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If you’re looking for a compact smartphone these days, that is also quite powerful, things are not as simple. There are some options, but not a lot. Well, we’re here to take a look at two such phones. In this article, we’ll compare the ASUS ZenFone 10 vs Google Pixel 7a. Granted, the former is a flagship-grade phone, while the latter is a mid-ranger. Still, if you’re planning to buy a compact device, considering both is probably not a bad idea.
We’ll first check out the specifications of both smartphones, and will then compare them across a number of other categories. We will check out their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance. Having said that, let’s get this show on the road, shall we?
Specs
ASUS ZenFone 10 & Google Pixel 7a, respectively
– Screen size (main):
5.92-inch Super AMOLED display (144Hz, HDR10+, 1,100 nits)
6.1-inch OLED display (90Hz, HDR, 1,000 nits)
– Display resolution (main):
2400 x 1080
– SoC:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Google Tensor G2
– RAM:
8GB/16GB (LPDDR5X)
8GB (LPDDR5)
– Storage:
128GB/256GB (UFS 4.0)
128GB (UFS 3.1)
– Rear cameras:
50MP (wide, f/1.9 aperture, gimbal OIS, multi-directional PDAF)), 13MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture,k 120-degree FOV, 1.12um pixel size)
64MP (wide, f/1.9 aperture, 0.8um pixel size, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS), 13MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV, 1.12um pixel size)
– Front cameras:
32MP (f/2.5 aperture, 0.7um pixel size)
13MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.12um pixel size)
– Battery:
4,300mAh
4,385mAh
– Charging:
30W wired, 15W wireless, 5W reverse wired (charger included)
18W wired, 7.5W wireless (charger included)
– Dimensions (unfolded):
146.5 x 68.1 x 9.4mm
152 x 72.9 x 9mm
– Weight:
172 grams
193.5 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
Side-facing fingerprint scanner
Under-display fingerprint scanner (optical)
– OS:
Android 13 with ZenUI
Android 13
– Price:
$699
$499
– Buy:
Amazon
Amazon
ASUS ZenFone 10 vs Google Pixel 7a: Design
These two devices do look quite different. The ASUS ZenFone 10 has flat sides, and includes a grippy plastic back that does not feel like plastic, it feels like a combination of plastic and eco-leather. The Pixel 7a, on the other hand, doesn’t have flat sides, not at all, and also includes glass on the back. They also have different overall shapes, camera setups, and even their display holes are placed in different spots.
The ZenFone 10 has corners that are more curved than the ones on the Pixel 7a. Its display camera hole sits in the top-left corner, while the Pixel 7a’s is centered. Both smartphones have thin bezels, but their bottom bezel is thicker than the rest. The ZenFone 10 has two separate camera islands on the back, each of which hosts a single camera. The Pixel 7a also has two cameras on the back, but they’re both located inside the phone’s camera visor.
ASUS’ offering does have a smaller display, and is shorter, narrower, and slightly thicker. It is also lighter than the Pixel 7a, it’s lighter for over 20 grams. They both also offer water and dust resistance, but different ratings. The ZenFone 10 comes with IP68 certification, while the Pixel 7a is IP67-certified. So, ASUS’ phone has an advantage in this aspect. The two phones do feel different in the hand, but they’re both comfortable to use. The ZenFone 10 is easier to use with one hand, and also offers more grip.
ASUS ZenFone 10 vs Google Pixel 7a: Display
There is a 5.92-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) display on the ZenFone 10. That is a Super AMOLED panel that is also flat. It offers a 144Hz refresh rate, though you’ll be able to reach it only in some games. HDR10+ support is also included, and the display goes up to 1,100 nits of peak brightness. Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus is included on top of the display for protection purposes.
The Pixel 7a, on the other hand, features a 6.1-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) display. We’re looking at an OLED panel here, which is flat, and offers a 90Hz refresh rate. This panel goes up to 1,000 nits of brightness at its peak, and supports HDR content. The display offers a 20:9 aspect ratio, and it is protected by the Gorilla Glass 3 from Corning.
The ZenFone 10’s display gets a bit brighter, and it also offers a higher refresh rate. They both do offer good viewing angles, and are vivid, on top of being more than sharp enough. The black shades are also deep on the screen, as they should be on OLED panels. Touch response is good on both displays. It is also worth noting that the ZenFone 10 has much better display protection. The Gorilla Glass 3 is prone to microscratches. So, using a screen protector on the Pixel 7a is definitely a good idea.
ASUS ZenFone 10 vs Google Pixel 7a: Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC fuels the ASUS ZenFone 10. That is one of the most powerful processors out in the market now. ASUS also included up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM inside of this phone, and also UFS 4.0 flash storage. The Google Pixel 7a, on the flip side, is fueled by the Google Tensor G2 processor. That chip also fuels the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro flagships, but it’s inferior to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. This phone comes with 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage.
Spec-wise, the ZenFone 10 wins this comparison. Does that reflect on performance? Well, the Pixel 7a is, by no means, a slow phone. It actually runs really fast, but in direct comparison with the ZenFone 10, ASUS’ device is definitely faster. That will reflect on gaming too, the ZenFone 10 will be able to offer better performance when it comes to demanding games. For most games, however, you won’t really notice the difference.
The bottom line is, both smartphones do offer great performance, but the ZenFone 10 is more powerful. That is something you’ll notice only if you directly compare them, though. The Pixel 7a does offer solid performance, no doubt about that. One thing to note is that the ZenFone 10 does heat up less, despite its smaller size.
ASUS ZenFone 10 vs Google Pixel 7a: Battery
There is a 4,300mAh battery included inside the ZenFone 10, and a 4,385mAh battery inside the Pixel 7a. Now, considering that the ZenFone 10 has a smaller display, it’s expected it has a smaller battery too. How do they compare in terms of battery life, though? Well, the ZenFone 10 easily wins that duel. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a more power efficient SoC, and that has something to do with battery life, that’s for sure.
While the Pixel 7a can get to 7 hours screen-on-time, it can also fall under that mark, at least it did for us. The ZenFone 10, on the other hand, easily crosses the 8-hour mark, and then some. That phone can really go the distance despite the fact it’s a rather compact smartphone. ASUS once again did a great job in that regard, as the battery life is even better than it was on the ZenFone 9, and that phone had really good battery life.
Your mileage may vary, of course. We did not really play games on either phone, outside of specifically testing gameplay. Everything else was thrown into the mix, so… but your usage will be different. Not only your usage, but your installed apps, signal, and so on. So… you could easily get significantly different results.
In terms of charging, well, that’s another area where the ZenFone 10 wins. It supports 30W wired, 15W wireless, and 5W reverse wired charging. The Pixel 7a offers support for 18W wired, and 7.5W wireless charging. No matter what way you slice it, the ZenFone 10 charges faster. Also, ASUS’ smartphone does include a charger in the box, while Google’s does not.
ASUS ZenFone 10 vs Google Pixel 7a: Cameras
A 50-megapixel main camera (f/1.9 aperture, gimbal OIS) sits on the back of the ZenFone 10. That camera is backed by a 13-megapixel ultrawide unit (120-degree FoV). The Pixel 7a also has two cameras on the back, a 64-megapixel main unit (f/1.9 aperture, OIS), and a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera (120-degree FoV).
The two phones do provide different images, but they’re both really good overall. The Pixel 7a tends to provide a bit more contrasty shots, which we’re used to seeing from Pixels. The ZenFone 10 is a bit closer to real life, but the images from this phone don’t end up looking bland, not at all, they’re also reasonably vivid. It’s a noticeable improvement compared to the ZenFone 9, as oversharpening is no longer an issue.
Their ultrawide cameras do the job, but the quality bump is noticeable for the main sensors. That is to be expected, though. We prefer the Pixel 7a’s output in low light, but the ZenFone 10 is not far behind, to be quite honest. It does a great job. When the video is concerned, the ZenFone 10 easily wins. The Pixel 7a is actually quite shaky in comparison, it cannot trade blows with ASUS’ Gimbal OIS stabilization.
Audio
Both of these phones include stereo speakers, and they’re reasonably good. They provide good sound, with good sharpness, and without noticeable distortion. They’re also loud enough, and very close in that regard.
When it comes to wired audio, do note that the ZenFone 10 does include an audio jack, while the Pixel 7a does not. You can still connect your wired headphones through the Type-C port, though. Bluetooth 5.3 is available on both devices, for wireless connections.