Google Pixel 6a Launched with Flagship Chip for $449

The Google I/O 2022 event kicked off yesterday with the search engine giant announcing several new ads.  One of those announcements was the cheaper Google Pixel 6, which had a similar design but toned down specifications.

The Google Pixel 6a starts at $449, which is the equivalent of last year's Pixel 5a.

Design and Display

The Pixel 6a has a small 6.1-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1080 pixels and a refresh rate of 60 Hz.  It has an aluminum frame, but the glass back has been replaced with a plastic panel, and the Gorilla Glass vector protection has been reduced to Gorilla Glass 3. The Pixel 6a has IP67 instead of IP68.

Internals and Storage

The Pixel 6a gets the same tensioner chip as the vanilla Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro with the Titan M2 security chip.  It is paired with 6GB LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB UFS 3.1.  There is no memory card slot for expansion.

You get the purest Android 12 experience with the Google Pixel 6a with five years of security updates.

Cameras

There are only two cameras on the back, including a new 12.2MP main sensor with OIS and a 12MP ultra-wide camera, similar to the two other Pixel 6 phones. This camera is capable of 1080p slow-motion recording and 4K 60 FPS.

The selfie camera is an 8-megapixel camera with a wide angle lens.

Battery and Pricing

Google says the 4410mAh battery can last up to 24 hours.  It is paired with 18W fast charging, but does not support wireless charging.

The Google Pixel 6a will be available in chalk, charcoal, and sage color options, starting at $449.

Google Pixel 6a Specifications

• Chipset: Google Tensor 5nm
• CPU: Octa-core (2×2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2×2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
• GPU: Mali-G78 MP20
• OS: Android 12
• Supported Networks: 2G, 3G, 4G LTE, 5G
• Display:
  • 6.1″ OLED with 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution; 431 ppi, HDR
• Memory:
  • RAM: 6GB
  • Internal: 128GB
  • Card slot: No
• Camera:
  • Rear (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
  • Front: 8MP
• Colors: Chalk, Charcoal, Sage
• Fingerprint sensor: Under-display
• Battery: 4410 mAh, 18W fast charging
• Price: $449