisa Eadicicco puts it: «After reviewing both phones, I’m convinced the Pixel 7A is the best value for most people.»
Technologies
Pluto TV to Stream 49 ‘Survivor’ Seasons for Free
The 50th season of the competition series is set to air on CBS in February.
Pluto TV might help you plan your next reality TV binge. All 49 seasons of the competition series Survivor will stream on demand on the service later this month.
The Survivor catalog will arrive ahead of the landmark 50th season of Survivor, which airs on CBS on Feb. 25. You can currently watch the previous 49 seasons with a Paramount Plus subscription, which starts at $8 per month (or $9 after a price hike on Jan. 15). Pluto’s route is free, but it comes with ads.
There will be two ways to watch: Pluto’s dedicated 24/7 Survivor channel, which will stream episodes in chronological order, or you can stream episodes on demand.
The channel marathon and on-demand availability begin on Jan. 24 at 5:15 p.m. ET.
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For more information on Pluto and other free, ad-supported streaming services, check out our roundup of the best options.
Technologies
Apple Picks Google Gemini to Power Siri
Sorry OpenAI, Apple went back to its old lover.
Apple has chosen Google’s Gemini to power its next iteration of Siri, coming later this year, both companies said in a joint statement on Monday.
Apple and Google’s Siri deal follows months of rumors saying that the iPhone maker had chosen Gemini to advance Siri over OpenAI’s ChatGPT. A report in November said that Apple would pay Google $1 billion per year for Google’s AI prowess. It helps that last November’s release of Gemini 3 made a huge impact and reportedly put OpenAI in a «code red» position.
«After careful evaluation, Apple determined that Google’s Al technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and is excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for Apple users,» according to the statement on Monday. «Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards.»
Google referred to the joint statement when asked for comment. Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Despite Apple being one of the most valuable companies in the world, it’s behind in the AI race. Instead of developing its own foundational models, which reports suggested hadn’t been going well, Apple instead worked with OpenAI to power Apple Intelligence. Even with the Siri refresh under Apple Intelligence, Apple’s AI assistant fell short of expectations, although subsequently it’s proving to be more useful.
Apple’s deal with Google further marries two American tech giants who had already been exchanging billions of dollars. During the Department of Justice antitrust trial against Google, court documents showed that Google paid Apple $20 billion in 2022 to ensure that Google Search would remain the default search engine across Apple devices. Now, some of that money will be flowing back to Google so that Siri can get a much-needed leveling up.
(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)
Technologies
Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold Is a Phone-Tablet Hybrid With a Clear Purpose
I got my hands on the new foldable at CES. It feels like a wildly practical two-in-one device, thanks to the massive display and overall sleek build.
I’ve tested my fair share of thin and foldable phones over the years, but something about Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold struck me as particularly unique when I held it for the first time at CES 2026 in Las Vegas.
At last, it seems foldables are approaching their long-desired goal: a two-in-one device that fits neatly in your pocket.
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The Galaxy Z TriFold — which technically folds twice but has three panels — is like a true phone-tablet hybrid that stands apart from its bar-style counterparts. Its value lies less in flashy specs about its thinness and more in its utility and practicality.
Yes, the Galaxy Z TriFold feels impressively sleek when open: It’s just 3.9mm at its thinnest point and 4.2mm at its thickest, not accounting for the camera bump. It also feels wonderfully normal in my hands, to the degree that I didn’t really think about its weight of 309 grams as I used it.
Still, the foldable doesn’t inspire the same ergonomic awe as Samsung’s book-style Galaxy Z Fold 7 or the bar-style Galaxy S25 Edge, which primarily lean on an ultrathin, lightweight design.
The Galaxy Z TriFold is all about getting things done on a portable scale. Need to shoot off a quick text or check an email? The 6.5-inch cover display is similar to using a nonfolding phone — minus the slightly chunky 12.9mm thickness when the trifold is closed. And when it’s time to watch a movie, multitask or type up a paper, the expansive 10-inch internal display offers plenty of real estate.
Read more: The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold was selected as a winner in the Best Mobile Tech category for the Official Best of CES 2026 Awards.
That duality makes the Galaxy Z TriFold work like a true hybrid device, filling a niche that book-style foldables have yet to satisfy, despite their numerous efforts.
Comparing the Z TriFold and the Z Fold 7 at a glance
Placing Samsung’s Z TriFold and its two-panel Galaxy Z Fold 7 side by side underscored just how different each phone is.
Yes, you can watch videos at a larger scale on the Z Fold 7’s inside display, but that experience pales in comparison to the true tablet-like feel of the unfurled Z TriFold. You can open up to three apps simultaneously on both phones, but doing so on the trifold feels like a less significant compromise thanks to its larger screen. And with Samsung DeX, turning your phone into a mini computer of sorts has never felt more practical, since there’s more room to work with.
One of the biggest indicators of how far foldables have come is the fact that both the Z TriFold and the Z Fold 7 pack pretty impressive cameras: a 200-megapixel wide, 12-megapixel ultrawide and 10-megapixel telephoto camera on the back, along with two 10-megapixel selfie cameras. So if you’re choosing between the larger and smaller Samsung foldables, that’s one key factor they have in common.
Two hinges on the trifold means double the screen creases, but they’re thankfully less visible than the Z Fold 7’s, which is already pretty subdued. Learning how to close the trifold correctly can be a bit of a learning curve, especially if you’re right-handed like me; you’ll need to close the left panel first. But each time you (I) mess up, the phone gives haptic feedback and an alert that you (we) are doing it wrong, which is helpful.
What’s perhaps most assuring is the trifold’s 5,600-mAh battery, which can hopefully allow the phone to power through a full day’s use, and then some. The Z Fold 7 has a 4,400-mAh battery, which lasted all day in my initial testing, but without much juice to spare. Hopefully, the Z TriFold remedies that. The trifold’s 45-watt super-fast charging is a nice perk, too.
Speaking of charging: Samsung told me the Z TriFold will come with not just a charging cable in the box, but also a charging brick. Nature is healing.
US release and price
The Z TriFold is already available in Korea, China, Taiwan, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. In fact, my colleague Prakhar Khanna beat me to the punch and got his hands on the phone in Dubai last month.
Samsung has said the Z TriFold will launch in the US in the first quarter of this year. It’ll be interesting to see if people in the US respond similarly to those in other countries like Korea, where the phone reportedly sold out in minutes.
Another looming question remains: the price. Samsung didn’t share the US price at CES, but we’ll likely learn more as we approach the (also unknown) release date. Given the Z Fold 7’s $2,000 price tag, though, you might want to start saving up now.
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