Google Pixel 6a Review smartphone

The Google Pixel 6a is a blazingly fast mid-range smartphone. The high-performance Tensor chipset and clean Android interface make the device feel incredibly fast. In the other two cases, the phone feels very slow. You will read about it in this review.

The Google Pixel 6a is the fourth generation

The Google Pixel 6a is the latest member of Google’s Pixel 6 family, and this device is already the fourth generation of Google’s more affordable a-phones. These Pixel a-phones are known for their great cameras. Compact design And a clean Android experience at its core. However, when compared to its more expensive Pixel brother, this often comes at the cost of speed.
Now, for the first time, Google is following suit with its new Pixel smartphones. For the first time, a Pixel phone does not inherit the camera from its older brother, the Pixel 6a. It uses the old camera sensor that Google used from the Pixel 2 (2017) to the Pixel 5 (2020), but Google has gone along with Apple in its modern design, taking its more expensive models as a basis. Does it all work? You’ll read about it in this review.

Google Pixel 6a specs: slow and fast

With the Google Pixel 6a, Google has taken a slightly different approach. And the company is following Apple’s lead, although Google has a much more modern implementation. For example, the mid-range Pixel 6a gets a high-end chipset. That’s exactly what Apple did with the iPhone SE. In that device, Apple also took an old camera sensor and improved it with a software update.

Specifications:

Size and weight: 152.5 x 71.8 x 8.7 mm
Front case: Gorilla Glass 3
Back case: plastic, aluminum frame
Display: 6.1-inch AMOLED Full HD (2400 x 1080 pixels), 20:9, 60 Hz
Processor: Google Tensor
RAM: 6 GB LPDDR5 RAM
Storage: 128 GB UFS 3.1
Wireless interfaces: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
Rear camera: main camera 12.2 MP (PDAF, OIS), wide-angle lens 12 MP
Camera for: Aug 8
Video: 4K 30/60 fps, 1080p
Battery: 4410 mAh, 18W fast charging
Android version: Android 12
Special offer: fingerprint scanner

Modern Cowabunga design

The Google Pixel 6a is first and foremost a compact phone with a 6.1-inch screen. Thanks to its relatively small screen, the Pixel 6a is one of the most compact smartphones you can buy today. The phone is easy to use with one hand, which is very convenient. A less pleasant aspect is the lack of a 3.5 mm audio jack. This is the first time that such a jack has been omitted from a Pixel device, which is a shame.

Google Pixel 6a

The Pixel 6a is further enhanced by Gorilla Glass 3 (on the front) and an aluminum frame. The back is glossy plastic. The device has an IP67 rating, which means it is protected against water and dust. The Pixel 6a comes in Sage, Chalk, and Charcoal colors, with the Sage version being a nicer and more colorful green than the Charcoal (black) and Chalk (white) versions. There are also a variety of “skins” available for those who want to make their Pixel 6a or Pixel 6 (Pro) even more unique. Here’s how to turn your Pixel 6a into a Ninja Turtle-themed phone, as you can see in the photos. You can read more about it in this article. Which Ninja Turtle would you turn your Pixel 6 smartphone into? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to know!

Google Pixel 6a Display

The Pixel 6a has a 6.1-inch Full HD+ AMOLED panel with a 60Hz refresh rate. The latter immediately becomes the Pixel 6a’s biggest downside: the screen isn’t as smooth as other devices in this price range. When it comes to the screen, the higher the refresh rate (the higher the Hz, ed.), the smoother the screen will be.

Now I know there are a lot of people who have never used a display with a refresh rate higher than 60Hz, which has been the standard (talking about 2019), so they don’t notice. However, the audience for the Pixel 6a is mainly tech enthusiasts and Android users who are interested in technology, smartphones, and all the technological developments that play a role in them. And often sniff it out or even use it. Usually, listeners know what 60, 90, and 120Hz mean and have probably used them.

These people will immediately notice that the Pixel 6a has a display with a refresh rate of only 60 Hz. You will immediately notice that the Pixel 6a display is more glitchy than phones with 90 or 120 Hz displays. 120 Hz is a lot, which is a shame because there are already budget phones with 120 Hz panels. The Pixel 6a display is good in terms of colors and is bright enough to read outdoors in direct sunlight.

Fast and clean Android interface

We can infer the Android skin that Google uses because Google does not use it. Pixel devices always run the latest version of Android. Therefore, Android follows Google’s vision. So do not expect bloatware.

You can only take advantage of Pixel-exclusive features. Magic Eraser, can you remove the person in the background of an image? Live translation is a powerful translation feature made possible by the processing power of Tensor.

The Pixel 6a runs Android 12 out of the box. But now you can install the Android 13 update. You can get more detailed information about Android 13 and the new features in this version here.

So, the Pixel 6a runs on a completely new version of Android and it seems to work fine. In addition to this new version of the operating system, It also has a fast processor. As you read above, the Google Pixel 6a is powered by the Google Tensor chipset. This is a high-performance processor from Google, designed by Google and manufactured by Samsung. Apps run very fast with Tensor and have minimal loading times and frame drops.

Charging, got a minute?

The battery in the Google Pixel 6a has a capacity of 4410 mAh and can easily last a whole day. With moderate to light use, it can be used for about a day and a half. This is an excellent result. Especially for a compact phone like this, the 60 Hz display will play a positive role here. With fewer frames per second, it therefore consumes less power than a 90 or 120 Hz screen.

In terms of charging, the Pixel 6a scored significantly below average. Since the Pixel 6a uses only 18 watts of power to charge, this means that it will take more than two hours to fully charge. Going from 0 to 50 percent takes about 35-40 minutes. The Pixel 6a cannot be charged wirelessly.

Old camera, great picture

The Google Pixel 6a has a dual camera. It has a 12.2-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens. The 12.2-megapixel main camera is also a well-known sensor. Google uses the Sony IMX363 sensor, which Google used with the Pixel 2 (2017).

This sensor measures 1/2.55 inches. For comparison, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 (Pro) have a much larger, modern, high-quality sensor measuring 1/1.31 inches. Another comparison: The Nothing Phone (1) has a 50 MP 1/1.56-inch camera sensor for the sensor. The lower the number, the higher the magnification and the more light it can collect. So, hardware-wise, the Pixel 6a definitely won’t have a large, high-quality camera sensor. However, the quality of photos taken by this device is very close to the quality of photos taken on premium devices.

12.2MP main camera, f/1.7, with optical image stabilization, 1/2.55” sensor size. 12MP wide-angle lens, f/2.2, 1/2.51” sensor size. 12.2MP main camera: full of detail, color saturation, and high contrast. That’s why Google uses an older and relatively small sensor. However, since Google has been using the sensor for many years, it has become more well-known. And thanks to this, it was able to get better photos from the older sensor. And when combined with the excellent image processing of the Tensor chipset, you can be sure that the Google Pixel 6a will take great photos. The Pixel 6a camera takes photos with vivid colors, high contrast, and lots of detail.

Like smartphones in the same price range, the Pixel 6a’s photos have a wider dynamic range. In addition, photos taken with the Pixel 6a have much higher detail and contrast. Nothing Phone generally opts for softer tones, while the Pixel 6a has a better balance between highlights and shadows. On the other hand, the photos taken by the Nothing Phone have slightly more natural colors. The Pixel 6a has More visible colors, using “thicker” and more saturated colors. You can see the comparison below under the large image. On the left you see a photo taken with the Pixel 6a, on the right – with the Nothing Phone.

In dark conditions, you will notice that you are dealing with a small sensor. Despite many software improvements, But you can see that the Pixel 6a is harder to beat. Low-light photos are more than adequate. But you will notice that the sensor receives less light than larger sensors.

The Pixel 6a also has a lot of trouble focusing in low light. Especially in the dark, the camera often does not know how to focus correctly. The same will happen in night mode. This feature allows you to capture more light. But sometimes we also lose concentration.

The Pixel 6a uses the same 12-megapixel sensor as the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro for its wide-angle lens. The image quality of this wide-angle lens is definitely good. But the field of view is not very wide. Especially compared to competitors like the Galaxy A53You can get much tighter shots with the Pixel 6a’s wide-angle lens. It also doesn’t have autofocus. So you can’t take macro photos. The Pixel 6a can digitally zoom in up to 7x, but it’s not recommended. After 2x digital zoom, photos lose detail.

You can control all of these cameras through Google Camera, the official photo-taking app for Pixel phones. In our opinion, it’s one of the best camera apps in the entire Android space. Google Camera’s menus and features may not be as extensive as, say, those on Samsung phones, but the layout and usability are very good. Little things are created like a level so you always know if you’re shooting straight. Which is very useful. And we see that this feature is being adopted by other smartphone manufacturers.

Improvement Policy Complete

The Pixel 6a runs on Android 12, a pure version of Android. However, the device has already been updated to Android 13 and will support Android updates up to and including Android 15 in terms of Android updates, security updates, and patches. The Pixel 6a will be supported by Google for five years, and only Samsung has done better overall with four Android updates and five years of updates.

Conclusion

The mid-range market is becoming more attractive. There are good smartphones now, but it is clear that manufacturers have made a conscious decision to go for mid-range smartphones. And each brand has its own strategy. For example, we decided to lower each point a little compared to high-end smartphones. As a result, they know how to bring a good and full-fledged mid-range smartphone to the market “as a whole”. Samsung is a textbook example of this. For example, the Galaxy A53 was worsened in all respects, so it does not stand out in any aspect. But overall, the film is very strong and good.

Google takes a different approach They choose to give up a lot in many areas, but rarely in others. So, compared to the high-end models, the Company has chosen the same high-performance tensor chip as in the more expensive Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. However, to achieve this, the company had to make some sacrifices. And the company does this primarily with its screens, which have a 60Hz refresh rate, which provides much less lag than competitors. The camera works well. Even if the hardware is old But the performance is still very close to that of high-end phones.

However, if you can opt for a 60Hz screen and slow charging, you are getting one of the best smartphones. The Pixel 6a is perfect for those looking for a compact smartphone with high performance, pure Android and a good camera.