Andrew Heinzman
The upcoming Pixel 6a costs just $450 and offers some of Google’s flagship features, including the Tensor processor and Live Translate. But there’s a bit of controversy surrounding one missing spec—a high refresh rate. And to be honest, the controversy is unwarranted.
Like all Pixel A-series devices, the Pixel 6a has a 60Hz display. That’s a bit unusual for a mid-range phone released in 2022. It’s also a downgrade from the Pixel 6’s 90Hz screen, or more notably, the Pixel 6 Pro’s 120Hz panel.
But the lack of a high refresh rate screen isn’t a big deal, not at all. The Pixel 6a offers several features that you won’t find in other phones at this price, most notably, a camera array that actually shoots good photos.
You can’t buy an affordable phone without making some trade-offs. I can’t say whether the Pixel 6a is good until Review Geek has a chance to actually test it, but just from the specs, I believe that Google’s made the right compromises. Plus, if you really want a 90Hz refresh rate, you can just pay an extra $150 for the standard Pixel 6—or get a cheaper phone with a high refresh rate; there are plenty to choose from!
Orders for the Pixel 6a open on July 21st. The phone costs $450, unless you buy it from Verizon, which offers the only mmWave 5G model of Pixel 6a for $500. (All versions of the Pixel 6a have mid-band 5G, by the way.)
Pixel 6a
The Google Pixel 6a offers flagship features for just $450. Not only does it pack Google’s Tensor processor, but it uses a powerful camera array and offers exclusive features like Live Translate and Magic Eraser. Orders open July 21st.
