Google Pixel 6A review: Tensor makes it a smart choice for $449

For a couple of years working, the Pixel A-series telephone was a no brainer: at all times the very best Android telephone in its midrange class. With the Pixel 6A, issues are a little bit totally different. Google is shifting its priorities for its Pixel telephones, and rivals like Samsung have closed the hole. The 6A nonetheless has the very best efficiency and digital camera high quality at its value, nevertheless it’s not fairly the shoo-in that it as soon as was.

As is custom for the A-series, the 6A presents most of what the Pixel 6 does — and to a lesser extent, the Pixel 6 Professional — for a a lot decrease value: $449 as an alternative of the Pixel 6’s beginning value of $599. You don’t get wi-fi charging, a glass again panel, or a quicker display screen refresh price. However you do get the identical core options because the flagship fashions. In earlier years, that meant the exact same class-leading digital camera because the pricier fashions however normally a much less sturdy processor. That’s not the case this 12 months; as an alternative, you get Google’s custom-built processor, Tensor.

Tensor allows some AI and machine studying pushed options, like higher real-time transcription and HDR video recording on the digital camera’s highest decision and body price. However principally, the chipset enhances issues that Pixel telephones may already do, like dwell translation, by working them extra effectively so you should use them extra with out working your battery down.

Most significantly, it means you possibly can really hold utilizing this telephone for quite a lot of years, which is a extra typical shelf life for a sub-$500 telephone. It presents the very best longevity amongst midrange Android telephones, rivaled solely by the iPhone SE for pure return on funding worth. The SE might nicely get software program updates a 12 months longer than the 6A, however the Pixel presents a a lot better display screen in comparison with the SE’s comparatively puny 4.7-inch show.

Maintaining Tensor because the 6A’s core function is a touch at the place Google is steering the Pixel sequence for the long run. As for the right here and now, it makes the 6A into a wonderful midrange telephone. It doesn’t provide the easiest display screen for the cash — that honor goes to the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G. However it’s the greatest performer for underneath $500 (at the very least amongst choices out there within the US). On prime of that, it’s a snug dimension with unfussy software program and an incredible digital camera, and it ought to hold working nicely for years to return. That’s worthy of an A grade for certain.

The Pixel 6A is the smallest of the three 6 sequence telephones, however perhaps the easiest way to explain it’s that it’s the least huge. Subsequent to the Pixel 6 Professional with its 6.7-inch display screen and the 6.4-inch Pixel 6, the Pixel 6A feels downright petite. I contest that its 6.1-inch display screen is the very best compromise between a small (learn: fairly sized) telephone and the large telephones everybody else appears to need, however that’s simply my very own private hill to die on.

The display screen on the 6A is a 1080p OLED panel with an ordinary 60Hz refresh price, a step down from the 6’s 90Hz display screen. After utilizing a 120Hz display screen for some time, I positively discover the distinction going again to 60Hz. I’d by no means see it with out having the quicker refresh price to match it to, however movement appears jerkier and it provides the telephone a lower than polished really feel. Nonetheless, LCD panels are fairly widespread within the $500 and under class, so the richer distinction of an OLED is welcome right here. It’s not terribly snug to make use of outdoors in direct daylight, both, nevertheless it will get brilliant sufficient to be usable.

The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G, additionally $449, is the 6A’s closest competitor within the US. Its display screen can also be a 1080p OLED however has a 120Hz refresh price. It’s additionally greater, at 6.5 inches, which lots of people discover interesting. The 6A beats the A53 in a couple of methods, however so far as the display screen goes, it’s all Samsung. So, must you contemplate the A53 over the 6A? It relies upon.

Usually talking, the A53 prioritizes the surface-level specs, together with that fancy display screen, however its processor isn’t as snappy. It feels extra like a funds telephone with a couple of elevated parts somewhat than the opposite manner round. Day-to-day efficiency is just a bit extra sluggish, and that’s solely going to degrade over the subsequent three or extra years. For longevity and the easiest efficiency, the 6A is the best way to go. But when an enormous display screen is vital to you and also you solely plan on retaining your telephone for a couple of years anyway, then the A53 is the higher selection.

The Pixel 6A doesn’t simply borrow the 6’s processor; it carries over your entire design language Google launched with the 6 sequence. The horizontal digital camera bump on the again panel protrudes a bit much less, however in any other case, it’s the identical distinct design. I can’t say I find it irresistible. The black rails and digital camera bar distinction so harshly with the soothing sage inexperienced on the again panel. I didn’t thoughts the design when it debuted on the 6 and 6 Professional. However I’ve been disliking it increasingly over the previous 12 months, and I’ve a sense it’s not going to age nicely.

The 6A contains 128GB of storage — with no card slot for enlargement — and 6GB of RAM. That’s the one variant, and it has 2GB much less RAM than the bottom mannequin Pixel 6. For day-to-day use, this doesn’t appear to influence efficiency. The system feels responsive as I leap between duties, and apps keep open within the background lengthy sufficient to not frustrate me.

It handles heavy duties nicely, too — higher than the A53 5G does. The telephone runs graphics-intensive video games like Genshin Impression pretty easily, with some dropped frames right here and there. There’s additionally little or no lag within the digital camera app, even firing off a number of portrait mode pictures again to again. Each the (pre-Tensor) Pixel 5A and the 6A let me take about 4 portrait mode pictures in fast succession earlier than they should buffer and lock out the shutter button. The 5A wants a full 4 to 5 seconds to course of the pictures, however with the 6A, I can begin taking pictures once more in a few second. That would imply the distinction between getting the shot you needed or watching the second cross you by with a grayed-out shutter button. It’s additionally nicely past what I’d anticipate of most midrange smartphones, and Tensor is unquestionably serving to to make the distinction right here.

The Pixel 6A’s fingerprint scanner has been the topic of a variety of hypothesis — particularly alongside the strains of “perhaps it received’t be as horrible because the one within the 6 and 6 Professional.” I’m not satisfied that it’s any higher. Utilizing the 6A and the 6 aspect by aspect, I can see the 6A sensor responding faster typically. However, simply as typically, it’s the identical velocity because the Pixel 6. It additionally feels simply as vulnerable to asking me to rescan my fingerprint or press my finger a little bit longer. In any case, the Galaxy S22’s sensor feels a contact quicker than both of the Pixels’ — and since Samsung’s sensor is ultrasonic somewhat than optical, it doesn’t fill your darkish bed room with blinding gentle if you use it. For those who have been hoping that the 6A would tackle that Pixel 6 shortcoming, then I’m sorry to say you’ll be upset.

The 6A’s haptics are good. They’re refined however reassuring as you’re typing and tapping. Nevertheless, one thing concerning the telephone’s design (I strongly suspect the digital camera bump) makes it sound as loud as a foghorn when it’s sitting on a picket desk and a notification units the vibration off. I can hear it throughout the home. I turned vibrations down a notch however that hasn’t actually helped. I suppose I’d simply get used to discovering one thing smooth to place the telephone down on after I wasn’t utilizing it. Or put a case on it like a smart particular person.

There’s a comparatively small 4,410mAh battery powering the Pixel 6A, however the tight relationship between {hardware} and software program (presumably) contributes to its excellent battery efficiency. It acquired me by a day and a half of average use, and it dealt with a full day of heavier use with a little bit of gaming and a convention name, no drawback. It’s huge battery power from a little bit battery.

The Pixel 6A carries an IP67 ranking for water resistance, making it rather less sturdy than the IP68-rated Pixel 6 and 6 Professional — however not a lot. That’s on par with the Galaxy A53 5G and higher than most telephones at this value. (Motorola’s Moto G Stylus 5G doesn’t provide any ranking for water resistance.) However the dangerous information is that the headphone jack that held on for therefore lengthy within the Pixel A-series is now gone. There’s no charger included within the field, both. These have gotten simply as scarce as headphone jacks recently.

The Pixel 6A’s 12-megapixel f/1.7 most important digital camera is borrowed from the Pixel 5A, with a few Tensor-enabled advantages. The 12-megapixel ultrawide digital camera is similar because the one on the Pixel 6 and 6 Professional, and it’s good however unremarkable.

It’s extra symbolic than something that the 6A doesn’t use the brand new 50-megapixel sensor from the Pixel 6 as a result of, in actuality, images from that new high-res sensor aren’t dramatically higher than that of the older digital camera. Photographs from the 6A appear like images from a Pixel digital camera: contrasty with a barely cool white stability and vivid colours that don’t cross into oversaturated territory. For those who just like the Pixel picture aesthetic, then you definitely’ll just like the 6A’s digital camera. For those who desire hotter tones, then you definitely’ll be happier with the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G. Tensor allows a couple of fascinating digital camera options on the 6A, that are typically good, however they’re not so good that they’ll change your thoughts about how you want your photos processed.

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One of the spectacular of those options known as Face Unblur. In low gentle, cameras want to make use of slower shutter speeds to get a brilliant sufficient publicity. In case your topic is transferring even a little bit, then getting a pointy picture of them turns into very tough. Face Unblur makes use of info from the ultrawide digital camera to complement the principle digital camera’s brighter publicity, placing all of it along with a little bit machine studying magic to offer you a closing picture with the fitting brightness and — in concept — a pointy picture of your topic’s face.

Face Unblur occurs mechanically, and also you’ll solely comprehend it was in use after the very fact. And it really works! The outcomes are nonetheless a little bit smooth and noisy in the event you look intently however with out apparent movement blur. It’s a disgrace that it doesn’t seem to work with portrait mode, although, since that’s how I take footage of my child more often than not.

One other factor that Tensor allows is the flexibility to make use of HDR throughout video recording, even on the highest body price and backbone setting: 4K / 60p, on this case. The distinction is refined, although. I shot a backlit video with the Pixel 5A at 4K / 60p and in contrast it to the 6A with the identical settings. The 6A brings again a little bit extra element in highlights, and it appears a little bit higher than the 5A’s footage, however I’m unsure I’d know the distinction with out seeing them aspect by aspect.

One Tensor function that’s out there on the 6 and 6 Professional however lacking from the 6A is Movement Mode. Google spokesperson Rebecca Pineiro says it isn’t enabled due to the 6A’s “{hardware} variations” from the 6 and 6 Professional. This can be a function that mimics the artistic blur results of lengthy publicity and panning pictures strategies — issues that usually take time, particular gear, and follow to excellent. The 6 and 6 Professional can do a convincing impression of each results with only one press of the shutter. It’s enjoyable, and it stinks that the 6A can’t use it.

Nonetheless, the 6A presents a classy set of digital camera options for a midrange telephone, and when it comes to uncooked capabilities, it’s nonetheless the very best in its class. Tensor provides a few fascinating new options, however the basis that the 6A’s digital camera is constructed on was already a powerful one.

The Pixel 6 and 6 Professional launched with Android 12, and it wasn’t precisely the very best expertise for early adopters for the reason that first variations of the software program have been buggy. With Android 13 across the nook, Google appears to have found out its Android 12 points, at the very least on the Pixel 6A. I haven’t encountered any noticeable bugs or disruptive quirks utilizing the telephone as my day by day driver for the previous couple of weeks. I made calls, listened to Spotify on Bluetooth earbuds, took footage and video, and navigated throughout city and not using a drawback. And it’s, after all, inventory Android, that means there’s no duplicate apps or undesirable options to litter up the UI. ( you, Samsung.)

The 6A will get 5 years of safety updates, the identical because the Pixel 6 and 6 Professional. Google wouldn’t verify to us what number of OS platform upgrades the 6A will get, however the 6 and 6 Professional are promised three. Samsung presents a really robust replace coverage for the A53, promising 4 OS upgrades and the identical 5 years of safety patches. It’s price noting that the Pixel ought to get month-to-month updates from Google all through its life span, however Samsung tends to place its telephones on a much less frequent replace schedule as they grow old — simply two safety updates a 12 months for the oldest supported gadgets.

And, after all, there’s 5G. Verizon will promote a model of the telephone with help for superfast mmWave 5G for $50 extra. The model of the 6A offered immediately from Google and at different retailers will simply help sub-6GHz 5G, which is ok; that taste of 5G is enhancing quick, and mmWave is type of a sham anyway.

The Pixel 6A is a flagship telephone with a number of the nicer options stripped again — that’s one method to constructing a midrange telephone. The opposite method is to speculate a little bit extra in these nice-to-have options, like a quick refreshing display screen, however to incorporate a less expensive processor and sacrifice a bit on efficiency. That’s the route that Samsung took with the Galaxy A53.

The street that Google took is smart to me, at the very least. The Pixel 6 sequence telephones make a daring assertion, from their uncommon design to the {custom} chipset. They’re telephones for individuals who need telephones that do actually cool stuff. The Galaxy A53 is a little bit totally different. It’s for somebody who needs the most important and greatest show they will get for his or her cash and who doesn’t thoughts giving up a little bit little bit of processing energy to get it. I do know which class I fall into, and also you in all probability know the place you stand, too.

So, if a extremely huge display screen isn’t a precedence and also you (like me) desire a sensibly sized telephone which may really slot in your pocket, then the 6A is straightforward to advocate. It presents wonderful efficiency, its digital camera system is dependable, battery life is excellent, and it’ll obtain frequent software program updates for a few years to return. That’s laborious to beat for $449.

Pictures by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge