Pixel 6a Review: A Mid-Range Smartphone Win For Google
Google Pixel 6a: Battery Life Tests, Charging And Our Review Conclusion
The Pixel 5a proved to have tremendous battery life, so we were expecting great things out of the Pixel 6a on this front, and we weren’t disappointed in our PCMark Android Work 3 battery benchmark results.
The Pixel 6a came just shy of the 5a in PCMark’s battery test, reaching a total of fifteen hours and twenty-one minutes. The PCMark battery test loops the wide range of tasks that compose the regular PCMark Work 3.0 benchmark from 80% to 20% battery, so real world battery life may be even longer, depending on usage. Despite its smaller battery, the Pixel 6a managed to outlast both the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro set to run at refresh rate of 60Hz. Very few phones currently on the market offer battery life better than or even equivalent to that of the Pixel 6a.
As previously mentioned, the Pixel 6a doesn’t ship with a power adapter. It also doesn’t support wireless charging, unlike the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. However, with the battery lasting so long, you probably won't need to keep the phone topped off as often.
That said, while its spec sheet states that the Pixel 6a supports fast-charging, the highest power draw we measured in our charging test was 16W. The spec sheet lists 18W as the max power draw, but clarifies that “actual results may be slower.” Either way, the Pixel 6a isn't going to charge particularly quick, comparatively speaking anyway. When other phones support 120W or even just 30W charging, as in the case of the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, a total charging time of an hour and forty-five minutes doesn't seem fast. Nonetheless, the Pixel 6a's battery lasts so long that it shouldn't need any more than a regular overnight charge to stay up and operational in most mainstream user scenarios.
That said, while its spec sheet states that the Pixel 6a supports fast-charging, the highest power draw we measured in our charging test was 16W. The spec sheet lists 18W as the max power draw, but clarifies that “actual results may be slower.” Either way, the Pixel 6a isn't going to charge particularly quick, comparatively speaking anyway. When other phones support 120W or even just 30W charging, as in the case of the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, a total charging time of an hour and forty-five minutes doesn't seem fast. Nonetheless, the Pixel 6a's battery lasts so long that it shouldn't need any more than a regular overnight charge to stay up and operational in most mainstream user scenarios.
Google Pixel 6a Review Conclusion - Value, Battery Life And The Usual Great Camera
Despite its lower price tag, lower-cost build materials and specs, the Pixel 6a seems very much at home in Google's Pixel 6 lineup. In the course of making the device less expensive, Google made the right compromises that didn’t leave the Pixel 6a feeling chintzy or unbalanced. The resulting device is well-rounded and approachable for the mainstream consumer that's not looking to drop big coin on a handset. The Pixel 6a doesn't boast flashy specs or perform like a gaming monster, but enthusiast types can look elsewhere for devices that fill those niches.
What the Pixel 6a does well is outlast almost all other phones in terms of battery life, and its integration of camera hardware and software is delivered in such a way that it gives users confidence to snap pics with confidence that they've captured the moment in excellent detail. The Pixel 6a also manages to feel like a premium device both in terms of material quality and user experience. Stock Android 12 enhanced by special Google features makes for a very slick and user-friendly operating system. On top of all that, Google is dedicated to five years of security updates for the Pixel 6a and has a good track record of delivering on that promise with its previous Pixel phones.
All that said, a 60Hz display can be a harder pill to swallow for someone who's used to a faster display refresh. We're glad, though, that Google didn't cheap out and opt for a middling LCD panel. The Pixel 6a's OLED display is very nice and adds to the premium look and feel of the phone. Another potential weak point of the Pixel 6a that sticks with us is its 128GB storage capacity. Given how good the camera system is, we expect that users will take lots of high resolution pictures that could fill up its storage relatively quickly. We hope that Google will offer a 256GB version of the Pixel 6a at some point, but we won't hold our breath.
Those gripes aside, we think you get great value for your money with the Pixel 6a, which starts at just $449. That price makes the Pixel 6a half as expensive as some flagship smartphones these days, yet you get more than half the value in return for sure. If you're in the market for a mid-range phone and think a premium feel, fantastic battery life, and a camera system that contends with more expensive phones sounds like a winning combo, then we highly recommend the new Google Pixel 6a.
All that said, a 60Hz display can be a harder pill to swallow for someone who's used to a faster display refresh. We're glad, though, that Google didn't cheap out and opt for a middling LCD panel. The Pixel 6a's OLED display is very nice and adds to the premium look and feel of the phone. Another potential weak point of the Pixel 6a that sticks with us is its 128GB storage capacity. Given how good the camera system is, we expect that users will take lots of high resolution pictures that could fill up its storage relatively quickly. We hope that Google will offer a 256GB version of the Pixel 6a at some point, but we won't hold our breath.
Those gripes aside, we think you get great value for your money with the Pixel 6a, which starts at just $449. That price makes the Pixel 6a half as expensive as some flagship smartphones these days, yet you get more than half the value in return for sure. If you're in the market for a mid-range phone and think a premium feel, fantastic battery life, and a camera system that contends with more expensive phones sounds like a winning combo, then we highly recommend the new Google Pixel 6a.
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