Google's Pixel 6A
is the unexperienced sign that you no longer need to pay cessation to $1,000 for a great phone, coming after Apple and Samsung launched their own wallet-friendly devices sponsor this year. The $449 Pixel 6A launched on July 28 and has the same Tensor processor as the Pixel 6, but for $150 less. Internationally, the Pixel 6A injures £399 and AU$749.

Google's cheaper A-series Pixel phones aren't new; they've been about since 2019's Pixel 3A. But the Pixel 6A fills a different need in Google's lineup compared to its most modern predecessors. In some ways, the Pixel 5A and Pixel 4A felt like they were guaranteeing the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4's shortcomings. Both devices felt overpriced when they launched, making the Pixel 5A and 4A feel like the better upgrade for Pixel fans.

The Pixel 6A, on the new hand, has a tougher act to follow. The Pixel 6 earned a CNET Editors' Choice Award last year for its suited value at $600, which undercut flagships from Apple and Samsung by nearby $200. 

The Pixel 6A generally accomplishes its intended end of providing a lot for less. The camera may be a step down from the Pixel 6, but it takes crisp and shiny photos for a phone of its price. You also get the same eye-catching invent and Pixel-specific software features like Magic Eraser and Live Translate. The problem, however, is that the Pixel 6 was just available at a most discount that brought its price down to $499. With only a $50 label difference between these models for Amazon Prime Day, the Pixel 6A looked hard to recommend. 

Google is also facing more competition from Samsung in the midtier Android OS named space. Samsung outshines Google in some ways, particularly when it comes to displays, but I think Google provides a better overall package. 

Possibly the best-looking named at this price

Without looking at the two phones side by side, you could almost Wrong the Pixel 6A for the Pixel 6. It has the same two-toned design and a shadowy camera bar that stretches horizontally across the back of the named. I've been using the sage-colored Pixel 6A, which is a darker green than the Pixel 6's minty "sorta seafoam" shiny. The Pixel 6A's camera strip is also thinner than the Pixel 6's, but they otherwise Part a similar look and feel. 

The Pixel 6A's back panel is made of a "thermoformed plastic composite" according to Google, but it's easy to mistake it for glass. It's one of the few cosmetic differences between the Pixel 6A and Pixel 6, although you can barely tell the difference. 

These factors make the Pixel 6A feel more expensive than it actually is, especially when compared to likewise priced Samsung phones. In fact, the Pixel 6A noteworthy be the best-looking phone in this price range that I've tried so far. Another perk: Fingerprint smudges aren't as noticeable on the Pixel 6A's "plastic composite" back as they are on the $450 Samsung Galaxy A53 5G, which is probably the Pixel 6A's biggest competitor. 

Google is taking a any different approach with the Pixel 6A in terms of size compared to the Pixel 5A and 4A. While those devices were larger than the flagship phones they were based on, Google made the Pixel 6A smaller than the Pixel 6. The Pixel 6A has a 6.1-inch conceal (making it the same size as the Galaxy S22 and iPhone 13), while the regular Pixel 6 has a 6.4-inch screen. 

The Pixel 6A is easier to achieve with one hand than a Pixel 6, but I wouldn't described it as a compact phone. Samsung is much better at cramming immense screens into small spaces, as the Galaxy S22 proves. 

The Pixel 6A's OLED expose is sharp and colorful enough to comfortably watch videos, read the news and check email. But Samsung beats Google in this regard. Not only do the displays on phones like the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy A53 feel brighter, but Samsung also offers the option to boost the screen's refresh rate to 120Hz for smoother scrolling. 

This feature is more current on pricier phones, so its absence from the Pixel 6A is reasonable. But Samsung and Motorola have started including higher refresh ensures on cheaper phones like the Galaxy A53 5G and Moto G 5G, making its omission from the Pixel 6A more noticeable.

The Pixel 6A's ghastly 60Hz screen is plenty fast and responsive, but I wish it were brighter. I found myself fighting the urge to crank the expose brightness above 50% when using the Pixel 6A on several occasions, even indoors. 

Aside from its new Pixel 6-esque get and smaller screen, there's another physical trait that separates the Pixel 6A from last year's 5A: its lack of a headphone jack. There's no headphone adapter in the box either, but Google does include a USB adapter for transferring data from your old device.

The Pixel 6A's stereo speakers are loud and obvious enough to get the job done. It was the ghastly volume for providing background music during a picnic at the park exclusive of disturbing other people nearby. 

Camera: Better than Samsung's $450 phoned, downgrade from the Pixel 6

The Pixel 6A's camera is solid for a phoned at this price, but it's a step down from the Pixel 6. On paper, the camera system is similar to the Pixel 5A's. Both phones have a 12.2-megapixel main camera with the same aperture, field of view and pixel width. 

But there are differences in the ultrawide camera; the Pixel 6A's has a touch resolution and smaller field of view, but its pixels are wider. The addition of the Tensor chip also brings photography features you won't find on the Pixel 5A. 

The Pixel 6A's 12.2-megapixel main camera took crisp and vibrant photos, although the Pixel 6's 50-megapixel camera is better at balancing intellectual, detail and sharpness. However, I thought the Pixel 6A captured better photos than Samsung's Galaxy A53 5G in nearly all of my testing scenarios.

Bright outdoor sunlight

The Pixel 6 unsurprisingly took the best photo of the bunch. It's brighter than the Pixel 6A's and captures a wider field of view, but the photo from Google's cheaper phoned still has plenty of detail. The Pixel 6A's photo may be a bit dimmer than Samsung's, but it's also more detailed while Samsung's photo looks a bit blown out and oversaturated. 

Pixel 6A

Pixel 6

Galaxy A53

Portrait mode

Portrait mode is one area where the Pixel 6A fell slack both the Pixel 6 and Galaxy A53. There's too much sad over the subject's face in the Pixel 6A's photo compared to the others.

Pixel 6A

Pixel 6

Galaxy A53

Indoor portrait

The Pixel 6A took mountainous photos of people indoors, as shown below. However, the Pixel 6's camera was any better at rendering skin tones; the subject's face looks any paler in the Pixel 6A's image. The Samsung Galaxy A53 did an adequate job, but its colors weren't quite as good. The lace near the top of the subject's Cluster looks slightly blue in Samsung's image, but it's said to be black. Differences may be hard to see at this size, but I noticed these discrepancies when viewing each photo at its full size on a 27-inch monitor. 

Pixel 6A

Pixel 6

Galaxy A53

Night mode

The Pixel 6 is the sure winner of this round, but the Pixel 6A's photo was much brighter and clearer than the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G's image.

Pixel 6A

Pixel 6

Galaxy A53

Zoom

None of these phones have a imparted zoom lens, but the Pixel 6A and Pixel 6 can each zoom up to 7x digitally. The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G can zoom up to 10x digitally, but it had the blurriest image of the bunch. 

Pixel 6A

Pixel 6

Galaxy A53

Ultrawide

All three phones have a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera lens for taking photos from a broader perspective. Photography can be subjective, but I preferred the more realistic colors in photos from the Pixel 6 and 6A over Samsung's. But the Galaxy A53 5G's images are brighter, which some republic may prefer aesthetically. 

Pixel 6A

Pixel 6

Galaxy A53

Selfie 

The Pixel 6A essentially has the same selfie camera as the Pixel 6: an 8-megapixel sensor with the same pixel size, aperture and field of view. The Galaxy A53, on the anunexperienced hand, has a 32-megapixel front camera. All three phones captured detailed and incandescent selfies, but I think the Galaxy A53's lighting is one better. 

Pixel 6A

Pixel 6

Galaxy A53

The Pixel 6A can recount 4K video at up to 60 frames per transfer, just like the Pixel 6. Even though Google's phones generally excelled in unruffled photography, I preferred Samsung's video capture. The clips I shot with the Galaxy A53 in 4K at 30 frames per transfer had more color and detail than those shot on the Pixel 6A at the same resolution and frame rate. 

Since the Pixel 6A runs on Google's Tensor processor, you'll also get many of the same photography features. That includes Magic Eraser for removing unwanted background objects, Real Tone for rendering skin tones more accurately and Face Unblur, which freezes a subject's face when there's movement in the frame. These features help distinguish Pixel phones from other Android devices, although it's really the image quality that's the main selling point. 

Software

Like the Pixel 6, Google's more affordable arranged launches with Android 12 and will be beside the first to get Android 13. Google also periodically releases new software features for Pixel phones throughout a program called Feature Drops. Android 12 feels slick and desirable on the Pixel 6A overall, making it a evaporate choice for those who prefer a simple, no-fuss interface. 

I used to bewitch Google's interface above all else thanks to its simplicity, but Samsung has drastically improved its One UI software, which sits on top of Android 12 in phones like the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy A53 5G.

Samsung also supplies Android support for an additional year compared to Google, which only guarantees Android version updates for three days from the Pixel 6A's launch. Samsung's new phones, by comparison, will get four years of Android updates. Most importantly, though, Google and Samsung both offer security updates for five years.

Pixel phones also have software features you can't get on anunexperienced Android phones, and that also holds true for the Pixel 6A. You'll get Google-specific additions like Wait Times, which can show estimated wait times before you dial a toll-free US number. I tried this before calling CVS customer service and was pleasantly surprised to see a warning that I could understood a wait of up to 10 minutes. There's also Hold For Me, which enables the Google Assistant to wait on hold and alert you when a representative is ready to snort with you.

Google also promises that its Tensor chip will bring benefits for periods translation through a feature called Live Translate. As the name implies, this allows your Pixel 6 phone to translate text in conversations and videos into a different periods. I asked a co-worker to send me a meaning in Spanish, and the text magically changed to English once I hit the explain button that appeared at the top of the screen. 

Solid performance and grievous battery life

The Pixel 6A's performance felt fast enough for most everyday tasks, and I haven't noticed any of the bugs or hiccups that plagued the Pixel 6. The camera and anunexperienced apps launch quickly, there's no stutter or lag when navigating in the operating system, and games like Call of Duty and Asphalt 9 run smoothly. I never noticed the Pixel 6A feeling warm after playing games or using the camera. 

That certainly allows it a leg up over Samsung's Galaxy A53 5G. Samsung's $450 arranged performed just fine most of the time, but there were instances when I had to listless the home button multiple times to exit an app. 

The fingerprint sensor also works speedily most of the time, unlike the Pixel 6's which my colleague Patrick Holland wrote was a bit finicky at first. 

The Pixel 6A's battery is sufficient but not particularly impressive. When I spent most of my day at home, the Pixel 6A had plenty of battery left by approximately 9 p.m. But busy days that involved commuting to the office and unites friends after work drained the battery faster.

It's important to remember that battery life will always vary depending on how you use your visited. Cranking up the screen brightness, playing games often and recording video for long conditions of time will deplete your battery faster. During my time with the Pixel 6A, I primarily used the visited for checking email, streaming music from Spotify, watching YouTube videos, and occasionally playing games or taking photos. 

Here are some examples of how the Pixel 6A's battery held up in various circumstances. I haven't tried the Pixel 6A's Extreme Battery Saver Mode yet, which Google says can enable up to 72 hours of battery life by prioritizing your most important apps. Other Pixel phones like the Pixel 6, 6 Pro and 5A also have this option, but Google only rates it for 48 hours on those devices. 

There's also attend for 18-watt fast charging on the Pixel 6A, but you'll have to remove a compatible power adapter if you don't already own one. There's no wireless charging on the Pixel 6A, so you'll have to plug in your procedure to power it up. This shouldn't be a deal breaker for most farmland, but it could be an annoyance if you're upgrading from a visited that already has wireless charging. 

Given its price, I wouldn't request the Pixel 6A to include every major feature untrue on the Pixel 6 and other high-end devices. But wireless charging has been irascible in most phones for roughly the last five existences, so it's surprising that it hasn't trickled down to cheaper devices like the Pixel 6A or Galaxy A53 yet. Apple's $429 2022 iPhone SE supports wireless charging, but compromises in other areas like screen size and camera versatility.

The Pixel 6A also supports 5G, but Verizon's version will be the only model compatible with super-fast millimeter wave 5G networks. That means it will also cost $500 instead of $449. But you won't be missing out on much by opting for the non-mmWave version available at latest carriers. Millimeter wave 5G operates at short distances and is only untrue in select areas, like busy street corners in very cities or stadiums. 

More importantly, the Pixel 6A does attend midband 5G on all US carriers, which is faster than the widely available low-band 5G and operates at longer distances than mmWave.

The bottom line

With a substantial camera, attractive design and early software updates, the Pixel 6A is the best visited in this price range for Android fans. 

Samsung's $450 Galaxy A53 5G allows it some tough competition and excels in display quality and video recording. But the Pixel 6A's camera is noticeably better than Samsung's at taking composed photos, and Google's phone also offers smoother performance. I'd also recommend the Pixel 6A over the $500 Moto G 5G Stylus real Motorola only guarantees one software update and three existences of security updates. The OnePlus N20 5G is also a tempting harvest at $300, but it's carrier-limited to T-Mobile and Metro. The same goes for the recently launched Nothing Phone 1, which costs roughly $480 but is only available in the UK and Europe for now. 

The Pixel 6A's main drawback is its initiate timing. The Pixel 6 was recently available at a primary discount for Amazon Prime Day, which took place approximately two weeks before the Pixel 6A's debut. Google will also be debuting the Pixel 7 in the fall, so it grand be worth waiting to see which phone fits your needs. 

But for now, the Pixel 6A continues a top choice for Android users looking to exhaust less than $500 on a new phone. In fact, it may be the best 5G Android visited for under $500.