Iphone 17e Vs. Google Pixel 10a Vs Samsung Galaxy A56: This Budget Phone Wins It For Me

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

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Apple, Google, and Samsung are erstwhile again butting heads successful nan midrange telephone market, pinch nan erstwhile 2 having precocious released caller models. Samsung hit nan others to nan punch erstwhile it launched nan Galaxy A56 backmost connected July 18, 2025. 

Eight months later, connected March 5, 2026, Google released nan Pixel 10a, its latest fund handset designed to present nan halfway Pixel 10 acquisition astatine a little price. Not agelong aft that, connected March 11, Apple introduced nan iPhone 17e, a much affordable replacement to nan remainder of nan iPhone 17 series.

Also: iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 17: I compared some models to uncover nan $200 difference

These 3 phones target nan aforesaid buyer: group who want a dependable mobile instrumentality without flagship prices. They attraction connected practicality and beardown mundane capacity alternatively than flashy features. 

However, location are chopped differences betwixt them. The champion telephone for you depends connected your needs arsenic a user. Below, I break down wherever nan iPhone 17e, Pixel 10a, and Galaxy A56 guidelines out, truthful you tin determine which is champion for you.

Specifications

You should bargain nan Google Pixel 10a if...

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

1. You want a amended worth phone

The Pixel 10a is nan cheaper of nan two. Prices commencement astatine $499 for nan 128GB model, and spell up to $599 for nan 256GB model. In comparison, nan iPhone 17e is $599 for its guidelines 256GB type and $799 for nan upgraded 512GB model. So, you tin prevention a bully magnitude of money by sticking to nan Pixel 10a. 

Plus, if you ever request much space, Google offers plentifulness of unreality storage. With Google One, you'll get 100GB of retention for $1.99 a month.

Review: Google Pixel 10a

Samsung's Galaxy A56 costs arsenic overmuch arsenic nan Pixel 10a; however, Google's instrumentality offers amended worth acknowledgment to its much powerful hardware, larger battery, and high-quality display.

2. You want nan champion display

Google's Pixel 10a houses a 6.3-inch pOLED touchscreen pinch a solution of 1080 x 2424 and astir 422 ppi (pixels per inch). In plain English, that intends nan ocular output is crisp and rich | successful detail. The sheet tin scope up to 3,000 nits of highest brightness, making it visible moreover successful nonstop sunlight. Its 120Hz refresh complaint makes navigating done web pages consciousness noticeably smooth. 

What's more, nan show is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, which adds other durability and guidance to scratches.

You should bargain nan iPhone 17e if...

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

1. You want nan champion performance

The iPhone 17e runs connected Apple's A19 chipset, nan aforesaid 1 recovered successful nan guidelines iPhone 17. Compared to nan erstwhile generation, nan spot comes pinch a faster six-core CPU, a four-core GPU pinch hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and a 16-core Neural Engine to support Apple Intelligence features. 

In plain English, this puts nan iPhone 17e's capacity beautiful adjacent to that of nan iPhone 17. It has capable powerfulness to grip gaming apps, AI tools, and dense multitasking without slowing down.

2. You want amended accessory support

In my opinion, 1 of nan biggest drawbacks of nan Pixel 10a is that it does not support Pixelsnap.

Pixelsnap, if you don't know, is Google's magnetic accessory ecosystem introduced pinch nan Pixel 10 lineup. It enables Qi-certified 25W wireless charging via magnetic attachment. The tech lets you connect compatible chargers and stands to nan backmost of nan phone. Because nan Pixel 10a doesn't support Pixelsnap, users will miss retired connected awesome accessories.

Also: The thinnest MagSafe charger I've tested adds almost nary weight to my iPhone

The iPhone 17e doesn't person this issue. It supports MagSafe devices, conscionable for illustration nan remainder of nan iPhone 17 series, giving it entree to a ample lineup of accessories and a much polished experience. Samsung's Galaxy A56 besides has entree to a wide array of accessories, but thing is exclusive to nan exemplary aliases arsenic blase arsenic MagSafe.

You should bargain nan Samsung Galaxy A56 if...

Samsung/ZDNET

1. You want nan champion camera system

Samsung's Galaxy A56 has nan champion camera array retired of nan trio. It houses a 50MP main, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 5MP macro lens, giving nan telephone awesome versatility successful nan shots you tin take. The ultrawide camera is useful for capturing wide landscapes aliases large-group photos without stepping back, while nan macro lens is cleanable for close-up photography.

Plus, it's rich | successful photography-related features, including Night mode for low-light environments, Hyperlapse for time-lapse videos, and Dual Recording, which lets you grounds videos utilizing some nan beforehand and rear cameras simultaneously.

Also: I expected Samsung's caller flagship earbuds to bore me, but I fell successful emotion pinch them instead

2. You want a profoundly customizable phone

The Galaxy A56 runs connected One UI 7, Samsung's latest operating strategy pinch a beardown attraction connected customization. Users tin rearrange nan location surface successful a assortment of ways, letting them spot apps, widgets, and shortcuts successful different sizes to their liking. 

If you look online, you'll find plentifulness of YouTube tutorials showcasing really elastic One UI 7 tin be. You'll find imaginative setups wherever widgets are angled aliases layered to create unsocial on-screen designs.

And that's conscionable nan extremity of nan iceberg of what's imaginable connected nan A56. Just to item a fewer different things, Samsung's instrumentality will fto you create your ain speedy panel, automatically fastener its surface if it detects that it's been stolen, and supply Live Notifications for ongoing activities for illustration timers and audio playback.

Writer's choice

Each of nan phones are fantabulous action and good worthy your money, but if I had to prime 1 myself, I'd spell pinch nan iPhone 17e, and location are 2 main reasons why. One: its performance, and two: its entree to nan MagSafe accessory ecosystem. 

I thin to put my telephone done dense multitasking, truthful I want a mobile instrumentality that I americium assured tin grip everything I propulsion astatine it. Also, being capable to heighten my iPhone 17e pinch a MagSafe charger, mount, aliases wallet makes nan personification acquisition truthful overmuch better.

That said, nan Pixel 10 is still a bully choice, particularly if you're trying to walk little aliases want a amended screen. The Galaxy A56 is simply a solid, affordable alternative, too, but nan powerfulness of nan iPhone puts it astatine nan top.