Galaxy A23 5G vs Tecno Pova 6 Neo (2026): Older Samsung or Newer Tecno?
Buy the Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G if you want the newer phone for less money: a 2024 Dimensity 6300, up to 256GB of storage, a 108MP sensor and a newer Android build. Buy the Galaxy A23 5G only at a real discount — it keeps two things the Tecno lacks, optical image stabilisation and 25W charging, plus Samsung's service network. Both are budget 5G phones with 5,000mAh batteries, but they are two years apart, and that shows in different places than you would expect.
In a hurry? Jump to → Quick verdict · Full spec comparison · Display · Performance · Cameras · Battery & charging · Updates · Buying gotchas · How we compared · FAQ
The interesting thing about this matchup is that the older phone wins the categories people assume newer hardware always takes. Samsung shipped the A23 5G in 2022 with optical stabilisation on its main camera and 25W charging; Tecno shipped the Pova 6 Neo 5G in 2024 with a bigger megapixel count, no stabilisation and slower 18W charging. So "which is newer" and "which is better" have different answers depending on what you do — and for photography, being newer does not help the Tecno at all.
Quick verdict: Galaxy A23 5G vs Pova 6 Neo 5G
Choose the Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G if you want the most current hardware at the lowest price. A newer 6nm chip, a newer Android version, up to 256GB of storage and a 108MP sensor that resolves good detail in daylight.
Choose the Galaxy A23 5G if you photograph indoors or in the evening (OIS genuinely matters), you want faster charging, you need microSD expansion, or you want a repair network that exists in every town.
On balance the Tecno is the better buy in 2026, mostly because the Samsung's software support is nearly finished.
Who wins what, category by category
| Category | Winner | Why it wins |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G | Cheaper, and newer for the money |
| Chipset | Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G | Dimensity 6300 (2024) vs Snapdragon 695 (2021) |
| Low-light photos | Galaxy A23 5G | 50MP with OIS beats 108MP without it |
| Daylight detail | Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G | 108MP resolves more in good light |
| Charging | Galaxy A23 5G | 25W vs 18W on the same 5,000mAh |
| Storage | Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G | Up to 256GB UFS 2.2 onboard |
| Expandable storage | Galaxy A23 5G | microSD up to 1TB |
| Software freshness | Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G | Ships on a much newer Android |
| Remaining support | Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G | Samsung's 4-year window is closing |
| Service network | Galaxy A23 5G | Samsung support is far more widely available |
Score: Tecno 6 – Samsung 4. The Samsung's wins are real but narrow; the Tecno's advantage is simply being two years younger.
Galaxy A23 5G vs Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G: full spec comparison
| Specification | Samsung Galaxy A23 5G | Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022 | September 2024 |
| Typical 2026 price | ~$180 / ₹15,000 | ~$150 / ₹12,500 |
| Display | 6.6" PLS LCD | 6.67" LCD |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2408 (400 ppi) | FHD+ class |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Cover glass | Gorilla Glass 5 | Not specified |
| Processor | Snapdragon 695 5G (6nm) | Dimensity 6300 (6nm) |
| RAM | 4 / 6 / 8GB | 6 / 8GB |
| Storage | 64 / 128GB + microSD (1TB) | 128 / 256GB UFS 2.2 |
| Main camera | 50MP with OIS | 108MP, no OIS |
| Ultrawide | 5MP | ✖ None |
| Other lenses | 2MP macro + 2MP depth | AI helper lens |
| Front camera | 8MP | 8MP |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Wired charging | 25W (~68 min) | 18W |
| Water resistance | Not rated | IP54 |
| Zoom | Digital only | 3x in-sensor crop |
| Update policy | 4 yrs security from 2022 | ~2 yrs security from 2024 |
Display: an unusually even match
Both use 120Hz LCD panels at roughly 6.6 to 6.7 inches with FHD-class resolution, so neither has an AMOLED advantage and both scroll smoothly. Samsung's panel is protected by Gorilla Glass 5 and is well calibrated; Tecno's is bright enough indoors but less consistent.
The honest summary: this category is close enough that it should not decide your purchase. Neither screen has true blacks, and both are perfectly fine for video and social apps.
Performance: the Tecno's clearest win
The Snapdragon 695 was a solid budget chip in 2022 and remains adequate. The Dimensity 6300 is newer and slightly quicker, with better efficiency — not a transformation, but the right direction.
| Benchmark (approximate) | Galaxy A23 5G | Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 single-core | ~660 | ~740 |
| Geekbench 6 multi-core | ~1,900 | ~2,000 |
| AnTuTu v10 total | ~390,000 | ~420,000 |
| Gaming | Low settings | Low settings, slightly better sustained |
Benchmark figures are typical published ranges from public test databases rather than our own runs — read them as a class gap, not an exact score for your unit.
The gap is modest — around 5–10% — so do not buy the Tecno expecting a leap. What matters more is that a 2024 chip will receive app and platform optimisation for longer than a 2021 one.
Also Read: Tecno Pova 6 Neo vs OnePlus 12R
Cameras: where the older phone wins
Galaxy A23 5G camera
- 50MP main with optical image stabilisation
- 5MP ultrawide for wide shots and group photos
- 2MP macro and 2MP depth helpers
- 8MP selfie camera
Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G camera
- 108MP main without OIS, with a 3x in-sensor crop mode
- AI helper lens — not a focal length you would choose
- No ultrawide
- 8MP selfie camera
This is the section that decides the comparison for a lot of people. Optical stabilisation is the single most useful camera feature at this price, because it is what keeps handheld indoor and evening shots sharp. The Tecno's 108MP sensor genuinely resolves more detail in bright daylight and its 3x crop is handy, but as light drops the Samsung's OIS pulls ahead. The A23 5G also has an ultrawide lens; the Tecno has none.
If you photograph people indoors, the two-year-older Samsung is the better camera phone.
Battery and charging: same cell, faster Samsung
Both carry 5,000mAh and both comfortably clear a day. The difference is refill speed: 25W on the Samsung gets to full in roughly 68 minutes, while 18W on the Tecno takes appreciably longer — a difference you feel when you need a quick top-up before leaving.
Neither has wireless charging, and neither is likely to include a charger in every market, so check the box contents.
Software and updates: the reason to go newer
Samsung promised four years of security patches from the A23 5G's 2022 launch, which is genuinely good for a budget phone — but that puts the end of support around 2026. One UI is also heavier on a 4GB configuration than Samsung's marketing suggests.
The Pova 6 Neo 5G ships on a much newer Android release with HiOS on top. Tecno's commitment is shorter in years, but starting from 2024 means more remaining runway than the Samsung has. HiOS does preload recommendation apps and notifications you will want to disable immediately.
Net: buy the Tecno for remaining support, the Samsung for the better policy that is nearly used up.
Which one should you buy?
Buy the Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G if: you want the newest platform for the least money, you need more onboard storage, you shoot mostly in daylight, and you want more remaining security support.
Buy the Galaxy A23 5G if: you find it discounted, you photograph indoors and want OIS, you need microSD expansion or an ultrawide lens, or having a service centre nearby matters to you.
Better option if you can stretch: around ₹18,000–20,000 buys an AMOLED screen and a much stronger chip — see Redmi Note 14 5G compared.
What the spec-comparison sites won't tell you
- OIS never appears in the headline spec. Comparison tables print "50MP vs 108MP" and stop, which is exactly backwards for low-light photography. Stabilisation beats resolution indoors, every time.
- The A23 5G's support window is closing. Four years from 2022 means patches ending around 2026 — verify current status before buying, because a spec table will happily list "One UI" as though it were current.
- Avoid the 4GB A23 5G. One UI is heavy; 6GB is the practical minimum for this phone to stay smooth.
- Tecno's 108MP mode is not the default. The camera shoots binned files normally, and full-resolution mode needs steady hands and good light — without OIS, that combination is rare.
How we compared these phones
We used Samsung's and Tecno's official specification sheets, cross-checked against GSMArena's Galaxy A23 5G lab tests — the source of the 68-minute charge figure — and GSMArena's Pova 6 Neo 5G listing. The analysis deliberately resists the megapixel framing that dominates automated comparisons: we treated optical stabilisation as the more important camera specification, because it determines sharpness in the lighting most people actually shoot in. We also weighted *remaining* software support rather than the headline policy, since a generous four-year promise made in 2022 leaves less runway in 2026 than a shorter promise made in 2024. Benchmark ranges come from public databases and describe class, not exact scores.
Related reading
Bottom line
Galaxy A23 5G vs Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G splits along an unexpected line. The Tecno is newer, cheaper, has a slightly faster Dimensity 6300, more onboard storage and more remaining security support — the sensible buy for most people in 2026. The Samsung wins the two things that are hardest to add later: optical image stabilisation, which makes indoor photos usable, and 25W charging. Photograph indoors, or want a service centre nearby? Take the discounted Samsung. Otherwise take the Tecno.
Specifications, software versions and street prices in this comparison were checked in July 2026. We revisit head-to-head guides whenever either phone gets a major OS update or a lasting price change.
Next step: browse every matchup on our phone comparisons hub, or open full spec sheets in the phone specifications directory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is newer, the Galaxy A23 5G or the Pova 6 Neo 5G?
The Tecno. The Pova 6 Neo 5G arrived in September 2024, while the Galaxy A23 5G launched in 2022. That gives the Tecno a newer chipset and a newer Android version out of the box.
Does the Galaxy A23 5G have optical image stabilisation?
Yes, on its 50MP main camera — and that is its most meaningful advantage. The Pova 6 Neo 5G's 108MP sensor has no OIS, so indoor and low-light photos are more prone to blur despite the higher resolution.
Which charges faster?
The Galaxy A23 5G, at 25W against the Tecno's 18W. Both carry 5,000mAh batteries; the Samsung reaches a full charge in roughly 68 minutes, while the Tecno takes noticeably longer.
Is a 108MP camera better than a 50MP one?
Not automatically. Both bin down to around 12MP in normal shooting, and the Samsung's stabilisation matters more than the Tecno's extra pixels once light drops. In bright daylight the Tecno can resolve more detail.
Which gets software updates longer?
The Samsung, in policy terms — it promised four years of security patches from its 2022 launch, though that window is now closing. The Tecno is newer but Tecno's support is short, typically two OS upgrades and around two years of patches.
Do either support expandable storage?
The Galaxy A23 5G does, via microSD up to 1TB, and it starts at 64GB or 128GB. The Pova 6 Neo 5G offers up to 256GB of onboard UFS 2.2 storage in its higher configuration.
Which should I buy in 2026?
The Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G if you want the newer platform and more storage for less money. The Galaxy A23 5G only if you find it heavily discounted and value OIS, faster charging and Samsung's service network — but be aware its update window is nearly over.
