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- You should buy the Pixel 6a today if…
- You should wait for the Google Pixel 7a if …
Google Pixel 6a is one of the best mid-range smartphones in the market. It comes with a price tag that’s considered budget-friendly, and while Google has sacrificed some features in favor of a cheaper price tag, it’s an excellent, capable smartphone. It has plenty of memory for multitasking, and it’s powered by the Google Tensor G1 main chip under the hood. The Pixel 6a has an excellent camera setup, and it’s probably the best device for those on a budget who want to take pictures that don’t need editing. It’s the ultimate point-and-shoot camera experience affordable by many.
However, as we get closer to the new Google Pixel 7a, you might be asking whether it was worth upgrading and buying last year’s Pixel 6a, or whether you should wait and wait for the Pixel 7a.
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You should buy the Pixel 6a today if…
You need an affordable smartphone now
If you need a smartphone urgently, or maybe you just can’t wait any longer, the answer is straightforward. The Google Pixel 6a is an excellent smartphone, and can often be found for around $299 and $249 online and at retailers. It has an excellent camera setup and a powerful chipset. While it may lack some of the more basic and standard features – such as a 90Hz display and an upgraded camera setup – it’s still a great mid-range with plenty of flagship qualities.
If you need a smartphone right now, you can’t go wrong with the Pixel 6a; Chances are, you’ll be more than happy with the performance and overall experience as long as you set your expectations.
Never mind a 60 Hz display
As mentioned earlier, a 60Hz screen is a deal breaker for most of us, tech enthusiasts, but realistically it’s not a problem for the majority of users. Google Pixel 6a comes with a 6.1-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400, an aspect ratio of 20:9, and a refresh rate of 60Hz.
It looks beautiful and offers great brightness levels, viewing angles, and colors. While we’d love to see a more responsive display, the Pixel 6a still delivers great overall performance. Animations are smooth, and the phone doesn’t stutter or have any sluggish behavior that would degrade the quality of the experience.
You are happy with the performance and the camera
Google Pixel 6a is a very capable smartphone. It is powered by Google’s Tensor G1 SoC along with 6GB of memory and 128GB of storage. The chipset is more than powerful enough to run graphics-intensive titles, capture 4K video at up to 60fps, and use multiple apps simultaneously. While we’d have preferred to see at least 8GB of RAM, 6GB is enough for most people to use 2-4 apps without issues, or maybe more, depending on what apps you’re using.
The phone feels smooth, powerful, and responsive for most everyday tasks, and if you’re on a budget, this is one of the most powerful smartphones in this segment. There are plenty of ways the upcoming Pixel 7a could improve performance, but if you need a phone now, and you want to hold onto it for at least 2-3 years, the Pixel 6a will be an excellent smartphone.
Speaking of updates, the Pixel 6a will continue to receive software updates for three years, and security patches for five years. This means that the phone will be safe to use for at least five years and will receive most of the new features included in Pixel phones and Android smartphones in general for three years. Unfortunately, this isn’t something you can get from many other devices in the same price bracket as the Pixel 6a.
You should wait for the Google Pixel 7a if …
You want a 90 Hz display
Early rumors suggest that the upcoming Google Pixel 7a may receive a major upgrade. The phone is rumored to come with a new 90Hz display, which is a huge upgrade over the previous 60Hz panel found on the Pixel 6a. The 90Hz refresh rate panel provides a more responsive display, making the user experience smoother, more streamlined, and immersive. As a result of the higher refresh rate, the phone can feel faster, which improves the experience even more.
We’d love to see this rumor turn out to be true, because one of the main reasons we often don’t recommend the Pixel 6a to some people was because of the display technology. It got the job done, for the most part, but it wasn’t a pleasant experience for those already used to the more responsive panels offered on devices in the same price class.
You are in no rush to upgrade or buy a new phone
If your current phone is still hanging around, you’re not in a rush, or maybe you’re looking for some meaningful new features and an upgrade, it might be best to wait a few more months for the Pixel 7a to officially arrive. The Pixel 6a is an excellent smartphone, but if you’re looking for a new camera, long-lasting battery life, and a more responsive screen, you might be better off waiting a little longer.
There is a possibility that Google will unveil the upcoming Pixel 7a at the upcoming Google I/O event, which is scheduled for May 10th. Google has historically revealed some of its A-series devices at the event, and there’s a chance we could see an upcoming budget device at the event, along with the new Google Pixel Tablet and the foldable Google Pixel smartphone.
You are after a better camera setup
The Pixel 7a is rumored to be receiving a major upgrade in the camera and chipset department. The new phone is said to be powered by the Tensor G2 chipset, the same SoC that powers the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. The new device is also rumored to be receiving a big bump in the camera department, and the latest leaks claim that the phone will feature the same camera setup as the Google Pixel 6.
The Pixel 6 came with a 50MP f/1.9 primary sensor and a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide sensor, and it was one of the best smartphone cameras in 2021. The Pixel 6a featured an older Pixel camera setup, with a dual 12MP array, and while it was able Altogether, it has shown its age in some situations and lighting conditions.
The upcoming Pixel 7a could deliver much better hype, especially if these rumors and leaks come true. Assume that the leaks are real; A huge upgrade may be due this year. We can only hope Google doesn’t raise prices in the US and other regions, and we might have an easy winner in the sub-$500 price category.
Conclusion
If you already have a decent phone and don’t mind living with it for a few more months, we highly encourage you to wait until the Pixel 7a arrives. However, if you need an upgrade and can’t wait, or choose not to, the Pixel 6a is an excellent phone for a low price. It offers great performance, beautiful pictures, long-lasting battery life, and a compact design.
Suppose you can wait a little longer. In which case, we encourage you to do so, as current leaks suggest we could see a more responsive screen, a better camera setup than the Pixel 6a, and possibly the same compact form factor and impressive battery life. The Pixel 7a’s upgrades seem to be significant enough that we’d suggest you hold out a little longer. The Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 6 are also excellent devices, depending on how much money you’re willing to spend. Both devices offer high refresh rate displays, perfect camera settings, and great battery life.
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Google Pixel 6a
$249 $449 Save $200
If you don’t care about a high refresh rate, wireless charging, a glass back, and a few other tidbits, this should be your phone. It’s the Pixel, but it’s less expensive. Check out all the deals on the device using the links provided below.
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Google Pixel 7
The new Google Pixel 7 is powered by the all-new Google Tensor G2 chipset. The device is paired with 8GB of memory, and has 128/256GB storage tiers. The phone comes with a greatly improved camera system, and is much more portable than the previous generation. The Pixel 7 is available in Obsidian, Lemongrass, and Snow colours.
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Google Pixel 6
$239.99 $739.99 Save $500
Google Pixel 6 is the most compact and affordable variant of the new flagship series. It has most of the same features and comes with the same primary ultra-wide camera as the Pixel 6 Pro.
