The Google Pixel 6a, the latest smartphone from the Silicon Valley tech giant, has become available to pre-order today (July 21), ahead of its scheduled release of July 28. With price starting at $449 / £399, it’s much more affordable option than the Google Pixel 6 (opens in new tab) and Google Pixel 6 Pro (opens in new tab) smartphones.
Indeed, the affordable yet powerful successor to the Google Pixel 5a, the Google Pixel 6a (opens in new tab) may even find a spot within the best phones on the market (opens in new tab). What’s more, Google has cleverly sweetened the deal for potential buyers by offering free the Google Pixel Buds A-Series, worth £99.99 with Google Pixel 6a smartphone orders, placed at the Google Store from today until August 1.
Google Pixel 6a: Specifications
The Google Pixel 6a features the same Google Tensor chip as its older siblings; Google Pixel 6 (opens in new tab) and Google Pixel 6 Pro (opens in new tab), 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, under-display fingerprint scanner and stereo speakers. The new phone will run on Android 12 – receiving an update to Android 13 in due course. The battery capacity is 4,410mAh, with 30W charge speed, which Google says will last for over a day of use.
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Moving on to the display, the Google Pixel 6a has a 6.1-inch OLED screen, protected by protected by Gorilla Glass 3, with a punch-hole cut-out as we’ve come to expect on Pixel 6 phones. It has a resolution of 1080 x 2400 with 429 pixels per inch and HDR support, and a slightly disappointing 60Hz refresh rate.
We were slightly disappointed (opens in new tab) when it was announced that the Pixel 6a’s shared features with the Google Pixel 6 (opens in new tab) and Google Pixel 6 Pro (opens in new tab), doesn’t stretch to the camera system. Rather than the 50MP sensor seen in Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, the Google Pixel 6a camera has a12.2MP f/1.7 main camera, as seen in the Pixel 5 (opens in new tab), Pixel 5A (opens in new tab), Pixel 4 (opens in new tab) and Pixel 3. The Pixel 6a’s main camera is joined by a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide and an 8MP front-facing selfie camera.
Camera features that are happily carried over from the Pixel 6 include Magic Eraser, which allows you get rid of unwanted elements in photos and Real Tone, which allows for accurate skin tone balancing in portrait mode. The Google Pixel 6a also allows for video recording in up to 4K quality at up to 60fps.
Available in Charcoal, Chalk and Sage (black, white and pale green), it’s a great looking phone and is alike its siblings albeit with smaller lens cut-outs. It measures 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9mm, weighs in at 178g and comes with an IP67 rating, meaning it's dust and water resistant.
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