Among Android followers, the Pixel A-series has been a relative hit for Google. Whenever I step into Android areas, I hear nothing however reward for the corporate’s mid-range smartphone. I do know a number of “extremely tech-y” folks in my life who’ve lived with the A-series for years, completely glad with what’s of their hand, sufficient that they didn’t really feel compelled to spend the additional $200 or extra for the flagship Pixel. It’s not far off to assume the Pixel 6a, obtainable for pre-order at this time, will proceed the legacy.

The Pixel 6a affords all the perfect components of a Google flagship with out the worth tag. It has a trendy, two-toned glass again and Material You-style interface trimmings in every single place, from the Home display to the Settings panel. It affords rapid entry to the Google Assistant, and because it’s a Pixel system, it’ll obtain well timed software program updates immediately from Android headquarters. The Pixel 6a can also be the primary model of the A-series to function Google’s Tensor chip in a sub-$500 physique. This do-it-yourself chip facilitates most of the Pixel 6a’s flagship-level capabilities and is finally why you may select this mid-level smartphone over the opposite similarly-priced gadgets.

The smallest Pixel you should buy

I used to be not a fan of the Pixel 6 Pro’s design. Sure, it was massive, however the remainder of its chassis was too skinny and slippery to wield each day. Fortunately, the Pixel 6a takes after the Pro’s smaller sibling, the Pixel 6, a lot that the 2 telephones seem like they got here off the identical manufacturing belt. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make the Pixel 6a any much less slippery. As I typed out this paragraph, the Pixel 6a nearly slipped off me and onto the ground.

The Pixel 6a is the smallest Pixel system you should buy. It’s about .2 inches smaller than the common Pixel 6 and lighter by almost 30 grams. The digicam bar on the again of the 6a doesn’t stick out as a lot as on the Pixel 6 flagships.

The Pixel 6a is available in three colorways: Chalk, Charcoal, and Sage. Google despatched us the latter for overview, and it appears to be like like a fairly seafoam inexperienced in individual. I wouldn’t thoughts if Google (and Samsung and everybody else) tossed out black and white solely and caught solely to paint. It appears to be like charming when paired with the matching silicon case from Google.

The Pixel 6a has a 6.1-inch FullHD+ show with a 20:9 facet ratio, although its 60Hz refresh fee feels prefer it limits it. It’s a very good reminder of the concessions you’re making at this value level. In the Pixel 6a’s case, you’re giving up a quicker refresh fee in change for Google smarts. Other mid-range Android gadgets, just like the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G, provide a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED show with a 120Hz refresh fee, which makes for smoother scrolling and animations. There is a few noticeable choppiness when cruising via bloated net hyperlinks on the Pixel 6a.

At least the Pixel 6a’s display can get fairly vivid. Google advertises a “high brightness” mode on the Pixel 6a, which pops up in the event you activate adaptive brightness. This will be particularly useful if you’re out in direct daylight. Otherwise, the show has a most brightness of round 515 nits. I additionally like the extra dimming mode, which is useful in the event you’re like me and go to sleep to TV at midnight.

I’m unsure really feel concerning the freckle of a front-facing digicam watching me any time I am going full display in an app. It wasn’t at all times a problem, however I used to be typically reminded of it randomly, like whereas deep within the TikTok matrix. I favor the digicam off to the aspect of the show somewhat than smack dab within the center.

Yes, the fingerprint unlock is quick

Before it was obtainable for pre-order, the Pixel 6a was closely teased to have a “fast” in-display fingerprint scanner. It may sound like an odd boast, however that’s as a result of the Pixel 6/6 Pro had disappointing fingerprint unlock, sufficient that {hardware} VP, Rick Osterloh, was requested if there can be a different sensor transport with the Pixel 6a.

I wouldn’t say the fingerprint unlocks completely each time. I needed to scan my thumb a number of other ways to get it initially registered, which didn’t really feel just like the case once I was establishing, as an illustration, the Nothing Phone (1), which additionally makes use of an in-display fingerprint unlock. But after configuration, it was quick to move the Lock display and far faster than typing in a PIN or sliding out a sample. It additionally didn’t really feel like I needed to place my hand on the display as steadily as on the Pixel 6 Pro.

Homemade Tensor Chip

The Google Pixel 6a is billed as a mid-range smartphone, although the chip inside is similar Google Tensor Chip that powers up the Pixel 6. It’s a technique just like Apple’s iPhone SE, which makes use of the identical A15 Bionic processor as its iPhone 13 household. This yr’s Pixel 6a can also be the primary of Google’s inexpensive A-series to make use of a homegrown chip, versus final yr’s Pixel 5a, which utilized Qualcomm silicon.

Our inner benchmarks point out that going in-house paid off for the Pixel 6a. We don’t have numbers from final yr’s launch as a result of Geekbench wasn’t suitable with the pre-release {hardware} we had in hand. So this yr, I sideloaded the Geekbench 5 APK to get some uncooked numbers out of the processor and see the place it lands on the Big Board of Benchmark Numbers.

The Pixel 6a scored inside the vary of the smaller Pixel 6 within the single-core numbers, although multi-core numbers trailed behind a tiny bit. That’s partly because of the Pixel 6a having solely 6GB of RAM versus the 8GB within the Pixel 6 and 12GB within the Pixel 6 Pro. Competing mid-range gadgets, together with the Galaxy A53 5G and OnePlus Nord N20, even have the identical quantity of RAM, so it’s not out of the norm. In the general Geekbench numbers, the Pixel 6a outperformed the Galaxy A53’s Samsung-made Exynos 1280 processor.

Outside of benchmarks, the Pixel 6a held its personal with on a regular basis duties like enhancing video clips in InShot, posting confessionals to TikTok, chatting with my buddies in Discord, and taking AR photographs of my Galarian Ponyta in Pokémon Go. I additionally performed a number of rounds of Asphalt 9 and Sonic CD with the first-generation Razer Kishi strapped on to get a really feel for the way the system features as a gaming companion, and it managed tremendous. But it’s value noting that that is nonetheless a model new telephone that I’ve solely been utilizing for per week. The 6GB of RAM means you’ll seemingly see some stuttering as soon as the going will get robust. The chassis additionally will get significantly heat when the GPU is in use.

Battery Life Looks Strong

The Google Pixel 6a has a 4400 mAh battery inside. It’s smaller than the Galaxy A53 5G’s and the battery on final yr’s Pixel 5a. Still, Google guarantees you’ll get loads of life out of it, with as much as 72 hours of battery life on Extreme Battery Saver mode.

I couldn’t check that specific declare since I didn’t have sufficient time between getting my overview unit and publishing this overview, and I don’t have an additional SIM to check how the Extreme Battery Saver mode cuts down on issues like community pinging. But I’m at the moment operating the battery via our inner rundown check, which entails looping a 24-hour YouTube video on repeat till the system peters out. The Pixel 6a truly has but to die on this check, so I’ll replace the overview when I’ve numbers to share.

When it’s worthwhile to cost the battery, the Pixel 6a is able to adaptive charging, in order that it powers up steadily in a single day. However, it doesn’t have wi-fi charging and solely helps as much as 18W wired charging. It’s additionally value noting that no adapter is included within the field, so you’ll want to safe your personal!

Cameras are nonetheless the perfect

The Pixel 6a is bundled with twin rear-facing cameras, together with a 12.2-MP twin pixel wide-angle digicam with a 77-degree area of view (FoV), an f/1.7 aperture, and a 12-MP ultrawide digicam with a 114-degree FoV and an f/2.2 aperture. The first digicam can even tremendous zoom as much as 7x, whereas the second digicam offers lens correction. Both cameras have OIS. There’s additionally a front-facing digicam that’s an 8-MP sensor with mounted focus, an 84-degree extensive FoV, and an f/2.0 aperture.

The digicam efficiency of the Pixel A-series hasn’t modified a lot from final yr’s Pixel 5a. That is to say, you’ll be able to nonetheless anticipate flagship-like photograph taking at a mid-range value. It stays the perfect smartphone at this value level for taking lengthy publicity nighttime pictures of the sky. I stay impressed on the Pixel 6a’s seize skills in actual world situations, particularly late at night time once I’m chasing my child round the home as she refuses to sleep. You do begin to see the disparities between Pixels at this hour, although.

It’s clear that whereas the Pixel 6a can do computational processing just like the Pixel 6, it’s restricted by its lenses. The Pixel 6 Pro, which I used to check how Google tunes its {hardware}, takes barely brighter pictures at night time as a result of its digicam {hardware} can bodily take in extra element. The Pixel 6a typically couldn’t sustain and struggled to shoot transferring objects within the dim night gentle. My toddler got here out blurry-faced in photographs. I additionally seen that the Pixel 6a tends to overexpose white areas whereas the Pixel 6 Pro is extra true to life.

I in contrast some Pixel 6a pictures to the Samsung Galaxy A53, the opposite marquee mid-ranger. Samsung’s remaining product continues to be far more saturated than what Google produces, and typically it might blow out the scene as an alternative of upping the element. But the Galaxy A53 was additionally in a position to faucet into the main target space of a shot a lot faster than the 6a.

If you assume you’ll have to depend on zoom, the Pixel 6a may fall brief. Its tremendous zoom capabilities are in a position however aren’t as clear as what the Galaxy A53 can obtain with assistance from its 3x optical zoom. At least the Pixel 6a can zoom in rapidly in the event you’re taking a video, nevertheless it’s not the sharpest if you attain the 7x cap.

Pure Google Android

The Nexus days of the Android smartphone are over, so it might be unfair to label the Pixel 6a’s model of the software program as “stock.” Instead, it’s Android 12 with somewhat extra of Google’s flavoring, together with full dedication to the Material You design paradigm. Google even included an Android 13 beta function within the construct: the flexibility to activate matching icons. It appears to be like good you probably have the apps to assist it.

As with all Pixel smartphones, the Pixel 6a’s main focus is getting you onboarded into the Google expertise, in the event you’re not already. It’ll stroll you thru all of the methods you’ll be able to speak to the Assistant and command it to do your bidding. It’ll additionally attempt to push Android’s gesture navigation system on you, which you’ll be able to fortunately flip off immediately from the setup display. Using a Pixel additionally nets you entry to some unique Google Photos options, like Magic Eraser and Face Unblur.

The largest upside to utilizing a Pixel system is that it’s at all times going to be within the first push of no matter software program replace go out to Android. Google guarantees 5 years of Pixel updates on this telephone, which embody safety updates and varied Pixel function drops.

There are at all times concessions

There are nonetheless a number of caveats to think about in the event you’re seeking to save money in your subsequent Pixel system. The Pixel 6a is restricted to 128GB of storage, which isn’t sufficient in the event you’re a meme fiend and also you like to take photographs and movies of your child, pets, vegetation, no matter. Conversely, the Galaxy A53 5G has a microSD slot embedded into the SIM tray, so there’s an opportunity for storage growth with one other equally priced telephone. The Pixel 6a can also be solely IPX7 rated, which implies it may survive a drop in the bathroom however not a protracted, luxurious tub within the tub.

Then once more, possibly you don’t care about that stuff, and all you need is an honest Android telephone that received’t break the financial institution. That’s the Google Pixel 6a. It could not have all of the bells and whistles—or the display refresh fee—of different telephones, nevertheless it does have all of the fundamentals for $450.