Google Pixel 8a or Samsung Galaxy S24 FE: What are the differences
Intro
If you are looking for a phone that doesn't cost a fortune, the Google Pixel 8a and Samsung's Galaxy S24 FE are the best choices on the market.
Should you opt for the Google Pixel 8a's pure Android experience and AI-powered features or the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE's versatile camera system and long-lasting battery life?
In this article, we discuss the pros and cons of each model so you can make an informed choice about which one best suits you.
Pixel 8a vs Galaxy S24 FE differences:
| Pixel 8a | Galaxy S24 FE |
|---|---|
| Starts at $500 | Starts at $649 |
| Smaller, 6.1-inch screen | Much larger display (6.7") with a smoother 120Hz refresh rate |
| Compact size | Larger and heavier body |
| Slightly less powerful chip | Very powerful chipset |
| No dedicated zoom camera | Has a dedicated telephoto camera with 3x zoom |
| 5 hours and 50 minutes of estimated battery life | 6 hours and 20 minutes of estimated battery life |
| Slower, 18W charging | Faster, 25W charging |
Table of Contents:
Read more:
- Galaxy S24 FE vs Galaxy A35 5G: Which is the better value for your money?
Design and Display Quality
S24 FE is larger and has a much better display
The main difference between these two boils down to size (Image by PhoneArena)
You can tell right away that these two are very different in size. The Pixel 8a, with its 6.1-inch screen, is compact, while the Galaxy S24 FE, with its 6.7-inch display, is a rather big and heavier phone.
Regarding materials, the Pixel has a plastic back, while the Galaxy features a glass back panel. We were surprised at how good the plastic on the Pixel feels in actual use, though, so we wouldn't hold that against the phone.
Physical buttons on the Galaxy feel a bit mushy on our unit (Image by PhoneArena)
One specific thing we noticed is how the power and volume buttons on the Galaxy feel a bit mushy, while buttons on the Pixel are better made, with more travel and a nice click.
Both phones also have water and dust protection. The Pixel 8a features IP67 certification, while the Galaxy S24 FE has a slightly higher IP68 rating. The second digit represents water resistance, and both are well protected against even heavy rain. The difference is that IPX7 is technically rated to withstand immersion in water 1-meter deep, while IPX8 denotes water resistance in 3-meter (10ft) deep water.
In terms of biometrics, both have optical fingerprint scanners on the screen. We found the one on the Pixel a bit more responsive. The one on the Galaxy was also mostly fine, but we did get occasional misreadings.
Both have excellent displays (Image by PhoneArena)
When it comes to the screen, the larger 6.7-inch display on the Galaxy is way more immersive than the 6.1-inch screen on the Pixel.
However, both look good. These are OLED panels, of course, and we measured they get very bright, but the Pixel is the slightly brighter one.
You also have 120Hz fast refresh rate on both of them for smooth scrolling.
Our display lab tests above show one slight niggle – minimum brightness is not quite as low as on some flagships, but that is probably not a big concern for most people.
Performance and Software
Absolute powerhouses, but the iPhone is still missing promised features
The Exynos chip on the Galaxy is faster than Google's Tensor processor (Image by PhoneArena)
The S24 FE gets a very powerful chipset, the Exynos 2400e. This is only a slightly toned down version of the Exynos 2400 from the flagship Galaxy S24 lineup, so you can say that the Fan Edition has flagship-level performance.
The Tensor G3 chip on the Pixel is a step behind.
Both phones feature 8GB of RAM, which is neither great nor too bad, just average.
We ran a few benchmarks, and the S24's Exynos 2400e chipset beats the Tensor G3 chip on the Pixel.
We cannot really see much of that advantage in daily use, as both feel fast enough, but for gaming, you'd want to go with the Galaxy as it has more firepower.
In terms of software, the Galaxy runs Samsung’s One UI skin, while Google runs a clean Android Pixel build. The Pixel already got the new Android 15 update, while on Samsung phones these updates take way longer, so it will still be a few months until you get that update.
But on the Galaxy, you get some cool features that you don’t have on the Pixel. Samsung DeX is one of them, just connect the phone to a monitor, hook up a keyboard and a mouse and you have a full-blown desktop replacement. The Pixel is not optimized for this.
Both also support AI in different forms, so no worries about missing out on that.
But on the Galaxy, you get some cool features that you don’t have on the Pixel. Samsung DeX is one of them, just connect the phone to a monitor, hook up a keyboard and a mouse and you have a full-blown desktop replacement. The Pixel is not optimized for this.
Both also support AI in different forms, so no worries about missing out on that.
And for software updates, the Galaxy S24 FE gets 7 years of support, matching what Google offers with the Pixel 8a.
Camera
Surprising results in benefit to the Fan Edition
The Galaxy has a native zoom camera, but the Pixel has a strong main camera (Image by PhoneArena)
The main difference in the camera systems between the two is that the Galaxy has a third, telephoto camera, while the Pixel only has two cameras on the back.
That translates into our PhoneArena Camera Score, where the Galaxy S24 FE scores much higher for detail when you zoom in.
Both phones also use a high-resolution main camera, capable of pixel binning. The Galaxy has a 50MP main sensor, while the Pixel uses a 64MP one, but don't get caught up in the numbers. It's the sensor size that matters more than the megapixels.
Then you have the 13MP ultra-wide camera on the Pixel and a 12MP one on the Galaxy.
Let's take a look at some real-world camera samples.
The Pixel usually captures photos with wider dynamic range, but occasionally goes for a slightly darker exposure, while on the Galaxy the dynamic range is not quite as high, and you occasionally have highlights that are almost clipping. Plus, the Galaxy has more oversaturated colors.
Check out some more photos taken on these two below:
For video recording, we have similar observations – dynamic range is a bit better on the Pixel. It also has a steadier video stabilization, which is nice to see.
The Galaxy, however, benefits from that telephoto camera and captures more detail when you zoom in.
For the most part, both of these phones deliver satisfactory video quality.
Battery Life and Charging
A similar experience between the two
The Galaxy wins the battery and charging battle (Image by PhoneArena)
Being a bigger phone, the Galaxy S24 FE comes with a larger 4,700 mAh battery, compared to the roughly 4,500 mAh battery on the Pixel 8a.
But the difference is not as big as you might think looking at the sheer physical size difference of the two phones.
But despite their small batteries, iPhones still manage to have some of the best battery life. You will see from our battery life tests below that the iPhone has managed to do just as well as the S24 FE in this segment.
We ran our independent PhoneArena battery tests and here are our findings.
PhoneArena Battery and Charging Test Results:
We estimate the Galaxy S24 FE battery life to be around 6 hours and 20 minutes of screen time compared to 5 hours and 50 minutes on the Pixel. This is strictly average and in real use, it means you will probably need to recharge your phone every single day.
Speaking of charging, the S24 FE supports 25-watt speeds, while the Pixel 8a goes as fast as 18 watts. You can see the Galaxy indeed charges faster – 1 hour and 20 minutes for a full top-up, compared to 1 hour and 40 minutes on the Pixel.
Both phones also support wireless charging, with the Galaxy again being the faster one. It can go up to 15W speeds wirelessly, while the Pixel only does 7.5 watts at most.
Both phones also support wireless charging, with the Galaxy again being the faster one. It can go up to 15W speeds wirelessly, while the Pixel only does 7.5 watts at most.
Specs Comparison
Check out in-depth Galaxy S24 FE vs iPhone 16 specs comparison:
| Pixel 8a | Galaxy S24 FE |
|---|---|
| 152.1 x 72.2 x 8.9 mm 188 g | 162 x 77.3 x 8 mm 213 g |
| 6.1" OLED 120Hz 1080p | 6.7" Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz 1080p |
| Tensor G3 | Exynos 2400e |
| 8/128GB 8/256GB | 8/128GB 8/256GB |
| 64MP main 12MP ultrawide - 13MP front | 50MP main 12MP ultrawide 8MP 3X telephoto 10MP front |
| 4,492 mAh | 4,700 mAh |
| USB-C 18W wired 7.5W wireless | USB-C 25W wired 15W wireless |
Summary
The Galaxy is a better choice if you want a bigger screen (Image by PhoneArena)
In summary, the Pixel 8a will suit you better if you want something more compact and cheaper, plus it offers that clean Android experience and great camera quality, especially at night.
The Galaxy S24 FE is the better choice if you want a bigger, more immersive screen, a faster processor, which is better for gaming, and a native zoom camera, plus some cool features like DeX.
So… which one would you go for?
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