Rejoice, the Google Pixel 6a is here? That price tag is letting it down
The Google Pixel 6a will be inevitably compared with the new Nothing Phone (1) and OnePlus 10R. Both pursue the spec sheet more seriously, which leaves the Pixel 6a at a value perception disadvantage.
There is no better starting point than accepting the elephant in the room. Is the Google Pixel 6a, a “compromise” Pixel phone? The chances of Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro launching in India, remain as good as none. This is all we’ll get on these shores, at least for now. The complication (which doesn’t help perceptions too) is this also happens to be the most affordable Pixel phone. The Google Tensor chip and the exclusive set of features it brings (the Magic Eraser, for instance, which we’ll get to in a bit), would beg to differ. But it isn’t as simple.
Why really, would you buy the Google Pixel 6a? Does this still have the camera superiority that’s expected from Pixel phones? Is this really a flagship killer, in the OnePlus 10R or Nothing Phone (1) mould? Does the Tensor chip have a significant advantage over anything Qualcomm or MediaTek offer? That’s a lot of pressure on one phone.
When similarities are as profound as the differences
There is a single configuration of the Google Pixel 6a that’ll be on sale in India – that’s 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, and in Charcoal and Chalk colours. Sage colour isn’t here just yet. We quite like that green-ish hue. Looking like the Pixel 6 must be a good thing. You’d be forgiven if you (inevitably) confuse it with a Pixel 6. Design language is the same, right down to the dual-tone treatment.
The price tag of ₹39,999 pits it against the OnePlus 10R and the Xiaomi 11T Pro, two phones that instead focus on the specs more than the Pixel 6a does. What’s this Pixel’s trump card in this battle? The much smaller 6.1-inch display size, making this a rare compact Android phone – the Nothing Phone (1) being the other, in a similar realm. But beyond that?
Do you mind a 60Hz display on a phone that costs as much?
You start off with a very unassuming 6.1-inch OLED screen, layered with Corning’s older Gorilla Glass 3, instead of the newer Gorilla Glass Victus which Pixel 6 gets. First signs of cost-cutting? The fact that the display is restricted to 60Hz (it isn’t a pleasant blast from the past) puts it at a disadvantage. Does it matter in the real world? It’s now hard to brush this aside as a non-issue. Higher refresh rate has its advantages, though it isn’t absolutely a necessity. Yet at this price, the lack of it must be categorized as a big enough miss.
For what it is worth, this screen well in terms of colours (you get boosted option too) and we are quite happy with the crispness which helps with readability. Bright enough too, though there is some noticeable ‘washing off’ of certain colours (yellows and oranges, for instance) when the brightness is dialed up.
The fingerprint sensor is accurate and quick. Good thing that, because the Google Pixel 6a doesn’t have facial recognition for unlocking.
The 12-megapixel camera is good enough, just about
Pixel phones and good cameras (at least that’s the general perception) go hand in hand. Google Pixel 6a has dual 12-megapixel cameras, and an 8-megapixel camera for video calls and selfies. Mind you, it is still the primary 12-megapixel sensor that’s similar to Pixel 5a from the fag end of the previous summer (right down to the pixel size). Google’s basing the upgrades on Tensor improvements, of which there are many.
Take Magic Eraser for instance, which can quite effectively remove something from a photo, though there will be times when a stitch-on effect will be noticeable when lines are matched, if you look closely. Across the board, with Google Photos playing an integral part, are improvements to skin tone. Google has spoken extensively about achieving realism of skin colour reproduction in photos, particularly finely nuanced darker skin tones.
The 12-megapixel camera walks the path of expectation, for the most part. Yet, distortion and noise in low light photos are unmissable, and so are subdued colours in certain daytime photos as well. You’ll be able to wring out photos which do a Pixel phone justice. Tensor-based improvements for software have allowed Pixel 6a to keep pace. However, behind-the-scenes upgrades would make their presence felt more, where there is a loaded megapixel basket to play with.
Tensor impresses in the very first outing
Other specs may have been snipped round the corners, but Google didn’t make changes to the beating heart of the Pixel 6a. There’s pressure in the pursuit of custom silicon to deliver performance and battery gains (comparatively higher than Qualcomm's ability to offer), after Apple’s success with the M-series. Our experience with the Google Pixel 6a’s performance indicates consistency, responsiveness and the sort of frugality that takes away the anxiety about battery life.
There may be some concern about 6GB RAM (there is no 8GB or 12GB option) for multitasking, but we can say it’s compensated for to a large extent by the purest Android experience you can find. Google exercising control over hardware and software has reaped dividends, particularly for optimizations. And wider AI processing, which we’ve already talked about particularly for the camera. Even casual gaming, if this screen size is comfortable enough for that, 6GB of RAM never got even close to providing a virtual ceiling.
The battery size isn’t exactly very small – it is still, and this ends up with about 30% charge still remaining at bedtime. There’s 18-watt wired charging, which isn’t in the same league when the competition is doing upwards of 100-watt fast charging. The Pixel 6a also doesn’t have wireless charging. This becomes difficult to justify. The saving grace is, you’ll probably only have to plug this in as you prepare for the night’s sleep.
This Pixel phone isn’t about that one thing only, including the price tag
Unlike Pixel phones, Pixel 6a isn’t just about cameras and clean Android. There’s a wider array at play here. Google’s Tensor chip is ushering in the next chapter for Pixel phones and seems to be off to a good start. The compact footprint is a positive and everything feels nicely in place. Except perhaps the price tag. Compared to the more performance-oriented rivals, this will feel under-equipped. It shouldn’t, but it will. For no fault of the Google Pixel 6a.
