Google Pixel 3a Review: A new Nexus

It was almost iii years ago that Google said good day to the Nexus make and, in the process, affordable handsets.

Despite their flaws, devices like the Nexus 5 won well-earned acclaim for delivering robust characteristic sets at affordable prices. At present, amidst a global downturn in smartphone need, Google is releasing a phone that is reminiscent of its earlier efforts in all the best ways possible.

With the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, the company has created a pair of smartphones that price conscious and savvy consumers will love. All-time of all, unlike the Nexus phones of yesteryear, the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL feature an fantabulous camera.

As I did in my Pixel iii review, to make this slice more concise and easier to read, I often refer to the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a Xl using the singular 'Pixel 3a'. Where applicable, I note any differences between the 2 phones. Google didn't provide an Twoscore unit to test, so I can't speak to some specific aspects of the device.

Display

5.6-inch gOLED, 2,220 x i,080 pixels, xviii.5:ix aspect ratio

5.5-inch FHD brandish, 1,080 x 2,160 pixels, 18:ix attribute ratio

half dozen.0-inch gOLED, 2,160 x 1,080 pixels, xviii:9 aspect ratio

6.iii-inch Quad HD display, 2,960 x 1,440 pixels, eighteen:ix aspect ratio

Processor

Snapdragon 670

Snapdragon 845

Snapdragon 670

Snapdragon 845

RAM

4GB of RAM

Storage

64GB

64GB, 128GB

64GB

64GB, 128GB

Dimensions (in.)

151.3 x lxx.1 x 8.2mm

145.6 ten 68.2 10 7.9mm

160.one ten 76.1 10 8.2mm

157.9 x 76.7 x 7.9mm

Weight

147g

148g

167g

184g

Rear Facing Photographic camera

12.2-megapixel (f/ane.8, OIS, EIS)

12.2-megapixel (f/1.8, OIS, EIS)

12.ii-megapixel (f/ane.8, OIS, EIS)

12.ii-megapixel (f/one.8, OIS, EIS)

Front Facing Camera

eight-megapixel (f/2.0)

8-megapixel (f/2.2) + 8-megapixel (f/1.8)

8-megapixel (f/ii.0)

8-megapixel (f/ii.two) + viii-megapixel (f/1.eight)

Android 9 Pie

Android ix Pie

Bombardment

iii,000mAh

two,915mAh

3,700mAh

3,430mAh

Network Connectivity

GSM/HSPA/LTE

Sensors

Fingerprint (rear-facing), accelerometor, gyro, proximity

Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, Active Border 2.0, proximity sensor, magnetic sensor

Fingerprint (rear-facing), accelerometor, gyro, proximity

Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, Active Edge ii.0, proximity sensor, magnetic sensor

SIM Blazon

Nano SIM, eSIM

Nano Sim

Nano SIM, eSIM

Nano Sim

Launch Date

May seven, 2019

November ane, 2018

May seven, 2019

November 1, 2018

Misc

Colours: Just Black, Clearly White, Royal-ish | Google Lens, Agile Edge

Colours: Just Black, Clearly White, Not Pink | IP68 water and dust resistant, U.South. launch engagement October 18th

Colours: Only Blackness, Clearly White, Imperial-ish | Google Lens, Agile Border

Colours: Merely Black, Clearly White, Not Pink | IP68 water and dust resistant, U.S. launch date October 18th

Pixel 3a

five.6-inch gOLED, two,220 10 1,080 pixels, 18.v:9 aspect ratio

Google Pixel iii

5.5-inch FHD display, 1,080 10 ii,160 pixels, eighteen:9 aspect ratio

Pixel 3a XL

half-dozen.0-inch gOLED, 2,160 x one,080 pixels, 18:9 attribute ratio

Google Pixel 3 Xl

vi.3-inch Quad HD display, two,960 x 1,440 pixels, xviii:9 aspect ratio

Google Pixel 3

Snapdragon 845

Pixel 3a Xl

Snapdragon 670

Google Pixel three XL

Snapdragon 845

Google Pixel 3

4GB of RAM

Google Pixel 3 XL

4GB of RAM

Google Pixel 3

64GB, 128GB

Google Pixel 3 Forty

64GB, 128GB

Pixel 3a

151.3 x 70.1 x 8.2mm

Google Pixel 3

145.6 x 68.2 x 7.9mm

Pixel 3a Twoscore

160.1 x 76.1 10 eight.2mm

Google Pixel 3 XL

157.nine 10 76.7 x 7.9mm

Pixel 3a

12.2-megapixel (f/1.eight, OIS, EIS)

Google Pixel 3

12.2-megapixel (f/1.8, OIS, EIS)

Pixel 3a XL

12.2-megapixel (f/1.8, OIS, EIS)

Google Pixel three XL

12.ii-megapixel (f/ane.8, OIS, EIS)

Pixel 3a

eight-megapixel (f/ii.0)

Google Pixel 3

8-megapixel (f/2.two) + 8-megapixel (f/i.8)

Pixel 3a Xl

8-megapixel (f/ii.0)

Google Pixel three 40

8-megapixel (f/2.2) + 8-megapixel (f/1.viii)

Google Pixel 3

Android 9 Pie

Pixel 3a 40

Android 9 Pie

Google Pixel 3 Xl

Android 9 Pie

Google Pixel 3 Twoscore

3,430mAh

Google Pixel 3

GSM/HSPA/LTE

Google Pixel three XL

GSM/HSPA/LTE

Pixel 3a

Fingerprint (rear-facing), accelerometor, gyro, proximity

Google Pixel 3

Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, Active Edge 2.0, proximity sensor, magnetic sensor

Pixel 3a XL

Fingerprint (rear-facing), accelerometor, gyro, proximity

Google Pixel 3 XL

Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, Active Edge 2.0, proximity sensor, magnetic sensor

Pixel 3a XL

Nano SIM, eSIM

Google Pixel three Forty

Nano Sim

Google Pixel 3

November 1, 2018

Google Pixel iii XL

November 1, 2018

Pixel 3a

Colours: Simply Blackness, Conspicuously White, Purple-ish | Google Lens, Active Edge

Google Pixel three

Colours: Just Blackness, Clearly White, Non Pinkish | IP68 water and dust resistant, U.S. launch date Oct 18th

Pixel 3a XL

Colours: Just Blackness, Clearly White, Purple-ish | Google Lens, Active Edge

Google Pixel 3 Forty

Colours: Just Black, Clearly White, Not Pink | IP68 water and grit resistant, U.S. launch engagement October 18th

Conspiracy theorists finally get their Pixel 3 Ultra

Side by side to the Pixel 3 and Pixel three XL, what's most noticeable about the Pixel 3a and 3a Twoscore is that the latter doesn't feature the deep notch of its more expensive sibling. It'south a better look, even if, compared to the current crop of high-terminate flagships, the Pixel 3a and 3a XL await dated.

Less apparent is that the Pixel 3a and 3a XL feature different dimensions from their high-cease counterparts.

Compared to the Pixel 3'southward 145.6 x 68.2 ten 7.9mm dimensions, the Pixel 3a measures in 151.3 x 70.1 x viii.2mm. At 147g, compared to 148g, information technology's too a impact lighter than the Pixel 3.

The Pixel 3a XL, meanwhile, measures in at 160.1 10 76.1 x 8.2 mm, instead 158 ten 76.7 x 7.9 mm. Similar to the Pixel 3a, it'south lighter than its more expensive sibling, weighing in at 167g as opposed to 184g.

A byproduct of their different sizes is that case designed for the Pixel iii and Pixel 3 40 don't fit the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a Xl.

Likewise, the Pixel 3a and 3a XL characteristic different sized displays compared to the Pixel 3 and Pixel iii XL. The Pixel 3a's display measures in at 5.half dozen-inches diagonally, instead of 5.v-inches, while the Pixel 3a XL measures in at vi.0-inches diagonally instead of 6.iii inches.

Concrete differences aside, functionally the displays are identical with ane exception: the Pixel three XL features a QHD resolution panel, instead of a Total HD panel similar the Pixel 3, Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a 40. Otherwise, all four displays support HDR playback on YouTube and Netflix (only don't get brilliant enough to back up HDR10 or Dolby Vision) and DCI-P3 broad colour gamut back up.

Ane annoyance is that Google moved the Pixel 3a and 3a Forty'south stereo speakers. Instead of facing towards you, they now fire from the bottom of the telephone. It'due south a perplexing design choice, peculiarly since both the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a Forty have more enough bezel to conform front-firing speakers. Neither phone is waterproof either, but i matter the new Pixels have over their older siblings is a headphone jack.

At launch, the Pixel 3a and 3a Xl are only available in a single configuration with 64GB of internal storage. What's more, the Pixel 3a and 3a Twoscore don't include a microSD slot, a feature that's found on almost every smartphone at this price point. That means the only mode to aggrandize their storage is to use cloud-based services like Google Photos.

After I downloaded my unabridged Spotify library (all 28GB worth at high quality) and installed all the apps I use frequently, I had 14.35GB of bachelor storage left on the telephone.

That said, what works for me is unlikely to piece of work for someone else, and if storage is a meaning concern, there are meliorate options available. For example, the Huawei P30 Lite (approximately $480 outright, depending on the carrier) ships with 128GB of internal storage, and includes a microSD bill of fare slot.

A great processor

Going into this review, I wasn't sure what to await of the Pixel 3a's Snapdragon 670 processor. In hindsight, it has turned out to exist one of the highlights of using the phone.

Without getting into likewise many technical details, the Pixel 3a'south Snapdragon 670 chipset is more high-stop processor than its 600-series designation suggests. The 670 and 845 share several of the same characteristics. To start, both the 670 and 845 are 10nm chipsets. Moreover, the 670 features, similar the 845, a 600-serial Adreno GPU. To protect users, Google has besides included its Titan M security scrap.

Information technology'due south also worth noting both the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3 have the same amount of RAM at their disposal: 4GB.

In Geekbench 4, the Pixel 3a earned a unmarried-core score of 1657 and a multi-core of 5164. In the same benchmark, the Pixel 3 obtained a single-cadre score of 2373 and a multi-core of 8263. Put another manner: the Pixel 3a performs thirty and 38 percent worse in a benchmarking environment.

In apply, even so, I didn't discover the Pixel 3a felt noticeable slower or less responsive than my Pixel three. Information technology was only when I put the two phones side by side that I was able to discern a difference, and then even then the Pixel 3 was only a affect faster at navigating Android, launching apps and multi-tasking.

Modem performance was similarly excellent. Using a Fido SIM, the Pixel 3a consistently striking days download speeds of 100Mbps when I used Ookla Speedtest to exam its modem across several different days at MobileSyrup'southward downtown Toronto office.

In short, when it comes to performance, the Pixel 3a doesn't feel like a mid-range smartphone.

Same great Pixel three photographic camera

Ane aspect of the Pixel 3'southward design Google hasn't inverse with the Pixel 3a is the main camera. Like the Pixel three, the Pixel 3a features a 12.ii-megapixel camera with f/ane.eight discontinuity lens.

Where the cameras of the 2 phones differ from i another is that the Pixel 3a doesn't include Pixel 3's ultra-broad selfie camera. The i lone front end-facing camera of the Pixel 3a has a slower lens that captures one-third of a end less calorie-free.

Not one to take many selfies, I didn't particularly miss the absence of the Pixel 3's extra-broad forepart-facing camera while I was reviewing the Pixel 3a. That said, I'm certain I would miss it if I were to have the phone on a trip with me.

The Pixel 3a too doesn't include Google'southward Pixel Visual Core custom silicon. The company says it was able to code all of the Pixel 3's camera features to piece of work without consequence on the Pixel 3a without the scrap.

Significantly, Google hasn't limited the Pixel 3a's camera by withholding any of the software features that made the Pixel three'southward camera so compelling. Whether it'southward Super Res Zoom, Motion Car Focus, or, most notably, Night Sight, all of the Pixel 3'southward best photographic camera features are available and work merely as great on the Pixel 3a as they did on the Pixel iii.

Otherwise, in that location'due south not much left to say nearly the Pixel 3a's camera that hasn't already been said about the Pixel 3's camera.

Even with the release of phones like the Milky way S10 and Huawei'south P30 Pro — that is, devices that cost at least twice as much equally the Pixel 3a — the Pixel 3a features among the best smartphone cameras on the market place currently. Obviously, with just two individual cameras, the Pixel 3a'south photographic camera isn't equally versatile as the cameras on the S10 and P30 Pro. Nevertheless, the important indicate here is that it's significantly more expensive to obtain a more versatile smartphone camera.

Put some other way: at its price indicate, the Pixel 3a's photographic camera is nearly unmatched.

A bigger battery

Both the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL include higher capacity batteries than their loftier-end counterparts.

The Pixel 3a features a 3,000mAh — instead of two,915mAh — bombardment, while the Pixel 3a XL features a three,700mAh — instead of 3,430mAh — bombardment. Relative to i another, that means the Pixel 3a features a three percent higher capacity battery than the Pixel 3, and the Pixel 3a 40 an almost 8 percentage higher chapters battery than the Pixel iii XL.

With the help of Android's Adaptive Battery functionality, Google claims the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a Xl's batteries can concluding upwards to 30 hours on a single accuse when users disable the phones' ambient brandish characteristic.

In practice, with ambient display enabled, I constitute I was able to comfortably go a full day of battery life out of the Pixel 3a.

For example, on my commencement full day with the Pixel 3a, the telephone had 36 percent bombardment power remaining every bit I was virtually to go to bed at ten:40 pm. My usage that day involved two-and-a-one-half hours of screentime and several hours of listening to music through Bluetooth headphones.

When its battery isn't interim up, that's most what I get from the Pixel three on a typical day. As I mentioned earlier, Google did non provide MobileSyrup with a Pixel 3a Forty to exam, so I tin't speak to how much better or worse it performs in a bombardment test compared to the Pixel 3 XL.

When it comes time to top upwards the Pixel 3a'southward battery, the phone ships with the same 18W ability adapter Google includes with the Pixel three. In total, information technology takes about an hour to charge the telephone using the included ability adapter.

I'll annotation here that neither Pixel 3a nor the Pixel 3a XL features Qi wireless charging.

This is the one feature I've consistently missed in my time with the Pixel 3a. Non only because its absenteeism has fabricated it less convenient to go on the phone topped up throughout the day, but besides because I came to love the Pixel Stand'south digital frame functionality.

You'll have this phone for a while with Google back up

The Pixel 3a offers few surprises when it comes to its software feel. Overall, what'due south here is intuitive and easy to use.

That said, I oasis't had enough fourth dimension with the device to see whether it's afflicted by some of the same frequent issues that crop upwardly in any discussion of the Pixel iii and iii XL.

The good news, still, is that should any issues come up, Google is ready to support the Pixel 3a for the long haul.

As with Pixel three, Google promises it will support the Pixel 3a with a minimum of three years of platform and security software updates. What's more, the company says it volition update the 3a and 3a XL at the same time it updates the Pixel iii and three Forty.

All of that to say: in the context of other mid-range devices, Google will replenish the Pixel 3a and 3a XL with an unprecedented level of software back up.

With most mid-range devices, consumers can typically look the OEM that fabricated their handset to provide 1 major Android platform update (sometimes ii, if they're lucky). Moreover, if it'southward non an Android One device, major updates take weeks and sometimes months longer to arrive than they do on high-end devices.