Google Pixel 6a – Full Review & Price

The Google Pixel 6a is a device just as powerful as the Pixel 6 Pro, thanks to it running on the same tensor chipset, but priced significantly less at just under $350 right now, with the tradeoffs being lesser build quality, cameras, display specs and a couple more, but lesser doesn’t exactly mean inferior. This is easily one of the best midrange devices money can buy and I kid you not.

One might even argue this is a very good alternative to the Pixel 7 series thanks to its affordability especially when you look at its specs and features.

Google Pixel 6a Price In Nigeria

You can Order the Google Pixel 6a on Amazon right now for just $300, which is around N190,000. It will be shipped to your location with immediate effect.

Google Pixel 6a Full Review

While I’ve enjoyed my experience so far using the Pixel 6a for a few months, I can’t say it is completely bug-free. I’ve only experienced two bugs, one recurrent and the other fixed with the Android 13 update. The recurrent bug is with the recent menu. Sometimes it doesn’t respond, I get the haptic feedback but then it acts weird.

When it goes to the recent menu, I’m unable to swipe apps close, none of the regular buttons show, I can basically only swipe left or right but not up or down. I’ll have to swipe home before it acts right. This would’ve been ignorable if it didn’t happen frequently. I use this as a secondary device and I experience this bug at least twice daily. Thankfully it doesn’t require a restart to fix.

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I know some might ask if I tried a factory reset, but I’d rather not have to do that. The second bug which got fixed with the Android 13 update was still the recent menu where the apps become blank and pretty much behave like the other bug but thankfully this was fixed with Android 13. That’s all there is on bugs in my experience. I’ve had no issues with the fingerprint scanner.

Software Performance

Compared to most devices I’ve handled at this price point, I can easily choose the Pixel 6a mostly for its software. Android 12 has pretty much revamped the stock android experience and on the Pixel side of things is where you get to enjoy it to the fullest. The Tensor chipset here is a very solid one, especially for this price point.

When compared to the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy A53, the Pixel 6a is a more stable and reliable device with a more satisfying software experience. Aside from the recurrent bug I mentioned, I’ve enjoyed the overall software experience here.

Display (Refresh Rate)

As for its refresh rate being the basic 60hz as compared to the majority of the competition having twice the refresh rate, it’s easy to complain and demand better as the device is actually capable thanks to the Tensor chipset.

But while for me as a Tech enthusiast, I definitely would see the fluidity of a 90hz display, the 60hz experience here is not one I’ve felt was lacking in any way as operating the Pixel 6a has been smooth and snappy for the most part. To put it straightforwardly, the lack of a high refresh rate display is not a deal breaker for me and I feel most average consumers won’t notice it. I mean the $800 iPhones don’t have high refresh rate displays.

Build Quality & Design

When it comes to building quality and design, I like that the Pixel 6a is a lot similar to the Pixel 6. I got a Dbrand skin on mine as I’m not a fan of that glossy finish, and I like how this Dbrand skin gives it that pixel 7 look on the rear camera shape.

One thing I had to get used to with the Pixel 6a which is not actually an issue is the placement of the power button above the volume keys. This is actually my first Pixel device and most other devices I’ve used have the power button below the volume keys, so I sometimes find myself hitting the power key when attempting to adjust the volume. Not an issue for most people I guess.

The Pixel 6a doesn’t get a headphone jack and like a lot of other devices these days, you don’t get a charger in the box too. It supports a single nano sim card, and it also supports eSIM.

Sadly, there is no SD card slot and that can be a real deal breaker as it only comes with 128GB Storage. So, if you’re a heavy user that needs more than that in storage you might want to rely on cloud storage or look the other way. because there’s no 256GB option. The speakers on here are actually amazing.

Sound really good, probably the best on any midrange device I’ve handled. Now, the haptic feedback on the Pixel 6a is also really good I’ve heard people talk about it. Not until I got to actually experience it did I realize how good it is.

Typing on this device feels really nice The Pixel 6a is a 5 G-supported device, though here in Nigeria, like the Samsung and iPhones, it didn’t detect the MTN 5G signal. Hopefully it should in the not-too-distant future. I like the size of the Pixel 6a being just 6.1 inches. Makes it easier for one-handed operation. One of the perks of using a Pixel device is the early software updates and that stock android experience.

I doubt anyone else will experience this though. When I export my videos and send them to the Pixel 6a for upload, there’s this red tint. Not sure what’s responsible and also don’t know if it has anything to do with my export settings but I only have this experience with the Pixel 6a and I find it strange. I have a couple of other devices and don’t have this problem.

Processor & Performance

The Tensor chipset here has really good benchmark scores and having it on a midrange device pretty much puts this as one of the best out there. It performs really well except that the gaming experience is a little underwhelming for a chipset of this caliber.

Gaming Test

If you’re someone into gaming, the Pixel 6a might not meet your expectations at least in my experience. While it will play most games at medium to high graphics settings, the performance is not consistent and you get noticeable frame drops especially on the likes of Apex Legends unless you stick to the recommended low settings.

Not quite what I was expecting for a device running a flagship processor. I don’t know if there will be better optimization with future updates though but we’ll have to keep our fingers crossed for that one.

Battery Life & Charging

The battery life on the Pixel 6a is pretty standard, nothing out of the ordinary but I’ll say good enough for a 4410mAh battery.

This only supports 18 watts of fast charging. Significantly less than most of the competition but it’s not a deal breaker. You don’t talk about a Pixel device and ignore its cameras. It’s one of the many benefits of having a Pixel and having used it thus far I can attest to that.

Camera Specs & Video Recording

The camera specs might look substandard on paper but Google’s image processing is where the real magic happens.

The pictures from the Pixel 6a are nothing below expectations when it comes to skin tones and HDR processing. It is reliable and will get you the perfect shot 9 out of 10 times. Even in less-than-ideal lighting conditions, you will get great photos.

Portraits also look sharp, though Edge detection is not perfect. On video performance, I’ll say I’m satisfied with its quality. It can actually shoot 4K60fps video from its rear camera. I don’t think there are any midrange devices that do more than 4K 30fps. On the low light video, it’s actually not so great On its selfie camera, however, we don’t get past 1080p 30fps.

The Pixel 6a can shoot videos from its selfie camera, looks really good and HDR is looking nice from the viewfinder I think it’s 1080p 30fps because I could not find the setting to adjust it to 4K which you can do 4K60fps from the rear cameras.

I love the Pixel 6a for its overall performance, though it will be great to see Google completely fix the bugs. While they’re minor and don’t drastically impact my user experience, I’d like to be able to boast that experience is completely bug-free. I’m currently expecting the Pixel 7 which I’ll definitely review, and will most likely replace this one but I’ll still keep my eyes on this one to see if any updates solve the bugs I’ve experienced. And, I’ll update you here.