Google Pixel 6a Release Date, Price, And Other Specifications

Newly unveiled at Google I/O, the Google Pixel 6a has undergone a significant redesign compared to its predecessor. It is the more affordable counterpart to last year’s Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, offering some of the same features but maintaining the Pixel 5a’s price by reducing the quality of the display and primary camera.

The iPhone SE (2022), Samsung Galaxy A53, and OnePlus Nord 2 will provide Google with formidable competition once it launches. But with a Google Tensor chip, Google’s excellent photography software, and a competitive price, it has a good chance of distinguishing itself among our best inexpensive phones.

On July 21, pre-orders for the Pixel 6a will begin at $449.

The Google Pixel 6a has a display measuring 6.1 inches, compared to 6.34 inches on the Pixel 5a. The refresh rate continues to be 60Hz (bummer).

The Pixel 6a is powered by the Tensor chip, which indicates that Google is utilising its own silicon. This has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space.

You receive two cameras, a 12.2 MP wide-angle lens and a 12 MP ultrawide lens. You also receive photo features of Pixel 6 calibre, including Magic Eraser, Real Tone, and Face Unblur.

Google promises at least 5 years of security updates, which is a substantial commitment.

The under-display fingerprint sensor eliminates the need for a back-mounted sensor. And it will be a different sensor than the Pixel 6’s slow sensor.

The 4,410 mAh battery is smaller than the 4,680 mAh battery found in the 5a. With a smaller display, however, battery life should not suffer.

Google Pixel 6a release date and price

The Pixel 6a will be sold by Google for $449/£399 beginning with pre-orders on July 21 and a full retail release on July 28. This is the same price as the Google Pixel 5a and Samsung Galaxy A53. It costs slightly more than the iPhone SE 2022 in the United States ($429), but less in the United Kingdom (£429).

Even better than the price reduction is the increased availability. The Pixel 5a was only available in the United States and Japan, an extremely limited market. This time, the Pixel 6a is available in a wider variety of countries, including the United Kingdom.

However, the Pixel 6 may pose a significant obstacle for the Google Pixel 6a. Given the additional features, such as a refresh rate of 90Hz, battery, and RAM, the Pixel 6 is a better value than the upcoming budget Pixel phone. The price difference between the Pixel 6a and Pixel 6 is only $150/£200.

Check out our Google Pixel 6a vs. Pixel 6 and Google Pixel 6a vs. Pixel 5a head-to-heads for more in-depth comparisons between Google’s newest mid-range smartphone and its kin.

Google Pixel 6a design and display

Unsurprisingly, Google has designed the Pixel 6a to match the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro with a camera bar on the back, a centred punch-hole camera on the front, and a fingerprint sensor underneath the display (but using a different sensor to the annoyingly slow one on the Pixel 6 series). One minor change is that the cameras are now housed beneath a single oblong glass cover, which highlights the lenses.

Unfortunately, there is no headphone jack this time around, a feature that was available on the Pixel 5a. It is a particularly unfortunate omission on budget phones, which typically still include them, but you might be tempted to purchase the Google Pixel Buds Pro.

Google’s available colour options include Charcoal black, Chalk white, and Sage green. These are not the most vibrant colours, but they should be sufficient to satisfy the majority of users.

And if you’re concerned about the phone getting wet, you can rest easy knowing that the Pixel 6a has IP67 dust and water resistance.

Google Pixel 6a performance

The old Pixel a-series phones’ Snapdragon sensors have been replaced with a Google Tensor chipset, just like the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. This should give it significantly more power than most of its competitors, although it may not be able to compete with the flagship Pixels due to its 6GB of RAM rather than 8GB or 12GB.

There is a single 128GB option for storage capacity. This is the typical storage capacity for a modern smartphone, so unless you’re an avid photographer or have downloaded a large number of apps, you shouldn’t run out of space unless you’re a photography fanatic.

Google has confirmed that the Pixel 6a supports 5G, which includes both the standard sub-6GHz flavour and the less common mmWave version supported by some U.S. carriers. If you want to switch to the Pixel 6a while keeping your current provider, or if you want a new phone capable of mmWave’s enhanced speeds, this is good news.

Google Pixel 6a charging and battery

The Pixel 6a is powered by a 4,410 mAh battery, which is slightly smaller than the Pixel 5a’s 4,680 mAh battery. The 5a did not perform well on the TG custom battery test. Hopefully, Google has made other modifications to improve the phone’s efficiency.

Google does not believe you should be concerned. According to official estimates, the 6a will provide more than 24 hours of regular use and up to 72 hours with its Extreme Battery Saver mode enabled.

The charging speed has not changed from the previous year. Although the Pixel 6 series received a 30W fast charger, the Pixel 6a can only be charged at 18W, the same as the Pixel 5a. This could mean that, if you’re in a hurry, you won’t get a particularly good recharge with the 6a.