ZTE Axon 30 5G vs Google Pixel 6a: A Detailed Comparison of Performance, Battery, and Display

The ZTE Axon 30 5G and Google Pixel 6a represent compelling options in the mid-range smartphone market, but cater to different priorities. The Axon 30 5G, leveraging the Snapdragon 870, focuses on raw performance and rapid charging, while the Pixel 6a emphasizes Google’s Tensor chip and its computational photography prowess. This comparison dissects their key differences to determine which device best suits your needs.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing camera quality and software experience, the Google Pixel 6a is the better choice. However, the ZTE Axon 30 5G delivers superior charging speeds and a strong performance profile for those who value responsiveness and gaming, making it a strong contender for power users.

PHONES
Phone Names	ZTE Axon 30 5G	Google Pixel 6a

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - International	HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 18, 19, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - Europe	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)
5G bands	1, 3, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - Europe	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)
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA, LTE, 5G
Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
	1, 3, 28, 41, 78 SA/NSA - China	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 40, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - G1AZG (International)

Launch
Announced	2021, July 27	2022, May 11
Status	Available. Released 2021, August 03	Available. Released 2022, July 21

Body
Build	Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, plastic back
Dimensions	170.2 x 77.8 x 7.8 mm (6.70 x 3.06 x 0.31 in)	152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9 mm (5.99 x 2.83 x 0.35 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM + eSIM
Weight	189 g (6.67 oz)	178 g (6.28 oz)
	-	IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min)

Display
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass	Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Resolution	1080 x 2460 pixels (~400 ppi density)	1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~429 ppi density)
Size	6.92 inches, 107.0 cm2 (~80.8% screen-to-body ratio)	6.1 inches, 90.7 cm2 (~83.0% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz	OLED, HDR
	Always-on display	Always-on display

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4x1.80 GHz Kryo 585)	Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
Chipset	Qualcomm SM8250-AC Snapdragon 870 5G (7 nm)	Google Tensor (5 nm)
GPU	Adreno 650	Mali-G78 MP20
OS	Android 11, MyOS 11	Android 12, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades

Memory
Card slot	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)	No
Internal	128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM	128GB 6GB 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, HDR, panorama	Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama
Quad	64 MP, f/1.8, 25mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 16mm (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens	-
Single	16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), under display	8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm
Video	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS, HDR, 10‑bit video	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	HDR, panorama
Single	16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), under display	8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm
Video	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	No	No
35mm jack	No	No
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes, with stereo speakers
	24-bit/192kHz audio	-

Comms
Bluetooth	5.1, A2DP, LE	5.2, A2DP, LE
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C 3.0, OTG	USB Type-C 3.1
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, 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	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer

Battery
Charging	65W wired, PD, QC4	18W wired, PD3.0
Type	Li-Ion 4200 mAh	Li-Po 4410 mAh

Misc
Colors	Black, Aqua	Chalk, Charcoal, Sage
Models	A2322, A2322G	GX7AS, GB62Z, G1AZG, GB17L
Price	About 500 EUR	$ 138.99 / C$ 228.74 / ₹ 23,999

Tests
Battery life	Endurance rating 86h	Endurance rating 94h
Camera	Photo / Video	-
Display	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-27.7 LUFS (Good)	-
Performance	AnTuTu: 701991 (v9) GeekBench: 3160 (v5.1) GFXBench: 59fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)	-

ZTE Axon 30 5G

Significantly faster 65W charging
Strong Snapdragon 870 performance
Potentially lower price point

Lower display brightness
Less advanced camera processing
Shorter battery endurance

Google Pixel 6a

Brighter, more visible display
Superior camera image processing
Longer battery life

Slower 18W charging
Google Tensor chip may throttle under sustained load
Potentially higher price point

Display Comparison

The Pixel 6a boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 876 nits compared to the Axon 30 5G’s 438 nits. This translates to vastly improved visibility outdoors under direct sunlight. Both displays share an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting deep blacks, but the Pixel 6a’s higher brightness is a clear advantage for everyday usability. While neither specifies refresh rate, the brightness difference is the dominant factor for visual experience.

Camera Comparison

Both phones are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, lacking specific details. However, Google’s Tensor chip is renowned for its computational photography prowess, suggesting the Pixel 6a will deliver superior image quality, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. The Pixel 6a’s image processing algorithms are likely to provide better dynamic range and noise reduction. Without sensor size or aperture information, it’s difficult to make a definitive judgment, but Google’s software advantage is a significant factor. The Axon 30 5G likely relies more on hardware capabilities, which are currently unknown.

Performance

The chipset choice defines the performance character of each phone. The ZTE Axon 30 5G utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G (7nm), an octa-core processor with a Kryo 585 architecture. The Google Pixel 6a, however, is powered by Google’s in-house Tensor chip (5nm). The 5nm process node of the Tensor chip generally offers better power efficiency and thermal performance compared to the 7nm Snapdragon 870. While the Snapdragon 870 excels in sustained CPU performance, the Tensor chip’s strength lies in its AI and machine learning capabilities, enhancing features like voice recognition and image processing. Both CPUs feature a similar core configuration with high-performance and efficiency cores, but the Tensor’s architecture is optimized for Google’s specific software.

Battery Life

The Pixel 6a edges out the Axon 30 5G in endurance, achieving a rating of 94 hours versus 86 hours for the Axon 30 5G. This suggests the Tensor chip’s efficiency contributes to longer battery life despite the Axon 30 5G’s faster 65W charging. The Axon 30 5G supports 65W wired charging with PD and QC4, enabling significantly faster charging times – likely a full charge in under 40 minutes – compared to the Pixel 6a’s 18W wired charging with PD3.0. This difference is crucial for users who prioritize minimizing downtime.

Buying Guide

Buy the ZTE Axon 30 5G if you need a phone that charges incredibly fast (65W) and offers excellent performance for demanding tasks like gaming, and aren't heavily invested in the Google ecosystem. Buy the Google Pixel 6a if you prioritize a clean Android experience, exceptional camera capabilities powered by Google’s image processing, and longer-term software support.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Google Tensor chip in the Pixel 6a experience thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions?

While the Tensor chip is powerful, its 5nm process isn't necessarily optimized for sustained peak performance like some Snapdragon chips. Reports suggest it can experience some throttling during prolonged, graphically intensive gaming, though Google’s software optimizations mitigate this to some extent. The Axon 30 5G’s Snapdragon 870 may maintain higher sustained performance.

❓ How much faster is the 65W charging on the ZTE Axon 30 5G compared to the 18W charging on the Pixel 6a?

The ZTE Axon 30 5G’s 65W charging is significantly faster. Expect a full charge from 0-100% in approximately 35-40 minutes, whereas the Pixel 6a’s 18W charging will likely take over 1.5 to 2 hours for a complete charge. This makes the Axon 30 5G ideal for users who frequently need to top up their battery quickly.

❓ Is the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens on either phone a significant drawback?

Both phones lack a dedicated telephoto lens. However, the Pixel 6a’s Tensor chip utilizes Super Res Zoom, a computational photography technique that can produce surprisingly detailed zoomed-in images. While not equivalent to a true optical zoom, it mitigates the absence of a telephoto lens to a degree. The Axon 30 5G’s zoom capabilities are likely more limited without similar software enhancements.