5 Android phones you should buy instead of the Samsung Galaxy A57

The Galaxy A57 officially went on sale this week as Samsung’s latest mid-range Android phone. And you know what? It looks pretty solid. For $550, the A57 offers a big AMOLED display, a decent chipset, and a large battery with respectable charge speeds.

There are far worse Android phones you could buy than the Galaxy A57, but it’s also worth noting that there are better options, too. Whether you prefer a smaller phone, want better performance, or would like a flashier design, plenty of alternatives exist.

So, before you set your heart on the Samsung Galaxy A57, here are a few other Android phones you should consider instead.

Google Pixel 10a

If there’s a phone on this list I would personally choose over the Galaxy A57, it’s the Google Pixel 10a. I’ve been using the 10a since I reviewed the phone earlier this year, and for $499, it’s the best Android phone you can currently buy at that price.

There are a few reasons why the Pixel 10a stands above the A57, one of which is its design. The completely flat camera bump is wonderful, as are the bright and vibrant colors the 10a comes in (just look at that red!). More importantly, the Pixel’s 6.3-inch screen is much easier to use one-handed than the 6.7-inch panel on the Galaxy A57 — something I really appreciate.

Along with the design, the Pixel 10a also has an upper hand in the software department. Google’s Pixel UI is the best way to use Android in 2026. It looks great, is easy to navigate, and isn’t overloaded with unnecessary features. More importantly, the Pixel-exclusive features that are included — such as Now Playing, Quick Tap, and all of Google’s calling tools — are genuinely helpful.

Throw in a slightly larger battery for the Pixel 10a, a much brighter display, and wireless charging (something the Galaxy A57 completely lacks), and it’s easy to see why Google’s phone is the better choice — especially since it’s $50 cheaper than Samsung’s handset.

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE

Having said all of that, the Pixel 10a won’t be for everyone. Maybe you want a larger phone. Maybe you prefer Samsung’s One UI software over Google’s. Maybe it’s both. In that case, I’d recommend skipping the Galaxy A57 and buying the Galaxy S25 FE instead.

Like the A57, the S25 FE is a mid-tier Samsung phone with a big 6.7-inch display. However, it’s better than the A57 in almost every way. Performance-wise, the S25 FE’s Exynos 2400 chipset is significantly more capable than the Exynos 1680 inside the A57 — offering much higher CPU speeds, two additional CPU cores, and a more powerful GPU.

Both phones have pretty similar primary and ultrawide cameras, but where the A57 has a 5MP macro camera for its third rear lens, the S25 FE has a much more useful 8MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. The S25 FE offers faster UFS 4.0 storage than the A57’s UFS 3.1. It also supports Samsung DeX and wireless charging, while the A57 does not.

The Galaxy S25 FE’s $650 retail price is considerably more expensive than the $550 Galaxy A57, but you often won’t pay that full price. At the time of writing, Samsung is selling the S25 FE for just $500 without a trade-in. At that point, there’s no reason not to buy the Galaxy S25 FE instead of the Galaxy A57.

Nothing Phone 4a Pro

The Pixel 10a and Galaxy S25 FE are both extremely solid smartphones, but if we’re being honest, neither one is particularly exciting — nor is the Galaxy A57. If you want your next Android phone to stand out from the crowd, even if you only have about $500 to spend, you can absolutely get that with the Nothing Phone 4a Pro.

It goes without saying that no Android phone looks quite like the Nothing Phone 4a Pro does. The large transparent camera bump, the unique camera sensor placement, and the Glyph Matrix secondary display all come together to create a truly original design — and it’s stunning. But it’s not just the design that makes the Phone 4a Pro shine.

Like the S25 FE, the Nothing Phone 4a Pro also has a telephoto camera rather than a macro lens like the A57. However, Nothing offers a superior periscope telephoto lens with 3.5x optical zoom. It also has a slightly larger battery than the A57, faster wired charging, and a much brighter (and larger) display. I also really prefer Nothing OS over One UI; it’s cleaner, sleeker, and has some really clever customization options.

The Galaxy A57 has some advantages over the Nothing Phone 4a Pro — namely, a better software update policy and a stronger IP rating. But considering everything else the Nothing Phone gets right, and its cheaper $499 starting price, I think those are fair trade-offs.

OnePlus 13R

Good performance, long battery life, and fast charging are three critical aspects of any smartphone. The Galaxy A57 does a fine job with all of these things, but if you want the absolute best you can get without spending a heap of money, you’ll want to buy the OnePlus 13R.

Performance-wise, the 13R’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip is unquestionably better than the A57’s Exynos 1680 — delivering a much more powerful GPU and better CPU performance, too. The OnePlus 13R also has more RAM: 12GB compared to 8GB on the A57. The 13R’s 6,000mAh battery is a huge upgrade over the 5,000mAh cell powering the A57, and OnePlus’s 80W wired charging puts Samsung’s 45W wired charging to shame.

Like the Nothing Phone 4a Pro, the OnePlus 13R can’t match the Galaxy A57 in terms of update support and IP protection. Those are important things to consider, but if performance, battery, and charging are your top priorities for your next smartphone, the OnePlus 13R delivers on them better than the Galaxy A57 ever will.

The OnePlus 13R is a bit more expensive than the Galaxy A57 at $600, but for the right shopper, its upgrades are well worth spending the extra $50. Plus, if you can find a renewed or refurbished version of the phone, you may be able to save some cash.

Motorola Razr (2025)

I always try to squeeze in a foldable or two whenever writing an article like this, and in this particular case, the Motorola Razr (2025) feels like the perfect recommendation.

Compared to the Galaxy A57, the Razr has a few technical downsides. Its IP48 rating is less dust-resistant than the IP68 rating on the A57. The Razr gets just three major Android OS upgrades compared to six on Samsung’s phone. The A57 also has the edge with battery capacity and wired charge speeds. None of that is insignificant.

But consider this: the Razr (2025) can fold. It works like any other Android phone when it’s opened up to the 6.9-inch inner display, but you can then fold it in half and use the 3.6-inch secondary screen to reply to texts, check your calendar, and use any app you want. You can prop the Razr up as a stand for selfies or group photos, use it half-folded with the camera app like a camcorder, and more. No other phone on this list allows for that type of functionality.

The best part? You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to get it. The Razr (2025) retails for $700 but is frequently on sale for less; right now, it’s down to just $600. As a foldable fan myself, that’s money well spent.