The AI ​​steam hammer comes into the middle class

So far, Google’s A models had weaker chips than the big pixel smartphones. Gone: With the Pixel 6a, the group says goodbye to this strategy. A good thing for the users.

Berlin – Tensor is the name of Google’s self-developed chip system architecture that has been in use since last year. In the current top models, Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, the Tensor system was able to convince testers, especially in the camera app.

With the new Pixel 6a, Google is also bringing this digital steam hammer, which specializes in artificial intelligence, into the middle class. This is a first. For the A variants, there has always been slightly less performance since the Pixel 3a.

Lots of computing power

On the one hand, the computing power ensures that all apps and games start quickly and run smoothly. In the practical test, it was also not noticeable that the 6a only has a somewhat small main memory of 6 gigabytes (GB) (8 GB in the Pixel 6, up to 12 GB in the Pixel 6 Pro).

The flash memory for storing photos, images, apps and documents is 128 GB and unfortunately cannot be expanded with an external memory card. Therefore, you have to clean up every now and then or move storage to the cloud.

A distinctive wide camera stripe

At first glance, there is little visual difference to the top models. The striking camera bar is also present, as are the stereo speakers and the front-filling display with a camera hole. Compared to the similarly sized Pixel 6, the 6a is 29 grams lighter. The back is made of plastic instead of glass. The case feels just as solid and well-made as its larger sibling. It’s just a little more scratch-sensitive than the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro’s Gorilla Glass Victus.

The display is slower, but fast enough and bright

We experienced a small surprise in the practical test: The smaller 6.1-inch OLED display of the 6a lacks the fast refresh rate of the Pixel 6. We measured an excellent value of 1000 candelas for the brightness of the entry-level model. The two more expensive pixel models, on the other hand, “only” had a brightness of 800 candelas. Otherwise, the display of the 6a appears razor-sharp and colorful.

The Pixel 6a has two 12-megapixel cameras on the back: a main one and an ultra-wide one. The pictures are impressive. Daylight shots are sharp and colorful. In contrast to many models from Asian manufacturers, the Pixel 6a does not exaggerate the colors either. And the less ambient light is available, the better the 6a performs. Hardly any color noise can be seen in the dark. Night vision mode gives great results.

Zoom nay, artificial intelligence yay!

The zoom qualities are a little less convincing – due to the lack of a telephoto lens. With the digital zoom with 2x magnification, everything still looks very good. At 7x magnification, however, the details become blurred. The portrait mode, on the other hand, is convincing. It works on objects and pets as well as people.

The performance of the Tensor chip system comes into its own in the camera app. In this way, the Pixel 6a can effectively reduce color noise in night mode. The artificial intelligence also ensures that a wide variety of skin tones are displayed realistically. There is also the “Magic Eraser”. This is a digital eraser that lets you erase unwanted image elements with a tap of your finger.

A smart recorder that also takes notes

The recorder app is exclusive to the three current Pixel models. Not only can it record spoken language as an audio file, but it can also convert it to written text in real time. The pixel does not even have to be online for this.

A very decent battery life also contributes to the practicality of the Pixel 6a. Our test device only gave up after nine hours and 30 minutes of continuous use. For comparison: The Pixel 6 Pro lasted almost ten hours.

Conclusion: A lot of performance, good price

The Pixel 6a has been on the market since the end of July for just under 460 euros. This is excellent value for money. For comparison: For the Pixel 6 you have to pay 110 euros more in the 128 GB variant. The Pixel 6 Pro with 128 GB of RAM then costs just under 800 euros. Advantages of the Pixel 6a are the bright OLED display, the excellent camera that performs at its best in low light, and the AI ​​​​performance. Some photo enthusiasts will miss a telephoto lens. dpa