This is an embarrassing time if you’re in the market for one of Google’s Pixel phones. The Pixel 6a, the company’s newly announced budget phone, won’t go on sale for another month, although we’ve known about the phone since May. Moreover, Google has already confirmed that the more powerful Pixel 7 is coming this fall.
However, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are still on the market – two of the best camera phones you can buy, and they’re powered by Google’s high-powered silicon Tensor… and they seem outdated by phones that aren’t available yet.
If you’re in the market for a new phone but don’t want to pay the high prices that Apple and Samsung phones charge, Google devices have always been compelling alternatives. But with the Pixel 6a budget arriving on July 28 and the Pixel 7 flagship on board several months later, does that mean you shouldn’t consider a Pixel 6 model?
It really depends on what you are looking for in a phone, how much you are willing to pay and whether you need this new device right away. The Pixel 6a and Pixel 7 have their strengths, but the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are now available for your smartphone needs.
Here’s a closer look at whether you should still consider the Pixel 6 or whether it makes sense to wait for other Google phones.
Why should you wait for the Pixel 6a
The most compelling reason to skip the Pixel 6 and wait for the Pixel 6a to arrive in July is for dollars and cents. At $449, the Pixel 6a costs $150 less than Google’s cheapest flagship phone.
Pixel 6 A | Pixel 6 | |
Initial price | $449 | $599 |
Screen Size | 6.1 inch OLED | 6.4 inch OLED |
refresh rate | 60 Hz | 90 Hz |
CPU | tensor | tensor |
RAM | 6 GB | 8 GB |
storage | 128 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
rear cameras | 12.2 Megapixels, 12 Megapixels Super Speed | 50MP ultra-wide (f/1.85), 12MP ultra-wide (f/2.2) |
front camera | 8 mega pixel | 8 MP (f/2.0) |
Battery size | 4,410 mA | 4614 mAh |
Wired charging speed | 18 watts | 30 watts |
You’re not making many trade-offs for this low price either, as you’ll see in our in-depth comparison between the Google Pixel 6a and Pixel 6. The Pixel 6a has the same distinctive design that Google introduced last fall with the Pixel 6 family, with a horizontal camera bar extending across the notch. back of the phone.
Most importantly, the Pixel 6a is powered by the same Tensor chipset found within the Pixel 6 family. This means not only similar performance – the Pixel 6 might have some extra oomph, thanks to the extra RAM – but also machine learning-enabled features that were Previously limited to Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
You’ll especially appreciate the addition of the Tensor chipset when it comes to Pixel 6a camera performance. The camera hardware on the Pixel 6 is even more impressive — it has a 50MP main camera versus the 12MP camera on the Pixel 6a, and if you want a dedicated telephoto lens, you’ll want to turn to the Pixel 6 Pro. But the software-enabled computer imaging features that help the Pixel 6 stand out among camera phones will also be available on the Pixel 6a.
This means that you will be able to enjoy features like Magic Eraser, which removes unwanted people and objects from the background of images often with amazing results. The Pixel 6a will also offer an updated version of Magic Eraser that will allow you to recolor objects so they are not distracting.
This is just the tip of the iceberg as well. Other features like the ability to blur faces and more accurate skin tones via Google’s Real Tone feature are part of the Pixel 6a as well, just as they are with the Pixel 6. Essentially, with Google’s new budget phone, you can expect most of the Pixel’s most important features. In a less expensive package – why not wait another month for that?
Why the Google Pixel is still a good deal
This doesn’t mean that everyone should automatically get a Pixel 6a instead of a Pixel 6. Even if you can put off buying your phone for another month, there are plenty of reasons to consider the Pixel 6.
That $150 savings is a big deal, especially these days, but it’s not a huge discount from what you’re paying for a Pixel 6. Apply some of the best Pixel 6 deals, and you can lower the cost of a Google flagship. As of this writing, some mobile carriers are offering Google’s flagship phone for free with a trade-in upon unlocking a new line of data.
And while you get many of the Pixel’s best features with the Pixel 6a, the cheaper phone still requires some trade-offs. The Pixel 6a offers a screen with a constant refresh rate of 60Hz. Spring for the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro, and you can get screens that set the refresh rate to 90Hz or 120Hz, respectively.
You will also notice a difference between the phones when you actually hold them in your hand. The Pixel 6a uses cheaper materials than the Pixel 6, so if the feel of a phone is important to you, the Pixel 6 might be a better option.
What about the Pixel 7?
So far, we’ve focused on comparing the Pixel 6a and Pixel 6, but there’s another Google phone to consider. The Pixel 7 arrives later this fall — we’ll bet October based on Google’s record of launching phones. And it appears to be an improvement over the entire Pixel 6 family.
That’s because the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro – yes, Google confirmed both models – will feature the next-generation Tensor chip. This likely means improved performance and energy efficiency, not to mention more features that take advantage of the machine learning core of silicon. Google hasn’t clarified what those might be yet.
In fact, there are a lot of unknowns about the Pixel 7, with Google only confirming the new Tensor chipset and showing the design of the upcoming flagship. Camera features, battery life, and other specs are just rumors at this point. We also don’t know if the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro will keep the $599 and $899 pricing for current Google versions. So you can hold out against major hardware this fall, only to find that you’ll be paying more.
Unless you want the latest and greatest hardware and don’t need a new phone until later in 2022, opting for the Pixel 6 – and even the Pixel 6a – makes more sense than waiting for the Pixel 7…at least until more details about the Google phone emerge. This fall.
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