Google Pixel 7a vs. Pixel 6a: Is It Worth Upgrading?
The Google Pixel 6a is among the best mid-range smartphones you could buy. With the Pixel 7a, the company has made all the right upgrades, adding a faster Tensor chip, a high refresh rate display, wireless charging, and more. But these improvements come at a cost. The 7a is $50 more expensive than the 6a was at launch.
So, is the Pixel 7a worth the additional money? Or should you just stick to the older model? Find out below.
Dimensions and Build Quality
The Pixel 7a follows the Pixel 7’s design language. So, you get the same camera bar finished in matte, with the two camera sensors housed together and the LED flash sitting on the other end. One look at the Pixel 6a, and it’s clear the 7a is its direct successor as it builds on the former’s design.
Despite offering wireless charging, the Pixel 7a features a plastic rear that Google calls a “3D thermoformed composite back.” The Pixel 6a’s rear is also made of the same material. Both phones are IP67 dust and water-resistant: remember, there’s adifference between waterproof and water-resistant.
The 7a is heavier than the 6a, but the additional heft is unlikely to cause any issues.
The display size of the Pixel 7a remains unchanged from Pixel 6a: you get a 6.1-inch OLED panel. What’s different, however, is the refresh rate. Google’s 2023 mid-range device features a 90Hz refresh rate, allowing for smoother animations.
While a bump from the Pixel 6a’s 60Hz display, this is still lower than the 120Hz refresh rate panels used by most mid-range and premium smartphones nowadays—although is the same as you get on the flagship Pixel 7.
While both phones feature an in-display fingerprint scanner, the Pixel 7a uses a newer, more reliable sensor. The 6a was notorious for its poor fingerprint scanner, so it is good to see Google resolve the issue with its successor.
With the Pixel 7a, Google has given its mid-range Pixel a major camera overhaul. Gone is the Pixel 6a’s old 12.2MP primary shooter, which the company has used since the 2018 Pixel 3.
Instead, there’s a new 64MP Sony sensor featuring OIS, which Google says is 72% bigger and captures 44% more light. Using 4-in-1 pixel binning the phone produces 16MP images, and can capture more detailed photos even in challenging conditions.
Google also uses a better ultra-wide camera on the Pixel 7a with a wider FoV (field of view). This will allow you to capture a lot more of the scene in a shot.
Besides the improved camera hardware, the 7a packs all thePixel-exclusive camera featureslike Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, Real Tone, Cinematic Pan, and more. Compared to the Pixel 7 series, the only feature missing is Cinematic Mode which automatically blurs the background while taking videos.
The front camera also gets a notable upgrade, with a 13MP sensor. This will enable it to capture more detailed selfies. Plus, it allows Google to offer face unlock, a first in its budget Pixel lineup.
While the Pixel 7a’s primary camera has a higher resolution than the Pixel 7 and its 50MP Samsung sensor, this does not mean it will take better pictures. Google’s flagship Pixel 7 series uses a higher-quality lens and sensor, which helps with sharpness and light intake.
Performance and Storage
The Pixel 7a is powered by the same Tensor G2 chip that’s found inside the Pixel 7 series. Google’s second-gen Tensor brings significant efficiency improvements, which ensures it does not suffer from the same overheating issues that plagued the G1 model. It packs a more powerful CPU and GPU for better performance as well.
More importantly, the Tensor G2 uses a newer Exynos 5300 modem which should deliver a notably better connectivity experience than the 6a. The latter was notorious for randomly losing mobile network connectivity and slow 4G/5G speeds. And unlike its predecessor, the Pixel 7a supports the faster mmWave 5G standard as well.
Google has bumped the RAM on the Pixel 7a to 8GB, up from 6GB. The additional RAM will help with multitasking and allow you to run more apps on the 2023 mid-range Pixel without running into performance issues. Sadly, Google is only offering the phone with a single 128GB storage option for another year.
Like the 6a, the Pixel 7a will get five years of security updates from its launch. Google does not specify the OS updates, but like the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, the 7a should get three major Android builds.
The battery capacity of the 6a and the 7a are almost the same. There’s also no difference in their charging speeds, with both topping out at 18W. But with a more efficient Tensor G2 chip, the Pixel 7a should last longer than its predecessor.
And thanks to wireless charging on the new Pixel, you may top up its battery more conveniently by placing it on a Qi wireless charger. But at 7.5W, it will take a while to fully charge the phone.
Still, it’s a welcome improvement.Wireless charging won’t damage your phone, and it is a great way to top up your phone’s battery without having to plug it into a charger.
The Pixel 7a Is Better in Almost Every Way
Google’s 2023 Pixel 7a is a big step up from the Pixel 6a in almost every department. You get a higher refresh rate display, a more powerful chip, an improved camera setup, face unlock, faster 5G connectivity, and more. In many ways, the 7a feels like a smaller Pixel 7 rather than a budget Pixel.
But these improvements come at a cost: the Pixel 7a’s MSRP is $50 higher than Pixel 6a. It retails for $499, against the 6a’s $449 launch price—and that phone is still available, and heavily discounted.
If you are in the US, you are unlikely to find better options than the Pixel 7a in the same price range. But if you already own the Pixel 6a, you don’t need to go ahead and immediately upgrade. While it packs notable hardware improvements, none are life-changing over the 2022 device.
But if you are using an older Pixel or another mid-range Android phone, the upgrade to the Pixel 7a is going to be worth it.
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