Google Pixel 6a – 128 GB-Unlocked Android 5G Smartphone with 12 megapixel camera and 24-hour battery – Sage

Product Information

Apple fans might prefer this budget iOS device, which has a powerful processor and decent, though solitary, rear camera, though its design and display aren’t exactly competitive. The Google Pixel 6a offers good value for money, though it's not as competitive as many Chinese phones. The single configuration of phone going on sale has 6GB RAM, and its chipset has a 5G modem, so you can connect to next-gen networks if you’re on the right contract. Your speed will depend more on your area and provider than on the phone though. Since battery life is such a core aspect of a phone, it’s hard to recommend the Google Pixel 6a, despite it still having some strong qualities elsewhere.

Google Pixel 6a review: Still the best value Android phone

Portrait mode is very good and works on objects and pets as well as people, while video quality up to 4K at 60 frames a second is solid. The 8MP selfie camera is similarly effective capturing a great amount of detail. The Pixel often struggled to last a full day of use, even when battery saver mode was active the whole time. And we’re not talking about a day of hardcore gaming, video recording and so on - the Pixel 6a struggled with everyday medium use. The Google Pixel 6a retains the same design language of its siblings, but there are a few changes - for better and worse. If the Google Pixel 6a’s whole deal is about getting the Pixel 6 experience on a budget, the camera is a good example of that. This isn’t a phone for professional photographers, but it’ll take snaps that are social media-worthy.Samsung’s mid-range marvel has an attractive design, good rear cameras, an impressive screen and a similar price to the Pixel 6a, making it a very tempting alternative. Perhaps Google is hoping you won’t be using the phone much, because it’ll be plugged in and charging for so long each day. The 18W powering here means the phone takes nearly two hours to power up to full, which is impressively slow for a handset at this price. The smartphone uses USB-C for charging and wired headphones, but there's no wall adapter in the box. It's a bit of a shame that there's no wireless charging, either. The software is smart and refined, and will be updated for at least five years, which is longer than most rivals. The camera is miles better than any mid-range model, competing with phones twice the price or more.

Google Pixel 6a review | TechRadar Google Pixel 6a review | TechRadar

The Google Pixel 6a, then, now offers better value than ever. That said, it would have been a more competitive phone, both against other Pixel phones and the slew of affordable phones on the market, if its starting price had been lower. The Pixel 6a has a 60Hz refresh rate, which means scrolling isn't quite as fluid compared to flagships — or, in fact, the Pixel 7a, which has increased the refresh rate to 90Hz. And don’t get us started on how long the Pixel lasted without battery saver on - our complaints would go on longer than the phone would last (well okay, there’s some hyperbole there, but we were seriously disappointed by the phone’s lasting power).Google’s green phase started in earnest with the Sorta Sage Pixel 5. That continued with the Pixel 6, but the company went lighter with something more playful compared to the staid, almost minty green that came in 2020. Pictures are good. Sure, they won’t match snaps taken on the standard Pixel 6 in terms of vibrancy or detail, but they’ll beat out nearly any other handset at this price. It's a handset we recommend to not only Android purists but also anyone tempted to make the jump from an Apple iPhone SE and even from the 6a's latest successor, the Pixel 7a. It’s a real shame, then, that the Google Pixel 6a’s battery life is such an Achilles’ heel, because if the phone lasted even just a little bit longer, it’d be a really great budget handset.

Google Pixel 6A | Carphone Warehouse Google Pixel 6A | Carphone Warehouse

The phone comes with all the standard Google-built apps like GMail, Photos, the Play Store and Maps, but there aren’t any pre-installed extras, saving you from that stint of deleting half the pre-installed tools. The issue for power users is the limited battery. We found from tests that it's fine for about a day of normal use, but not too much more. On the plus side, having one of the best power banks solves that. Google Pixel 6a verdictGoogle opted to use the same chip in the Pixel 6a as in the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro - its self-designed Tensor chipset - and this means the three phones are equally powerful. The Pixel 6a ships with Android 12, which includes a load of customisation options, smart refinements and impressive local AI features. For more, see the Pixel 6 Pro review. The 6a will be one of the first devices to receive the Android 13 update, which is due for release soon.