The camera app has many of the features as Google’s other phones, including the object eraser or camouflage tools, which recolours distracting and unwanted elements of a photo to make them less obvious. 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. With a 6.1-inch display, the Pixel 6a isn't a small phone, but it's much more compact than the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro — closer to the iPhone 13. So, if you found the Pixel 6 to be big, this affordable alternative feels better. That said, you may still want to invest in a cover to protect the rear panel, which seems a bit easier to scratch. Google 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.

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

More AI features for this more affordable handset are 'Face Unblur', which does exactly what it sounds like and stops faces in photos from being blurry, plus its True Tone tech, which makes the cameras more effective at accurately showing darker skin tones in portraits. The only tool missing is Motion Mode, which adds effects to moving objects. So if that's a major draw, you'll have to spend more for the flagships. The battery life issue won’t ruin the phone for everyone, but it does make you stop and think “can I use a phone that needs charging multiple times per day?” If you can, that’s great. But we imagine lots of people will rule out the phone based on this simple issue. 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. The main camera produces very well-balanced photos, rich in detail and dynamic range across a range of light levels. The ultrawide is similarly good if slightly softer on fine details but it is consistent on colour and tone to the main camera, which isn’t the case for most at this price. The dedicated night sight mode produces great images in low light while the digital zoom is pretty good at 2x but unravels by 7x. In tests, we found this hasn't changed on the Pixel 6a, despite the camera's primary lens being downgraded from a 50-megapixel (MP) wide-angle to a 12.2 MP wide-angle. (That's closer, at least on paper, to a Pixel 5.) You also get a 12 MP ultra-wide on the rear module of the 6a, while your selfies are shot in a solid 8 MP.Of the three colors, the Sage Pixel 6a is the most exciting variant hands down as Chalk and Charcoal are just par for the course. Our results were clear and crisp, and after around 10 months of using the handset, we're consistently impressed by how well it performs under all lighting conditions. The battery is 4,410mAh, which isn’t even small for a phone of this size, so we can’t get our heads around why it doesn’t last longer. 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.

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

Smartphone battery life is often hard to quantity. A device might perform well in lab-based tests but struggle in everyday use, given the huge variance of screen-on time that you’ll use day-to-day, and as such testers can be hesitant to provide decisive verdicts on a phone’s lasting power. Video recording goes up to 4K and 60fps - which is all anyone really needs, if we’re being honest - with a range of modes like time lapse and slow motion. The front camera maxes out at 1080p though, a side effect of its 8MP sensor. 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 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 Google Pixel 6a retains the same design language of its siblings, but there are a few changes - for better and worse.The Pixel 6a is the best mid-range phone you can buy and a fantastic option if you’re looking for a smaller Android. 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).

What colors does the Google Pixel 6a come in? - XDA Developers

On the front there’s an 8MP f/2.0 selfie snapper, which is a little low-res compared to front cameras on rival devices, but the camera performs just fine. 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 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 verdict Google is on a roll. After years of good but not great phones, the Pixel 6a is another excellent model bringing the Android-maker’s magic down to a more affordable price.The new Pixel 7a boasts the latest 2nd-gen version of this chip, but our long-term use hasn't changed our opinion on its performance: It's smooth and speedy to use, and we haven't encountered crashes or shuttering when taking snaps. 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’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. 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. This isn’t really a phone designed for gamers though, with its mid-range chip and small display, so it’s unlikely that too many customers will mind.

Pixel 6a replacement screen has a green hue - Google Pixel 6a Pixel 6a replacement screen has a green hue - Google Pixel 6a

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. We like that the 6a is thin and less chunky than the 6 or 7 Pro, sitting flush when on flat surfaces. Even after months of use, we're continually impressed with the sleek design.The secret sauce, as always, is Google's machine learning, powered by its in-house Tensor chip. As in the Pixel 6, here, it powers a handful of impressive computational photography and video modes. Our favourite is 'Magic Eraser', which instantly removes unwanted subjects from images — perfect if you're taking pictures of busier city landmarks on holiday or you want to remove household items from your latest baby photo.