What stops YOU from using the Google Pixel 3a?

The Pixel 3a is CRAZY overkill for just covering the basics, but that seems to be the main takeaway from a lot of reviewers. So, I'm genuinely asking, what do you do on your phone? What would legit stop you from picking up a less expensive device? Let's chat!

SomeGadgetGuy's Gear List

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#pixel3a #teampixel #giftfromgoogle

[axllebeer]

If my Pixel 2 were to die, I would grab the 3A without hesitation.

[Paolo_DLR]

Nothing. It's my current phone. 😁

[klen]

Agreed. Purchased a Nokia 8 for about $300 Bnew (Philippines) last March and it's been a good ride ever since.

[FallenBadstar]

My V30 still works and its going to be hard for me to switch to a phone without an SD card slot. Oh and the wide angle lens of the V30 is just so darn handy too.

[garrymit]

I'm watching this video on a Google Pixel 3a. Also the Google Pixel 3a is the best phone that I ever used.

[garbonzobean]

My V30 is rolling strong. I always wait a year before buying a new phone. Then you get a flagship phone for at least 60% cheaper.

[qubecker]

As a fellow LG user, you would know that we don't find these features on the Pixel 3a devices: Ingress Protection, wide-angle lens, Pro video and still modes, high-quality DAC and amp, high-quality microphones and a MicroSD slot, to name a few. I will be the first to admit that the aforementioned features are not essential and at the price point, it's hard to beat.

I've been wondering if you somehow find a new or gently used Pixel 2 at the same price if it would be a much better deal compared to Pixel 3a.

[bobjones]

The only thing stopping me is the lack of any ip rating. Got a toddler who LOVES to throw her water around. If there is ever a lifeproof type case for the 3a, I'm all over it

[hermanstokbrood]

I just want "normal" features like a 3.5mm jack, dual sim, sdcardslot, descent performance, a big screen and big battery.
The strangest thing is those features are often all combined in less expensive phones. A Redmi Note 7 for instance is a great phone and costs about €150, 00 imported from China. €200 from the local webshop. It looks gorgeous, has a descent camera and more than enough powerful SoC. I think people should look less at benchmarks and just give these type of phones a fair try. They will be amazed how satisfying it is to buy yourself a €150, 00 phone that delivers.

[jtec]

It's the fact that you can get flagships for the same price right now. Pixel 3-$479. The 3a should be 325 the xl 399. That's just my opinion.

[imac]

Great video, this is an important video from a reviewer in North America. It's sad that people consider $1000 phones lesser than.

[mendellalvarado]

Design. It's like a reliable, but mild salsa. There's so much more out there, and I've had a taste. I'm not going back to a mild flavor, reliable as it is.

[Sharky]

Great & thought-provoking video, Juan ! Pixel (1) XL owner here. A few things hold me back from switching to 3aXL, even though at first blush it seems like a "natural successor".
Sadly, those issues combine to make me feel that 3aXL is NOT an upgrade for me, so I'm going to wait for the Pixel 4 XL or even 4aXL. They are:
* Storage capped at 64GB (my Pixel has 128GB), and the slower Emmc standard;
* 1080p resolution is a downgrade from my current 1440p;
* Build quality. I hardly ever drop my phone, BUT the mobile gaming bug has bitten me a bit this year (at over 50, go figure ! 🤣), and I find my metal Pixel gets warm after a while when gaming.
I'd honestly be concerned about the plastic 3aXL body warping or even slightly melting over time.
* Slower SD 670 SoC, same 4GB of RAM I already have, and no Visual Core (VC).
The latter is in many ways *most* important, since Pixel has reinvigorated my love of P&S photography. I'm tired of my Pixel XL (which ofc also lacks VC) being _SO_ slow processing between shots !
* I *really* want water resistance and preferably wireless charging in my next device, dammit !! 😆

[jamesw]

The comments section is full of the excuses you discussed in this video.

I bought the 3a XL because it was the cheapest at the time. $385, which was almost $100 less than the MSRP. Let's take a look at the phones I could have had:

Razer Phone 2: I would have loved to have this phone. I felt it in Best Buy and played around with it. But...I wasn't sure about updates because of Razer getting rid of half its mobile division. And that no headphone jack thing...still a deal breaker for me.

Sony Xperia XZ2 or XZ2 Premium: I like bezels, so this was in that price tier. Sony also updates their flagships regularly. The problem was that it didn't have a headphone jack and LTE coverage. I bought a Chinese XA2 Ultra and struggled with its LTE coverage. I don't have these struggles with this phone.

OnePlus 6T: Definitely great specs. But, no headphone jack, I don't like drop down notches, and they're too...dishonest as a company with updates. Plus, the camera is average.

S9+/Note 9/S10: As much as I know how to root phones to get what I want, I shouldn't have to. Samsung really needs to stop with the duplicate apps. If I want all Microsoft or Google apps, I should have that right and not be forced to use anything proprietary but camera and settings.

Xiaomi Mi 9: No headphone jack, drop-down notch and questionable LTE support. This is even truer for the Redmi phones that every Indian YouTuber swears is the greatest phone ever. Well, why does MIUI's skin still have micro stutter? What about the ads? The only good thing going for it is the fact that it is root friendly. But again, see S9+ for that and why I think that is nuts.

BBK devices: FunTouchOS and ColoursOS are iPhone clones. If I wanted an iPhone, I'd get one.

Huawei: I refuse to buy a device from an Android OEM that locks the bootloader. Huawei betrayed the community with that.

LG: Don't like notches. Great camera, great headphone jack, but poor updates.

If I didn't get this phone, I would have got a Zenfone 6 and been perfectly fine. Clearly, I'm sick of trends and am using my dollars to buck the glass sandwich and shrinking bezel trend.

[TalesOfGod]

I think that the LG phones are better for those that enjoy making media on their phone or for media consumption. Their wide angle and manual camera is what I tend to use often. The Quad DAC is what I use everyday so it would make it hard for me to leave the phone and I prefer having a Micro SD cars. If LG brought back their stylus (like the S Pen that Samsung has) and improved their software then I would be a fan for life.

That being said, this phone would be great for pretty much everyone.

[informationretrieval]

An inexpensive phone with micro SD & headphone Jack standard is necessary for me. 👍

[lmo]

1. Low storage: I download a lot of podcasts for offline play.
2. Ram management issues: I hate apps closing and re-opening when I multitask.

[AndyPanayiotou]

Although I'm a tech enthusiast, I can't say I'm using my phone's hardware to anywhere near it's maximum potential.
On how I chose my LG G7 as my current phone, it was somewhere between "lifestyle" and low end hardware critical features. The main factor was the DAC and manual photo options. I'm an audiophile (albeit, on a budget) and considered the DAC a huge plus. And although I'm still kind of shooting in the dark on photography, I'm finding myself experimenting more and more with editing RAW photos and manually adjusting the settings in the camera app. The only other aspect I'm "pushing" my phone on is when switching between a graphics intensive game and a few other apps, the RAM can't handle the load and doesn't hold everything in memory.
Finally, the QHD screen, super bright mode and boombox speakers are small pluses.

[reddeviluk]

I traded my Galaxy S9 in for a Pixel 3a XL a week ago.... Best nice I ever made phone wise I think, the camera is in another league, some of the issues I had with Bluetooth with my S9, gone, battery life, twice as good. I honestly love it.

[MisterMacho]

Well done review, really makes me think after all these years of trying out different phones on what I really use my phone for. I love the Pixel 3aXL although I’m currently using the iPhone 6s Plus at the moment. I look for performance & sound in a device especially when it comes to gaming. Not too big on taking pictures but I do enjoy the quality a smartphone camera can provide.