Camera is remarkable for a $499 phone; Display is big and vibrant; It has a headphone jack!;
No internal or expandable storage options; Doesn't use Pixel Visual Core ISP;
Google are making big strides in the smartphone field. The Pixel 3a is a prime example. It's the budget version of the standard Pixel 3 model.
The first impression of any phone is the display; the Pixel 3a comes with a 5.6 inch FHD+ OLED display that Google promises will "take your viewing experience to a whole new level".
At first glance the camera specs might not stand out; a 12.2 MP rear camera and 8MP front camera. Where the camera set up really impresses is the range of tricks it lets you perform. This includes Night Sight, which delivers rich detail and colour in the dark. Depth Editor lets you adjust the depth of field so you can focus on the most important things, while Colour Pop makes the background turn black and white while the subject stands out in vivid colour.
Protecting sensitive data is of increasing concern. In the Pixel 3a, Google’s custom-made Titan M security chip will protect what’s important to you.
Why worry about storage? Storage is virtually unlimited in the Pixel 3a, thanks to Google Photos. You can save all your photos and videos in high quality without worrying how much space they take up.
One of the best things about a Google phone is Google Assistant. You can send texts, get answers to curly question, set reminders and much more. To get all the help you need, just ask, or give your Pixel a squeeze.
The battery promises upto 30 hours of life. Pixel’s Adaptive Battery learns your favourite apps and reduces power to the ones you use less often. Meanwhile, performance power comes from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor.
Manufacturer: Google
Camera is remarkable for a $499 phone; Display is big and vibrant; It has a headphone jack!;
No internal or expandable storage options; Doesn't use Pixel Visual Core ISP;
Hardware hopefuls aren't going to be blown away by the Pixel 3a - it's even less adventurous than the Pixel 3 (or the XL version, at least), a step backwards to bezels instead of notches. But if that's what it takes to get Google's purest form of Android for under £400, it sounds like a fair trade to us. Camera image quality has arguably never been better at this price, but let's be honest, Android Pie is really the star here. It's the purest form of Google's OS yet. There's a hint of Google's old Nexus programme here: well-rounded hardware that might not be the best-looking, or have the most features, but is genuinely affordable and has software that's practically on par with iOS for consistent experience and ease of use. Sure, the phone world has largely moved on to skinny screens and multi-lens cameras. You don't get any of that here. The vanilla Pixel 3 has also been out long enough now that there's not a massive gulf in price between the two, so the 3a isn't an outright bargain. And if a shortened spec sheet and simplistic design aren't your thing? There's always the Samsung Galaxy S10 - just be prepared to pay for it.
Fantastic camera image quality in all conditions; Stock Android with guaranteed updates; Brilliant all-round mid-ranger;
Budget rivals have ditched display bezels; Single camera not as flexible as multi-lens competition; Plastic build not for everyone;
The Pixel 3a doesn’t quite bring back the pure bargain-basement pricing structure of the brand’s once-fabled Nexus series. However, it does lower the barrier of entry for anyone wanting a fantastic camera on a smartphone. The Google Pixel 3a might yet be the perfect antidote to the £1,000 smartphone – and an answer to Google’s dwindling smartphone sales.
There's a headphone jack!; Flagship-quality camera; Fantastic display; Great size;
No Qi charging or water resistance; Can feel slow in certain activities; Screen is a little dim;
Google’s Pixel hardware has always been exciting - but it’s also always been expensive.
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.
Incredibly good camera; Headphone jack; Compact form-factor; Clean software;
No MicroSD slot; No waterproofing; No wireless charging;
Despite an exceptional camera and a handful of useful software tricks, the Pixel 4 (and its sibling the 4 XL) didn't blow us away when it launched in October 2019. That's because the phone had an average battery life that rivals easily outlasted, it had limited storage and other phones had excellent cameras with their own impressive low-light modes (like the iPhone 11 and OnePlus 7T at the time).
If you want the latest software from Google and the ability to capture excellent photos, the Pixel 3A has the best camera for its price.
The Pixel 3A is cheaper than the original Pixel 3 but packs the same grade-A camera that shoots great in low light; It can also record time-lapse videos and has a headphone jack.
The phone isn't water resistant and doesn't have wireless charging; Local storage is capped at 64GB, and Pixel 3A owners have unlimited uploads to Google Photos at a compressed high-quality resolution, not original.
The Pixel 3a ups the ante for what we can expect from midrange smartphones. It offers many similar features to the $799 Pixel 3 for half the price. Sure, there are some concessions, but the value you get for your money is truly outstanding. For $399, the Pixel 3a offers solid performance, good battery life, a gorgeous OLED display, and the absolute best camera performance you'll find on a phone for less than $700. It's easy to recommend the Pixel 3a to anyone looking for flagship-level features on a more moderate budget, so we're naming it our Editors' Choice for midrange phones. Design, Display, and Durability What's different between the Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3? For starters, the Pixel 3 has a much more powerful processor, making it better for gaming and other intensive applications. It also has a Pixel Visual Core image processing chip, and a glass back panel to facilitate wireless charging. You don't get those things here. But let's focus on what you do get, and why it's suc...
Google's well-rounded Pixel 3a is quite simply the best Android phone you can buy for $399.
Best-in-class camera; Gorgeous OLED display; Solid performance; Excellent battery life
Not waterproof; No microSD slot
Fantastic camera image quality in all conditions; Stock Android with guaranteed updates; Brilliant all-round mid-ranger;
Budget rivals have ditched display bezels; Single camera not as flexible as multi-lens competition; Plastic build not for everyone;
On the plus side, many will be thrilled to hear that these phones mark the return of the 3.5mm headphone jack to Google phones. Battery life was, in my testing, excellent. The 3a and 3a XL feature bigger batteries than the flagship, and likely aren't as power hungry thanks to less powerful...
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