The Verge website has already released a review of the new Google Pixel 6A smartphone. The author of the material, Julia Emerson, writes that the fresh proprietary Tensor processor turns it into a completely different, but full-fledged mid-range device. We translated the article and chose the most important thing from it.
For the past few years, Google smartphones with an A in their name have been regular mid-range models. But things are a little different with the Pixel 6A. Google has changed its priorities for the new Pixels, which has greatly reduced the difference between them and other competitors. For example, with Samsung.
The Google Pixel 6A has the best performance and camera quality in its price range, but it’s not quite what it used to be. As per tradition, the company offers most of the features of the Pixel 6 and less of the Pixel 6 Pro, all at a much lower price: $449 for the US instead of $599 for the Pixel 6. It lacks wireless charging, a glass back, and an increased screen refresh rate. But all other basic functions that flagship models have are available. In previous years, this meant having a great camera but a mediocre chip. Now the device is equipped with a proprietary Google Tensor processor.
The Tensor chip has received some features based on artificial intelligence and machine learning. For the most part though, the processor improves on everything that Pixel phones could already do. For example, real-time translation.
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Most importantly, the novelty offers the best durability among mid-range Android smartphones and is second only to the iPhone SE in terms of cost-effectiveness. Apple’s budget employee will receive updates for a year longer than the Pixel 6A. But the new Google has a much better screen compared to the SE’s 4.7-inch display.
Still, the Google Pixel 6A doesn’t have the best display at $449 – that honor goes to the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G. But the new Google has the best performance (at least among the options available in the US). On top of that, the device has a convenient size, unpretentious software and an excellent camera.
The Pixel 6A is the smallest of the three 6 Series models, but it’s still quite large compared to the competition. Compared to the 6.7-inch Pixel 6 Pro and the 6.4-inch Pixel 6, the 6.1-inch Pixel 6A feels downright petite.
The display of the model is an OLED panel with Full HD + resolution and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz. After using the screen at 120Hz, I definitely noticed a difference going back to 60Hz. I would never have seen it without comparison, but now I do. Therefore, the image on this display looks more jerky, and this gives the picture a less polished look. In addition, the OLED-matrix is not very convenient to use outdoors in direct sunlight, but it is bright enough so that it does not cause unnecessary discomfort.
The closest competitor to the Google Pixel 6A is the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G. The model has the same OLED screen, but at 120 Hz and it is larger (diagonal 6.5 inches). At the same time, the Pixel 6A outperforms the Galaxy A53 5G in several other ways, including a faster processor. If a huge screen is important to you, and you plan to use your smartphone for only a few years, then a Samsung device is the best choice.
The Pixel 6A doesn’t just borrow the processor from the Pixel 6 – it completely copies the new design of the sixth series. The horizontal camera bump on the back now rises a little less, but otherwise we have the same updated and minimalistic design of older models.
Google Pixel 6A is equipped with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal memory. The model does not have a microSD card slot. For everyday use, this is enough, while the system is responsive, and bulky applications remain running in the background and do not heavily load memory.
The Pixel 6A handles heavy tasks well and does it better than the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G. The phone can easily run graffiti games like Genshin Impact and still run quickly and smoothly. In the camera application, the smartphone also began to work faster, as can be seen from the minimal delays when taking several pictures in a row in portrait mode. The previous Pixel 5A takes as much as four to five seconds to process pictures, and only then the smartphone is ready to take new ones. And on the Pixel 6A, I can start shooting again in about a second. This is a great result and I was expecting a lot less from this smartphone, but the new Tensor processor has certainly made a difference.
Prior to the release of the Pixel 6A, there were many questions about its fingerprint scanner. This sensor did not work well in 6 and 6 Pro, so there was hope that it would be improved in 6A. I tested the Pixel 6A and 6 scanners at the same time, and often noticed that the novelty was significantly faster. Therefore, the hope was justified.
It is worth highlighting separately that the Pixel 6A has a pleasant tactile sensation. At the same time, the model has a very strong vibration. Especially when the smartphone is on a wooden table. I literally heard it all over the house.
The Pixel 6A is equipped with a relatively small 4410 mAh battery. The device easily lasted a day and a half in moderate use, and withstood a full day of intensive use with games and conference calls without any problems.
The body of the novelty is protected from water according to the IP67 standard. This makes it a bit less reliable than the IP68-rated Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, but there really isn’t much of a difference. The Galaxy A53 5G has the same protection, which is better than most models in this price range. The bad news is that the headphone jack that has stuck around in this series for so long is gone. The power supply was also removed from the kit.
The Google Pixel 6A features a 12-megapixel main camera from the Pixel 5A. Its capabilities have been slightly improved with the help of the Tensor chip. There’s also a 12MP ultra-wide-angle sensor from the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, but this camera is nothing special.
Photos from the Pixel 6A look like any camera in the Pixel series: contrasty, with a slightly cold white balance and vibrant colors, but at the same time without oversaturation. The Tensor chip enhances the camera with some interesting features, but they’re not as good as we’d like. If you like the Pixel photography aesthetic, you’ll love the new smartphone’s camera as well. If you prefer warmer tones in your shots, then check out the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G.
One of the most impressive camera features of the Pixel 6A is called Face Unblur. It uses the ultra-wide-angle sensor and complements the brighter exposure of the main camera by adding machine learning effects. As a result, the smartphone takes a photo with the correct brightness and sharpness of the face of the desired object in the picture. The Tensor processor also makes it possible to use HDR while recording video at the maximum frame rate and at the maximum resolution: in this case it is 4K/60 fps. As a result, the Google Pixel 6A stands out with a large set of camera features, which makes it the best device in its class in terms of shooting capabilities.
The Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro came out pre-installed with Android 12, and it wasn’t the best experience for early adopters due to a lot of bugs. Before the release of Android 13, Google seemed to have sorted out the problems on Android 12, at least on the Pixel 6A. For the past few weeks, this smartphone has been my main communication device and I haven’t run into any noticeable bugs or oddities. I made calls, listened to music on Spotify through Bluetooth headphones, took pictures and videos, and navigated the city without any problems using the navigator. Of course, we have a “clean” Android, which means no duplicate applications or unwanted features from developers that clog the user interface, memory, and more.
The Pixel 6A will receive updates over the next five years and is similar to the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro in this regard. The same number of years of support and updates Samsung offers for its Galaxy A53. It’s worth noting that the Pixel 6A must receive monthly updates from Google throughout its lifespan, and Samsung tends to schedule its models on a less frequent schedule as they age, with only two security updates per year for the oldest supported devices.
The Google Pixel 6A is a flagship phone that strips away some of the nice features of the more expensive models. The manufacturer has chosen a bold path for the development of its smartphones, adding to the novelties an unusual design and a non-standard branded chip. This is a device for users who want something different and with cool features. If a big screen is not a priority for you and you like the reasonable dimensions of modern devices, then I can safely recommend the Pixel 6A. The novelty has excellent performance, a reliable camera, good battery life, frequent and lengthy software updates. Finding anything better for $449 will be very difficult.
Rated by The Verge 8 points out of 10
Pros: Flagship processor and performance, good camera, very good battery life
Cons: Standard refresh rate screen, slow fingerprint sensor
