Google Pixel 3a (and 3aXL) Review
The Pixel 3a and 3a XL are the affordable alternatives to the Premium Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL released last year.
Compared to Google’s flagship 3 series, they forego premium features like water resistance and wireless charging but maintain the things most people care about, like the camera, still one of the best in the market, a high-quality screen, and excellent software experience.
What I liked
- You get the same camera as the more expensive Pixel 3
- Polycarbonate shell beats a cold, hard glass
- Guaranteed software updates
What I didn’t like
- Slightly underpowered
- The screen could be brighter
- Fast charging only works with Google charger
First Impressions and Design
Low-cost materials and functional lines are not going to win them any design awards, but there’s no doubt they are well-made devices.
Both the Pixel 3a and 3a XL are built with polycarbonate, a soft to the touch type of plastic that is light-weight and but also extremely tough.
The small 3a is a very compact device that would appeal to everyone looking for a phone that can easily disappear in a jeans pocket.
The 6.0-inch screen of the XL, on the other hand, is a much better option if you often use your phone for reading and value a bigger font size without having to compromise on screen space.
The screen is flat and is surrounded by a chunky black frame, while the top area houses the selfie camera and earpiece. This design looks dated nowadays when even budget devices resort to super thin bezel and pinhole-type cameras.
Yet, it says something significant about the Pixel and its place in the smartphone market. Its essence is in what it’s capable of rather than its appeal as a fashion accessory.
This is Google’s utilitarian interface design extended to its hardware.
As there is no face-detection on the Pixel 3a series, your fingerprint will be the most convenient way to secure the device.
Screen
Google has equipped the Pixel 3a and 3a XL with OLED screens but they don’t carry the same specifications as the more expensive 3 Series.
Resolution is lower, and so is pixel density, but more importantly, the level of brightness and viewing angles are nowhere near the level we observed on the Pixel 3 and 3XL.
The material used is also different. Instead of Corning Gorilla Glass, which offers the highest levels of shock and scratch resistance, the display on the Pixel 3a is built with Asahi Dragontrail, a cheaper, lesser known alternative that can still withstand a similar level of accidental knocks but lags behind Gorilla Glass when it comes to scratch resistance.
Despite the OK brightness, the OLED display on the Pixel 3a and 3aXL offers vibrant colours and deep blacks that are rare at this price point.
Camera
The Pixel 3 camera is still one of the best on any phone today and we’re pleased to see that Google has brought the same hardware on the cheaper Pixel 3a.
The camera found on the Pixel 3a is identical to the one found on the Pixel 3 and that impressed us at its launch. It has a 12-megapixel sensor, Optical Image Stabilisation and most of all, the impressive Night Mode for unrivalled low-light performance.
The only exception is the lack of a dedicated image processing chip (called Pixel Visual Core) which, in the Pixel 3, handles complex imaging tasks like scene detection.
In the 3a, the lack of a dedicated chip translates in slower image processing and higher power consumption. This is because all the imaging work is carried out by the main processor. The end result, however, is almost identical.
The story is slightly different withfrom 8-megapixel selfie camera. It comes without AutoFocus and is missing the extra-wide angle lens, essential for group selfies.
That aside, the front camera is competent enough if you’re not too demanding, and in good light can rival any premium device with few exceptions.
Pixel 3a sample photography
Software, Performance and battery life
The Pixel 3a is a snappy performer despite running on a platform that is less powerful than the premium Pixel series. You’ll hardly notice any lag when switching between apps or browsing large web pages.
Demanding games are a different story though and if you’re a fan of 3D games like Modern Combat or Asphalt, you may have to switch to lower graphics settings to avoid some jerkiness. For the less demanding players, however, the Pixel is up to the task, more so than many other devices at this price range.
The limited processing power, coupled with the lack of dedicated image processing chip is also evident when using the camera for more than a few shots, especially when shooting scenes with bokeh effect or that require automatic light adjustments.
The lag while shooting is hardly noticeable but things can get glacial when the image is being processed and you’ll often have to wait a few seconds to see the picture you have just taken.
Software is one of the strongest element of the Pixel 3a. If you’re drawn to Google’s devices for access to the latest Android innovations, you’ll be pleased to know that the Pixel 3a comes with identical software experience found on the Google flagship devices: Android 9 Pie pre-installed, eligibility to the next Android version as soon as it is available, and a level of software support that no other brand can match with guaranteed monthly security updates.
The Pixel 3a comes with a relatively small 3,000mAh battery, while the larger 3a XL has a 3,700mAh.
These are, in fact, larger than what you find on the premium 3 and 3 XL devices and considering they need to power a less bright screen and a less powerful processing unit, they tend to last a lot longer.
After an overnight charge, and a full day use that included plenty of photography and the screen at full brightness, the battery was showing over 33% left at around 11 pm. There is no wireless charging of course, not a surprise given the budget nature of these models but fast-charge is supported and when you use the Google charger supplied a half an hour of charge will be enough to fill up the battery.
Value and Verdict
There is very little not to like of the Pixel 3a series and if you want to save yourself some cash on your next smartphone purchase it’s hard not to recommend them over the premium Pixel 3.
How do they compare with the more expensive Pixel 3?
+----------------------+-------------------+----------------------+
| Feature | Pixel 3a/3aXL | Pixel 3/3XL |
+----------------------+-------------------+----------------------+
| Price | €400/€480 | €850/€960 |
| DustProof/Waterproof | No | Yes (IP68) |
| Body Material | Polycarbonate | Glass |
| Display | Dragontrail | Gorilla 5 (Stronger) |
| Wireless Charging | No | Yes |
+----------------------+-------------------+----------------------+Retailing at around €400/£400 for the 3a and €480/£470 for the 3a XL, these are not super-cheap phones but bear in mind that you would get, essentially, the best single camera on the market, great built quality and Google’s software support with guaranteed updates.
The alternatives? Both the Nokia 7.1 and Moto G7 are worth mentioning and both brands are pretty good when it comes to software and built quality. However, neither comes close to the Pixel 3a when it comes to camera quality and while the drab design may put off the most fashion conscious, this is the best overall package for a mid-range phone right now.
