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Google Pixel 5a vs Google Pixel 6a: Should you upgrade?
The Pixel a series is a great way to get Google’s Android experience in your pocket for a little less money. While older phones like the Pixel 3a and Pixel 4a embraced the budget approach with open arms, recent editions have inched closer to Pixel flagships than ever. With the launch of the Pixel 6a, the line is even more blurred. It might be enough to tempt you to switch if you’ve been rolling with a Pixel 5a. Should you make the leap? Let’s compare the Google Pixel 5a vs Google Pixel 6a to find out.
Google Pixel 5a vs Google Pixel 6a
Design and display
The Pixel 5a and Pixel 6a are perfect examples of Google’s recent design evolution. The Pixel 5a looks right at home next to the Pixel 4 and Pixel 5 series, with a corner-mounted camera setup and a rear-mounted fingerprint reader. It sports a metal unibody construction, which feels solid in hand. Google also carried over its soft-touch coating from the Pixel 5.
The Pixel 6a lands as the perfect companion to Google’s Pixel 6 lineup. It features the same camera bar across the back and a two-toned rear finish like its siblings, but with a separate section for the sensors, much like the Pixel 7‘s design. Google skipped the Gorilla Glass back panel for the Pixel 6a, instead adopting a 3D thermoformed construction with an alloy frame.
Moving to the Pixel 6 design means that the Pixel 6a suffers a few hardware sacrifices for the first time compared to previous A-series products. Notably, the 3.5mm headphone jack has been retired, and the fingerprint reader has moved from the rear panel to an in-display unit.
The Pixel 6a has plenty of Pixel 6 details, but drops the glass finish.
Google secured an IP67 rating for the Pixel 5a, which holds with the Pixel 6a. Water resistance has become an increasingly regular feature at the mid-range price point, so it’s good to see Google keeping pace.
The display size is one of the more noticeable differences between the Pixel 5a and Pixel 6a. Whereas the Pixel 5a is significantly larger than its progenitor at 6.34 inches, the Pixel 6a is the smallest member of the Pixel 6 family at 6.1 inches. It’s not necessarily a small phone, but it’s more pocketable than the standard 6.4-inch Pixel 6. Both budget Pixels sport flat OLED panels, complete with Full HD+ resolutions and 60Hz refresh rates.
Protect your purchase: The best Pixel 5a cases
Hardware and cameras
Both the Pixel 5a and Pixel 6a follow the hardware trends of their namesake models. The Pixel 5a packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765G chipset — the same as you’d find on a Pixel 5 — with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. However, the Pixel 6a has adopted Google’s in-house Tensor chip, bringing more powerful machine learning and image processing capabilities. It also packs a Titan M2 security chip, another feature introduced in the Pixel 6 lineup.
The Pixel 6a also features the smaller battery of the pair, which makes sense given the smaller overall footprint. It packs a 4,410mAh cell, which is a step back from the previous generation. It supports 18W wired charging, which is on par with the Pixel 5a. The 5a runs on a 4,680mAh battery — which was the largest of any Pixel when it launched. It’s also the last Pixel device to offer a charging block in the box. Google has dropped it from the Pixel 6a. Neither of the Pixel A-series devices support wireless charging.
When you flip both devices over, it’s impossible to miss the differences in their cameras. While the Pixel 5a has a traditional corner-mounted camera bump, the Pixel 6a features a camera bar that runs the width of the device. The Pixel 5a also carries over its pair of lenses from the Pixel 5, meaning that you get a 12.2MP primary lens with a 16MP ultrawide shooter for some extra flexibility.
The Pixel 6a is tapped to support most of Google's fan-favorite camera features.
While the standard Pixel 6 now offers a 50MP primary shooter, the Pixel 6a sticks with the same 12.2MP wide lens as the Pixel 5a, pairing that with a 12MP ultrawide carried over from the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro with its slightly lower resolution, but larger pixel size. The Pixel 6a supports most Google camera software features, including Face Unblur, Real Tone, and Magic Eraser, though not Motion Mode.
The Pixel 5a and Pixel 6a each pack 8MP selfie cameras. While the Pixel 5a puts its selfie camera in the corner, the Pixel 6a places it front and center, much like its Pixel 6 siblings.
Learn more: The best camera phones you can get
Price and colors
- Google Pixel 5a (6GB 128GB): $449
- Google Pixel 6a (6GB 128GB): $449
Google launched the Pixel 5a in a single configuration with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of non-expandable storage. You can only grab the phone in Mostly Black, though as an older phone, you should be able to find it below its original $449 MSRP.
As for the Pixel 6a, pricing and storage options are similar. It costs $449, shipping with with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Google has embraced a bit more color for its latest budget offering, adding Sage, Charcoal, and Chalk as options. Each follows the trend set by the Pixel 6 series, with slightly different shades above and below the camera bar.
The Sage version is reminiscent of the Pixel 5, with lighter green above the camera. The Chalk color is similar to the Pixel 6 Pro’s Cloudy White finish with white and gray panels, while the Charcoal version is similar to the Stormy Black of the Pixel 6. All three finishes come with the same matte black alloy frame, which is similar to the Pixel 6 design.
Google Pixel 5a vs Google Pixel 6a: Specs
| Google Pixel 6a | Google Pixel 5a | |
|---|---|---|
Display | Google Pixel 6a 6.1-inch OLED 20:9 aspect ratio FHD+ resolution 1080 x 2400 429ppi 60Hz refresh rate HDR support 24-bit depth Gorilla Glass 3 | Google Pixel 5a 6.34-inch OLED 20:9 aspect ratio FHD+ resolution 1,080 x 2,400 413 ppi 20:9 aspect ratio 60Hz refresh rate Gorilla Glass 3 |
Processor | Google Pixel 6a Google Tensor | Google Pixel 5a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G |
RAM | Google Pixel 6a 6GB LPDDR5 | Google Pixel 5a 6GB LPDDR5 |
Internal storage | Google Pixel 6a 128GB UFS 3.1 | Google Pixel 5a 128GB |
Battery and power | Google Pixel 6a 4,410mAh (typical) 18W fast charging USB-C 3.1 gen 1 | Google Pixel 5a 4,680mAh 18W fast charging USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 |
Cameras | Google Pixel 6a Rear: - 12.2 MP dual pixel wide camera, 1.4μm, ƒ/1.7, 77-degree FoV, 1/2.55-inch, OIS/EIS - 12MP ultrawide, 1.25μm, ƒ/2.2 aperture, 114-degree FoV Front: - 8MP single, 1.12μm, ƒ/2.0, fixed focus, 84-degree FoV Magic Eraser Real Tone Face Unblur Night Sight Super Res Zoom up to 7 | Google Pixel 5a Rear: - 12.2MP dual-pixel 1.4μm pixel width Autofocus with dual pixel phase detection Optical + electronic image stabilization ƒ/1.7 aperture 77° field of view - 16MP ultra-wide 1.0μm pixel width ƒ/2.2 aperture 117° field of view (107° after distortion correction) Front: - 8MP, 1.12μm pixel width ƒ/2.0 aperture (fixed focus) 83° field of view |
Video | Google Pixel 6a Rear: 4K at 30/60FPS 1080p at 30/60FPS Front: 1080p at 30FPS | Google Pixel 5a Rear: 4K at 30/60FPS 1080p at 30/60FPS Front: 1080p at 30FPS |
Audio | Google Pixel 6a Stereo speakers Dual mics Bluetooth 5.2 No 3.5mm port | Google Pixel 5a Stereo speakers 2 microphones Noise suppression Bluetooth 5.0 3.5mm headphone jack |
Security | Google Pixel 6a In-display fingerprint Titan M2 chip 5 years security updates | Google Pixel 5a Rear-mounted fingerprint 3 years security updates |
Sensors | Google Pixel 6a Proximity sensor Ambient light sensor Accelerometer Gyrometer Magnetometer Barometer | Google Pixel 5a Proximity Ambient light sensor Accelerometer Gyrometer Magnetometer Pixel Imprint Barometer |
Water resistance | Google Pixel 6a IP67 | Google Pixel 5a IP67 |
Connectivity | Google Pixel 6a Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) Wi-Fi 6E (6GHz) Bluetooth 5.2 NFC support Dual SIM (single nano-SIM and eSIM) Google Cast GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou | Google Pixel 5a Wi-Fi 2.4GHz + 5GHz 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2x2 MIMO Bluetooth v5.0 + LE, A2DP7 HD codecs: AptX, AptX HD, LDAC, AAC NFC US: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS ROW: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou |
Software | Google Pixel 6a Android 12 Pixel UI | Google Pixel 5a Android 11 Pixel UI 3 years of Android updates |
Dimensions and weight | Google Pixel 6a 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9mm 178g | Google Pixel 5a 156.2 x 73.2 x 8.8mm 183g |
Colors | Google Pixel 6a Sage, Chalk, Charcoal | Google Pixel 5a Mostly Black |
In-box contents | Google Pixel 6a 1-m USB-C to USB-C cable (USB 2.0) Quick start guide Quick Switch adaptor SIM tool | Google Pixel 5a 18W power adapter 1-m USB-C to USB-C cable (USB 2.0) Quick start guide Quick Switch adaptor SIM tool |
Google Pixel 5a vs Google Pixel 6a: Should you upgrade?
Most years, we advise against upgrading from one Pixel A-series model to the next. However, the gap is a bit wider this year, and it’s primarily down to the adoption of the Google Tensor chip. It adds some extra kick to the Pixel 6a, offering up to five-times better performance, according to Google. Compared to the Pixel 5a‘s Snapdragon 765G chipset for the same money, the upgrade sounds like a no-brainer.
Ultimately, your decision to upgrade may come down to which style you prefer. The Pixel 5a feels more traditional, with a corner-mounted camera unit, a headphone jack, and a rear-mounted fingerprint reader. However, the Pixel 6a lines up with Google’s future direction thanks to the hefty camera bar, in-display fingerprint reader, and two-toned design. Either way, you can expect Google’s superior image processing capabilities and regular feature drops.
Your choice may come down to whether you prefer Pixel 5 or Pixel 6 styling, but the Tensor chip is hard to pass up.
The Pixel 5a and Pixel 6a run on the light, smooth Pixel UI, which is based on the latest version of Android. Of course, the Pixel 6a will see longer software support than its predecessor. According to Google, it’s due for five years of Pixel updates, which likely means five years of security patches. The Pixel 6 series is also guaranteed three years of Android updates, so we can expect a similar tally. As for the Pixel 5a, it offers three years of Android updates and three years of security patches, which carries it through to 2024.
The elephants in the room, though, are the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7. If you can afford one, you might want to consider them for access to the best performance and features, including superior cameras.
Let us know who wins your Google Pixel 5a vs Google Pixel 6a battle down below.