Google Pixel 6a vs Pixel 6 Pro: A Head-to-Head Comparison
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Pixel 6 Pro wins on display quality, camera versatility, and charging speed. However, the Pixel 6a offers exceptional value with its impressive battery life and Google Tensor performance at a significantly lower price. If budget is a concern, the 6a is a steal; otherwise, the 6 Pro is the superior device.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Google Pixel 6a | Google Pixel 6 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71 - GX7AS, GB62Z (USA/Canada) | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - GLUOG, G8VOU |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GX7AS (USA/Canada) | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - G8VOU |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 40, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - G1AZG (International) | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GLUOG | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, May 11 | 2021, October 19 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, July 21 | Available. Released 2021, October 28 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9 mm (5.99 x 2.83 x 0.35 in) | 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm (6.45 x 2.99 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 178 g (6.28 oz) | 210 g (7.41 oz) |
| IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~429 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~512 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.1 inches, 90.7 cm2 (~83.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.6 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, HDR | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| Always-on display | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Google Tensor (5 nm) | Google Tensor (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP20 | Mali-G78 MP20 |
| OS | Android 12, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades | Android 12, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm, (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm | - |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm | 11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm |
| Triple | - | 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/3.5, 104mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 4x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm | 11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, PD3.0 | 23W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 23W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4410 mAh | Li-Ion 5003 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Chalk, Charcoal, Sage | Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny, Stormy Black |
| Models | GX7AS, GB62Z, G1AZG, GB17L | GLUOG, G8VOU, GF5KQ |
| Price | $ 138.99 / C$ 228.74 / ₹ 23,999 | € 199.99 / $ 204.99 / £ 275.00 / ₹ 29,699 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 94h | Endurance rating 84h |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 585485 (v8), 719815 (v9) GeekBench: 2831 (v5.1) GFXBench: 39 fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Google Pixel 6a
- Excellent value
- Impressive battery life
- Smooth Google Tensor performance
- Compact and pocketable
- Great camera for the price
- 60Hz display
- No wireless charging
- Slower charging speed
- Limited zoom capabilities
Google Pixel 6 Pro
- Premium display with 120Hz refresh rate
- Versatile camera system with telephoto lens
- Faster charging (wired & wireless)
- Wireless charging and reverse wireless charging
- More RAM for multitasking
- Higher price
- Slightly shorter battery life than 6a
- Curved display can be prone to accidental touches
Display Comparison
The Pixel 6 Pro boasts a larger 6.7-inch LTPO OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, offering smoother scrolling and animations. It also has a slightly higher peak brightness (846 nits vs 876 nits on the 6a) and a curved edge. The Pixel 6a has a 6.1-inch OLED display with a standard 60Hz refresh rate, which is still vibrant and sharp, but lacks the fluidity of the 6 Pro's display. The 6 Pro's adaptive refresh rate also helps conserve battery.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 6 Pro's camera system is significantly more versatile. It includes a 50MP main lens, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 48MP telephoto lens with 4x optical zoom. The Pixel 6a has a 12.2MP main lens and a 12MP ultrawide lens. While the 6a's camera is excellent for its price, the 6 Pro offers more zoom capabilities and better low-light performance.
Performance
Both phones are powered by the Google Tensor chip, so performance is generally comparable for everyday tasks and apps. However, the Pixel 6 Pro's additional RAM (12GB vs 6GB) might provide a slight edge in multitasking and handling demanding games. Both offer excellent AI capabilities thanks to the Tensor chip.
Battery Life
The Pixel 6a surprisingly edges out the 6 Pro in battery life, boasting an endurance rating of 94 hours compared to the 6 Pro's 84 hours. Both phones offer all-day battery life for most users, but the 6a's efficiency is noteworthy. The 6 Pro supports 23W wired and wireless charging, as well as reverse wireless charging, features absent in the 6a.
Buying Guide
The Google Pixel 6a is ideal for budget-conscious users who prioritize battery life and a smooth Google experience. It's perfect for everyday tasks, photography, and those who don't need the absolute best camera features. The Google Pixel 6 Pro is for users who demand a premium display, advanced camera capabilities (including telephoto), faster charging, and wireless charging, and are willing to pay a premium for it.