Samsung Galaxy A57 5G falls short of other mid-range options

Earlier this year, I found the Google Pixel 10a somewhat disappointing compared to previous Pixel A-series devices. Google's mid-range phone is almost always one of (if not the) best in the category every year, but the Pixel 10a felt compromised due to a lack of AI feature parity with the flagship Pixel phones and other noteworthy improvements.

Now, Google can rest easy because the Pixel 10a looks a good deal better now that the Samsung Galaxy A57 5G is here. The higher-end of two mid-range devices announced in late March, the A57 purports to bring a premium feel at a relatively modest $549 starting price. In some respects, it accomplishes this; the display is nice,...