So, I’ve been trying out the Pixel 6a this week. Not only is it Google’s latest mid-range Android, it’s also a much better phone than my own cheap and (not so) cheerful handset. Read on for a no holds barred account of how I got one with my shiny new phone…
Checking out the design
The first thing I did when I unboxed the phone? Turned it round and checked out the back. The camera bar running along the width is a key part of the Pixel design, and I was interested in seeing just how much it stuck out. Not so much, as it goes. You can feel (rather than see) that the bar’s raised slightly, and it blends seamlessly into the sides.
The rest of the back is plastic, but it feels premium. I know that sounds strange, but it’s a tough, smooth and shiny casing that could quite easily be mistaken for glass. It’s less slippery than a glass phone though, which is a plus point for me – makes it much easier to hold and use.
Of course, all this talk about bumps and backs is irrelevant if you invest in a phone case for your Pixel 6a. Then everything’s nicely hidden and protected from scrapes and scratches, which is something that the camera bar looks like it might be prone to.
Getting set up
The box also includes a charging cable but no charging plug, which seems to be pretty common these days. Luckily for me I’ve got more than enough lying around the house. A quick charge and I was ready to get set.
As you might guess with a Google device, set-up is doddle. Slot in your SIM, add your Wi-Fi details, Sign-in to your Google account, set up fingerprint unlock and follow a few more prompts. Job done.
Enjoying the view
The 6.1-inch display might not sound small, but thanks to its small bezels, the Pixel 6a really does feel like a compact phone. I found it easy to use with one hand, with no thumb acrobatics required.
Videos and games look really colourful and vivid on the OLED display, and everything I did seemed super-smooth. The 60Hz refresh rate did concern me a bit as my current phone has a 120Hz refresh rate, but I couldn’t really notice the difference.
As a completely un-scientific test, I ran the same YouTube video side-by-side on the Pixel 6a and my own phone. The Pixel 6a looked and sounded much better. The display had more vibrant colours and deeper blacks, and the audio was clearer and had more bass thanks to the Pixel’s stereo speakers. I realise that I’ll never be satisfied with my own phone ever again. Oh well.
Cracking camera. Cool features
Google Pixels are famous for having great cameras packed with neat tricks. The Pixel 6a comes with two 12MP rear cameras and an 8MP selfie camera, and includes AI features like Magic Eraser, Camouflage and Night Sight.
Magic Eraser lets you rub out unwanted objects from your shots, including your hilarious mate photo-bombing special moments. I tried it on a willing subject below, and hid his purple ball beautifully. On the left hand shot, you wouldn’t know it had ever been there.
Camouflage is another way of dealing with background distractions. Rather than magically erasing it, you can make it blend into the background. It’s a good solution when the object overlaps with others, because that’s something that Magic Eraser sometimes struggles with.
Night Sight does an amazing job of capturing sharp shots in low light. I’d read that it was even capable of taking images of the night sky, so I was keen to give that a try. This was how it lit up my pitch-black garden in the middle of the night. Pretty impressive, right? And yes, that is Jupiter shining in the sky…
A clutter-free experience
The Pixel 6a runs the stock version of Android 13, Google’s very own operating system. That means there’s no clutter. The first time you switch on, you’ll only see a few of Google's best apps like Gmail, Photos, YouTube and the Play Store. Nice - one of my least favourite things is having to spring clean a new phone of needless apps.
Almost-all-day battery
I hit the Pixel 6a hard every day (games, videos, camera) to see if it could last all day. From my experience, it didn’t quite make it – I usually needed to hit the charger round about 9pm in the evening if I wanted to carry on browsing.
Fast charging is a decent feature, and the Pixel 6a does go from empty to full in a couple of hours. That still does feel a little slow though – maybe I’ve been spoilt with my old phone that gives me 50% in 30 minutes.
My summary
Like I said at the start, the Pixel 6a feels like a premium phone, with lot of specs and features you might not expect on a mid-range phone – especially that quality camera. And because it’s powered by Google’s custom-built Tensor processor, it can run advanced AI and machine learning features, including real-time translation. Très bon.
Annoyingly, I’ve now handed the Pixel 6a back and am using my old phone again. If you’re in the same boat as me – with a budget phone showing its age and lacking any standout features – I’d say the Pixel 6a would be a definite upgrade, and at a decent price too.
Need any help?
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