Google Pixel 6a Review: Making Premium Mid-Range Phones Interesting

The Pixel 6a is an interesting offering as it brings Google’s first-generation in-house processor, the Google Tensor, and carries a design similar to the more expensive Pixel 6 phones.

The pixel 6a is another effort from Google to make mid-range phones more interesting but things do get better with this iteration of the A series.

The Google Pixel 6a lies somewhere in the middle, it’s a premium mid-range phone looking to give the best of both worlds to the user. But then it has its own downsides as well.

That said, Google has brought in an interesting smartphone for users looking for a mixed bag.

I used the Pixel 6a for about a month and at times I found myself in awe of the smartphone at times I found some things just unacceptable. I’ll share it all in this Pixel 6a review: 

Google Pixel 6a: Build And Design

Pixel 6a takes a cue from the expensive 6 line-ups and despite a plastic back, it looks refreshing with the dual-tone design, giving it a distinct look. The camera panel looks beautiful and both the cameras are neatly placed. 

The phone doesn’t just visually look good, the Pixel 6a has a solid build as well. The in-hand feel is good; I love small and lightweight phones and loved using the Pixel 6a for regular use. The power and volume buttons are on the right edge and they are quite accessible.

The IP67 rating comes in handy as the phone can handle water and dust easily. 

The Pixel 6a comes in a surprisingly tiny box along with a USB cable, a USB A-to-C transfer dongle, a SIM ejector tool, etc. 

Google Pixel 6a: Display

The display isn’t the best for a phone that costs a little over Rs 40,000. The problem is the dated 60Hz refresh rate at a time when 90 Hz or even 120 Hz is the norm these days. 

The 6.1-inch OLED display is bright and clear but with Gorilla Glass 3 protection, it’s not well protected.

The fingerprint sensor was again something not very impressive as used to take its own sweet time to unlock the phone but the update to Android 13 fixed it all. 

Google Pixel 6a: Performance

Before anything else, I would say the Pixel 6a, just like the earlier Pixel phones, offers a great Android experience. Use it for a few days and you get used to the fluidity of the user interface that it gets tough to move to a different phone.

At the center of everything is Google’s new Tensor chip – a 5nm chip based on Samsung's Exynos 2100 platform, so the performance part is pretty much-taken care of by a capable SoC. In my experience with the phone, at no time it felt I am using a mid-range smartphone as there were no lags or stutters with anything.

The only area where I felt the phone struggled was when I played Call of Duty at high settings. There were noticeable lags and heating when I played for about an hour.

I must say the speakers are really loud and enough for you to enjoy games or content on Netflix or other OTT platforms.

Overall, you can easily go on using social media apps and watch content on OTT platforms and it’s a pleasing experience on the Pixel 6a.

Google Pixel 6a: Cameras

I had some expectations from the cameras since it’s a Pixel phone, but I felt a little let down due to its overall performance. There is a 12MP Sony sensor and a 12MP ultra-wide camera here. 

It’s not like the phone doesn’t produce good pictures, but I felt it’s not versatile enough to satisfy the needs of today’s users who have seen better camera performance in this price range.  

In regular daylight conditions, you get pictures that don’t look too processed and have a good saturation, natural skin tones, details, etc.

Check more image samples from Google Pixel 6a here:

The Pixel 6a clicks amazing low-light pictures with impressive details and I loved playing with the camera for night shots. 

I took a video while going to the Delhi airport and it came out as I had expected. That said, you can record 4K videos at 60 fps and you would be pretty happy with the results on most occasions.

Google Pixel 6a: Battery Life

The Pixel 6a can last about 7-8 hours with moderate use as the 4410 mAh battery offers a good backup on a single charge. On a regular day, I took photos, used Instagram, watched videos on YouTube for hours, and the phone did manage to handle it well. 

The 18W charging is not too fast in the segment, and Pixel 6a takes more than an hour to fully charge which is a bit too much in today’s time. Moreover, there is no wireless charging the phone supports so that’s another downside. 

Is Google Pixel 6a worth Rs 43,999?

The Google Pixel 6a is an interesting phone but at the same time, it may seem expensive, too.

It does carry the Pixel legacy to some extent, with a good camera, a fine Android experience, and a good build but then it lags behind others in this price range, for example, the 60Hz is unacceptable and the 18W charging is another weak point. 

At a time when Nothing Phone (1) has made all the noise, it may get tough for Pixel 6a to find takers apart from those looking for a fine and simple smartphone. Moreover, there are iQOO 9T, OnePlus 10T, and a few other smartphones that you can get by spending a little extra.

That said, Pixel 6a would appeal to those looking for a solid no-fuss Android phone, and at Rs 43,999, it may seem expensive considering its on-paper specs, but the experience is worth it.