1/8
The Pixel 6a is the most affordable Pixel smartphone that Google makes at the time of writing. It packs the same Google Tensor chip seen inside the more premium Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. The custom hardware brings some equally “pro” features including Titan M2 security, enhanced AI, and a guarantee of up to five years of security updates to the budget Pixel phone. We have the Pixel 6a in the house and while we work on our full review to give you deeper insight into what clicks and what does not, here’s a quick hands-on and first impressions of the design, hardware, and everything else you need to know about Google’s latest. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
2/8
The Pixel 6a looks a lot like the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro which is to say it looks really good. Most importantly, it looks nothing like anything else in the market today. It’s almost instantly recognisable as a Pixel, which we have to say, is not easy. It comes with a dual tone finish and what Google likes to call the “camera bar.” The frame is made of metal. The back is plastic. On the front, you get Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. The phone is IP67-certified. There is no headphone jack or micro-SD card slot. In India, Google offers it in a choice of Chalk and Charcoal colour schemes. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
3/8
You get a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 1080p resolution in this phone. Those are typical midrange specs, although Google for some curious reason, has chosen to go with a 60Hz panel which for a 2022 phone feels a little dated. It’s not slow or anything but it surely pales next to literally every other competing device. Rounding off the package are a hole punch cut-out at the centre and an in-screen fingerprint reader for biometric authentication. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
4/8
At its heart lies Google’s own Tensor chip. This 8-core chip, which is based on a 5nm manufacturing process, has two high-performance Cortex-X1 cores, two mid cores, and four high-efficiency cores. This is paired with a 20-core GPU. Tensor also packs a mobile TPU and Titan M2 security chip. Pixel 6a is being offered in sole 6GB LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB UFS 3.1 storage configuration. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
5/8
The phone runs Android 12 out-of-the-box. Google has started rolling out the Android 13 update for it at the time of writing. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
6/8
On the back, the Pixel 6a has a dual camera setup which is a combination of a 12.2 MP main (f1.7 dual-pixel with optical image stabilisation) and another 12MP ultrawide. Photography chops like Magic Eraser, Face Unblur, and enhanced skin tone -Real Tone- rendering in portrait shots that Google introduced with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are available on the Pixel 6a, too. 4K@60fps video recording is supported. You get an 8MP front camera in this phone, same as the Pixel 6. It is capable of up to 1080p@30fps video recording. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
7/8
The Pixel 6a has a 4,410mAh battery with 18W fast charging. There is no wireless charging. Google claims “all-day battery” with up to 72 hours of use in the Extreme Battery Saver mode. There is no charging brick in the box though. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
8/8
Google Pixel 6a price in India is set at Rs 43,999. It’s a bit higher than the Pixel 4a which when you take into account the whole package, may seem tad underpowered and a little overpriced next to competition. That said, Google is playing to its strengths and banking heavily on its slick software experience, now, with the added power and potential of its Tensor hardware. The promise of getting new features before anyone else is also a big selling point. There are surely more powerful, more spec-heavy, and even more premium-looking phones around but the Pixel 6a’s core belief in putting it all together cohesively, is unlike anything else in the market today. Watch this space for our full review of Google Pixel 6a dropping soon. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)