Since 2019, Google has traditionally launched a mid-range version of its Pixel phones called the Pixel “a”. The latest in that series, the Pixel 6a, just launched and it’s already completed a round. The question is whether this phone is worth $449. Let’s find out in this Pixel 6a review.
It looks the same but feels different
So we can’t expect the cheaper Pixel phone to feel like its premium siblings. While the Pixel 6a is about the same size as the Pixel 6, it’s a bit smaller and significantly lighter. You could say it’s made from less premium materials.
That being said, this phone isn’t cheap by nature. Picking up, the feeling of holding in the hand is quite heavy and solid. You can feel the metal of the frame when you hold it and that assures you that the Pixel 6a can do somersaults without damage.
When it comes to design, it is extremely similar to its higher-end brethren, but with a few differences. For starters, the visor is noticeably smaller on the 6a. It protrudes less from the device and it also has a reduced height.
Second, there is an egg-shaped ring around the camera sensors. We see that most of the glass on the visor is translucent, except for the glass inside the ring. It’s a small aesthetic change that sets the Pixel 6a apart from the others.
The display is amazing
Sometimes it can be hard to find a phone with a nice display in this price bracket. A good example is the Galaxy A53 5G; The Pixel 6a is another prime example. It has a 6.1-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080. It’s the same panel as the Pixel 6 and it has a nice display.
I didn’t see any difference in color science or brightness, so I don’t think Google made any differences or tweaks to the screen before it made it to the phone. The only difference between these monitors is the refresh rate. Pixel 6a turns off at 60Hz.
You won’t have any problems with this monitor, as it is one of the best on the market. Even though it’s a cheaper version of the Pixel 6, it’s still equally good.
The speakers have been slightly improved
Since this Pixel 6a is a cheaper version of the Pixel 6, you wouldn’t expect any improvements. However, the Pixel 6a has improved a bit over the Pixel 6: speakers.
Both phones have a pretty great set of front-facing speakers. The Pixel 6 might be my phone of choice over other phones like the Moto Edge+.
While that’s true, the Pixel 6a’s speakers have been slightly improved compared to the Pixel 6’s. While comparing the two sets of speakers, I could hear that the Pixel 6a’s speakers were a bit taller and a little taller. little- stop.
One of the very few things the Pixel 6’s speakers lack is a bit more bass. The bass isn’t much louder on the Pixel 6a; rather, you only hear a little ringing on the lower end. The bass notes resonate a little better, and that makes for a slightly better listening experience. It’s fun if you want to use your phone as an alternative to a Bluetooth speaker.
We’ve seen this camera before and it’s not a bad thing
One of the compromises Google made to lower the price of the Pixel 6a was in the camera department. This phone uses the camera sensor we’ve seen in previous Pixel phones. This is the same hardware we’ve seen on phones from Pixel 3 to Pixel 5a.
That being said, there is nothing about this camera that makes this phone flimsy. Pixel phones, even with older hardware, are still among the best camera phones on the market.
Since the Pixel 6a is using previous-generation hardware, you can expect photos to be similar to those from previous Pixel phones. The photos come out amazing with great color and detail. You take advantage of the HDR+ that Google has worked on over the years.
When it comes to low-light photography, the story is the same. Indoor camera shooting has given me great results. Images are bright and clear when the light is down, and Night mode just makes it better.
Overall, you won’t go wrong with the camera on the Pixel 6a. It’s just as good as previous Pixel cameras, and that’s great for most situations.
Battery life
The Pixel 6a has a decent 4400mAh battery and it can deliver some great mileage. It will last you all day without sweat under light to moderate use. Even under heavy load, the battery was able to provide me with some decent screen time.
On the heaviest day, I spent two hours streaming video, two hours gaming, and two hours scrolling through social media. After six hours of continuous use, the phone only had 30% remaining.
When it comes to charging, you don’t get fast charging speeds. You will have to wait more than an hour if you want to charge the battery from 0% -100%. Also, in the face of much criticism, Google didn’t include a charger in the box with this phone, so you’ll need to be aware of that.
Performance
The Pixel 6a uses the same Tensor chip in the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Although not as fast as the latest Snapdragon chip, Google’s Tensor chip is still capable of performing well.
During my testing, I did not experience any lag or stutter in the software. This is the same story when it comes to gaming. I played games that were both modest and graphics intensive, and I got smooth performance across the board.
Connection
When it comes to connectivity, I was able to get a good signal using the Pixel 6a am AT&T SIM. The Pixel 6 proper had some issues connecting to 5G signals regardless of carrier. However, the Pixel 6a seems to have improved reception.
Along with 5G, the Pixel also has Bluetooth 5.2 and NFC. I’m really glad that Google didn’t choose to remove the NFC functionality. You can use Google Pay to make your purchases.
Should you buy the Pixel 6a?
The review of the Pixel 6a is more of a comparison with the Pixel 6. Both phones are similar in some respects, you’re essentially using the same phone. You’ll be hard pressed to find the difference when it comes to camera quality, performance, and display quality.
The build quality isn’t premium, the display is at 60Hz, and the camera isn’t new. However, those are small trade-offs for the great package you get with this phone. If you’re interested in Pixel phones and don’t want to spend too much money, you should definitely pick up a Pixel 6a.
