The Pixel 6a fits nicely as a mid-range phone in the Google Pixel 6 lineup, without sacrificing camera quality or battery life.
The impressive phone has been universally lauded by critics, with most highlighting the speedy Google Tensor performance, excellent camera and 24+ hours battery life.
Starting from £399, and from free on contract, there’s currently no better phone on the market within this price range.
Display
The Google Pixel 6a features a 6.1 inch FHD+ OLED display, with a 60Hz refresh rate. The display is smaller than the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, which have 6.4 inch and 6.7 inch displays, respectively.
However, despite the smaller size, Google is promising the same, vibrant screen quality.
Similar to its siblings, the Google Pixel 6a is near bezelless, with a small round cutout and the top centre for the selfie camera.
With a 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution, the Pixel 6a has a greater than full HD resolution, for a super sharp and crisp display.
Performance
Google is sticking with its proprietary Google Tensor chip for the Pixel 6a, which is one of the fastest processors on an Android phone right now.
The Google Tensor chip has onboard AI capabilities, which helps to deliver smooth scrolling and instantaneous app launches.
In addition to the speedy CPU, there’s 6GB RAM, meaning you can run multiple apps at the same time and switch between them in a flash.
The Pixel 6a comes in a single storage 128GB option. There’s no external SD card slot, however the Pixel lineup is optimised for Google Drive, allowing you to easily store all your large files in the cloud.
Camera
Compared to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, the Pixel 6a has slightly smaller sensors.
Despite this, Google claim the Pixel 6a still takes incredible photos, with near identical results.
Initial reviews have backed up this claim, with most praising the camera as one of the main selling points for the mid-range phone.
The Google Tensor chip is specifically optimised for the camera hardware, with AI post-image tech that transforms scenes into professional looking shots.
The Pixel 6a features dual 12 MP cameras, with a front facing 8 MP camera. The 12 MP ultrawide camera is the same camera used by the more expensive Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
Operating System
The Pixel 6a will ship with the latest Android 12. The experience is similar to stock Android, with a few extra proprietary apps and services that are exclusive to Pixel phones.
Google have promised three major Android updates, and five years of security updates. Their software update promise is good, but still isn’t as good compared to Apple’s offerings, which receive updates for over 5 years.
Design
The Pixel 6a shares a near identical design to its more expensive siblings, with Google’s distinct design language that is reflected in all their products.
The horizontal camera bump on the back has become famous with the Pixel 6 lineup, and remains a staple feature, albeit with slightly less protruding. The dual cameras sit nicely towards the left, with an LED flash on the opposite right side.
The smooth back panel comes in three neutral colours, all featuring a small Google logo in the middle, which is fairly inconspicuous.
Battery life
Alongside the camera, the other main selling point of the Pixel 6a is the incredible 24+ hours battery life.
Google have shipped their Adaptive Battery technology with the Pixel 6a, which can save power more efficiently whenever you’re not using your phone.
Furthermore, with Extreme Battery Saver, you can extend your battery life up to an incredible 72 hours.
You can even charge the battery for just a few minutes to get hours of usage for the dat, with fast charging technology.
Colours
The Google Pixel 6a is available in 3 neutral colours:
- Chalk
- Charcoal
- Sage
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FAQs
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