Google Pixel 6a 5g Review

Introduction

The Pixel 6a is an Android smartphone designed, made, and sold by Google as part of its Pixel product line. It provides a more affordable option for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. The device was announced on May 11, 2022, during the Google I/O keynote speech.

Specifications

Hardware

The backside of the Pixel 6a is plastic, the body is metal, and Gorilla Glass 3 guards the screen. Similar to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, the design has a camera bar and a two-tone colour scheme on the back. The device is offered in shades of Chalk, Sage, and Charcoal. Two stereo loudspeakers are included, one of which functions as the earpiece and is located on the bottom edge. You can connect and charge additional devices using a USB-C connector. The Google Tensor system-on-chip, 6 GB of RAM, and 128 GB of non-expandable UFS 3.1 internal storage are all present in the Pixel 6a.

The Pixel 6a's 4410 mAh battery may quickly charge up to 18 W. It has an IP67 grade for water resistance. The Pixel 6a's 6.1-inch 1080p OLED screen supports HDR. The 20:9 aspect ratio display's upper centre has a circular cutout that holds the front-facing camera.

On the back of the Pixel 6a are two cameras. The wide-angle 27 mm f/1.7 lens and the ultrawide 114 °F/2.2 lens contain 12-megapixel Sony Exmor IMX363 sensors, while the front-facing camera has an 8-megapixel sensor. It can record 4K video at 30 or 60 frames per second.

Software

Android 12 was already stable on the Android Open Source Project when the Pixel 6a was first made available. After three years significant OS changes will be expected after three years, and security fixes after five years. The device was upgraded with a bootloader to allow modification in the first few weeks after the first appearance.

Key Specifications

Network

Launch

Body

Display

Memory

Main Camera

Selfie Camera

Sound

Features

Comms

Google Pixel 6a Battery

What you would want from a smartphone is a battery that "can last beyond 24 hours," according to Google. The tests discovered that the battery depleted more quickly than preferred during a day of heavier use (several software updates, about two hours of Spotify listening on the commute to and from work, some YouTube browsing, and a few game downloads). At 11.30 am, it was at 70%, and by 8.40 pm that day, it was dead.

The battery performance was improved the next day when tested with less usage. With just email and social media monitoring and Bluetooth music listening via headphones or wireless speakers, the Pixel 6a battery can likely last all day. Still, it is not recommended to walk without a charger.

No wall adapter is included in the box, but the smartphone charges and connects to wired headphones through USB-C. Unfortunately, wireless charging is absent as well.

During the extensive testing, it was discovered that the battery was pretty respectable for such a cheap phone. As said above, it lasts a day with moderate to heavy use, but the phone can last longer if you're not always using it.

Price in India

The price of the Pixel 6a, which is Rs. 43,999 for the single 6GB RAM and 128GB storage model, initially catches your eye. It represents a significant improvement over the Pixel 4a (Rs. 31,999), which was introduced as more of a mid-range device. The Pixel 6a's design has, thankfully, improved. It has a more refined appearance than the Pixel 4a did, and India offers it in two colours: chalk and charcoal. Unfortunately, the company does not provide Sage Green colour in India.

Drawbacks

The Google Pixel 6a makes some compromises to keep costs down, but no phone is flawless. Unless you use online services to save your files and images, you are limited to the standard 128GB storage because it lacks an SD card slot.

You are limited to using the fingerprint sensor, tapping a password based on numbers, or swiping a pattern for unlocking because Google does not support any face recognition on this device. However, after using the fingerprint sensor for around ten months, it seems more responsive than the Pixel 6. The battery's capacity is a problem for power users. Testing revealed that it's suitable for roughly a day of typical use but not much longer. On the plus side, that is resolved by having one of the top power banks.

Summary

The Pixel 6a outperforms the Pixel 4a, Google's last smartphone released in India. It includes several enhancements but is more expensive than the previous model. A glass display and a plastic panel are used in its construction, and an aluminium frame connects them. Despite feeling strong, the plastic panel is a vast smudge and dust magnet and is not high-end.

Due to the display's 60Hz refresh rate, software performance does not feel as seamless, but you get Android 13 from Google, the most recent version without any additional bloatware. While the camera performs admirably in all settings, the video seems a little disappointing. The battery has enough power for a day's use, but charging takes a long time.