Google Pixel 6a: The REAL TRUTH!

Google's latest mid-range budget Pixel 6a is officially in stores and after spending a month with the device, really using it and see what it's all about. I came to the conclusion that I was wrong... My early impressions on the phone was not great, and I'll be honest. The Pixel 6a is the best Android phone you can buy for under $500. No doubt about it.

My Video Gear:

New Here? - Hi! My name is Mark Linsangan. I make lifestyle tech videos that are informative and look beautiful. I lived in NYC for two years, but I'm originally from Washington DC, but now I'm living in LA. I'm a big fan of traveling/exploring, tech, social media / biz and finding interesting topics on the line (online). Subscribe & say hi to me on Twitter, and Instagram @HeyMarkL -

[MatthewMoscotto]

Trade in back to $300 as of August 14th. So you can get the phone for 150 plus tax. So it's a win if you have a old phone in a draw you never plan to use.

[squared_circle]

I don't get why people are crying over the 60hz I've switched from a one plus that had 90hz and trust me the pixel 6a is twice as fast without turning off animations etc. The only negative I'd give to this phone is the charging speed.

[kingken]

This is been one of my best phone purchases. My last 3 phones was the OnePlus 8t, 12 mini and flip 3 and while all those phones were good in their own ways, this one has been the most satisfying. 60hz is no issue and I'm running Android 13 and that update pushes this phone ahead of anything in this price range. The flip 3 was nice and one UI is really good but bloated. I found the 6a to just do everything right with no issues. IV had non if the issue people talked about like the phone being choppy or finger print issues. This may also be due to Android 13 beta 4 fixing many if those problems also. And animations have been so smooth in some areas it almost feels like it's running over 60hz. It's definitely 60hz ios level smooth.

[abdulskh]

For me as well its month anniversary with pixel 6a, it work pretty awesome when compared with other budget smartphone. The only drawback I found is the plastic back which is a SCRATCH magnet for me. I had to use silicone CASE to protect it in daily usage.

[ayushkhare]

Bought mine at INR 27K (around USD350) in sale last week, its utter smooth with flawless processing, and the screen is much better than my previous one plus device, hands down THE BEST mid range smartphone as of today

[carl]

Thanks for all your support for the Pixel 6a. I just bought a new one. I received the phone on November 30. After and before the updates and going to os 13. This phone Over Heats big time. Especially when I talk on the phone and go to different websites. It heats up fast. It gets way too hot. I live in a weak signal area, so I don't really get the 5 g signal. And my calls are not that great. My friends sound like they have a mental bucket sometimes over their heads. Not all the time, on the calls I hear the distortion. Most calls are ok and they sound good. I went from a Pixel 3a XL. That was great. Almost no issues. My carrier didn't support the phone after the end of the security updates . I should have waited for the 7a.

[crazyfun]

I just ordered a 6a last night in that sharp white color. People complain about the 60 hertz thing but as long as it runs smoothly I could care less. Same for wireless charging while nice to have I’ve only legit used a handful of times. My only issues with pixels are the brightness could be better and overheating. Otherwise I feel like for $480 with tax the 6a is the best overall mini flagship value phone out now. Once Google can fix their bugs and issues, they will truly be the android version of iPhone.

[LaFemmeNkechi]

Just got mine for $299 on black Friday and with my 3a trade in for $200, I am paying only $99. Sweet!! I'd have kept the 3a, love it, but the battery life was killing me and it was doing a few things that said "Get New Phone". Got a teen to keep track of. Just setting up now... looking forward to more

[ujjwalbiswas]

I have been using this phone for some time it's a really great experience . Not a problem with the 60HZ display, it feels snappy all the time .

[amit_the_explorer]

I just bought it recently. It completely changed my Android experience...
I was running after iPhone first but this phone changed my passion and force me to forget any other mobile brands... 😍

[paxnominus]

Currently using a Poco X3 NFC and I'd be more than happy to be getting the 6A.

[curiousabout]

With the recent Black Friday sale and trade in value (from the 4a), I went ahead and ordered the 6a. It's coming today! I was tortured trying to decide between the 6a and 7, but really, really, really like the smaller form factor, and that ultimately decided it for me. I realized that I could easily trade it next year for the 7a for next to free, and enjoy the faster chip in the meantime. I don't expect a major upgrade from the 4a, it'll probably be pretty minor, but I couldn't resist going to a newer model for 70ish bucks. The only problem I'm having now is deciding whether I want to actually trade in the 4a or keep it as a backup (and extra storage) lol! I mean, I only paid $322.92 in total for the 6a, so even though i could definitely use that $250.00 back in my account, I think I could live without it too.

[KayumangeBrown]

Watching this with my newly acquired pixel6A

[gblockboy]

The best phone you can buy it's even better than some 1000 phones and he's absolutely right about the 60hz it feels like 120

[carlosenriquez]

Mark I am super happy with my new 6a. I traded in my 4xl. Love the phone.

[MrRonski]

60hz isn’t bad. And now the phone is 299€ which makes it probably the best value phone.

[defendersguild]

Its true as a first pixel user didnt expect to be smoother i thought it would be slow same as my s10 60hz

[thomasdaka]

I'll wait for the 7a myself. Can't wait to see just how much it'll take from the 7.

[jbudwal]

Mark, My parents and I were using the Samsung Galaxy A53. That phone gave me so many problems. The main issues I experienced were the GPS and the blue tooth. The blue tooth sounded horrible in my 2017 Toyota Rav 4. The person at the other end could not hear me. I even did a factory reset and software update. The problem remained.

Thank God I sold mine and my parent's Samsung Galaxy A53, and I bought the Pixel 6a for the 3 of us. We love the phone and have no complaints.

By the way, you did a fantastic job on the Pixel 6a review.

[rmelo]

Honest question from someone who has never experienced a phone with a 120hz refresh rate: Unless the phones are side by side, would you really notice the difference between a 60hz and a 120hz display? I have never, ever had issues with screen "lag" or "choppy" performance from any of my multitude of Android phones over the years that had 60hz displays. I do not use my phone for gaming, and depending on the game, I could probably understand the 120hz hype. But for every day people who use their smartphone as a divice for consuming multimedia and plays low level games, 120hz is not a game changer...IMHO.