Google Pixel 7a vs Pixel 6a: What’s new

Gadgets Now Bureau / Gadgets Now / Updated: May 11, 2023, 12:15PM IST

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Google’s newest affordable Pixel smartphone – the Pixel 7a – is here. The Pixel 7a succeeds the Pixel 6a from yesteryear. So how do the two compare against each other? Let us compare the Pixel 7a and Pixel 6a to find out the differences between the two -- Pixel 7a vs Pixel 6a -- and to help you decide which one to buy.

Google Pixel 7a vs Pixel 6a: Design, build and display
The Pixel 7a and Pixel 6a do not look much different – the two have a similar design with a camera visor on the back. However, unlike the Pixel 6a, which has a glass visor, the Pixel 7a has an aluminium chassis that blends into the visor, similar to its pricier siblings.

Both the Pixel 7a and Pixel 7a have a 6.1-inch OLED, and you will find some bezels around it, but nothing to be wary about. The display has a resolution of 2,400x1,080 pixels, a 20:9 aspect ratio, and HDR playback support. Also, there is a punch-hole cutout on the top-center for the selfie camera.

While the Pixel 6a has a 60Hz refresh rate, the Pixel 7a comes with a smoother refresh rate of 90Hz. Things should feel smoother on Pixel 7a, like scrolling and swiping, and the overall user interface should be much smoother than the Pixel 6a might feel a little laggy.

Pixel 7a vs Pixel 6a: Performance and battery
Google's second-gen Tensor G2 chip powers the Pixel 7a. It is the same chip inside Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. It is an upgrade compared to the Pixel 6a, which comes with the first-gen Tensor chip, as the second-gen chip brings some performance gains, better efficiency, and is more adept at machine learning chops.

The internal storage remains the same as 128GB on the Pixel 7a and Pixel 6a. The Pixel 7a does offer 8GB RAM, while the Pixel 6a comes with 6GB of RAM.

The Pixel 7a comes with Android 13, and Google promises three years of Android updates and five years of security patches. Meanwhile, the Pixel 6a came with Android 12, though it is now upgradable to Android 13.

The Pixel 7a has a 4385mAh battery, which is slightly smaller than the 4500mAh battery of the Pixel 6a. However, there is now support for 7.5W wireless charging, a first for the Pixel ‘a’ series smartphone. Then, there is the usual 18W wired charging support, and you will have to buy the charger separately.

Pixel 7a vs Pixel 6a: Camera
Google Pixel 7a not just makes camera improvements over its predecessors but the last few generations of Pixel ‘a’ series smartphones.

The Pixel 7a upgrades from the 12.2MP sensor of the Pixel 6a to a 64MP primary sensor. It is now paired with a 13MP ultrawide camera rather than a 12MP one.

Although the 64MP camera quad bins the shots, it still clicks 16MP pictures, which is more detailed than the 12MP shots. And a larger sensor should enable much better pictures in low-light conditions.

The selfie camera has also been upgraded to a 13MP sensor, up from the 8MP sensor of the Pixel 6a.

The primary camera on the Pixel 7a and Pixel 6a can record videos up to 4K at 60fps. However, the ultrawide camera of the Pixel 7a can shoot videos up to 4K at 30 fps, while the Pixel 6a tops out on 1080P at 60fps.

Similarly, with the front camera on Pixel 7a, you can record 4K videos, while the one on Pixel 6a cannot go beyond 1080P.

Pixel 7a vs Pixel 6a: How much does it cost
As of now, the Pixel 7a comes to Rs 43,999. But, one can get it for 39,999 if they have an HDFC Bank card or an old Pixel to exchange. The Pixel 6a launched last year for 43,999 and is now available for 28,999 in India.

Feature	Pixel 7a	Pixel 6a
Price	Rs 43,999	Rs 28,999
Display	6.1-inch OLED display with 90Hz refresh rate	6.1-inch OLED display with 60Hz refresh rate
Processor	Google Tensor G2	Google Tensor
RAM	8GB	6GB
Storage	128GB, 256GB	128GB
Rear cameras	64MP main camera, 13MP ultrawide camera	12MP main camera, 12MP ultrawide camera
Front camera	13MP	8MP
Battery	4,385mAh	4,500mAh
Operating system	Android 13	Android 12 (Upgradable to Android 13)
5G	Yes	Yes
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6E	Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.2	Bluetooth 5.0
IP rating	IP68	IP67
Dimensions	152.2 x 72.8 x 9mm	152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9 mm
Weight	193.5 grams	178 grams
Colors	Charcoal, Sea and Snow	Charcoal and Chalk