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Google may not have the notoriety of giants like Samsung or Apple in the smartphone field, but it has nevertheless managed to forge a solid reputation in the high-end segment. With the Pixel 6a, Google is making a first attempt to conquer the mid-range next to the high-end Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro models. I had the opportunity to test the Google Pixel 5, and although the phone's appearance lacked a bit of maturity, the features really impressed me. With the sixth generation, Google has taken a big step towards some form of maturity on all levels, the Google Pixel are now ready to conquer a wider audience. I'm well aware that many tests of this phone already exist, so I'll try to provide a more detailed review of the phone to offer a more complete view. I feel like everyone rushed to post a review highlighting the same qualities without really looking to dig deeper.[b][b][b]linkManufacturer web site:https://store.google.com/fr/category/phones[b]linkSite where I have bought the Google Pixel 6a: https://amzn.to/41atnTZ[b]
Structure of my tests
I test the phones according to a pre-established structure (see below) to provide you with as much information as possible. Unfortunately, this takes a long time. Some tests like network performance tests take several days and for photo tests I sometimes have to wait until the weather is suitable to take pictures in good conditions. I am therefore obliged to publish the tests step by step, so I invite you to come back if the test is not complete at the time of your visit.[b] How are my tests different from others on the web?
- I usually buy the devices with my own money, so price is just as important as you are! - I keep the devices for at least a few weeks (sometimes more) to see what they are worth in real conditions. - I answer (when possible) your questions to help you decide before you buy - no one pays me to do these reviews, so I'm completely neutral and independent... - My pages are not filled with ads
The list below shows the prices for the Google Pixel 6a from more than 50 sites around the world. If you are not satisfied with any price, you can subscribe to a price alert to be the first to be notified when the price drops.[b]bb
OPEN BOX NEW Google Pixel 6a 5G 128GB Sage (AT&T Only)...
helpThe above links are affiliate links from companies such as Amazon, Gearbest, Aliexpress,... If you appreciate my work, I would be grateful if you could purchase these products through these links. It costs you absolutely nothing but I get a small commission that allows me to buy the material I test. Thank you very much!
Timeline
Not yet available / tested[b][b]
Why this phone?
As I wrote in the introduction, the Google Pixel have found a place in the high-end market partly thanks to their reputation for photo quality. I was able to verify this with the Google Pixel 5, but I have to qualify what you can read and hear everywhere. The Google Pixel 5 produces good pictures, it's true, but it doesn't do better than a Samsung of an equivalent price level. I would have liked to test this Google Pixel 6a a little earlier but the opportunity didn't come up. It's not for lack of interest or desire but as I work alone and this blog is not my main activity, I have to make choices but I'll make it up with a more complete test, I promise![b]
Unpacking
[b]The box of the Google Pixel 6a reminds me of the boxes of the Samsung Galaxy S, the dimensions and the format are quite similar. There is nothing extraordinary in the box, it contains the smartphone, a charger and a USB cable. There is also a small manual and a needle to open the sim drawer
[b]
Length : 152.2 Width : 71.8 Thickness : 8.7 Weight : 178 USB Type : Type C
First configuration
Google and Android are pretty much the same thing, so I wasn't surprised by the configuration of the phone even if the GUI is different from other brands. The fingerprint sensor configuration is more accomplished than what I've seen so far but I find that the fingerprint sensor is not as accurate as Samsung's.[b][b]
27add_a_photo
[b]
Finish
[b]Like most brands, Google has been looking for a visual identity to finally come up with a design that will probably survive a few generations of phones. This Google Pixel 6a is basically the same as the Google Pixel 6 and 6 pro, the 7th generation also uses the same basis.
This Google Pixel 6a is sober and elegant, it also manages to distinguish itself from other phones without breaking the codes. The phone is quite small compared to Chinese brands, I think that's a good thing. I quite like big screens but this compact size is still definitely more practical in everyday life. The phone measures barely 152 by 71.8 mm and weighs 178 grams. So it fits easily in your pocket. Few brands still market compact phones of this type.
The screen has a diagonal of 6.1 inches and occupies 84% of the front of the phone, it is just interrupted by a selfie sensor rather discreet. The fingerprint sensor is integrated into the screen, its position does not require a change of hand position.The phone has a very rectangular shape, the curvature of the edges is very discreet. The iPhone or Samsung Galaxy S have a more pronounced curvature.
The volume and power buttons are on the right side of the phone like most other brands but their position is reversed. I have nothing against the change but the position of the power button requires some adaptation. The buttons are quite discreet but you can feel them without any problem.
The SIM drawer is located in a rather unusual place on the left side of the phone but it doesn't matter because you don't change your SIM card every day. The SIM drawer can hold 2 SIM cards in dual-sided mode, but it cannot hold a memory card. There is no other slot for a memory card. The phone offers enough local storage to satisfy a large portion of buyers, the rest will serve as an excuse to use Google Cloud for additional storage.
The speakers are both located on the bottom edge of the phone, they are placed on either side of the USB-C port. This phone has an IP67 waterproof standard, the back of the phone is quite unique, this is what sets this phone apart from other brands. The photo sensors, there are two, are embedded in a horizontal black glass strip that runs across the back like a curved bridge. The phone is therefore stable when placed on its back. The flash is also integrated in this area and is located opposite the 2 photo sensors. The appreciation of the design is always something subjective but I think this phone is really pretty, it is sober and elegant with a premium feeling even in the smallest details.[b]
Specifications
[b]The information below comes from the Device Info HW application. The application provides detailed technical information about the tested phone. I tested the Google Pixel 6a in 6Gb / 128Gb version, I think it's the only version available at the time of writing. You can find all the detailed characteristics in the following screenshots. The screen is a Samsung screen, it's the same for the RAM memory. The screen has a resolution of 1080 by 2400 pixels with a frequency of 60hz by default. It supports HDR 10, HLG and HDR10+. This will allow you to watch your movies and series with a higher dynamic image. The Pixel 6a is UFS 3.1 compatible which allows it to transfer data quickly into memory and ensure smoothness in all uses.
16add_a_photo
[b][b][b]
CPU / GPU Performance
CPU : Google Tensor A78, A76, A55 GPU : ARM Mali-G78 Memory (RAM) : 6 Gb Storage : 128 Gb
[b][b]The CPU/GPU market is dominated by two brands, Qualcomm and Mediatek. The vast majority of phones use either one or the other and it is no longer possible to tell them apart. The choice of a CPU also translates into a whole series of other common components like the wifi chip, the audio chip, the modem, the GPS, ... This situation tends to smooth out the differences between phones. Why do I dwell on this point? Simply because the Google Pixel 6a uses a Google CPU with Google Tensor, so you can expect everything else to be different as well. [b][b]The GPU on the other hand is a Mediatek GPU, it's the Mediatek ARM Mali-G78. The combination of Google Tensor and Mali G78 will propel this phone into the upper mid-range with a very good performance level.[b]
Benchmark Antutu/3DMark
I got a score of 560400 points with Antutu v8. This is a very good score that will allow you to do whatever you want with this phone, whether it is playing demanding games or using demanding applications. It's not a gamer phone but it will meet the expectations of a large majority of buyers, but we have to be aware that this race for power is almost meaningless for a vast majority of users. [b][b]If you surf the internet or use social networks, this power will not be of much use to you [b]
3add_a_photo
[b]
Antutu score : 560400 Antutu CPU : 166596 Antutu GPU : 229088 Antutu UX : 86801 Antutu Mem : 77915
[b]Top 10 - performance ranking based on Antutu 1. Poco F5 - 910362 2. Poco F4 Gt - 853016 3. Realme Gt - 811858 4. Black Shark 4 Pro - 759986 5. Poco X4 Gt - 714577 6. Oppo Find X2 Pro - 605184 7. Oneplus 8t - 595000 8. Poco F3 - 589677 9. Xiaomi Mi 10t Pro - 581650 10. Oneplus 8 Pro - 579417
Number of smartphones in the ranking:155 Position of this smartphone in the ranking:15/155
Note: this ranking only contains the phones I tested as well as a few others that I added for reference. [b]Gaming[b]To test the performance in game, I download the mobile PUBG game and evaluate the in-game experience, graphics level and depth of vision. This game is quite demanding and should help you evaluating the performance of a phone.[b]I tested this phone with PUBG Mobile and as I expected, the in-game experience is excellent. I didn't encounter any slowdowns and the textures are calculated quickly. The sound is excellent and immersive, it is not obstructed by the hand position on the right side of the device as the grid on the bottom left of the phone is purely decorative. [b][b]This phone is not designed for hard core gamers. It probably would have needed a larger capacity battery to ensure more time for gaming and a higher screen frequency.[b][b][b][b]
Network performance
The Google Pixel 6a is compatible with a large number of frequencies. It supports 18 5G frequencies, 29 4G frequencies and 7 3G frequencies. So you will be able to use this phone anywhere in Europe and in many countries outside the European area.[b]
Choose your country to check if your phone is compatible:
The frequencies displayed below will allow you to see if this phone is compatible with your operator or if you will be able to use it in the country where you are going on vacation.
Signal 4G (from December 2020)[b]I decided to change the methodology for measuring the network because I noticed that the configuration of the mobile network changes over time. This makes it more difficult to compare phones because the conditions are no longer exactly the same.[b][b]To overcome this problem, I set up a device that captures 24 hours a day about ten parameters from the mobile network (ex: cell id, rssi, rsrq, snr, frequency,...). I then place the phone next to the device for 24 to 48 hours taking the same measurements so that I can compare them. [b][b] Overview of the phones tested with this methodology[b][b]
Phone tested:
Measurements
Avg signal (reference)
Avg signal (phone)
Min/Max (reference)
Min/Max (phone)
Samsung Galaxy S10+
457
-93.06
-97.39
-89 / -98
-97 / -99
Xiaomi Mi 9t Pro
669
-93.69
-95.84
-90 / -95
-92 / -98
Poco F2 Pro
1438
-91.02
-94.99
-89 / -94
-94 / -96
Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g
1645
-90.77
-95.02
- 88 / -98
-95 / -100
Poco X3
821
-94.89
-103.19
-91 / -97.7
-101 / -104
Umidigi Bison
2343
-92.71
-96.46
-90 / -99
-94 / -102
Oukitel C21
1101
-92.04
-94.99
-90 / -97
-92 / -95
Poco M3
1116
-92.09
-91.74
-88 / -98
-90 / -99
Xiaomi Mi 10t Pro
1071
-90.61
-94.03
-88 / -94
-94 / -96
Umidigi A9 Pro
981
-90.40
-94.01
-88 / -95
-93 / -95
Redmi Note 9t
1201
-92.149
-91.71
-90 / -97
-91 / -97
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
999
-92.35
-93.99
-88 / -97
-92 / -98
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
877
-89.72
-90.56
- 88 / -92
-89 / -95
Poco X3 Pro
1876
-91.45
-92.91
-90 / -94
-90 / -96
Poco F3
1382
-90.79
-94.2
-89 / -94
-93 / -98
Oneplus Nord N100
896
-91.23
-96.005
-88 / - 99
-96 / -99
Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite
2875
-91.36
-91.49
-87 / -96
-90 / -96
Samsung Galaxy A52
1427
-89.27
-93.39
-87 / -98
-92 / -96
Doogee S96 Pro
1259
-94.2
-91.21
-90 / -102
-88 / -95
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10s
957
-92.07
-97.62
-90 / -102
-96 / -102
Poco M3 Pro
1247
-91.76
-102.97
-99 / -104
-88 / -98
Realme Gt
843
-96.49
-94.02
-93 / -101
- 92 / -96
F150 R2022
1002
-92.4
-105.1
-90 / -97
-98 / -110
Umidigi Bison Pro
936
-94.2
-104.98
-91 / -98
-95 / -105
Redmi 10
2141
-94.74
-100.92
-92 / -98
-99 / -101
Tcl 10 Pro
871
-93.43
-94.001
-92 / -96
-93 / -95
Poco M4 Pro
570
-93.71
-96.78
-91 / -98
-95 / -99
Google Pixel 5
1444
-91.02
-97.02
-90 / -94
-97 / -101
Xiaomi 11t
1576
-92.305
-92.003
-90 / -96
-92 / -93
Redmi Note 11
1223
-92.5
-91.32
-92/-97
-90 / -93
Black Shark 4 Pro
2383
-95.178
-95.42
-90 / -100
-93 / -101
Redmi Note 11 Pro
349
-95.33
-93
-89 / -101
-92 / -94
Poco M4 Pro 4g
1202
-90.85
-88.95
-87 / - 95
-88 / -98
Tcl 30 Se
567
-92.11
-92.85
-88 / -98
-99 / -93
Poco X4 Pro
562
-92.06
-94.01
-90 / -95
-95 / -93
Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5g
945
-93.5
-93.54
-91 / -97
-92 / -97
Poco F4 Gt
832
-95.02
-93.09
-90 / -99
-93 / -97
Oukitel Wp18
1351
-95.94
-92.92
-91 / -97
-92 / -97
Poco X4 Gt
387
-96.99
-96.505
-96 / -98
-95 / -98
Poco F4
524
-95.78
-95.04
-93 / -99
-94/-96
Oneplus Nord 2t
1340
-98.83
-96.305
-95 / -102
-90 / -99
Redmi 10a
707
-89.026
-97.97
-87 / -91
-97 / -103
Poco M5
762
-95.18
-95.07
-98 / -93
-99 / -94
Unihertz Tank
1426
-91.21
-93.97
-90 / -95
-89 / -96
Poco X5 5g
2234
-92.3
-99.1
-91 / -95
- 100 / -98
Google Pixel 6a
853
-91.8
-95
-90 / -94
-95 / -97
Redmi Note 12
1023
-89.6
-96.99
-88 / -93
-95 / -97
Redmi Note 12 Pro
1576
-91.96
-94.93
-89 / -96
-93 / -95
Unihertz Luna
1133
-91.7
-91.94
-89 / -95
-92 / -94
Poco F5
1321
-91.69
-95.05
-90 / -97
-94 / -97
[b][b]I made 853 measurements to evaluate the sensitivity to the 4G signal and I obtained an average signal of -95 dBm with the phone and -91.8 dBm with the probe. So I get a difference of 3.2 dBm in favor of the probe. I went to see the results of the Google Pixel 5 to compare them with the Pixel 6a and I see that the Pixel 5 had a difference of 6 dBm with the probe. So there is a clear improvement between these two models, but the Pixel 6a will rank just average. It is neither excellent nor bad.[b][b]
[b][b][b][b]Download/Upload speed[b]To test the download speed, I have identified some 4G cells offering good performance where I test all my devices several times to see what download and upload speed they can achieve.[b]Top 10 - speed ranking in download 1. Samsung Galaxy S20 D:351Mbps U: 20Mbps 2. Poco X3 D:232Mbps U: 55Mbps 3. Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g D:223Mbps U: 52Mbps 4. Poco F2 Pro D:207Mbps U: 53Mbps 5. Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite D:153Mbps U: 68Mbps 6. Xiaomi Mi A3 D:150Mbps U: 60Mbps 7. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9s D:150Mbps U: 60Mbps 8. Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite D:149Mbps U: 60Mbps 9. Samsung Galaxy A21s D:147Mbps U: 51Mbps 10. Huawei Y6 2019 D:145Mbps U: 61Mbps
Number of smartphones in the ranking:30 Position of this smartphone in the ranking:0/30
Note: the theoretical maximum speed of a telephone is often limited by the configuration of the mobile network and the congestion of the network at the time of the measurement. So maybe you could get a higher speed on another network [b][b]
Wifi performance
To test a phone's ability to receive the network properly, I take measurements near my router and then remotely (and always at the same place). This gives me an average in dBm where a value of -90 dBm indicates poorer performance than a value at -30 dBm.[b]
Wifi signal[b]I measured an average signal of -21dBm near the router and -64dBm at a distance, these are average scores although the signal near the router could have been better. I also noticed a lot of fluctuations where I usually have a fairly stable signal [b].[b][b]Top 10 - wifi sensitivity ranking 1. Poco F2 Pro -11dBm 2. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro -12dBm 3. Realme Gt -12dBm 4. Redmi Note 12 Pro -13dBm 5. Samsung Galaxy A21s -13dBm 6. Redmi Note 11 Pro -13dBm 7. Poco F5 -14dBm 8. Oneplus Nord N100 -15dBm 9. Poco X3 Pro -15dBm 10. Poco F3 -15dBm
Number of smartphones in the ranking:74 Position of this smartphone in the ranking:44/74
[b]Download/Upload speed[b]To test the speed in Wifi, I connect to my router in 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz (if available) and use the Ookla application to measure the speed.[b]Top 10 - wifi download speed ranking 1. Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5g 866Mbps 2. Redmi Note 12 Pro 866Mbps 3. Poco F4 866Mbps 4. Google Pixel 6a 866Mbps 5. Poco F4 Gt 866Mbps 6. Poco X4 Gt 866Mbps 7. Oneplus Nord 2t 866Mbps 8. Black Shark 4 Pro 866Mbps 9. Poco F5 866Mbps 10. Poco M4 Pro 4g 433Mbps
Number of smartphones in the ranking:72 Position of this smartphone in the ranking:4/72
Note: I have a 400Mbps line and a modem capable of delivering higher speed, but I can never be sure how much bandwidth is available when doing a test. [b]
GPS performance
[b]To test the accuracy of the GPS signal, I use two positioning applications to evaluate the difference between the actual position and the position indicated by the phone. This test is done outdoors with nothing to obstruct the signal. An accuracy level of up to 3 meters can easily be corrected by an application (e.g. Google Maps).[b][b][b]The Pixel 6a uses GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS, Galileo, GLONASS (L1) networks. I got an accuracy level of 4 meters, I was a bit surprised by this result because I expected better and my position on the map was indeed not accurate. [b][b]This phone is not dual band, I only saw one frequency available per network during my test. [b][b]So GPS is clearly a weakness for this phone even though GPS applications will no doubt be able to correct some of the lack of accuracy.[b][b][b]Top 10 - GPS accuracy ranking 1. Poco M5 1m 2. Poco X4 Gt 1m 3. Unihertz Tank 1m 4. Oukitel C21 1m 5. Redmi 9a 1m 6. Redmi 10a 1m 7. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10s 1m 8. Doogee S96 Pro 1m 9. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 1m 10. Umidigi Bison Pro 1m
Number of smartphones in the ranking:44 Position of this smartphone in the ranking:42/44
Note: An accuracy of 3 meters or less can easily be corrected by a good GPS application. Phone performance also plays a role in how fast your display updates, so good accuracy could be compromised by too slow a display. [b]
Battery range
To test battery life I developed an application that measures the battery level minute by minute until the battery is empty. This application consumes about ten percent of the phone's resources and I do a test with 100 brightness. This test aims to reproduce a contemplative use of a phone (e.g. surfing the internet, reading articles, spending time on social networks). These results are not valid for intensive gaming/streaming use.
Capacity : 4410 Fast charge : Yes W max : 18 Range (100% brightness) : 534 Range (50% brightness) : 1935 Charging time : 111 Discharge speed (100%) : 0.19 Discharge score (100%) : 8.26 Discharge speed (50%) : 0.05 Discharge score (50%) : 2.28 Charging speed : 0.90 Charging score : 39.73
From March 2020, I replaced my subjective battery test with a technical test to better measure the real behaviour of the battery. Now I test the autonomy and charging time under absolutely identical conditions. I perform several measurements, so this test alone takes several days during which I cannot use the phone for anything else.
Battery life - methodology To test the battery life, I measure the battery consumption every minute in strictly identical conditions to be able to compare phones and also to allow you to evaluate your phone in the same conditions. I rule out any influence of applications that could interfere with the measurement. The autonomy is not linear, the battery sometimes discharges much faster at the end. This is a frustrating phenomenon but with my measurements, you will know if you need to find a charger quickly.
Battery life The battery of the Google Pixel 6a has a capacity of 4410 mAh and has discharged from 100% to 1% in 534 minutes with 100% brightness, it has discharged from 100% to 1% in 1935 minutes with 50% brightness. I obtain in this way an average discharge speed of 0.19% per minute with 100% luminosity and 0.05% per minute with 50% luminosity, the consumption is therefore 8.26 mA per minute with 100% luminosity and 2.28 with 50% luminosity. To be able to compare the efficiency of the phone and its influence on the battery, you have to compare the 8.26 (or 50%) score with that of other smartphones, the figure should be as low as possible.
Charging time - methodology To test the charging time, I always use the same charger with the same cable. I measure the charging time minute by minute to see the evolution of the charge as well as the charging speed. The charging speed of a battery is not linear, it is often faster at the beginning and slower at the end. The charger is compatible with fast charging.
Charging time The battery of the Google Pixel 6a has a capacity of 4410 mAh and has been charged from 1% to 100% in 111 minutes. This gives me an average charging speed of 0.90% per minute and therefore an increase of 39.73 mA per minute. To compare the performance of the Google Pixel 6a compared to other phones, you should use the 39.73 per minute score, this score should be as high as possible.
Important note: the charging speed is not always linear, the graph below gives you an indication of the battery behaviour.
The following table lists the phones tested with the technical battery test, they are ranked in order of efficiency. A higher battery capacity should logically result in a higher battery life but it is not always the case and it does not give any indication of the efficiency of a phone.
Smartphone
Capacity (mAh)
Battery life (minutes)
Efficiency Score
Battery life (minutes) / 50%
Efficiency Score / 50%
Charging time
.Score charging
Honor 9x
4000
770.00
5.19
1333.00
3.00
151.00
26.49
Nokia 5.3
4000
549.00
7.29
1096.00
3.65
199.00
20.10
Samsung Galaxy S20
4000
565.00
7.08
1217.00
3.29
136.00
29.41
Oukitel C21
4000
497.00
8.05
1324.00
3.02
167.00
23.95
Google Pixel 5
4080
773.00
5.28
1559.00
2.62
81.00
50.37
Umidigi A9 Pro
4150
552.00
7.52
1562.00
2.66
112.00
37.05
Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g
4160
749.00
5.55
1541.00
2.70
163.00
25.52
Realme 6
4300
704.00
6.11
1104.00
3.89
162.00
26.54
Google Pixel 6a
4410
534
8.26
1935
2.28
111
39.73
Samsung Galaxy A52
4500
652.00
6.90
1239.00
3.63
165.00
27.27
Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5g
4500
525.00
8.57
1211
3.72
24
187.50
Realme Gt
4500
574.00
7.84
1057.00
4.26
87.00
51.72
Tcl 10 Pro
4500
465.00
9.68
889.00
5.06
133.00
33.83
Poco F4
4500
554.00
8.12
1141
3.94
98
45.92
Black Shark 4 Pro
4500
425.00
10.59
937.00
4.80
29.00
155.17
Oneplus Nord 2t
4500
693
6.49
1492
3.02
121
37.19
Poco F3
4520
657.00
6.88
1840.00
2.46
122.00
37.05
Poco F4 Gt
4700
365.00
12.88
1082
4.34
38
123.68
Poco F2 Pro
4700
1150.00
4.09
1536.00
3.06
180.00
26.11
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10s
5000
636.00
7.86
1556.00
3.21
161.00
31.06
Poco M3 Pro
5000
657.00
7.61
1647.00
3.04
131.00
38.17
Poco X4 Pro
5000
643.00
7.78
1361
3.67
74
67.57
Umidigi Bison Pro
5000
610.00
8.20
1632.00
3.06
255.00
19.61
Redmi 10
5000
664.00
7.53
1684.00
2.97
165.00
30.30
Poco M4 Pro
5000
634.00
7.89
1600.00
3.13
123.00
40.65
Xiaomi 11t
5000
476.00
10.50
1204.00
4.15
97.00
51.55
Redmi Note 11
5000
592.00
8.45
1 376.00
3.63
69.00
72.46
Oneplus Nord N100
5000
808.00
6.19
1278.00
3.91
663.00
7.54
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
5000
691.00
7.24
1728.00
2.89
193.00
25.91
Poco X5 5g
5000
493
10.14
1058
4.73
228
21.93
Motorola G8 Power
5000
912.00
5.48
2792.00
1.79
311.00
16.08
Redmi Note 12 Pro
5000
618
8.09
1294
3.86
120
41.67
Redmi Note 12
5000
637
7.85
1517
3.30
81
61.73
Samsung Galaxy A21s
5000
729.00
6.86
1283.00
3.90
166.00
30.12
Redmi Note 9t
5000
766.00
6.53
2054.00
2.43
148.00
33.78
Redmi 9a
5000
694.00
7.20
1902.00
2.63
195.00
25.64
Redmi 9c
5000
656.00
7.62
1915.00
2.61
170.00
29.41
Redmi 10a
5000
682
7.33
1820
2.75
163
30.67
Umidigi Bison
5000
550.00
9.09
1471.00
3.40
238.00
21.01
Tcl 30 Se
5000
650
7.69
1 225.00
4.08
172
29.07
Poco M4 Pro 4g
5000
723.00
6.92
1 500.00
3.33
77.00
64.94
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
5020
625.00
8.03
1557.00
3.22
213.00
23.57
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9s
5020
663.00
7.57
1876.00
2.68
224.00
22.41
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9
5020
650.00
7.72
1808.00
2.78
162.00
30.99
Poco X4 Gt
5080
726.00
7.00
1538
3.30
113
44.96
Umidigi F2
5150
927.00
5.56
1854.00
2.78
299.00
17.22
Poco X3
5160
653.00
7.90
1654.00
3.12
181.00
28.51
Poco X3 Pro
5160
648.00
7.96
1688.00
3.06
138.00
37.39
Doogee S58 Pro
5180
845.00
6.13
1908.00
2.71
177.00
29.27
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
5260
827.00
6.36
1609.00
3.27
208.00
25.29
Ulefone Armor 7e
5500
768.00
7.16
1140.00
4.82
179.00
30.73
Poco M3
6000
842.00
7.13
1898.00
3.16
217.00
27.65
Doogee S96 Pro
6350
929.00
6.84
1405.00
4.52
424.00
14.98
F150 R2022
8300
879.00
9.44
1498.00
5.54
243.00
34.16
Oukitel Wp18
12500
2 733.00
4.57
2859
4.37
362
34.53
helpHow to read these figures? The battery capacity is an important element in determining the autonomy of a phone but it is not the only factor. A phone with a large battery may have a shorter battery life if it consumes more power. If I had to take an example from everyday life, I would use the universe of the car. If a car has a large fuel tank, it should be able to drive a longer distance unless its average fuel consumption is higher. The battery efficiency score works the same way, it should be as low as possible and represents the energy consumption of the phone. These differences in efficiency are often related to the brightness of the screen, large bright screens will tend to consume more energy and even if they have a large battery, their range will be shorter.
In summary The Pixel 6a doesn't have a large battery capacity but its small screen should in theory allow for similar battery life to phones with larger batteries.[b][b][LB]Battery charging time[b]I tested the charging time with my UGREEN 100 watt charger and got a charging time of 111 minutes with a slowdown in charging speed in the last few percent. With a fast charge of only 18 watts, you shouldn't expect a miracle, the charging time will be long and this is a weakness of this phone here. In this price range, charging speed is usually better.[b]
[b][LB]Battery life[b]I tested the battery life with the screen brightness at 100% and then at 50% and I got some pretty amazing results. With the brightness at 100% I got a battery life of 534 minutes, this is a good autonomy for a battery of this type but the surprise comes from the autonomy at 50% which rises to ... 1935 minutes! If I exclude the tests of rugged phones, this Google Pixel takes the lead. This test shows that the screen consumption is not linear, the screen is very bright at 100% but you may not need so much light. So you can get much more autonomy by reducing the brightness by half.[b]
[b][b]Energy efficiency[b]I pushed the Google Pixel 6a hard for more than 8 minutes to test the consumption of each of its components and evaluate the temperature rise of the battery. [b][b]The components consume between 5 and 10W when pushed to the maximum and when I push the CPU and GPU to the maximum at the same time, I get a consumption close to 10 Watts. It's a pretty greedy phone if you push it to its maximum. As for the battery, it went from 30°C to 37°C, which is a bit more than what I got on other phones but it's still very reasonable, I never felt too much heat coming out of the phone.[b]
[b]
Photo camera test
To test the quality of photos produced by a phone, I do a technical test (resolution, sharpness, chromatic aberration,...) in studio (identical conditions) to evaluate the technical part objectively. From the second half of 2020, I built my own laboratory to take completely objective technical measurements. I then take pictures in real conditions to see how the camera performs. I then evaluate these photos according to my criteria but I publish the photos so that you can evaluate the result according to your criteria.[b]
Hardware
Selfie / resolution : 8 Selfie / sensor : Sony IMX355 Resolution : 12 Sensor : Sony IMX363 Exmor RS
The Pixel smartphones have built a solid reputation in terms of photography and this reputation is certainly not usurped. However, it is important to understand that where Google has managed to distinguish itself is on the processing of photos because the camera used is not the best on the market. It is a Sony IMX 363 that has already existed for several years, it is also present in other phones like the Pixel 3, Pixel 3XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4XL, Pixel 5, Pocophone F1, Xiaomi Mi 8, ... etc. [b][b]The quality of the photo between the Pixel 3 and the Pixel 6a has not changed much because it is the same material. Only the image optimization may have evolved and even then, I'm not sure. If photography is the most important element in your choice, you might wonder why you should buy this Pixel 6a rather than a Pixel 4 for example. The answer is not about the photo, the Pixel 6a is a much better designed phone than the previous generations, it will bring you many other benefits.[b][b]The secondary sensor is a Sony IMX 386 and here too it is not a very new sensor but Google's photo processing layer also improves the quality of the photos.[b][b]
Photo quality
Photo quality (indoor/studio)[b]The studio test is carried out under the same conditions so that the results can be compared on an equal basis. I calibrate my lighting for each test to obtain the same brightness and colour temperature. This test is a preliminary analysis of the technical qualities of a camera. Most phones fail this test, so you should also read the results of the other tests in the following paragraphs.[b][b]Main sensor: Sony IMX 363 with 12 megapixels[b]
[b]Photos taken in artificial light are often underexposed and this is also the case for this Pixel 6a but this underexposure is much less marked than on most other phones. If you've already read other tests on my blog, you'll see that the difference is quite noticeable. Light management is also quite good because you have to understand that this small studio space is flooded with light and that this tends to deteriorate color perception but this is not the case here. The Pixel 6a manages to render colors with a dose of realism that I do not often find on other brands, the trend is to exaggerate the colors, the Pixel 6a focuses on realism. The sharpness is really good too, I see the wear of the paint on the letters "New York". This first photo test is very encouraging for the future. [b][b]
[b]This photo confirms the good management of the sharpness of this Pixel 6a, just try to read the text at the bottom of the Canadian post to realize it. This sharpness is perfect, the lines are not lined with a white line that would indicate a too aggressive image processing. The sharpness decreases however quite visibly in the periphery [b][b]
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[b][b][LB]Secondary sensor: Sony IMX 386 of 12 million pixels[b]
[b]This sensor is an ultra wide angle sensor, so the distortion is clearly visible and the exposure level is not as good, it is the same for all sensors of this type. I find however that the damage is limited because even if the photo is underexposed, the processing of colors is quite good. The sharpness is not as good as the main sensor, here too it is the same as with other phones but the sharpness area does not turn into pixel mush. [b][b]
[b]If you compare this picture with the one taken with the main sensor, you will quickly see the difference in sharpness. The text of the Canadian bill is barely readable and the sharpness degrades very visibly in the periphery. This type of sensor is not designed to take pictures of objects close to the camera [b].[b][b]Photo: technical test[b]I was inspired by industrial technical tests to create my own technical test to evaluate the technical quality of a camera. This test is an objective assessment of a camera's ability to render a scene correctly. [b][b]I test the following elements:[b]- centre sharpness, peripheral sharpness[b]- colour fidelity based on 24 reference colours[b]- level of chromatic aberration[b]- dynamic range (ability to capture dark and light areas without loss)[b]- distortion[b][b]The technical evaluation may differ from the subjective evaluation as the feeling of a photo will be influenced by the processing provided by each manufacturer.[b][b]Main sensor: Sony IMX 363 with 12 megapixels[b]
[b]Photos taken in artificial light are often underexposed and this is also the case for this Pixel 6a but this underexposure is much less marked than on most other phones. If you've already read other tests on my blog, you'll see that the difference is quite noticeable. Light management is also quite good because you have to understand that this small studio space is flooded with light and that this tends to deteriorate color perception but this is not the case here. The Pixel 6a manages to render colors with a dose of realism that I do not often find on other brands, the trend is to exaggerate the colors, the Pixel 6a focuses on realism. The sharpness is really good too, I see the wear of the paint on the letters "New York". This first photo test is very encouraging for the future. [b][b]
[b]This photo confirms the good management of the sharpness of this Pixel 6a, just try to read the text at the bottom of the Canadian post to realize it. This sharpness is perfect, the lines are not lined with a white line that would indicate a too aggressive image processing. The sharpness decreases however quite visibly in the periphery [b][b]
3add_a_photo
[b][b][LB]Secondary sensor: Sony IMX 386 of 12 million pixels[b]
[b]This sensor is an ultra wide angle sensor, so the distortion is clearly visible and the exposure level is not as good, it is the same for all sensors of this type. I find however that the damage is limited because even if the photo is underexposed, the processing of colors is quite good. The sharpness is not as good as the main sensor, here too it is the same as with other phones but the sharpness area does not turn into pixel mush. [b][b]
[b]If you compare this picture with the one taken with the main sensor, you will quickly see the difference in sharpness. The text of the Canadian bill is barely readable and the sharpness degrades very visibly in the periphery. This type of sensor is not designed to take pictures of objects close to the camera [b].[b][b]Outdoor photo quality[b]Main sensor: Sony IMX 363[b]
[b]The weather was not very good when I took these pictures and I didn't have much choice as I only had a few days to test the phone. I would have preferred to show you bright pictures with a nice blue sky but I live in Belgium and this kind of weather is unfortunately not the norm here. In the end it doesn't matter because this will show you what the Pixel 6a is capable of in less than optimal conditions. The photos are all a bit dark but the level of detail is really good and the processing applied to the photo does not try to distort reality. What the Pixel offers is a fairly realistic reflection of reality where other brands tend to produce unrealistic photos. This phone is capable of recording more information than the usual image format by producing raw DNG formats in addition to the usual JPG. What does this mean? It means that you can easily edit the photo to improve it even if the initial photo is not very good. Here's an example: [b]
[b]This is the same photo taken at the same time in JPG and DNG, but by changing a few parameters in the photo, you get something completely different. I simply increased the color saturation and a little bit the brightness. I'm sure if I spent more time on it, I could have achieved a better result. I was testing the Samsung Galaxy S23 at the same time as the Pixel 6a and I took a picture at the same place, here is what it looks like:[b]
[b]I didn't make any changes to this picture, so you have to compare it with the first Pixel picture. The Samsung offers a stronger color saturation from the start, the brightness is also better. This phone costs almost 3x as much as the Pixel but is it 3x better? No, the Pixel stands up very well against the Samsung, especially with the possibility of editing RAW files. [b][b]Let's compare now also, the level of detail:[b]
[b]Left: Samsung Galaxy S23[b]Right: Google Pixel 6a[b]Beyond the subjective preferences of each, there are a few elements quite visible. The Samsung produces a cooler, slightly more detailed image with more visible color saturation. The Pixel has a more realistic color rendering with a little less sharpness. I have yet to post my test on the Samsung but when I zoom in I see chromatic aberration, this is not the case with the Pixel. [b][b]
23add_a_photo
[b]Capteur secondaire: Sony IMX 386[b]
[b]Not surprisingly, the ultra wide angle sensor produces darker and less sharp images, this was already evident in the studio test. This type of sensor is much less comfortable with such cloudy skies, but as long as you look at the pictures on a phone screen, the quality will be of an acceptable level. You also have the option of editing the photos from a DNG format. You will be able to increase the exposure time and adjust the colors. The sharpness, however, will not be greatly improved. [b][b]
12add_a_photo
[b][b][b][b]Test photo / night[b]
[b]With the arrival of the Pixel 3, Google had made a big step forward with night photography because at that time, few phones were able to produce good photos in these conditions. The world has changed a bit and night mode has made its way to many other brands. So I can't consider the Pixel 6a as a reference for night photos anymore, that doesn't mean it's not good, the competition has just caught up. I mixed the pictures taken with the Sony IMX 363 and the Sony IMX 383 but you won't have any trouble recognizing them. The colors are not too artificial, the rendering is quite good although the level of detail is not at the level you could see with the daytime photos. [b][b]Astrophotography enthusiasts will undoubtedly be pleased to see that it is possible to take photos in very long exposure with this phone, I unfortunately could not test this type of photo because the sky was not clear enough.[b][b]
9add_a_photo
[b][b]
Video quality
Stabilisation[b][b]This phone performs well, I have demonstrated this through the performance test and the video of PUBG Mobile. This performance is also useful for video and especially for stabilization. The videos produced by the Pixel 6a are perfectly stabilized, the jolts of walking are completely absorbed and the recalculation of pixels is almost invisible. [b]Video normale conditions[b]The weather was not very good when I shot this video but it's not a big deal because it shows what this phone is capable of when the light conditions are not ideal. The weather was cloudy, the brightness was average, everything was gray. The Pixel 6a rendered the scene very well without trying to add surreal effects to embellish the video. The image is faithful and this phone checks all the boxes in terms of video quality. Sharpness is good, motion smoothness is good, color rendition is good and focus is very fast.[b]Video low light[b][b]Google smartphones built a solid reputation for night photography and video a few years ago. At that time, they were ahead of the competition but this is no longer the case with this Pixel 6a. The night video has some flaws such as a deficit in brightness, difficulty focusing after movement and some digital noise. I expected better from this phone but considering that this photo sensor was already present in the Pixel 3, my conclusion is almost normal.[b][b]
External audio quality
[b]This test is intended to give you an overview of the volume and sound quality during calls and when listening to music through the external speakers. [b][b]Call volume / audio quality[b][b][b]The call sound volume is quite high, it exceeds 50 dB without any problem, it is much better than most phones in this price range. The sound is therefore powerful but it is also of good quality, the sound processing softens it to make listening more pleasant.[b][b]If I then switch to speaker mode, the volume is here also above average but the sound quality is much worse, the sound is clearly higher pitched but the voice is still perfectly understandable.[b][LB]Audio quality / music[b][b]The sound produced by the speakers is really good quality, the highs and lows are well restored, I even find that the sound has a certain depth that I do not often find on phones in this price range. The volume is average but the tilt of the phone affects the sound diffusion. The sound comes out of one of the grilles on the bottom of the phone (the second one is purely decorative) and the other output is at the listening speaker.[b][LB]Sound quality with headphones[b]
[b]The graph above shows that the Google Pixel 6a deviates quite a bit from the norm compared to a Samsung Galaxy S10+. This is not to say that the sound quality is bad, I have three explanations for this phenomenon. The first is physical, I had to use a usb to jack cable which has the effect of losing a bit in quality. The other thing to consider is that these gaps that seem huge are not huge if you look at the scale on the vertical axis. The third point is that the Samsung is simply better than this Google Pixel. The listening quality is good but not yet to the point of being able to worry the top of the range Samsung. [b][b]
Audio quality (headphones)
To test the quality of the phone's audio output, I connect the device's audio output to a measuring tool, then play sounds on all frequencies and measure the differences between the original sound and the sound produced by the phone. In this way I measure the phone's ability to correctly reproduce all sounds.[b]
To test the screen, I use a colorimetric probe that measures the color accuracy of a screen, as well as other parameters to see if a screen is able to correctly reproduce an image. I also test the brightness level to determine if the screen will be able to display an image in full sunlight.[b]
Screen size : 6.1 Resolution : 1080 x 2400 Ratio : 19.5:9 Type : Oled dE white : 3.7 dE red : 0.6 dE green : 0.4 dE blue : 0.2 dE jaune : 0.9 dE cyan : 0.6 dE magenta : 0.7 White temperature : 6733 Contrast : 1000000:1 Brightness : 508
Colorimetry[b]
[b]I tested the colorimetry in the default mode of the phone and I obtained a dE of 1.7, it is a very good score but with some deviations on some colors. We can see here on the CIE graph that the color space is far superior to REC709. This means that the phone is able to display more colors. [b][b]
[b]I then tested the "natural colors" mode present in the settings and I obtained a dE lower than 1, it is one of the best colorimetry that I had the opportunity to test but this is at the cost of the color space. The CIE graph shows here that the color space corresponds exactly to REC709. In the vast majority of cases, you won't see the difference (especially for a screen of this size), it will depend on the type of video you are watching [b].[b][b]Top 10 - ranking of the best screens by colorimetry 1. Poco X4 Gt dE = 0.6 2. Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g dE = 0.73 3. Xiaomi Mi 10t Pro dE = 0.83 4. Redmi Note 11 dE = 0.91 5. Redmi Note 12 Pro dE = 0.97 6. Google Pixel 6a dE = 1.01 7. Google Pixel 5 dE = 1.11 8. Realme Gt dE = 1.17 9. Redmi Note 12 dE = 1.17 10. Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite dE = 1.19
Number of smartphones in the ranking:75 Position of this smartphone in the ranking:6/75
Note: the colorimetric difference is measured in dE. After three, the human eye will perceive a colorimetric difference, so the dE should be the lowest. The tests were all carried out with a colorimetric probe. [b]Brightness / Contrast[b]If you have read the paragraph on battery life, you may have noticed that the battery life varies greatly depending on the brightness of the screen. The reason is very simple, this screen is very bright when it is pushed to the maximum. It is capable of exceeding 600 cd/m² with adaptive brightness and this will allow you to use this phone under the sun without readability problems.[b][LB]Contrast[b]The screen used in this Pixel 6a is a Samsung Amoled type screen, the contrasts are infinite and the blacks are really black even if you tilt the phone on the side.[b]
Biometry
This phone has a fingerprint sensor on the screen, I am not a big fan of this kind of sensor. I configured this sensor twice because I couldn't unlock the screen without trying several times. The configuration is well designed but even after 2 configurations, I could not reduce the failure rate. I'm used to this kind of functionality, so it would mean that this sensor is less efficient. I don't have this kind of problem at all with the Samsung Galaxy S23.[b]
Operating system
[b]Android and Google are the same thing, so here you have a phone in its purest form of Android and all the panoply of Google applications pre-installed and ready to exploit the maximum of your phone. Functionally speaking, you'll find the same thing on other phones, but with Google it's kind of the same as with Apple and iOS. The integration is native, smooth and you can be sure that this phone will be properly updated whenever necessary.[b]
Encoutered bugs
I didn't encounter any bugs during my test but two things bothered me, first the fingerprint sensor that didn't want to recognize my fingerprint and then this power button located in another place that requires some time to adapt. I would have preferred a button in the middle with a fingerprint sensor, it's much simpler that way but to each his own.[b]
Accessories Google Pixel 6a
To better enjoy your experience with your smartphone, I offer links to all kinds of accessories that you might find useful
I assigned a score of 1 to 10 for each test that determines the strengths and weaknesses of a product. I am using 0 for criteria that have not (yet) been tested. A score of 1 to 3 indicates poor performance (and yes, it does), a score of 4 to 6 indicates average performance, a score of 7 to 8 indicates good performance, and a score of 9 and 10 indicates exceptional performance. . The score is calculated based on my measurements and when there are no measurements, it is a subjective opinion based on my experience.
The scores are not static, they change over time because the performance of new products changes and this must be taken into account.
Google Pixel 6a
Finish quality
8.00
6.00
Battery performance
7.50
8.00
CPU performance
7.50
6.5
GPU performance
7.50
6.5
Screen quality
8.00
7.00
Photo quality
8.00
5.00
Video quality
8.00
5.00
Wi-Fi performance
8.00
7.00
Mobile download speed
8.00
5.00
Mobile network sensitivity
6.50
6.00
Frequency coverage
8.00
7.00
Audio quality
8.00
6.00
GPS performance
7.00
6.00
Operating system
8.00
8.00
Overall score
108
89
Global ranking 1. Black Shark 4 Pro 114 / 140 2. Realme Gt 112.5 / 140 3. Poco F2 Pro 111.5 / 140 4. Oneplus Nord 2t 111.5 / 140 5. Poco F5 111 / 140 6. Samsung Galaxy S20 111 / 140 7. Poco F4 Gt 110.5 / 140 8. Google Pixel 5 109.6 / 140 9. Poco F3 108.5 / 140 10. Poco X4 Gt 108 / 140 11. Google Pixel 6a 108 / 140 12. Poco X3 Pro 107.5 / 140 13. Samsung Galaxy S10+ 107 / 140 14. Xiaomi 11t 107 / 140 15. Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5g 106.5 / 140 16. Redmi Note 12 Pro 106 / 140 17. Xiaomi Mi 9t Pro 106 / 140 18. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro 105.5 / 140 19. Samsung Galaxy A52 104 / 140 20. Tcl 10 Pro 104 / 140 21. Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 104 / 140 22. Redmi Note 11 Pro 103 / 140 23. Poco X4 Pro 102.5 / 140 24. Poco M4 Pro 4g 102 / 140 25. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10s 102 / 140 26. Poco M4 Pro 101.5 / 140 27. Unihertz Luna 101.5 / 140 28. Redmi Note 11 101 / 140 29. Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g 101 / 140 30. Poco X3 101 / 140 31. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 101 / 140 32. Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite 101 / 140 33. Redmi Note 9t 100.5 / 140 34. Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro 100 / 140 35. Unihertz Tank 99 / 140 36. Poco X5 5g 98.5 / 140 37. Poco M5 98.5 / 140 38. Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite 98 / 140 39. Doogee S96 Pro 98 / 140 40. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9s 98 / 140 41. Poco F4 98 / 130 42. Poco M3 Pro 98 / 140 43. Redmi 10 97.5 / 140 44. Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 97 / 140 45. Redmi Note 12 95.5 / 140 46. Umidigi Bison Pro 95 / 140 47. F150 R2022 95 / 140 48. Poco M3 94.5 / 140 49. Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 94 / 140 50. Realme 6 93 / 140 51. Umidigi A9 Pro 92 / 140 52. Umidigi Bison 92 / 140 53. Tcl 30 Se 92 / 140 54. Oukitel C21 89.5 / 140 55. Motorola G8 Power 89 / 140 56. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 89 / 140 57. Nokia 5.3 89 / 140 58. Xiaomi Mi A3 89 / 140 59. Oneplus Nord N100 88.5 / 140 60. Honor 9x 88 / 140 61. Redmi 10a 88 / 140 62. Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite 86 / 140 63. Meizu Note 9 86 / 140 64. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 85 / 140 65. Umidigi S3 Pro 83 / 140 66. Umidigi F2 82 / 140 67. Samsung Galaxy A21s 82 / 140 68. Redmi 9a 81 / 140 69. Oukitel Wp18 81 / 140 70. Redmi 9c 80 / 140 71. Ulefone Armor 7e 80 / 140 72. Doogee S58 Pro 78.5 / 140 73. Honor 8x 78 / 140 74. Umidigi F1 77 / 140 75. Huawei Y6 2019 74 / 140 76. Xiaomi Mi 10t Pro 57 / 70 77. Samsung Galaxy S23 8 / 10 78. Elephone U5 0 / 0
Test / Review conclusion
[b]The Google Pixel 6a has been around for almost a year at the time I tested it, but I still feel it has a place in the market for several reasons. The Pixel 6a gives you a taste of Google's top of the line without having to make too many sacrifices and for a reasonable budget for this type of device. The level of finish is superior to what you can find at Xiaomi in the same price range, the same goes for the photo quality. The Pixel 6a is a powerful phone, compact in size with a nice screen, a good camera and exemplary fluidity.[b][b]Many sites have tested this phone before me and all (or almost) praised the photo as if this phone was unbeatable, I find that this is not quite correct. The daytime photos are of good quality and can compete with more expensive phones, that's right. The same goes for daytime video and the excellent stabilization. For night time photo / video, I'm not as enthusiastic. The quality is acceptable but this photo sensor has been around for years and the competition has had time to catch up with Google on this point.[b][b]The screen is of excellent quality with good colorimetry and extensive color management. Brightness and contrast are excellent but I regret that the screen is limited to 60hz where many brands have crossed the step of 90 or 120hz (or more). The screen must also be tamed according to your needs in luminosity because with the luminosity at the maximum, the battery life will strongly decrease. The battery capacity is not really at the level of what I am used to test but in the end it is not very serious because if the screen is not pushed to the bottom permanently, the autonomy of this phone is really good. I just find it a pity that the charge is limited to 18W, this is also something that belongs to the past for many brands.[b][b]For the network connectivity part, there are good and not so good. The sensitivity to the 4G network is not exemplary and the same goes for the level of accuracy of the GPS. For the wifi on the other hand, it is a faultless, I measured a good signal and an exceptional download speed. The call quality is good and the call volume is well above average. The Pixel 6a is not positioned as a phone for gamers, yet it could claim this niche in terms of performance. It just lacks a higher screen frequency and proper heat dissipation, but these points will mostly be a problem for hard core gamers, not casual gamers. [b][b]The price of the Pixel seems to be stabilizing a bit above 300€, this is a territory where Xiaomi offers many alternatives but I find that the Pixel dominates them on many points despite its few small flaws. [b]Strengths[b]Daytime photo[b]Video stabilization[b]Colorimetry[b]Contrast[b]Brightness[b]Performance[b]Wifi speed[b]Speaker and headphone sound quality[b]Volume and call quality[b][b]Weaknesses[b]Average network sensitivity[b]Below average GPS accuracy[b]Power consumption with screen at 100%[b]Night video focus[b]Night photo brightness[b]Recalcitrant fingerprint sensor[b]Power button position[b][b]Alternatives to this product[b][b]Not yet available / tested[b][b]
Laurent Willen Instead of watching nonsense on TV or YouTube, I spend my time in the evenings testing products and sharing my passion for technology, travel and photography.
I run this site in my own name and completely independently, no one pays me to do so.
I have more than 20 years of experience in the digital world, I have managed and developed many high traffic websites in companies in Belgium such as Mobistar, Microsoft, Immoweb, BrusselsAirlines, Proximus, Orange,...
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Laurent Willen
