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Introduction
For the past three years Google has attempted to repackage its flagships phones into A Series phones that capture the Pixel essence at a far more attractive price point. The Google Pixel 6a even got the same custom Tensor chipset as the more expensive Pixels, further sweetening the deal.
The Pixel 6a is notably compact with its 6.1-inch OLED screen and far lighter at 178g (vs 207g for the Pixel 6). It perfectly captures the design, look, and feel of the more expensive Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro while strategically shaving costs down in places that doesn't have a big impact on usability.
The Pixel 6a doesn't have a charger in the box - a change that came with the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. Google also axed the headphone jack in a first for the Pixel A Series.
Google Pixel 6a specs at a glance:
- Body: 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9 mm, 178g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic dual-tone back with horizontal camera bar, aluminum frame; IP67 water and dust resistant.
- Display: 6.1" OLED, 60Hz, HDR, 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 429 ppi.
- Chipset: Google Tensor (5 nm): Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G78 MP20.
- Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM; UFS 3.1.
- OS/Software: Android 12.
- Rear camera: Wide (main): 12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm, (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm .
- Front camera: 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm.
- Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
- Battery: 4410mAh; Fast charging 18W, 24 hour battery life (advertised), USB Power Delivery 3.0.
- Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); NFC; stereo speakers; nanoSIM + eSIM;
The Pixel 6a's camera is the tried-and-true Sony IMX 363 sensor, the same one that's been used since the Google Pixel 2. Google only stopped using it on its premium Pixels this year, so we probably shouldn't be surprised that the 6a didn't get a different sensor. And we might still see the aging sensor up its performance when paired with the Google Tensor.
Pixel A Series have had excellent battery endurance historically. This time Google slightly reduced the battery size, but with a smaller screen and the Tensor chip we might be in for another solid run. We are also hoping that the 6a has addressed thermal performance weakness we saw with the 6 and 6 Pro. But let's start with the unboxing.
Unboxing the Google Pixel 6a
The Google Pixel 6a comes in a slim package that we can't really say covers even the essentials. You'll no longer find a power adapter in the package, so the Pixel 6a comes with a SIM eject tool and 1-meter USB-C to C cable. We're glad to also see the USB-C (male) to USB-C (female) "Quick Switch Adapter" for bringing data from another Android device or iPhone over a cable.
Now let's dive into the testing, starting with the phone's design, looks, and build. We're excited for this one, so grab an icy beverage and enjoy the ride.
Design, build quality, handling
The Google Pixel 6a dresses a lot like the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro - mostly the former with its flat display and uniform bezel around the frame. Where the 5a was softer and curvier around the corners and edges, the 6а's corners are a bit tighter, making for a more squarish appearance. Overall, the Pixel 6a manages to look more expensive than it is.
The Pixel 6a measures 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9 mm and weighs in at 178g, just a few grams lighter than the slightly larger Google Pixel 5a. Additionally, the Pixel 6a brings IP67 water and dust resistance.
While most devices - even in the mid-range - are using displays larger than 6.5-inches, the Pixel 6a's screen is more manageable for one-handed use, though you may still need to do some finger gymnastics to reach the status bar unless you have larger-than-average hands.
Plus, this 6.1-inch panel is tiny and will be a "Goldilocks" size for many. It isn't often we see devices of this size with flagship-level performance on this side of the Android/iOS divide, despite it being the most popular on the other.
A round opening centered below the top edge of the display houses an 8MP selfie camera, unchanged from previous generation Pixel phones. Ambient and proximity sensors are a little further below, directly underneath the display - while the fingerprint scanner sits at the opposite end. The cover glass on top is Gorilla Glass 3.
The placement of the fingerprint scanner is well-chosen on the 6a - it's high enough that you don't have to grip too far down to reach with a thumb. Yet we always found that you need to shift your hand when pressing the power key to wake the device and then scan a thumb. This could easily be avoided if you y wake the phone by double-tap or lift-to-wake, both of which are enabled on the Pixel 6a by default.
The backside of the phone, though identical to the Pixel 6, is constructed differently here. The rear cover of the Pixel 6a is made of high-gloss plastic that looks convincingly like glass. Google even managed to emulate the camera bar using mostly plastic.
The cameras have glass lenses and are surrounded by a black camera bar made of mostly plastic. The inserts above and below the camera bar are made of metal, however. We'd be wary of the back panel getting scratched up under regular use if it is not in a case. Plus, the glossy plastic easily gets covered in fingerprints.
The frame is made from aluminum and features an anodized black finish.
There are several antenna inlais along its perimeter with physical buttons on the right side, a USB-C port on the bottom, and a single nanoSIM tray on the lower-left edge of the device.
The power and volume keys are satisfyingly tactile, and you shouldn't need to worry about accidental presses.
There are loudspeaker ports on the bottom of the frame and top-edge of the screen, but the headphone jack has made its permanent departure from the A Series.
Moving on to our lab tests. We'll look at the display, battery endurance, and take a look at the loudspeakers.
6.1-inch OLED display
The Google Pixel 6a is equipped with a 6.1-inch OLED panel with pedestrian 60Hz refresh rate. The resolution of 1080 x 2400 px adds up to a 20:9 aspect ratio and 429ppi density, which is plenty sharp. The panel supports HDR10+ content. The punch-hole selfie camera is centered at the top edge of the panel, all protected by a slab of the more economical Gorilla Glass 3.
This screen is amply bright even for use under direct sunlight. While the maximum brightness achieved with the manual brightness slider is 505 nits, the Pixel 6a got to the impressive 876 nits when set to the adaptive mode.
Comfortable in bright conditions, this display is just as gentle in darkness with just 2 nits of minimum brightness for non-blinding usage at the bedside.
| Display test | 100% brightness | ||
| Black, |
White, |
||
| 0 | 1003 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 876 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 861 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 846 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 831 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 830 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 803 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 663 | ∞ | |
| 0.425 | 605 | 1424:1 | |
| 0 | 530 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 516 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 508 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 505 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 477 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 466 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 449 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 427 | ∞ | |
Color accuracy
With an average deltaE of 2.4 and a maximum deviation of 5.6, the default Adaptive color mode (based on the DCI-P3 color space) has reasonable if not amazing color accuracy with an ever-so-slight warm tint. The colors are vivid and pleasing though.
The Natural profile is based on the sRGB color space and we got far more accurate colors here. Average deviation was 1.3 with a maximum deltaE of 3. Finally, the Boosted profile (also based on sRGB) displays slightly more vibrant colors with an average deltaE of 1.6 and maximum deviation of 4. Remember, anything under 2 deviations is indistinguishable to the naked eye.
Refresh rate
Though some competitors best Google with higher refresh rate displays, most consumers searching for a device in this price category would not consider a standard display refresh rate to be a deal breaker. That said, the 60Hz refresh rate certainly isn't winning the Pixel 6a any extra points.
Battery life
The Pixel 6a uses a solid 4,410 mAh battery. Google officially advertises the Pixel 6a to have 24 hours of battery life or up to 72 hours of battery using Extreme Battery Saver mode.
While we admit we were apprehensive about the battery endurance of another Google Tensor-powered device, we were pleased with its endurance this time around. The Pixel 6a managed a respectable, overall battery score of 94h with nearly 20h of video playback, 15:23h of browsing, and 23:45h of call time.
We are perfectly happy with the screen-on tests, but both the standby and call test endurance scores were somewhat disappointing.
Our battery tests were automated thanks to SmartViser, using its viSerDevice app. The endurance rating denotes how long the battery charge will last you if you use the Google Pixel 6a for an hour of telephony, web browsing, and video playback daily. More details can be found here.
Video test carried out in 60Hz refresh rate mode. Web browsing test done at the display's highest refresh rate whenever possible. Refer to the respective reviews for specifics. To adjust the endurance rating formula to match your own usage patterns check out our all-time battery test results chart where you can also find all phones we've tested.
Charging speed
This generation of Google Pixel doesn't include any charger in the box. Luckily we had Google's official 18W USB-C PD charger at hand for testing the charging speeds.
We were able to get to 42% during the first 30 minutes of charging.
30min charging test (from 0%)
Higher is better
- Realme GT Neo3T
95% - Poco F4
92% - Xiaomi 11T
86% - Apple iPhone SE (2022)
61% - Asus Zenfone 9
57% - Apple iPhone 11 (18W)
55% - Apple iPhone 13
54% - Nothing phone (1)
48% - Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
45% - Google Pixel 6a
42% - Google Pixel 6 (18W)
41%
After that, charging speeds taper off rapidly and a full charge clocked in at 1:53h.
Time to full charge (from 0%)
Lower is better
- Poco F4
0:38h - Realme GT Neo3T
0:40h - Xiaomi 11T
0:41h - Asus Zenfone 9
1:15h - Apple iPhone SE (2022)
1:18h - Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
1:24h - Nothing phone (1)
1:31h - Apple iPhone 13
1:46h - Google Pixel 6a
1:51h - Google Pixel 6 (18W)
1:53h
Stereo speakers
The Pixel 6a's speakers are set up like many other devices: there is one downward-firing speaker, and another front-facing speaker that also doubles as the earpiece.
These speakers are dynamic, and they sound well enough. Though they are not as dynamic as the best we've heard, we've certainly heard lesser speakers from even more expensive devices. Sound output is amply loud with little to no distortion at higher volumes too.
Android 12 and five years of software support
With Android 13 still a few weeks from its release, the Pixel 6a launches with Android 12 out of the box. Starting with the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, all subsequent Pixels are promised to receive Android OS version updates for three years and security updates for five years from their release dates. The Pixel 6a will be eligible to receive major Android OS updated through July 2025 and security updates until July 2027.
Since this is a Pixel phone, the 6a will also be among the first to receive beta previews for future Android builds - if you're into that. Google also has quarterly "Feature Drop" releases - which can also be beta tested if you opt for Google's QPR beta program.
Android 12 wasn't the smoothest transition for Google's Pixel lineup, with the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro facing numerous bugs within the first several months of their product cycle. Google has had time to refine Android 12 and the Tensor chip's performance since, so we were hoping for far more polished software and smooth operation out of the box.
Upon first booting the Pixel 6a, you'll see option to select the device's language and set up accessibility assistance if needed. You'll also be offered to transfer data from another device using the included "Quick Switch Adapter" before logging in with a Google account.
Then, you'll be asked to enter a lock screen method and to register your fingerprints. After setting up or skipping past Google Assistant settings, you'll select whether you want to use navigation gestures to get around. If you skip past it, you'll revert to the classic navigation bar - but you can change your mind later.
Welcome • Transfer • PIN code • Google Assistant • Navigation gestures • Fingerprint set up
To the left of the home screen is a Google Feed, there's a Google Search bar at the bottom of every home screen page and swiping up will bring the application drawer. Swiping down from anywhere on the launcher will pull the notification shade down so you won't need to always perform calisthenics with your digits to reach the status bar.
Home screen • Google Feed • App drawer • Notification shade
In the wallpaper selector, you can choose from some color schemes extracted from the background image. There's also an option to change the grid width/height, as well as activate/deactivate the Dark Theme. You can also set the Dark Theme to sync with the sunset/sunrise from the display settings.
Theme style • Wallpaper colors • Dark theme option: from launcher • from Display settings
Some of the more notable software features on the Pixel 6a are enabled by the Google Tensor chip. Assistant Voice Typing is one of the most compelling, which transcribes voice to text near-instantaneously and without requiring a network connection, leveraging on-device language processing. Typing with Assistant is available in English, German, and Japanese.
Assistant Voice Typing
Live Captions and Live Translation are useful features as well. Live Caption works in six languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Japanese. Live Translation of Live Caption is possible between these same languages.
Live Caption and options to translate them
Live Caption settings
If recording lectures or meetings is a regular occurrence in your life, the Pixel 6a's Voice Recording app is an excellent tool with instant transcription and powerful editing tools to make the best use of a voice recording. You can even edit interviews by removing text from the transcription, and the corresponding section of the recording will be updated. Recordings can be automatically backed up to a Google Drive account as well.
Voice recording app
Google Pixel has some telephony features exclusive to its devices. The most popular one is Call Screen. This one lets you summon Google Assistant to answer a call from an unknown number and you'll get a real-time transcription. You can hop in on the call at any point, send to voicemail, or block number and report as spam.
Call Screen
Live Caption even works for phone calls. The Pixel 6a will transcribe calls and translate the other end's words if needed. Like with playing back content previously, the final translation is not completely accurate, but it should get the point across.
Live caption and translate call
Call Screen is available automatically to all Pixel users in the US in English. It needs to be manually enabled everywhere else Call Screen is available: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Spain, and UK.
Haptic feedback
The haptic input on the 6a has noticeably improved over the 5a. We're not sure if this is using the same haptic motor as that of the Pixel 6 or 6 Pro, but we can say that vibration is tight and firm when unlocking with fingerprint and navigating UI. It's also strong with incoming notifications and phone calls. It is set to the highest by default, but you can adjust the intensity of haptic feedback individually for ringtones, notifications, and touch feedback.
Haptic settings
Performance and benchmarks
The Google Pixel 6a is powered by the same Google Tensor chipset that resulted from a collaboration between Google and Samsung. It's 2+2+4 core configuration remains unique among smartphone SoCs with a different approach to handing tasks.
The first cluster is a pair of Cortex-X1 cores with a maximum clock-speed of 2.8GHz, then another cluster with a pair of Cortex-A76 cores at 2.25GHz, and an efficiency cluster consisting of four Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.8GHz. The Tensor chip is tuned to handle medium-level with the X1 cores at a more efficient workload rather than maxing out both Cortex-A76 mid cores. Graphics are handled by the 20-core Mali G78 MP20.
One of the selling points of the Google Tensor was its TPU (Tensor Processing Unit) which leverages a machine learning engine to enable new ways of processing information. There's a modern language processing model for improved speed and accuracy of voice input and usability with Google Assistant.
This machine learning engine also let Google's HDRnet capture video at up to 4K @ 60fps to enable greater color accuracy, though we're not sure if it is present on the Pixel 6a. A "Context Hub" inside also handles some of the Pixel's "ambient experiences" like the Always-on Ambient display and the Now Playing feature without using too much power.
Let's jump into synthetic benchmark tests and see where the Pixel 6a places amongst its competition. The Google Tensor chipset's CPU performance is comparable to the Snadpragon 888 - not quite on top of the charts, but great for the 6a's class. You'll also see the jump in performance from the Pixel 5a' Snapdragon 765.
GeekBench 5 (single-core)
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone SE (2022)
1729 - Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
1096 - Google Pixel 6a
1047 - Google Pixel 6
1030 - Asus Zenfone 9 (Dynamic)
927 - Nothing Phone (1)
820 - Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
743 - Xiaomi 11T
742 - Google Pixel 5a 5G
574 - OnePlus Nord 2T 5G
493
GeekBench 5 (multi-core)
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone SE (2022)
4629 - Asus Zenfone 9 (Dynamic)
3606 - Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
3049 - Nothing Phone (1)
3024 - Google Pixel 6
2899 - Google Pixel 6a
2876 - Xiaomi 11T
2834 - OnePlus Nord 2T 5G
2694 - Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
1891 - Google Pixel 5a 5G
1337
AnTuTu 9
Higher is better
- Asus Zenfone 9 (Dynamic)
783425 - Apple iPhone SE (2022)
723486 - Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
719696 - Google Pixel 6a
712092 - Google Pixel 6
676831 - OnePlus Nord 2T 5G
619610 - Nothing Phone (1)
592789 - Xiaomi 11T
590837 - Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
379313 - Google Pixel 5a 5G
373168
The Pixel 6a performed quite well in graphics testing and its FHD+ resolution display gives it an edge in some of the onscreen tests.
GFX Aztek ES 3.1 High (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Asus Zenfone 9 (Dynamic)
57 - Google Pixel 6a
47 - Google Pixel 6
46 - Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
38 - OnePlus Nord 2T 5G
31 - Xiaomi 11T
30 - Nothing Phone (1)
23 - Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
15 - Google Pixel 5a 5G
13
GFX Aztek ES 3.1 High (offscreen 1440p)
Higher is better
- Asus Zenfone 9 (Dynamic)
33 - Google Pixel 6
30 - Google Pixel 6a
29 - Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
24 - OnePlus Nord 2T 5G
22 - Xiaomi 11T
21 - Nothing Phone (1)
15 - Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
10 - Google Pixel 5a 5G
8.4
GFX Aztek Vulkan High (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Asus Zenfone 9 (Dynamic)
47 - Google Pixel 6
43 - Google Pixel 6a
39 - Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
38 - OnePlus Nord 2T 5G
30 - Xiaomi 11T
29 - Nothing Phone (1)
23 - Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
15 - Google Pixel 5a 5G
11
GFX Aztek Vulkan High (offscreen 1440p)
Higher is better
- Asus Zenfone 9 (Dynamic)
36 - Google Pixel 6a
32 - Google Pixel 6
30 - Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
25 - OnePlus Nord 2T 5G
20 - Xiaomi 11T
20 - Nothing Phone (1)
16 - Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
10 - Google Pixel 5a 5G
8.4
GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Asus Zenfone 9 (Dynamic)
66 - Apple iPhone SE (2022)
60 - Apple iPhone 11
60 - Google Pixel 6
57 - Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
56 - Google Pixel 6a
51 - OnePlus Nord 2T 5G
42 - Xiaomi 11T
40 - Nothing Phone (1)
33 - Google Pixel 5a 5G
19 - Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
19
GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (offscreen 1080p)
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone SE (2022)
97 - Apple iPhone 11
76 - Asus Zenfone 9 (Dynamic)
75 - Google Pixel 6a
66 - Google Pixel 6
66 - Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
57 - OnePlus Nord 2T 5G
51 - Xiaomi 11T
47 - Nothing Phone (1)
37 - Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
23 - Google Pixel 5a 5G
21
3DMark Wild Life Vulkan 1.1 (offscreen 1440p)
Higher is better
- Asus Zenfone 9 (Dynamic)
10178 - Apple iPhone SE (2022)
9130 - Google Pixel 6
6832 - Google Pixel 6a
6066 - Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
5432 - OnePlus Nord 2T 5G
4653 - Xiaomi 11T
4172 - Nothing Phone (1)
2921 - Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
2292 - Google Pixel 5a 5G
1674
The Pixel 6a performs wonderfully for a mid-ranger. We're content that Google made the effort to bring higher performance to a more accessible price point. Though the Google Tensor didn't have the smoothest of releases late last year with buggy software and heavy throttling, we're happy to report there is noticeable improvement with the 6a.
Performance stability test
We are happy to report that Google has greatly improved the thermal performance of the Pixel 6a over the Pixels 6 and 6 Pro. Although the 6a does get warm under moderate use, stability is quite good. Performance was steadily between 85% and 95% for the first few minutes until around the 8-minute mark, where it reached 80% and stayed there for the remainder of the hour-long test.
Pixel 6a performance stability
For reference, the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro saw drops down to 60% and below when stressed continuously.
Now let's move on to the Pixel 6a's camera performance.
Tried and true 12.1MP duo
While the Pixels 6 and 6 Pro came with updated a 50MP main camera sensor, the Pixel 6a went with Google's ol' reliable: the Sony IMX363 and IMX386 for the main and ultrawide cameras, respectively.
This is the same main camera sensor that Google's been using since the Pixel 2 and despite its age Google has retained its relevance by dedicating considerable effort on the software side of image processing. While the more premium Pixel 6 devices get an updated sensor, the IMX363 is a great performer for the 6a's midrange segment.
There's not really anything new about the camera hardware on the Pixel 6a, but the Tensor chip does enable some new experiences on Pixel 6a, and images are captured and processed significantly quicker than on the Pixel 5a.
The camera app is simple and easy to use. There are Camera, Portrait, Night Sight, and Video modes in the carousel and there are a few extra modes including Photo Sphere, Panorama, and Lens. (Note: the following screenshots are from the Pixel 6, but the camera apps are 100% identical)
Viewfinder • Storage location • Quick settings • Portrait mode • Auto Night Sight • Night Sight
Daylight image quality
Images from the main camera have minimal noise and reasonable detail levels. One characteristic trait of Pixel cameras that we continue to see here is the contrasty look and even exposure across the images.
Dynamic range is excellent here. Backlit scenes are handled expertly, though you may notice some fringing that resulted from the HDR+ working hard. The Pixel 6a's camera does a really good job of bringing details out of the shadowy areas, though some may argue that that shadows should be left darker for the image to look more realistic (an opinion we don't really share).
Daylight samples (1X)
Here are some comparison shots with the Pixel 6 Pro. We're looking to see if we can notice any difference in the resulting image.
The same images shot with Pixel 6 Pro
We certainly notice the Pixel 6 Pro's different color rendering - some images appear slightly less saturated. It has a slight edge in dynamic range and resolved details too, but it's not too dramatic.
The ultrawide camera performed adequately. Shots between the ultrawide and the main cameras are consistent in color rendition and contrast. Dynamic range is more limited here though and resolved detail isn't as great.
Daylight ultra-wide shots
The camera app features a 2X zoom preset. Although the Pixel 6a doesn't have a dedicated telephoto camera, these cropped shots use both HDR+ and Google's Super Res Zoom to try and make up for that.
Super Res Zoom (2X)
As you could expect they aren't amazing - perhaps just a little better than if you were to simply crop the same image shot in 1X. There's certainly some extra computational photography at play here, but don't expect miracles. That said, these shots are perfectly usable for many purposes if you want to save yourself some time with cropping in post-processing.
Portraits and selfies
There are two options when taking portrait shots. The 1X mode (more like 1.4X) crops in a on the main sensor a bit and this is our preferred way of taking portraits. There's a 2X option that crops in just a bit more and while the 2X shots have potential to look okay, we'd still shoot a backup portrait photo using the "1X" mode just in case.
Portrait: 1X • 2X • 1X • 2X
The bokeh effect looks great. Although there's no option to adjust the strength of the blur when taking the shot, every portrait photo saves depth information. You can refocus the image on another subject and blur the subject if you want, and you can adjust the depth and blur amounts as you'd like.
The 8MP front facing camera has an 84-degree field of view and takes flattering selfies. HDR+ works on the front camera too, and the dynamic range performance here does a great job in backlit scenes. Colors and contrast are consistent with the main camera and there is a face retouching option, but it is turned off by default and in these samples.
Selfies
Here are some shots to compare to the Pixel 6 Pro's selfie camera which has a higher resolution 11MP sensor and a wider lens.
Pixel 6 Pro selfies
Selfie portraits look decent as well. Unlike the main camera, the front camera won't crop in when taking portrait selfies.
Selfie portraits
Night Sight
By default, the Pixel 6a will automatically enable Night Sight if it deems necessary. If you prefer, you can switch it off manually. Here are some Night Sight shots.
Night Sight 1X
Night Sight ultrawide
Here are some comparison shots with the Pixel 6 Pro.
Pixel 6 Pro Night Sight (main camera)
Pixel 6 Pro Night Sight (ultrawide)
The Pixel 6a's Night Sight shots are really great and while not quite a match for the Pixel 6 Pro's they come far enough so you need to pixel peep to tell the phones aparat. A proper achievement for the mid-ranger here.
Video quality
The Google Pixel 6a is capable of recording 4k video at up to 60fps from the main camera, and up to 4k @ 30fps with the ultrawide camera. Resulting video looks great with minimal noise and even exposures. The picture here is consistent with still images and keep the same contrasty look.
Video from the ultrawide, though a little softer than that of the main camera, is consistent with the main camera in colors and dynamic range. We also noticed a little more noise in some of the foliage but great footage otherwise.
The competition
The Google Pixel 6a costs $449 in the US, £399 in the UK, and €459 across major EU markets. It is also available in India for Rs 43,999, where the markup caused by import costs is by far the highest.
There is plenty to choose from in this price range. One competitor selling for less is the Nothing phone (1), which is cheaper than the Pixel 6a. It has a higher refresh rate screen, respectable camera performance, and the unique Glyph design that is sure to stand out even amongst flagships.
If you're after a small flagship device, the iPhone 12 mini is still available from Apple, though it is pricier than the 6a at $599. There's also this year's iPhone SE, which we'd avoid unless you really insist on getting an iPhone and it's the only one you can afford (but then you probably wouldn't be reading this).
Nothing Phone (1) • Apple iPhone 12 mini • Apple iPhone SE (2022)
The Samsung Galaxy A53 is a popular smartphone in the US for its lower price point. You get more features and a more impressive hardware sheet. There a high refresh rate display, large battery, IP67 rating, though the camera is not too stellar and the Exynos 1280 is not a great performer.
If you're after a small Android flagship, the Zenfone 9 is at least worth mentioning. It's priced out of competing with the Pixel 6a, but it's a compact handset with a 5.9-inch AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate and the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1.
The Realme GT Neo 3T is in the same price bracket as the Pixel 6a and it has great battery life, a bright AMOLED screen with 120Hz, and excellent charging speeds. Its main camera is solid and can stand up to the Pixel 6a, but its ultrawide shooter is inferior.
The Nord 2T has a reliable camera and great performance with the Dimensity 1300 5G chip. There's also 80W fast charging, but there's no ingress protection.
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G • Asus Zenfone 9 • Realme GT Neo 3T • OnePlus Nord 2T
Verdict
Before continuing with the verdict, we need to address an issue revealed by early testers of the Pixel 6a. It was confirmed that some devices were able to authenticate the device's biometrics by using a finger that was not even registered to the device. The instances seem isolated, but they pose a serious security flaw with the device. Google is yet to addressed the issue, so it's worth keeping an eye on and withhold purchase until it's cleared if you often find yourself in environements where sensitive info might be exposed.
That aside Google may have finally mastered the A Series formula with the Pixel 6a. It managed yet again to capture the essence of the Pixel flagships into a more affordable phone that does not water down the overall experience too much. The 60Hz display and leisurly charging speeds count against it, but the overall execution of the 6a is great for its price. The
Shipping the 6a with a Google Tensor versus last year's Snapdragon 765G and keeping the same $449 price point makes it a great offer. Camera performance remains solid, software and performance are polished and battery life is respectable. Plus, Google addressed performance throttling issues with Google Tensor on the Pixel 6a.
It's arguably Google's most competitively positioned smartphone in a good while and one we can wholeheartedly recommend. The obvious asterisk here is that things stand differently in India where consumers have a huge choice in this price segment and the Pixel 6a's higher price makes it far less tempting.
Pros
- Attractive, compact design that looks more expensive than it is.
- Bright and accurate AMOLED display.
- Good sustained performance from the Google Tensor this time.
- Extended firmware update support; Voice Typing and on-device language processing is excellent.
- Great all-around camera.
Cons
- Isolated instances of a fingerprint security flaw are not acceptable.
- 60Hz refresh rate is not competitive for this price range.
- Headphone jack is gone.
- No charger included in the box.
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