It’s an awkward time if you’re in the market for one of Google’s Pixel phones. The Pixel 6a, the company’s recently announced budget phone, won’t go on sale for another month, even though we’ve known about the phone since May. In addition to this, Google has already confirmed that a more powerful Pixel 7 is coming this fall.
Contents
Why you should wait for the Pixel 6a
Why the Google Pixel is still a good deal
What about the Pixel 7?
And yet, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are still on the market — two of the best camera phones you can buy, powered by Google’s ultra-powerful Tensor silicon… and seemingly obsolete in phones that aren’t even available yet.
If you’re looking for a new phone, but don’t want to pay the high prices charged by Apple and Samsung mobile phones, Google’s devices have always been compelling options. But with the affordable Pixel 6a arriving on July 28 and the flagship Pixel 7 available several months after that, does that mean you shouldn’t consider either Pixel 6 model?
It really depends on what you’re looking for in a phone, how much you’re willing to pay, and whether you need a new device right away. The Pixel 6a and Pixel 7 both have their strengths, but the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are now available to meet your smartphone needs and general people want to know iPhone 14 pro max price in Bangladesh.
Here’s a closer look at whether you should still consider the Pixel 6 or whether it makes more sense to wait for Google’s other phones.
Why you should wait for the Pixel 6a
The most compelling reason to skip the Pixel 6 and wait for July’s Pixel 6a to arrive is in dollars and cents. At $449, the Pixel 6a costs $150 less than Google’s cheapest flagship phone.
Pixel 6a | Pixel 6 | |
Starting price | $449 | $599 |
Screen size | 6.1 inch OLED | 6.4 inch OLED |
Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 90 Hz |
processor | A tensor | A tensor |
RAM | 6GB | 8GB |
Storage | 128GB | 128GB, 256GB |
Rear cameras | 12.2 MP main screen, 12 MP ultra wide | 50 MP wide (f/1.85), 12 MP ultra-wide (f/2.2) |
Front camera | 8MP | 8MP (f/2.0) |
Battery size | 4,410 mAh | 4,614 mAh |
Wired download speed | 18W | 30W |
You also don’t make many compromises for the lower price, as you can see in our in-depth Google Pixel 6a vs. Pixel 6 comparison. The Pixel 6a features the same distinctive design that Google introduced last fall with the Pixel 6 family, with a horizontal camera bar running across the back of the phone.
More importantly, the Pixel 6a is powered by the same Tensor chipset found in the Pixel 6 family. That doesn’t just mean comparable performance – the Pixel 6 might enjoy a bit of extra RAM, but also machine learning-based features that were previously limited to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
(Image credit: Google)
You’ll especially appreciate the addition of the Tensor chipset for the Pixel 6a’s camera performance. The Pixel 6’s camera hardware is much more impressive – it has a 50-megapixel main camera compared to the Pixel 6a’s 12-megapixel shooter, and if you want a dedicated telephoto lens, you’ll have to go for the Pixel 6 Pro. But the software-based computational photography features that help the Pixel 6 stand out from camera phones are also available on the Pixel 6a.
This means you can enjoy features like Magic Eraser, which removes unwanted people and objects from the background of photos, often with incredible results. The Pixel 6a even introduces an updated version of Magic Eraser, which lets you recolor objects to make them less distracting.
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Other features, such as the ability to remove facial blur and more accurate skin tones with Google’s Real Tone feature, are also part of the Pixel 6a, just like the Pixel 6. Basically, with Google’s new budget phone you can expect most of the Pixel’s best features in a cheaper package – why not wait another month?
Why the Google Pixel is still a good deal
That doesn’t mean everyone should automatically grab the Pixel 6a over the Pixel 6. While you can put off buying a phone for a month, there are plenty of reasons to consider the Pixel 6.
That $150 savings is significant, especially these days, but it’s not a huge discount on the price you paid for the Pixel 6. Take advantage of the best Pixel 6 deals to lower the cost of Google’s flagship phone. As of this writing, some phone carriers are even offering Google’s flagship phone for free when you unlock a new data line.
And while you get many of the Pixel’s best features with the Pixel 6a, the cheaper phone still requires some compromises. The Pixel 6a offers a screen with a fixed 60Hz refresh rate. Spring for the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro and you’ll get displays that adjust their refresh rates to 90Hz or 120Hz.
You will also notice the difference between the phones when you hold them in your hand. The Pixel 6a uses cheaper materials than the Pixel 6, so if the feel of the phone is important to you, the Pixel 6 may be a better option.
What about the Pixel 7?
So far we’ve focused on the Pixel 6a vs Pixel 6 comparison, but there’s another Google phone to consider. The Pixel 7 will arrive later this fall — we’d guess October based on Google’s phone release history. And that’s an improvement for everyone in the Pixel 6 family.
(Image credit: Google)
That’s because the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro — yes, Google confirmed both models — include the next-generation Tensor chip. This likely means better performance and efficiency, not to mention more features that benefit from the silicon’s machine learning core. Google has yet to say what they might be.
In fact, there are a lot of unknowns about the Pixel 7, as Google has only confirmed the new Tensor chipset and introduced the design of the upcoming flagships. Camera features, battery life and other information are just rumors at the moment. We also don’t know if the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro will retain their respective $599 and $899 prices from Google’s current versions. So you can expect flagship devices this fall to find out you’re paying more.
Unless you absolutely want the latest and greatest hardware and don’t need a new phone until later in 2022, picking up the Pixel 6 — and even the Pixel 6a — makes more sense than waiting for the Pixel 7… at least until details emerge about this fall’s Google phone.