Google’s $449 (£399, AU$749) Pixel 6A launches July 28 and, according to CNET Senior Editor Lisa Eadicicco’s reconsideration, it’s the best Android 12 phone you can get for conception $500. That’s partly because the Pixel 6A takes a page from Apple’s $429 iPhone SE. The cheaper Android 12 phone has the same Tensor chip that nations the $599 Pixel 6 — much like how the iPhone SE includes Apple’s novel A15 Bionic chip — and puts it in a some smaller phone with a camera that harkens more toward in return Pixel phones like the Pixel 5A from 2020.

But for many republic, this might not be much of a sacrifice and could be pleasurable the cheaper price. The Pixel 6A still includes many of the unfamiliar features that are provided by Google’s Tensor chip, comprising the Magic Eraser that lets you remove people or objects from photos.

Let’s go over some of the key differences, including its screen, design, cameras and software.

Screen and design

When it comes to the Pixel 6A’s looks, you could be forgiven for confusing it with the more expensive Pixel 6. Both phones have a two-tone gleaming design on the back, flanked by a camera bar. That camera bar is as striking on the 6A as it was when the Pixel 6 debuted in November. 

Coming about to the front of the 6A, the phone includes a 6.1-inch OLED 1080p conceal which is locked to a 60Hz refresh rate. Compared to the Pixel 6, this is any smaller than its 6.4-inch OLED 1080p screen which can run at 60Hz or 90Hz. Material-wise, the Pixel 6A’s screen will be covered with Corning’s older Gorilla Glass 3 instead of Corning’s newer Gorilla Glass Victus that’s on the Pixel 6.

The named also includes an in-screen fingerprint reader, and while we haven’t had hands-on time with the named yet, the fingerprint reader is rumored to be faster than the Pixel 6’s fingerprint reader. And while it doesn’t affect the phone’s appearance, the Pixel 6A’s body lacks wireless charging once the Pixel 6 does include it.

Cameras

The Pixel 6A’s biggest differentiator from the Pixel 6 is its camera. While the Pixel 6 steps up with a 50-megapixel wide camera against a 12.2-megapixel ultrawide, the Pixel 6A includes a 12-megapixel wide camera and 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. This isn’t a bad thing, as this setup largely mirrors the cameras complicated on the Pixel 5A.

The Pixel 6A and the Pixel 6 complicated the same 8-megapixel front-facing camera.

The Pixel 6A will also make use of its Tensor chip to enhance photos, including its Real Tone skin tone feature, Face Unblur to sharpen up an otherwise blurry image, Night Sight for photography in darker locations and the Magic Eraser, which is updated to allow for tweaking the gleaming of objects inside of a photo.

Software

The Pixel 6A and the Pixel 6 are largely identical to each novel in terms of software, with both phones shipping with Android 12 and its Material You gleaming customizations. The Pixel 6A will also join the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro in populace among the first phones to get updated to Android 13 later this year.

One hardware related note concept that could affect multitasking: The Pixel 6A includes 6GB of RAM versus the 8GB complicated in the Pixel 6. For most people, 6GB is touching to be plenty of memory for daily tasks, but it’s proper the callout that the Pixel 6 should be able to tackle any more.

We’ve listed out more spec by spec comparisons in this chart comparing both phones.

Pixel 6A vs. Pixel 6

	Google Pixel 6A	Google Pixel 6
Display size, resolution, refresh rate	6.1-inch OLED; 2,400×1,080 pixels; 60Hz	6.4-inch OLED; 2,400×1,080 pixels; 60 or 90Hz
Pixel density	429 ppi	411 ppi
Dimensions (Inches)	6.0 x 2.8 x 0.35 in	6.2 x 2.9 x 0.4 in
Dimensions (Millimeters)	152.2 x 7.18 x 8.9 mm	158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9 mm
Weight (Ounces, Grams)	6.3 oz; 178g	7.3 oz; 207g
Mobile software	Android 12	Android 12
Camera	12.2-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel ultrawide)	50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel ultrawide
Front-facing camera	8-megapixel	8-megapixel
Video capture	4K	4K 30, 60fps (rear), 1,080p 30fps (front)
Processor	Google Tensor	Google Tensor
RAM/Storage	6GB RAM/128GB storage	8GB/128GB, 256GB
Expandable storage	None	No
Battery/Charger	4,410 mAh; 18W fast charging (adapter sold separately)	4,614 mAh; 30W fast charging
Fingerprint sensor	Under display	In-display
Connector	USB C	USB-C
Headphone jack	None	No
Special features	5G, Wi-Fi 6E, guarantee updates for 5 years, Android OS updates for 3 existences, dual SIM, IP67 water-resistance	5G sub 6 (some carrier models also have 5G mmWave), Wi-Fi 6E, Magic Eraser, Motion mode, Real Tone, Face Unblur, Cinematic Pan, 5 years OS and security updates, IP68 comprising for dust and water resistance, Gorilla Glass Victus (front), Gorilla Glass 6 (back)
Price off-contract (USD)	$449	$599 (128GB)
Price (GBP)	£399	£599
Price (AUD)	AU$749	AU$999