Google’s Pixel phones may have the best cameras on a smartphone, but they’re also expensive. The most recent Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL started at $800 and $900, respectively. It’s a big jump from the days of Google’s Nexus phones, which typically cost under $500.
Well, the Pixel flagships are now getting a midrange companion. Google took to the keynote of Google I/O 2019 to announce the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL.
Specifications Pixel 3A
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 670
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 64GB
MicroSD storage: None
Screen size: 5.6-inches
Resolution: 2,280 x 1,080
Connectivity: USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 5.0
Battery: 3,000mAh
Size: 151.3 x 70.1 x 8.2 mm
Weight: 147g (5.2oz)
Operating system: Android 9.0 Pie
Good
Low price
Excellent camera
Clean Google version of Android
Bad
Slow processor
No wireless charging
Not water resistant
Specifications Pixel 3A XL
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 670
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 64GB
MicroSD storage: None
Screen size: 6.0-inches
Resolution: 2,160 x 1,080
Connectivity: USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 5.0
Battery: 3,700mAh
Size: 160.1 x 76.1 x 8.2 mm
Weight: 167g (5.9oz)
Operating system: Android 9.0 Pie
Good
Low price
Excellent camera
Clean Google version of Android
Bad
Slow processor
No wireless charging
Not water resistant
Both also come with 4GB of RAM the same amount you’ll find in the Pixel 3 and 3 XL and 64GB of storage space. Unfortunately there’s no MicroSD card slot, but you’ll get free high-resolution storage on Google Photos for all your photos, which goes some way to making up for the loss.
The camera has historically been one of the Pixel range’s strongest areas, and you might imagine the Pixel 3a range’s camera has been dialed back to accommodate the lower-price. Well, you’d be completely wrong. You’ll find the same 12.2-megapixel lens with optical and electronic image stabilization with an f/1.8 aperture on both the Pixel 3a and the 3a XL, matching the hardware found on the Pixel 3.
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 any other similarly-priced device.
The Google Pixel 3a costs $399, and the Pixel 3a XL starts at $479. That comes with 64GB of internal storage. They’re available now for purchase from the Google Store, as well as other retailers.
