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See Top Ranked SmartphonesGoogle Pixel 5a (2021) vs Apple iPhone SE (2020)
See our analysis
Analysis:
The Google Pixel 5a (2021) has managed to impress reviewers from some of the most highly trusted sources on the internet, including CNET and AnandTech. It performed great in their in-depth hands-on roundups - it was awarded the "Best camera for its price" title by CNET and "A reliable mid-range phone with a great camera" by Techradar in their respective Smartphone roundups. That's high praise, especially when coming from such high-quality sources.
Taking a look at the Apple iPhone SE (2020), we found that it was liked by some of the most highly trusted sources, such as PCmag, Wirecutter, CNET, and Tom's Guide - it was named "Most Affordable iPhone" by PCmag, "Other good cell phones" by Wirecutter, and "Most affordable iPhone" by CNET.
Out of the sources that tested and rated both of these Smartphones, slashgear.com preferred the Google Pixel 5a (2021), whereas reviewers at Techradar, PhoneArena, TrustedReviews, and GSMArena liked the Apple iPhone SE (2020) better. Tom's Guide, PCmag, and Android Central gave them identical review scores.
We also took a look at which sources liked these products best - the highest Google Pixel 5a (2021) rating came from Tom's Guide, whereas the Apple iPhone SE (2020) most impressed reviewers at What Hi-Fi?; they earned scores of 9 and 10, respectively.
Lastly, we averaged out all of the reviews scores that we could find on these two products and compared them to other Smartphones on the market. We learned that both of them performed far better than most of their competitors - the overall review average earned by Smartphones being 7.5 out of 10, whereas the Google Pixel 5a (2021) and Apple iPhone SE (2020) managed averages of 8.6 and 8.1 points, respectively.
Due to the difference in their prices, however, it's important to keep in mind that a direct Google Pixel 5a (2021) vs. Apple iPhone SE (2020) comparison might not be entirely fair - some sources don't take value for money into account when assigning their scores and therefore have a tendency to rate more premium products better.
Tech. Specs Comparison
Google Pixel 5a (2021)
$334
Apple iPhone SE (2020)
Operating System
Android
iOS
Screen size
6.34 (inches)
4.7 (inches)
Reddit Threads (0)
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No Data
Reddit Threads (10)
in "Girl Is Repulsed By Man Having An Old Phone"
Last updated: 5 Jun 2021
in "The iPhone 12 Pro Max is hard to use with one hand because of iOS, not screen size"
Last updated: 9 Feb 2021
in "Sex offender, 38, 'spent hours glued to child porn on AT&T store iPad' until horrified workers called police"
Last updated: 31 Dec 2020
in "For people who use apple products, do you ever get annoyed how apple price gouges there products to an obscene amount, and why do you still buy the products?"
Last updated: 25 Dec 2020
in "Hi. im upgrading from my 100 dollar phone to a more powerful device to run jailbreak. what devices and brands do you guys reccomend"
Last updated: 2 Dec 2020
in "A subtle upgrade from iPhone 8 to 11, but that it makes a world’s difference."
Last updated: 1 Dec 2020
in "What budget phone (<$400) should I get that would last me at least 4 years?"
Last updated: 5 Aug 2020
in "Needed a new phone and decided to join the club while I was at it"
Last updated: 7 Jul 2020
in "My phone died and now i need a new one"
Last updated: 29 Jun 2020
in "Some of us prefer smaller screens and some of us think bigger is best. What's your preferred cell/mobile phone size?"
Last updated: 23 Nov 2020
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Sentiment analysis from Youtube reviewers
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No Data
Higher than average expert review score
7.6
Overall Avg. for Smartphones
8.6
Avg. Review Score
Score
Higher than average expert review score
7.6
Overall Avg. for Smartphones
8.1
Avg. Review Score
Score
Highly recommended by trusted experts
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best Overallin “Best Android Phones: November 2021 - Mid-Range (US)”
Last updated: 19 Nov 2021
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best camera for its pricein “Best T-Mobile Phones for 2023”
Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best Overallin “Best cell phone for seniors 2023”
Last updated: 3 May 2022
Trusted Source-
Depth of
analysis
analysis
No
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best Overallin “Best camera phone 2023”
Last updated: 16 Apr 2022
Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Runner Upin “The 7 Best Phones With a Headphone Jack”
Last updated: 9 Mar 2022
Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
A reliable mid-range phone with a great camerain “Best Pixel phones 2023: we've ranked all the Google Pixel handsets worth buying”
Last updated: 11 May 2023
zdnet.com
Depth of
analysis
analysis
No
In-house
Testing
Testing
The best older Google phonein “The best Google Pixel phones of 2023: Expert reviewed”
Last updated: 23 Mar 2023
Depth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
The Best Budget Android Phonein “The 6 Best Small Smartphones That Don’t Skimp on Features”
Last updated: 6 Dec 2021
Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “Which Smartphone Camera Is Best in 2022?”
Last updated: 27 Mar 2022
gizbot.com
-
Depth of
analysis
analysis
No
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “Top 10 Trending Smartphones: Redmi Note 10 Pro, Redmi 10, Poco X3 Pro, Pixel 5a 5G, And More”
Last updated: 30 Aug 2021
See fewer recommendations
Highly recommended by trusted experts
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best Overallin “Best phones to gift to your grad in 2021”
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Runner Upin “Best used smartphones in 2023”
Last updated: 25 Jul 2023
Wirecutter
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Runner Upin “iPhone vs. Android: Which Is Better for You?”
Last updated: 16 May 2023
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Most Affordable iPhonein “The Best Phones for Seniors in 2023”
Last updated: 5 Jul 2023
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “Best waterproof phone in 2023: cellphones that beat perpetual fear”
Last updated: 25 Oct 2022
Trusted Source-
Depth of
analysis
analysis
No
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best Overallin “What's the Difference Between Apple's Two Smallest iPhones?”
Last updated: 17 Apr 2023
Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best Overallin “How to choose the best iPhone for seniors”
Last updated: 16 Jan 2023
Trusted Source-
Depth of
analysis
analysis
No
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best Overallin “The top 5 Apple gadgets rumored for 2020”
Last updated: 31 Dec 2019
Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Runner Upin “Which Budget Phone Has the Best Camera?”
Last updated: 27 Jun 2023
Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best pay-as-you-go Apple phonein “Best pay-as-you-go phone 2023: Save loads with these PAYG handsets”
Last updated: 9 Jun 2023
Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “These 7 phones are the best Google Pixel 4a alternatives”
Last updated: 8 Feb 2021
Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “Best small phone 2022: the top tiny, compact smartphone choices”
Last updated: 31 Oct 2022
-
Depth of
analysis
analysis
No
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best Overallin “Best iPhone (2023): Which Model Should You Actually Buy?”
Last updated: 25 Apr 2023
Depth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best Overallin “Best cheap phones in 2021: iPhone, Pixel, and more”
Last updated: 21 Jun 2021
Depth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best small iPhonein “The best phones in 2023: our 14 favorite smartphones you can buy”
Last updated: 10 Aug 2023
Depth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “Best iPhone in 2023 (August Reviews)”
Last updated: 20 Jul 2023
The TelegraphDepth of
analysis
analysis
No
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “Best budget smartphones that prove you don't have to spend a fortune for quality”
Last updated: 2 Sep 2021
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best Overallin “Best phones for back to school 2020”
Wirecutter
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Runner Upin “The Best Smartphones”
Last updated: 1 Feb 2023
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best Affordable iPhonein “What's the Best iPhone to Buy in 2023?”
Last updated: 5 Jul 2023
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “Back to school tech deals in 2023: Everything you need for the new school year”
Last updated: 8 Jul 2021
Trusted Source-
Depth of
analysis
analysis
No
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best Overallin “Which Affordable Smartphone Has the Best Camera?”
Last updated: 1 Jun 2021
Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “These 6 flagship killers are the best alternatives to the OnePlus 8 series”
Last updated: 14 May 2021
Depth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best Overallin “Best cheap phones in 2021: iPhone, Pixel, and more”
Last updated: 21 Jun 2021
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Runner Upin “Best Small Phone of 2023”
Wirecutter
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Other good cell phonesin “The Best Cell Phones for Older Adults”
Last updated: 7 Jul 2023
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best Entry-Level iPhonein “The Best Phones for Kids in 2023”
Last updated: 23 Jun 2023
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “The best iPhone for photography in 2023: from the iPhone SE to iPhone 14 Pro Max”
Last updated: 14 Jun 2023
Trusted Source-
Depth of
analysis
analysis
No
In-house
Testing
Testing
Runner Upin “12 of the Best Mobile Gadgets of 2020”
Last updated: 25 Aug 2022
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Runner Upin “Best Cheap Phone of 2023: Most Value for Money”
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Most Affordable Small iPhonein “The Best Small Phones for 2023”
Last updated: 15 Mar 2023
Trusted Source-
Depth of
analysis
analysis
No
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best Budget Smartphonein “The 12 Best Tech Products of Winter 2022”
Last updated: 23 Nov 2022
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best Affordable New iPhonein “The Best Cheap Phones for 2023”
Last updated: 24 Jan 2023
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Most affordable iPhonein “Best Phone to Buy for 2023”
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Best budget 5G iPhonein “Best 5G Phones of 2023”
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
Most affordable iPhonein “Best Verizon Phone for 2023”
Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “Best cell phone for seniors 2023”
Last updated: 3 May 2022
Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “When is the best time to buy an iPhone?”
Last updated: 19 Jul 2023
Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “Best phones for seniors of 2023”
Last updated: 30 May 2022
Depth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “The 8 best cheap phones you can buy”
Last updated: 8 Aug 2016
Wirecutter
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “Which iPhone Should I Get?”
Last updated: 5 Jun 2023
Depth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “The 8 best cheap phones you can buy”
Last updated: 8 Aug 2016
Depth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “The 8 best cheap phones you can buy”
Last updated: 8 Aug 2016
Highly Trusted SourceDepth of
analysis
analysis
Yes
In-house
Testing
Testing
in “Best phones to give as gifts: iPhone 12, Galaxy S20 FE, Pixel 4A 5G and more”
See fewer recommendations
Find the best product and price, effortlessly.
Discover deals on the best products
We do the research. You save the money.
Opt out anytime