Knowledgeable’s Ranking
Execs
- High drawer efficiency
- Smaller measurement
- Excellent digicam
- Strong battery life
- Assured software program updates
Cons
- Rear plastic scratches simply
- Prices gradual and scorching
- Solely 60Hz show
Our Verdict
A superlative mid-range telephone and among the best worth Android telephones you should buy, the Pixel 6a crams in the perfect bits from the dearer Pixel 6 and 6 Professional at a really engaging worth.
Greatest Costs In the present day: Google Pixel 6a
Not Obtainable
Free
Telephones aren’t as small as they was once however the Google Pixel 6a is about as compact an Android telephone as you will get nowadays. This is likely one of the finest issues about it, together with its wonderful efficiency, digicam, and its inexpensive worth.
The Pixel 6a is Google’s cheaper model of its October 2021 Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Professional telephones. The 6a retains a few of these gadgets’ dearer options however ditches others to drive the worth proper right down to a really palatable $449/£399/€459.
Just a few corners have been lower and there are different mid-range telephones on the market that provide increased specs, however having used the Pixel 6a day by day as my most important telephone, I believe it’s among the best telephones you should buy for the cash – and the Pixel most individuals should purchase as an alternative of the Pixel 6 or 6 Professional.
Design & Construct
- Two-tone color choices
- Plastic again simply scratches
- Strong premium really feel
- IP67
When you don’t just like the look of the unique Pixel 6 then you might be out of luck with the 6a, which appears like somebody clicked and dragged the highest nook of it down in Photoshop and shrunk the entire thing slightly.
If it’s the smallest telephone out there that you really want, the 6a isn’t it. At 152.2mm (to be exact) it’s taller than the 138.4mm iPhone SE 2022 and the 131.5mm iPhone 13 mini.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
The 6a continues to be a big telephone, it’s simply not as giant as most different slab smartphones on the market, particularly the large Pixel 6 Professional. Its angular and boxy design nonetheless feels good to carry due to rounded aluminium edges, however I nonetheless can’t attain the highest of the display screen with a thumb when utilizing one-handed (I do have fairly small arms, however nonetheless).
The display screen is flat relatively than curve edged, and my black overview unit is basically unremarkable save for that digicam ‘bar’ design on the again identical to the Pixel 6 and 6 Professional. It protrudes a lot lower than its larger brothers, which is a aid.
The distinction on the 6a is the 2 digicam sensors are housed in a small pill-shaped blob on the left of the black bar that’s camouflaged by additionally being black, with a round flash on the precise. On the opposite Pixel 6 fashions, the lenses are unfold out throughout the size of the bar.
You possibly can decide from three color choices which have two-tone designs with the small strip above the digicam a distinct color to the bigger part under. I reviewed the charcoal color which is darkish gray on the underside and lighter gray on the highest.
An enormous draw back to the 6a is the sturdiness of the rear panel, which is manufactured from a composite plastic relatively than sturdy glass. My charcoal unit picked up an unlimited variety of scratches after lower than every week. Two weeks in and the factor appeared extra battered than telephones I’ve had for over a yr, and I’m particularly cautious with my telephones. I think about the inexperienced (Google calls it sage) color will even present scratches, however possibly the white (chalk) would conceal them higher. The white would additionally higher conceal fingerprints and smears, which the charcoal doesn’t.
I wasn’t despatched a case, so I used the telephone with out one in London and on vacation overseas. Google says there’s Gorilla Glass 3 on the show and this acquired no scratches, however the again appears a little bit of a multitude. It’s additionally very arduous to {photograph} this to point out you:
Henry Burrell / Foundry
The telephone scratching simply is a minor niggle with what’s in any other case a really well-built telephone that feels extra premium than it prices and packs in IP67 mud and water resistance.
Display & Audio system
- 6.1in AMOLED
- Solely 60Hz refresh price
- Glorious color and brightness
- Stereo audio system
The display screen is a 6.1in AMOLED, placing this telephone within the ‘small’ telephone camp – not truly small like telephones was once, however extra compact than most trendy Android slabs.
That display screen sadly solely has a 60Hz refresh price. Different telephones at this worth have increased refresh charges that make content material scroll smoother, such because the £399 Nothing Telephone (1) with 120Hz and the £369 OnePlus Nord 2T with 90Hz. Google may certainly have stretched to this however in all probability needs to upsell consumers after such a function to its 90Hz-toting Pixel 6.
Fortunately the show of the 6a is great with superb brightness, with issues solely arduous to see within the harshest direct daylight. I missed a better refresh price at first, however I quickly forgot that it was a 60Hz display screen. It’s an excellent panel with wonderful color replica and sharpness that’s miles higher than the 720p show on the $429/£419/€529 iPhone SE 2022.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
There’s a black bezel all the way in which across the flat panel with a contact extra to the chin than the highest of the telephone, and a selfie cut-out digicam within the centre on the prime of the display screen.
The stereo audio system can play audio at a good readability and quantity and are ok for podcasts within the kitchen or making video calls.
Specs & Efficiency
- Identical Tensor chip as Pixel 6
- Fantastically quick
- 6GB/128GB solely
The place the Pixel 6a shine is in efficiency. That’s as a result of Google determined to cram its Tensor processor into it, the identical chip used within the Pixel 6 and 6 Professional.
Paired with 6GB RAM, the 6a completely flies by means of every little thing and is a mid-range telephone with real flagship efficiency. It’s the primary time Google has opted to place the chip from its most important telephones into its A sequence mannequin the identical era, and it’s definitely worth the trade-off somewhere else, corresponding to within the 60Hz display screen.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
There’s just one mannequin out there with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. That is lots sufficient for my utilization however there’s no microSD slot for expandable storage do you have to ever fill it up. As with each different Pixel, that is additionally solely a single SIM telephone, which is a draw back – so many Android telephones have twin SIM slots and so ought to Pixels. That mentioned, there’s an possibility so as to add a second line as an eSIM, which is midway there in the event you do need or want two numbers.
We normally run benchmark exams on all telephones we overview at Tech Advisor utilizing apps corresponding to Geekbench 5, however the Pixel 6a unit I acquired wouldn’t obtain them. Within the Play Retailer, they confirmed as not appropriate.
Google informed me it had blocked benchmarking apps on the overview models forward of launch “to keep away from benchmark and gadget spec leaks”. A spokesperson mentioned I used to be free to sideload the apps as an alternative, which I did for Geekbench 5 and GFXBench, which measure CPU and basic efficiency respectively. The under chart reveals how the Pixel 6a stacks up in opposition to telephones of an identical worth.
A beautiful improve from the Pixel 6 and 6 Professional is the in-screen fingerprint sensor, which I discovered to be much more responsive. It really works each time with out fail, and I didn’t need to retrain it with my thumbprint in any respect.
Battery Life & Charging
- Prices scorching
- Restricted to 18W
- No wi-fi charging
The Pixel 6a has wonderful battery life however prices fairly slowly at a most of 18W. I say most as a result of there’s no charger within the field, solely a USB-C to C cable, so that you’ll have to purchase a charging brick with a USB-C output, or use one other charger (there’s no wi-fi charging). The Pixel 6 and 6 Professional additionally ship with out chargers however have a most pace of 30W. From empty, the 6a prices to 22% in quarter-hour, 42% in half-hour, and to 100% in a single hour and 50 minutes.
The OnePlus Nord 2T is cheaper than the Pixel 6a however comes with an 80W charger within the field that prices to 100% in half-hour, which makes Google look stingy on each included equipment and pace.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
I juiced the 6a with varied chargers and located it persistently prices fairly scorching. I don’t know if it’s because among the chargers may output greater than 18W, however when a telephone ships with out a charger and with no instruction within the field or within the telephone’s software program about what sort of cable or brick to make use of, that is the expertise most individuals will get once they seize the closest (or least expensive) charger.
A telephone shouldn’t be this scorching when charging. Over time such warmth may result in battery degradation, however that is unimaginable to inform proper now. In the mean time, the 6a has stable, all-day battery life. Even roaming overseas on 4G all day whereas taking tons of pictures by no means noticed me dip under 20%.
Cameras & Video
- 12.2Mp most important digicam
- 12Mp ultrawide
- Excellent stills processing
Whereas Google gave the Pixel 6a the Tensor chip from its premium telephones, the identical can’t be mentioned of the digicam. Actually, it’s the primary time an A-series Pixel isn’t getting the identical most important sensor because the corresponding common Pixels, and that may be a disgrace – the 50Mp sensor on the Pixel 6 is excellent.
As a substitute, the 6a has a 12.2Mp f/1.7 Sony IMX363 sensor with optical picture stabilisation. This is similar sensor Google used from the Pixel 3 to Pixel 5 period.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
I personally would have relatively had the newer 50Mp lens and a lower-powered processor, however Google has modified its strategy. The excellent news is the principle digicam on the 6a continues to be phenomenally good – it simply isn’t fairly nearly as good because the Pixel 6 or 6 Professional within the element it might seize, however Google’s post-processing in software program is so good, that variations are barely noticeable.
In much more excellent news, the ultrawide 12Mp f/2.2 Sony IMX386 lens is similar one used within the pricier 6 fashions.
As anticipated, nonetheless pictures are prime drawer and simply compete with telephones three or 4 occasions the worth. I in contrast a number of comparable photographs I took on vacation with these taken on my spouse’s iPhone 13, and I persistently most well-liked the daylight photographs of the Pixel. They sport the contrasty processing Pixels are identified for the place the iPhone has leant extra lately into pure shades, generally to a fault.
In low mild, the iPhone was a lot better than the Pixel, higher at dealing with tough sundown scenes and rendering element higher. The Pixel’s Evening Sight for pitch black pictures continues to be good, nevertheless it’s a couple of generations behind the iPhone now, significantly on the 6a with the older most important sensor.
However the iPhone 13 prices much more than the Pixel 6a. I’d fortunately use the 6a as my solely digicam on a day-to-day foundation – it’s that good. Add to that the very succesful ultrawide that doesn’t fish-eye scenes like cheaper telephones do, and it’s a really succesful setup for a mid-range smartphone (miles higher than the iPhone SE 2022).
There’s no zoom lens, so you must depend on digital zoom from the principle sensor however that’s customary for mid-range telephones. Google’s Tremendous Res Zoom function can zoom in as much as 7x, however outcomes are fairly blotchy and grainy on inspection as all digital zoom tends to be, however the 2x zoom is stable and satisfactory for social media photographs.
The 8Mp f/2.0 selfie digicam has a good 84 diploma subject of view and takes stable selfies, although the portrait mode struggles to select up strands of hair and doesn’t appear to be as per outcomes as it’s from the principle rear digicam.
Except for primary nonetheless picture capturing (which, let’s face it, is 99% of all cellular images for 99% of individuals) the 6a additionally has each single digicam software program function from the Pixel 6 apart from the lengthy publicity movement mode.
Magic Eraser can cleverly erase individuals or issues from pictures even when it does require slightly persistence as generally it will get it incorrect. It’s finest to have a plain background or the smarts get confused and blur the incorrect colors collectively, nevertheless it’s nonetheless spectacular on the entire.
A brand new function is Camouflage, which relatively than deleting issues from photographs as an alternative modifications their color to raised mix right into a scene. Huge orange seashore ball distracting from smiling faces on the seashore? Flip it the color of sand. It’s a barely bizarre function nevertheless it does work effectively.
In-built too are superb options like Face Deblur, which does precisely what it says very effectively. The digicam works by taking a number of photographs both aspect of while you truly faucet the shutter button. In case your topic strikes their head slightly leading to blur, the telephone can inform this and robotically makes use of all of the picture knowledge to right it.
That is additionally a part of the function High Shot, which data a brief video to associate with your picture if the telephone reckons it’s value it, autoplaying of which could be toggled off within the Pictures app when trying by means of pictures.
Actual Tone can be an excellent function that higher reproduces pores and skin tones precisely due to Google’s work to tune its processing algorithms. Different telephones overprocess some pores and skin tones inaccurately, so the Pixel is an effective alternative on this regard.
Throw in 4K video recording at 60fps and it’s a well-featured digicam app. There’s even a speech enhancement mode that isolates vocal audio and cuts out background noise, although solely works on the selfie digicam, so it’s a useful function in case you are recording a video message for somebody along side a motorway. Or one thing.
Software program & Updates
- Clear Android 12
- Three years of Android updates
- 5 years of safety updates
Google provides 5 years of safety updates for the telephone, so its ultimate replace will land in July 2027 in idea. There’s solely three years of Android platform updates although, so the 6a will solely get these till July 2025 – doubtless Android 15, because the 6a is launching with Android 12, not Android 13.
You’ll get new variations of Android earlier than third-party producers although.
Android 12 is a pleasure to make use of. It appears nice and performs simply in addition to on a Pixel 6 Professional – no imply feat. The included new ‘Nature swept’ wallpapers are proper up my avenue (see one in motion under), and the color picker that takes 4 colors from no matter wallpaper you’ve gotten and allows you to choose it because the icon and accent color for the entire OS is excellent.
Henry Burrell / Foundry
It’s rolling out to extra Google apps like Gmail too, so there’s an actual unity to the entire aesthetic. I want operating the telephone in darkish mode.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
The at all times on show is my favorite of any telephone, with simplicity the perfect factor about it. It reveals time, date, and climate, with full notification banners in the event you so select too. There’s additionally the superb Now Taking part in function that cleverly listens to no matter music is enjoying and shows the monitor and artist, all from an offline database saved on the telephone. You possibly can faucet the track and begin streaming it from a number of streaming companies, not simply Google’s personal YouTube Music.
Google’s voice-to-text smarts and the Stay Transcribe function in its Recorder app are current and wonderful in an space Google trumps Apple, which is enjoying meet up with its dictation function in iOS 16.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Value & Availability
The Pixel 6a prices $449/£399/€459 and is out there to pre-order from Google within the US, UK, and Europe. Pre-orders made earlier than the telephone goes on basic sale on 28 July additionally get you a free pair of Pixel Buds A-series value $99/£99/€99.
It’s additionally on sale unlocked within the US now at Greatest Purchase and Amazon.
Within the UK you may decide it up from Amazon, Carphone Warehouse, Mobiles.co.uk, EE, and John Lewis with most doing the identical Pixel Buds deal.
The 6a prices the identical because the 2021 $449 Pixel 5a that was solely out there within the US and Japan, however greater than the $349/£349/€349 Pixel 4a from 2020.
I like to recommend it over the $429/£419/€529 iPhone SE 2022, which trumps the 6a with wi-fi charging and software program OS replace assist however that’s about it. All the pieces in regards to the Pixel is healthier – display screen, digicam, design.
Samsung’s Galaxy A53 5G is £399/$449/€449 however has horrible efficiency, whereas the £399/€469 Nothing Telephone (1) has excellent design however show points and an inferior digicam to the Pixel. It’s a crowded worth bracket, however the Pixel comes out on prime.
Try all of your choices in our greatest mid-range telephones chart.
Verdict
Regardless of the upper worth than earlier A-series Pixels, you’re solely paying barely extra for the Pixel 6a, an outstanding mid-range telephone with a flagship-level processor, actually excellent most important digicam, 5G, the most recent model of Android, 5 years of safety assist, and a extra pocket-friendly design.
Downsides are the gradual charging speeds on a telephone that prices scorching, the simply scratched rear plastic materials, and the 60Hz show lagging behind equally priced telephones. But, this can be a Pixel, which suggests it has a superlative Android expertise and digicam with a software program polish and premium {hardware} really feel you received’t discover on different manufacturers on this worth vary.
Specs
- Android 12
- 6.1in 60Hz gOLED show
- Google Tensor chip
- 6GB RAM
- 128GB storage
- Rear cameras:
- 12Mp IMX363 most important lens with OIS
- 12Mp IMX386 ultrawide lens
- 8Mp IMX355 selfie digicam
- 4400mAh battery
- 18W wired charging
- 5G
- Stereo audio system
- Wi-Fi 6
- Bluetooth 5.2
- NFC
- IP67
- Gorilla Glass 3 show
- 71.8 x 152.16 x 8.85mm
- 178g