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Release Date (UK): May 2019 |
The Google Pixel 3a is the mid-range version of Google’s flagship, the Pixel 3. Its biggest selling point is that it has the same excellent camera as the Pixel 3, although it cuts a few corners elsewhere to achieve the lower price point.
Google has so far resolutely positioned its Pixel range at the premium end of the smartphone market, so the affordable Pixel 3a represents a notable departure from tradition. The Pixel 3a replicates many of the Pixel 3’s lauded features, including its camera, software, fingerprint scanner and the Active Edge function (which allows you to launch Google Assistant by squeezing the phone). But at nearly half the price of the Pixel 3, it seems Google has had to make sacrifices in terms of performance, battery life and build quality to fit those premium features in for under £400.
The camera is the Pixel 3a’s standout feature. The 12.2MP rear camera is the same as the one on the Pixel 3, although it lacks the Pixel 3’s powerful image processing chip, so image processing is slower.
TechRadar found it took bright, detailed photos with well-rendered depth effects, although focus and shutter speed were a little slow. The Guardian thought it took ‘fantastic images almost every time’ and ‘tops any phone...on fine detail and HDR’. Trusted Reviews called the Pixel 3a’s camera ‘simply stunning’, and thought the sharpness and detail were ‘unmatched’ and the dynamic range ‘fantastic’.
Google’s Night Sight mode results in great low light photos, with Wired calling them ‘more impressive than they have the right to be’. Trusted Reviews found that photos taken in low light had strong colours and deep, inky skies, with minimal noise around details.
The Pixel 3a also has an 8MP front camera, but lacks the Pixel 3’s second 8MP sensor and wide-angle lens. TechRadar found the selfie camera took ‘generally impressive’ photos that were ‘bright and colourful’, although it has fewer modes and filters than many other phones.
At first glance, you’d be forgiven for mistaking the Pixel 3a for the Pixel 3. It’s similarly shaped, with rounded edges and screen corners, and has the same matt rear with a reflective panel at the top. However, the Pixel 3a’s rear panel is made of plastic, whereas the Pixel 3’s is glass.
Although it’s slightly bigger than the Pixel 3, it still fits easily in the hand: TechRadar said that ‘most won’t have to stretch to reach anything on the screen’. The plastic body means it’s also a bit lighter than the Pixel 3, at 148g. The Guardian thought it felt ‘well made and sturdy, if not quite as premium as similarly priced glass and metal rivals’.
The handset comes in black, white or lilac. While it lacks water resistance and only has one front-facing speaker (rather than two, like the Pixel 3), reviewers welcomed the inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack.
At 5.6 inches, the Pixel 3a’s display is on the small side compared to most of the latest flagships. It’s Full HD+ and OLED, with a resolution of 2,220 x 1,080. Coupled with the smaller screen size, this results in a high pixel density of 441ppi. What Hi-Fi? found this gave a sharp image with plenty of texture, although it was less accurate than 4K.
Trusted Reviews called the display ‘stunning’ and ‘the best you’ll find at that price’, with vibrant colours, superb viewing angles and no visible pixels. TechRadar thought it was ‘more than adequate’ but less impressive than the Pixel 3’s, with ‘a rather limited max brightness and weaker colour reproduction’. Wired thought the contrast levels ‘could be kicked up a touch’, but that otherwise it was ‘sharp and vivid and does the job’.
The Pixel 3a is powered by a Snapdragon 670 chipset. This makes it noticeably slower than high-end flagship phones, but it’s still fast enough to handle everyday tasks with ease.
While heavier tasks may result in a dip in performance, TechRadar said it’s generally ‘quick enough’, The Guardian thought it performed ‘far better than its paper specs might suggest’ and Trusted Reviews called its performance ‘good, if not standout’.
The Pixel 3a has a 3,000mAh battery - which TechRadar found ‘rather impressive’, as it lasted a full day of normal-to-heavy use. The Guardian found it lasted just under 24 hours between charges, while Tech Advisor found it used about half a full charge in a typical day. It lacks wireless charging, but its 18W fast charging will get you to around 50% in half an hour.
The choice between the Google Pixel 3a and its larger equivalent, the Pixel 3a XL, comes down to what you value in your phone. While the 3a XL might immediately emerge as the stand out of the two due to its higher capacity 3,700mAh battery and larger 6 inch display, the Pixel 3a has its own strengths.
One of these strengths is the recommended price point - the Pixel 3a retails at a slightly cheaper £399 to the Pixel 3a XL’s £469. As the two phones run on the same Snapdragon chipset, this price difference might entice the more deal-focused customer.
What the critics say (scores are out of 100)
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IT PRO | Connor Jones The Pixel 3a is an absolutely phenomenal device, not only surpassing Google's previous efforts ... if you're looking for an outstanding phone that isn't going to blow a hole in your budget, this is what you've been waiting for. Read full review |
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Expert Reviews | Nathan Spendelow The Android standard bearers represent the very pinnacle of what the mobile operating system can accomplish but, until now at least, Google's efforts have zeroed in on the premium end of the smartphone price scale... Google's Pixel 3a is the antithesis of what we've come to expect from cheaper variants of much-loved flagship phones. Read full review |
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Android Authority | Justin Duino, David Imel ... you'll be hard pressed to find a phone that includes more for the money. The Pixel 3a brings the software and hardware features from its beloved premium line to a low price tag with only small hits to performance. If you can deal with small amounts of lag, this is the phone to buy...This is the phone that should work for everyone. The Google Pixel line has long been called one of the greatest Android experiences on the market. Read full review |
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news.com.au | Chris Ciaccia This compares favourably to the iPhone Xr and beats some of the other budget Android phones out of the water. Read full review |
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Know Your Mobile | Michael Grothaus While it lacks some of the Pixel 3's features, the Pixel 3a is an astonishingly good value for money when you consider the quality of the camera and the performance of the hardware. Read full review |
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phoneArena | John Velasco ... great options if you're on the lookout for a more affordable smartphone with great camera performance and clean Android. Read full review |
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Android Headlines | Alexander Maxham Is the Pixel 3a perfect? Nope. There is no perfect smartphone. But when looking to get a new smartphone, the Pixel 3a is an excellent choice. It does cut a few corners, but it definitely looks like Google cut the right corners, instead of cutting stuff that would be a deal-breaker for most people, like the camera...The Pixel 3a is quickly becoming the new "affordable" phone to buy in 2019. And it's not hard to see why. Read full review |
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PC Mag | Steven Winkelman The Google Pixel 3a is an unequivocal win for midrange phone buyers, with good battery life, a lovely display, the latest Android software, and a best-in-class camera. Read full review |
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Wired | Jeffrey Van Camp Only you know what your own dealbreakers are, but if they aren't wireless charging and full IP68 waterproofing (this can handle splashes, possibly more), then let's talk. The Pixel 3A and 3A XL deliver a remarkably good camera, speedy interface, regular feature/security updates, a headphone jack, a semi-durable design, and an affordable price. Read full review |
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Tom's Guide | Adam Ismail But even despite those cost-saving measures, this cheaper Pixel is a bargain among current Android phones, and far and away the finest camera phone we've ever seen in this range. It simply rewrites the rulebook for what a midrange smartphone should be....Buy it. The Pixel 3a has far and away the best camera, software and display you could ever hope to get in a...phone. Read full review |
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The Inquirer | Roland Moore-Colyer ... we'd say they are more like a new generation of Nexus phones, showcasing the potential of Android without breaking the bank, only this time with Google's hand firmly on the hardware design tiller. Read full review |
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Mobile Syrup | Igor Bonifacic ... the Pixel 3a is an incredible package: unmatched software support, a great camera, decent battery life, and, best of all, a reasonable price. Read full review |
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NotebookCheck | Marcus Herbrich Despite its rather old-school design, the Pixel 3a is a very compact device that is nice to handle thanks to its plastic back cover. While the Pixel looks rather bland on paper, its everyday performance is very pleasing. Read full review |
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Tech.co | Tom Fogden You get an incredible camera, a sharp screen, and a bloatware-free version of Android. It's a good-looking phone, as well. Dig a bit deeper, and you'll find the Pixel 3a isn't quite perfect but you'd have to spend twice as much to find a better phone. Read full review |
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Australian PC World | Fergus Halliday If you can live without things like wireless charging, water resistance and the ability to take photos of the moon, there are almost zero reasons to look and buying anything other than the Pixel 3a. Read full review |
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CNET | Lynn La A cheaper Pixel 3 with the same great rear camera Read full review |
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India Today | Shweta Ganjoo The newly launched Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL smartphones offer the very best of the original Pixel 3 smartphones at a considerably low price. Read full review |
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T3 | Aaron Brown Pixel 3a has kept the same design, photography prowess, and frankly, charm of the pricier Pixel 3 and poured it into a plasticky, more affordable package. Read full review |
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What Hi-Fi? Given that for so many people their phone is their primary music player, we can't fully recommend the Pixel 3a. Otherwise, this is a strong option at the price. Read full review |
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TechRadar | Tom Bedford The Google Pixel 3a doesn't feel like the affordable cousin of a high-end phone it feels more like a powerful and impressive mid-range handset in its own right, with great specs and useful features inherited from the Pixel 3 that you won't find in many other similarly-priced devices. Read full review |
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SlashGear | Chris Davies Having to compromise in order to spend half what you might on a modern-day flagship phone doesn't surprise me. What does is just how impressive the Pixel 3a still feels, even after Google's cost-cutting. Read full review |
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Trusted Reviews | Max Parker If you want a handset with a great camera and decent screen but aren't so fussed about sheer speed and performance, then you'll be very happy with the Pixel 3a. Read full review |
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NDTV Gadgets | Aditya Shenoy The Pixel 3a is more compact and a little easier to handle, but the Pixel 3a XL offers better battery life than its smaller sibling, making it a very tempting option. Read full review |
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Wired UK | Sophie Charara In the context of ever-rising iPhone, and now Samsung and Huawei, prices...seems like a bargain. If you're looking for a 'good phone' with a 'decent camera' and you've set a budget, go for a Pixel 3a, you won't be disappointed. If you're looking to get anything more specific than that, you've got more options than ever elsewhere. Read full review |
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Forbes | Gordon Kelly The Pixel 3a redefines what you can expect from a midrange smartphone... It's the rebirth of the Nexus range, in the best possible way and my biggest gripe is Google didn't call them Nexus because '3a' is confusing. Read full review |
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AndroidPit | Christopher Gabbert the Pixel 3a is a damn good middle-class smartphone....In addition, there is a top camera, where other manufacturers in the middle class like to slim down, as well as good battery life in a handy housing format. Read full review |
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Pocket-lint | Cam Bunton ... this is a smartphone made with cheaper materials, with less powerful internals than what you can get from the likes of Xiaomi and OnePlus for not dissimilar money. Read full review |
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Stuff | Tom Morgan Google takes back the mid-range with a laser focus on simplicity Read full review |
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Mashable | Raymond Wong The best smartphone value of 2019 (so far) Read full review |
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The Verge | Dieter Bohn It is the best phone in that price range, and it's actually competitive with more expensive phones in one very important way: the Pixel 3A has a great camera. Read full review |
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Gadgets Now | Aabhas Sharma No doubt the Pixel 3a is a very good phone but it is a wee bit expensive as a whole package. Read full review |
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91mobiles | Deepak Dhingra ... if you want a no-frills device that can help capture memories in the form of crisp, beautiful imagery, you should take a closer look at the Pixel 3a duo. Read full review |
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151.3 x 70.1 x 8.2 mm 5.96 x 2.76 x 0.32 in |
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147 g 5.19 oz |
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Size: 5.6 inches diagonal Resolution: 2220 x 1080 pixels Screen Density: 441 ppi Screen-to-Body Ratio: 75 % |
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Built-in Storage: 64GB Expandable Storage: Not Available |
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Main Camera: 12.2 megapixels dual pixel with LED flash Secondary Camera: 8 megapixels |
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Nano SIM
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Not Available |
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Capacity: 3,000mAh
Removable Battery: No Wireless Charging: Not Available |
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Official website |
We've used Flickr to find a selection of pictures taken by the Google Pixel 3A camera. Here is a selection of photos taken by users from around the world so you can see what kind of picture quality you can expect from real-world use of the Google Pixel 3A.
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