For a few years running, the Pixel A series phone was a no-brainer: consistently the best Android phone in its mid-range class. With the Pixel 6A, things are a little different. Google is changing its priorities for its Pixel phones and competitors like Samsung have closed the gap. The 6A still has the best performance and camera quality for its price, but it’s not what it once was.
As is tradition for the A series, the 6A offers most of what the Pixel 6 and, to a lesser extent, the Pixel 6 Pro does, for a much lower cost: $449 instead of the Pixel 6’s starting price of 599 dollars. You won’t get wireless charging, a glass back, or a faster screen refresh rate. But you get the same basic features as the flagship models. In previous years, this meant the same class-leading camera as the more expensive models, but usually a less robust processor. Not so this year; instead, you get Google’s custom processor, Tensor.
Good material
- Flagship processor and performance
- good camera
- Very good battery life
Bad things
- Standard refresh rate display
- The fingerprint sensor is still a bit slow
Tensor enables some AI and machine learning-driven features, such as better real-time transcription and HDR video recording at the camera’s highest resolution and frame rate. But mostly, the chipset improves on things Pixel phones could already do, like live translation, by running them more efficiently so you can use them more without draining your battery.
Most importantly, you can actually keep using this phone for more than a few years, which is a more typical lifespan for a sub-$500 phone. It offers the best longevity among mid-range Android phones, rivaled only by the iPhone SE for pure return on investment. The SE may receive software updates a year later than the 6A, but the Pixel offers a much better display compared to the SE’s relatively small 4.7-inch screen.
Keeping Tensor as a core feature of the 6A is an indication of where Google is heading the Pixel series for the future. In terms of the here and now, it makes the 6A an excellent mid-range phone. It doesn’t offer the best display for the money – that honor goes to the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G. But it’s the best performer for under $500 (at least among the options available in the US). Plus, it’s a comfortable size with simple software and a great camera, and should continue to perform well for years to come. This is worthy of an A, no doubt.
The 6A comes with a reasonably sized 6.1-inch screen.
The Pixel 6A is the smallest of the three phones in the 6 series, but perhaps the best way to describe it is as the smallest. Next to the Pixel 6 Pro with its 6.7-inch screen and the 6.4-inch Pixel 6, the Pixel 6A feels downright tiny. I counter that its 6.1-inch screen is the best compromise between a small (read: reasonably sized) phone and the giant phones everyone seems to want, but that’s just my personal hill to die on.
The 6A’s screen is a 1080p OLED panel with a standard 60Hz refresh rate, a step down from the 90Hz screen on the 6. After using a 120Hz screen for a while, I definitely notice the difference which returns to 60 Hz. I’d never see it without having the faster refresh rate to compare it to, but the movement feels more jerky and gives the phone a less than polished feel. Still, LCD panels are pretty common in the $500-and-under class, so the richer contrast of an OLED is welcome here. It’s also not very comfortable to use outside in direct sunlight, but it does get bright enough to use.
For longevity and the best performance, the 6A is the way to go
The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G, also at $449, is the 6A’s closest competitor in the US. Its display is also a 1080p OLED, but has a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s also larger at 6.5 inches, which many people find attractive. The 6A beats the A53 in some ways, but when it comes to the display, it’s all Samsung. So should you consider the A53 over the 6A? It depends.
Generally speaking, the A53 prioritizes surface-level specs, including that great screen, but its processor isn’t quite as fast. It looks more like a budget phone with a few premium components than the other way around. Day-to-day performance is a bit slower, and this will only degrade over the next three or so years. For longevity and the best performance, the 6A is the way to go. But if a big screen is important to you and you only plan to keep the phone for a few years, the A53 is the better choice.
The horizontal camera bump on the 6A doesn’t stick out as far as the 6.
The Pixel 6A doesn’t just borrow the processor from the 6; it carries over all of the design language that Google introduced with the 6 Series. The horizontal camera bump on the back panel sticks out a little less, but otherwise it’s the same different design. I can’t say I love it. The black rails and camera bar contrast sharply with the soothing sage green of the rear panel. I didn’t care for the design when it debuted on the 6 and 6 Pro. But I’ve liked it more and more over the last year, and I have a feeling it won’t age well.
The 6A comes with 128GB of storage (no card slot for expansion) and 6GB of RAM. This is the only variant and has 2GB less RAM than the base model Pixel 6. For daily use, this doesn’t seem to affect performance. The system feels responsive as I switch between tasks, and apps stay open in the background long enough to not get frustrated.
That processing power could mean the difference between getting the photo you wanted or seeing the moment slip by
It also handles heavy duty well, better than the A53 5G. The phone runs graphics-intensive games like Genshin Impact quite smoothly, with a few dropped frames here and there. There’s also very little lag in the camera app, even when firing multiple shots in back portrait mode. Both the Pixel 5A (pre-Tensor) and 6A let me take about four portrait mode shots in quick succession before they have to lock and lock the shutter button. The 5A takes a full four to five seconds to process shots, but with the 6A, I can start shooting again in about a second. This could mean the difference between getting the shot you wanted or seeing the moment pass you by with a grayed-out shutter button. It also goes well beyond what you’d expect from most mid-range smartphones, and Tensor is certainly helping to make a difference here.
The Pixel 6A’s fingerprint scanner has been the subject of much speculation, specifically along the lines of “maybe it won’t be as terrible as the one on the 6 and 6 Pro.” I’m not convinced it’s better. Using the 6A and 6 side by side, I can see the 6A sensor responding faster at times. But just as often, it’s the same speed as the Pixel 6. It also feels just as prone to asking me to rescan my fingerprint or press my finger a little harder. In any case, the Galaxy S22’s sensor feels a touch faster than either Pixel, and because Samsung’s sensor is ultrasonic rather than optical, it doesn’t fill your dark bedroom with blinding light when you use it. If you were hoping the 6A would solve this shortcoming of the Pixel 6, I’m sorry to say you’ll be disappointed.
Big battery power with a small battery
The haptic of the 6A is nice. They are subtle yet reassuring as you type and play. However, something about the design of the phone (I strongly suspect the camera bump) makes it sound as loud as a fog horn when it’s sitting on a wooden table and a notification turns off the vibration. Sorry for the whole house. I lowered the vibrations a notch, but that didn’t really help. I guess I’d get used to finding something soft to put your phone on when you’re not using it. Or make a case for it like a sane person.
There’s a relatively small 4,410mAh battery powering the Pixel 6A, but the close relationship between hardware and software (presumably) contributes to its very good battery performance. It got me through a day and a half of moderate use, and handled a full day of heavier use with some gaming and a conference call, without a hitch. That’s a lot of battery power from a small battery.
The Pixel 6A is IP67 rated for water resistance, which makes it slightly less rugged than the IP68-rated Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, but not by much. That’s on par with the Galaxy A53 5G and better than most phones at this price point. (Motorola’s Moto G Stylus 5G doesn’t offer a water-resistance rating.) But the bad news is that the headphone jack that was a fixture on the Pixel A series for so long is gone. There is also no charger included in the box. These are becoming as scarce as headphone jacks lately.
There are two nice cameras and no-nonsense macro sensors on the back panel of the 6A.
The Pixel 6A’s 12-megapixel f/1.7 primary camera is borrowed from the Pixel 5A, with a couple of Tensor-enabled perks. The ultra-large 12-megapixel camera is the same as the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, and it’s good but not outstanding.
It’s more symbolic than anything that the 6A doesn’t use the Pixel 6’s new 50-megapixel sensor because, in reality, photos from this new high-resolution sensor aren’t dramatically better than those from the previous camera. The 6A photos look like photos…