Google Pixel 6a – 128 GB-Unlocked Android 5G Smartphone with 12 megapixel camera and 24-hour battery – Sage

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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. 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 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.

Google Pixel 6a review: this mid-range master is a true

The slipperiness we encountered on the Pixel 6 isn't as much of an issue, as the 6a can be held with one hand, but we've found a case to be useful in adding grip. 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 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). 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. 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.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.

green Pixel 6a and 6 side by side - 9to5Google Here are the green Pixel 6a and 6 side by side - 9to5Google

Overall, while the 6a can’t quite match the cameras on the Pixel 6, it really isn’t that far off in beating smartphones costing more than twice the price and trouncing the mid-range competition. Price

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. Samsung’s mid-range marvel has an attractive design, good rear cameras, an impressive screen and a similar price to the Pixel 6a, making it a very tempting alternative.

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

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. The Google Pixel 6a offers good value for money, though it's not as competitive as many Chinese phones. 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 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. I used the Pixel 6a’s primary camera for the bulk of my shooting, and it delivers results worthy of the Pixel name. The color recreation is accurate, especially in rich sunlight like the image of the flowerpot above. Google’s natural bokeh is impressive, too, and is most evident in the picture of the pink and white flowerbox. I didn’t notice any issues with clouds washing out in the sky, whether I was above them (in the image of the airplane wing) or below (in the image of the waterfall). The only real complaints come if you crop in. No matter how smart Google’s processing is, a camera with a smaller, lower megapixel sensor just doesn’t let in as much light or provide as much information as something like the 50MP shooter on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. The Google Pixel 6a retains the same design language of its siblings, but there are a few changes - for better and worse.