Tech giant Google has been part of the smartphone world since all the way back in 2010 with the Google Nexus, and they have come a long way with the groundbreaking Pixel series of smartphones has been with us since October 2016.
The latest iteration is the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro released in October 2021 offering flagship performance but including some notable changes like the addition of Google's own Processor.
The "a series" of Pixel phones offer a more affordable option for users who want the streamlined Google Android OS experience, clever AI-enhanced features, extensive updates and Google's suite of useful tools and apps all for a mid-range price.
Google demonstrated their latest phone, the Pixel 6a, during Google I/O in May 2022. The 6a shows similar capabilities to the Pixel 6 and Pro but, of course, sacrifices have been made to make it more affordable.
As this is the entry-level Pixel, the first noticeable change was its size and screen. The 6a is the smallest of the current Pixel series but obviously follows a very similar design to its big brothers and it comes in three colours - Sage, Chalk and Charcoal. I looked at the Charcoal version.
I have to admit, I love the tall and compact form factor, it's 152.2mm tall x 71.8mm in width and a depth of 8.9mm making it comfortable to hold, so easy to use one-handed and it looks very sleek and modern.
As for the build, it has a slightly curved aluminium frame and on the front, a flat panel with a Gorilla Glass 3 compared to the standard Pixel 6 using the latest Gorilla Glass Victus.
The back of the device is made of glossy plastic, which felt surprisingly solid but due to the shiny finish it’s a nightmare for picking up fingerprints, leaving me constantly cleaning it or actually wanting a case to cover it.
Weighing 178g the Pixel 6a has a premium, even feel to it despite its weight, it is a very well-built phone, with its IP67 offering a very high level of protection against dust and water, so you can fully immerse it in water as deep as 1 meter for up to 30 minutes.
The main eye-catching detail on the back is the camera visor, a black band that really draws attention to the camera module just like the regular 6 and 6 Pro. It's not for everyone but I really like this visor look as it's unique and not as large or obtrusive as some cameras.
There's no 3.5mm jack and while that's not unexpected they do still sometimes pop up and mid-range devices so you'll need to use the Bluetooth v5.2 which features dual antennas for enhanced connection to listen to tunes.
With a glossy 6.1" OLED display, the 6a is sharp and clear with a resolution of 1088 x 2400 or FHD+ and a small hole punch camera in the top centre of the screen.
However, its 20:9 aspect ratio makes the screen looks a little narrow and can feel like a waste of screen space with chunky black bars on either side.
The screen is bright and produces some great colours all while being very sharp and clear, It’s a shame however that it only supports a 60Hz refresh rate unlike several of its competitors that can support 90 and in some cases 120Hz for a smoother experience.
With very thin bezels The top, bottom, left, and right sides of the screen all have symmetrical bezels, which just look great.
SPECS
Processor: Tensor
Screen: 6.1" 60Hz OLED
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 128GB
The processor is one of the most interesting aspects of the Pixel 6a. Ditching the Qualcomm Snapdragon, all the Pixel 6 devices use the same processor, Google's own 5nm, Tensor chip instead of a Snapdragon like the Pixel 5, and many of its Android competitors.
The Tensor chip is 5 times faster than the Pixel 5a and does a lot of heavy lifting. It's s very fast and responsive when opening and closing apps and it's brilliant for day-to-day use, although the 6a can get a little hot when busy or when gaming.
There is only one RAM and storage option here, 6GB RAM and 128 GB storage, I can understand that 128 might not be enough for users who want to take loads of pics and videos or play lots of games.
However, an upgraded option wouldn't make sense when it's priced so close to the standard Pixel 6, it's just a shame there is no micro SD expansion either.
The camera feels dramatically cut down when compared to other mid-range phones and even the regular Pixel 6's 50 MP camera. The 6a uses a 12.2 MP main camera and also a 12MP ultra-wide and an 8MP front camera.
However, the 6a's camera focuses on clever software rather than hardware using AI and algorithms to clean up images.
The pictures were decent but I'd struggle to recommend it to any photography buffs, although colour reproduction was utterly superb due to Google's Real Tone technology, which is incredibly accurate at skin tones.
The Magic eraser allows you to remove distracting objects or people from photos with no retouch skills required and I found it worked well most of the time and was a really useful tool.
Yet another clever Google trick is the Face Unblur tool which helps fix pictures that were blurred, like pics taken in low light or in motion. This is helpful if you've ever tried to photograph a two-year-old or a bulldog with the zoomies.
Low light performance was good but it did horrific things to the image quality and I would avoid it if possible especially when used with zoom.
It's also capable of recording 4K and 1920 x 1080 video at 30 FPS and 60 FPS and 1080p video recording at 30 FPS on its front selfie camera, which is impressive as these options are usually more limited on midrange devices.
Despite utilizing a 4410 mAh battery (which is smaller than last year's pixel 5a), battery life was really great often lasting me over a day with moderate to heavy use.
Yet another use of Google’s clever AI is its adaptive battery which learns your favourite apps and doesn’t waste power on ones you don’t use.
The Pixel 6a supports up to 30W fast charging, allowing you to be fully charged in an hour but sadly a fast charger isn’t provided.
Yet another clever feature is the Extreme Battery Saver mode which further boosts the battery life to around 72 hours, which is great if you have forgotten to charge or you're on the move and can't stop to charge.
That Tensor chip allows the Pixel 6a to feature the same Google voice typing and live translation for near-instant translations which is a real help if you are lost on holiday.
Security is tight on the 6a with it using Titan M2™ security coprocessor and an all-new optical under-display fingerprint scanner that's different from the one used on the Pixel 6. The scanner is fast and accurate and gave me no issues so far
The best feature on the Pixel 6a is the "Hold for me" function. When you are on a call and placed on hold Google assistant can take over and sit on hold for you and it'll notify you when a human is on the call with you.
This is a gamechanger if you have kids and you need to make lots of appointments, or if you don't want to waste any more time in queues on hold. Ever.
The Pixel 6a Launches with Android 12 and will receive a whopping 5 years of security updates.
One of the best things bout using a pixel is that it provides a near-perfect stock android experience and their devices are the first to receive new Android OS rollouts like the upcoming Android 13.
So you are not bogged down with unnecessary apps and extra clutter that’ll be unremovable and fill your phone.
Priced at only From £399 which isn’t the most affordable considering its specs and when compared to OnePlus Nord 2, Samsung Galaxy A53 or Apple iPhone SE However this is offering that top end chips set in a mid-range phone as well as those fantastic google tools.
Verdict 4/5
The Pixel 6a is a marked improvement on the 5a and it's thoroughly charmed me, not through specs or raw power but with its swiftness and really clever features unique to Google.
It's interesting to see what Google has chosen to hold back to keep this phone affordable. I was disappointed with the screen only being 60Hz and the lacklustre camera.
However, it’s reassuring to see that despite a few compromises they have kept that Tensor chip from the more advanced models in this device and it's got so many clever tricks up its sleeve It's hard not to be wowed by the Google Pixel 6a.
The Google Pixel 6a will be available on the Google Store for pre-order from 21 July and on sale from 28 July for £399
