Google’s latest budget phone has arrived, and we wouldn’t say early reviews of the Pixel 6a were glowing. People who have tried the new Google device like the value it offers for $449 — particularly the performance of the cameras and the fact that it’s powered by the same Tensor chipset found in the more expensive Pixel 6 phones.
Sure, the Pixel 6a is an impressive mid-range phone — but is it the right phone for you? This is no longer a rhetorical question, as pre-orders for the Google Pixel 6a are ongoing. The phone will officially go on sale on Thursday (July 28).
We’ve spent some time with the Pixel 6a, so we know what Google’s phone has done well and where it lacks. For most people in the market for a mid-range phone, the Pixel 6a will be the device to get. But there are also some good reasons perhaps to look elsewhere if you are considering a new phone.
Here are the reasons to buy the Google Pixel 6a, and why you might want to stop this update.
Google Pixel 6a: Reasons to buy
Top-notch cameras in an affordable phone
The argument for Google’s Pixel A Series phones to these compelling sales has long faded — get the best of Google’s camera capabilities in a device that costs a fraction of what you’d pay for a flagship phone. The Pixel 6a takes that argument and works with it, and it’s already among the best camera phones — and definitely the best phone you can get for under $500.
You get a 12.2MP main camera and a 12MP ultra-wide angle camera with the Pixel 6a, and if those hardware specs don’t excite you, remember that the Pixel 6a takes advantage of Google’s penchant for computational photography. Zooms stay sharper than you’d expect from digital zoom, thanks to Google’s Super Res Zoom feature. Unlike some notable phones in its price range — looking at you, the iPhone SE (2022) — the Pixel 6a has a night mode for taking sharp photos when the lights are low.
In our Pixel 6a review, we pitted Google against the iPhone SE to see which mid-range device took better photos. It was a tight contest — the iPhone SE is pretty good at taking pictures too, even with the single rear camera — but in the end, the Pixel 6a won the day with its super portrait, selfies, and low-light shots.
Taking photos is a big reason so many of us hang around smartphones, and the Pixel 6a proves that you don’t have to pay to ensure your photos turn out to be millions of dollars.
Now powered by Tensor
Google now makes its own mobile chipsets, and after introducing Tensor silicon to its Pixel 6 flagship phones in the fall, the chip is now heading to the Pixel A series. In other words — you can get a phone with the same chipset as the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro at a lower price. $150 to $450 more than those phones cost.
The Tensor benefit isn’t necessarily performance — although the Pixel 6a handily outperformed the Exynos 1280-powered Samsung Galaxy A53 in our test — but more about the features that take advantage of machine learning. The Pixel 6’s much-loved Magic Eraser is making its way to the Pixel 6a, letting you remove distracting objects and people from photos with a single tap. Magic Eraser has a new capability with the Pixel 6a – it can change the color of objects to something less distracting so that the focus of the image remains on the subject.
Translate and transcribe features are available on the Pixel 6a as well. You can even issue a few verbal commands to the Google Assistant without having to use the alert words “Hey Google”.
All of these features are part of the Pixel 6a thanks to the presence of a Tensor chipset, which makes this phone probably the smartest phone you can buy for under $500.
bright screen
We learned about the promised photo features of the Pixel 6a and its Tensor chipset in our testing process. But the only feature that surprised me when I reviewed the phone was how good its screen was. Maybe it’s because budget phones aren’t exactly known for their excellent screens, but the Pixel 6a stands out from the competition.
For starters, it’s very bright – we measured the Pixel 6a at 778 nits, which tops both the iPhone SE (550 nits) and the Galaxy A53 (693). The bright screen is half the battle, as it’s easy to spot details when using your phone in broad daylight.
The OLED panel that the Pixel 6a uses isn’t as colorful as the Galaxy A53’s screen. But the colors are more accurate as per the tests. And at 6.1 inches, the Pixel 6a’s display reaches that sweet, “just right” spot between a tiny screen and a comically large screen.
wide availability
If you wanted a Pixel 5a when this phone debuted last year, you don’t have many options. Google sold this phone through its own store, while the only carrier offering 5a is Google Fi. The release of the phone was limited to the United States and Japan.
Pixel 6a has a wider exposure. In addition to these two countries, you can also buy the phone in the UK, Canada, Germany, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, Singapore and Taiwan; It will eventually reach India as well. And here in the US, the big three wireless carriers are offering the Pixel 6a, which is also available from retailers like Amazon and a few small discount carriers as well.
Instant access to Android updates
As with any Google phone, the main reason to get a Pixel 6a is that Google oversees both the hardware and the software. This means that you can count on getting Android updates very quickly after they become available
For example, the Pixel 6a is currently running Android 12, but it will get Android 13 when that software update arrives later in the year. Even better, there won’t be much waiting for this update as with other Android phones. And Google’s frequently dropping feature brings new capabilities to its recent phones, including the Pixel 6a.
Google Pixel 6a: Reasons to skip
Bad battery life
The fact that the Pixel 6a didn’t last long on our battery test can’t be gotten around with, as we have phones constantly surfing the web via cell phone until they run out of power. We ran the test multiple times on the Pixel 6a, which lasted an average of 6 hours and 29 minutes — about 3.5 hours shy of the smartphone average.
It’s possible that something with the Tensor chip was inappropriate for our battery test. The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro both ran at below-average times as well. However, the iPhone SE (9:05) and Galaxy A53 (9:49) outperformed the Pixel 6a by several hours, so there are longer budget phones out there.
Pixel 6 costs a little more
Don’t get us wrong — at $449, the Pixel 6a is a great value, and if you can only spend $500 or less on the phone, it’s a great buy. But if your budget is a little more flexible, it’s worth noting that the Pixel 6 only costs $150, and you get better cameras, a bigger screen with a faster refresh rate and not a whole lot of plastic with this device.
It’s also hard to ignore that the Pixel 7 is coming later in the fall. We already know that the phone will have a newer Tensor system on a chip, and it could boast other improvements as well. If Google keeps the pricing limit, with the entry-level model still costing $599, it might be worth waiting to see how much better the Pixel 7 makes over the Pixel 6a.
Samsung offers longer software support
Google promises five years of Pixel software updates for the 6a, and they’re certainly generous. But this only covers security updates. dig in Precise print on Google (Opens in a new tab)And you’ll know that the Pixel 6a is only guaranteed to get Android updates until July 2025.
This is better than most mid-range Android phones, but it’s not the most comprehensive support. Samsung is now promising four years of Android updates for phones including the Galaxy A53. It also matches the five-year security updates from Google. If you plan to keep a phone for as long as possible, the Galaxy A53 might be your best bet.
A look at the Google Pixel 6a phone
If you are considering whether to pick up a Pixel 6a, it comes down to what you are looking for in a phone. If a relatively inexpensive device with top-notch cameras and a bright screen ticks all the boxes for you, the Pixel 6a is the phone to buy. But if you’re looking for more features — especially battery life — you’ll want to consider other options before making your Pixel 6a purchase.
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