Google Pixel 7 vs Google Pixel 6a: Which one is better?

With its Pixel lineup, Google has made its strong foothold in the smartphone market, mainly thanks to its incredible machine learning capabilities.

A Pixel 7 vs Pixel 6a comparison would be something that could give you confidence in which device to pick if you’ve been guessing the winner between these two solid Pixel Phones from Google.

Interestingly, both the devices were released in the same year yet there are some very interesting contrasts that would eek you to weigh them against each other. 

Let’s get into the details right away.

Google Pixel 6a vs. Pixel 7: Specs

Here is the breakdown of key specifications for the two phones.

As you can see, you will pay $100 more with the Google Pixel 7 for a slightly bigger display, a 90Hz refresh rate, a better Google Tensor 2 processor, 2GB more RAM, faster charging, and a 50MP main camera.

Google Pixel 6a vs. Pixel 7: Design

There are some similarities between the looks of the Pixel 6a and Pixel 7. Both devices follow the design philosophy that was initially embraced by the Pixel 6. You’ll get a rear camera bar splitting the main body of the phone. In the case of the Pixel 6a, the upper section will be a little brighter than the bottom of the device.

The Pixel 7 brings a two-tone back with a stable colour across the whole surface with a horizontal camera bar at the upper end. The camera bar is made up of Aluminum which gives it a matte finish.  

Speaking of colours, the Pixel 7 is available in Obsidian, Lemongrass and Snow while the Pixel 6a comes in  Sage, Chalk and Charcoal colours. Both phones have black and white colours as well. The major difference comes in the green shade for the Sage and Lemongrass models.  

The Pixel 7 wins in the durability battle. It comes with a Gorilla Glass Victus and an IP68 rating, which makes it safe against deeper immersions into water. The Pixel 6a has the Gorilla Glass 3 protection and an IP67 rating. More Pixel 7 features will impress you other than an attractive design.

Google Pixel 6a vs. Pixel 7: Display

Interestingly, you will have 3 screen size options to pick from – the Pixel 7 Pro is the largest one with a big 6.7-inch display, while the Pixel 7 brings a 6.3-inch screen, and the Pixel 6a comes with a 6.1-inch screen. A big screen is one of the reasons for picking the Google Pixel 7 Pro.

The difference is not only in the display sizes, the two phones have OLED panels with Full HD+ resolution. Another key difference is the refresh rate of the two screens; the Pixel 7 goes up to 90 Hz while the Pixel 6a display offers a 60 Hz refresh rate. 

If the Pixel 7’s claims of offering a 25% brighter display are true them the device will be an absolute thriller for better outdoor use.

Google Pixel 6a vs. Pixel 7: Cameras

Google’s Pixel phones are known for their smart machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities which insanely boost the user experience. Cameras are no exception and you’ll be blown away with the results.

Both the Pixel 6a and Pixel 7 have dual-lens rear camera systems. The primary camera of the Pixel 6a is a 12.2MP camera and the secondary camera is a 12MP ultrawide lens. The Pixel 7, on the other hand, comes with a 50MP primary camera and a 12MP ultrawide camera. 

The 12.2MP main camera of the Pixel 6a offers a smaller field of view – 77 degrees compared to the 82 degrees of the Pixel 7’s 50MP camera. Also, the 10.8MP selfie camera of the Pixel 7 offers 92.8 degrees of field view compared to the 84 degrees of view of the Pixel 6a’s 8MP selfie camera.

Things have not improved in the hardware alone. The better 2nd Gen Tensor chip of the Pixel 7 greatly improved the overall performance and embraced new camera features like an improved Super Res Zoom capability that can support an 8x digital zoom. You’ll also get new modes like Photo Unblur and a faster Night Sight mode for producing sharper photos.

The Pixel 7 has a new CInematic Blur feature that blurs the background when you are shooting a professional-looking video. Besides that, the new Motion Mode enables you to shoot stable videos on the go.  These features and modes are not available with the Pixel 6a.

You may also like: Google Pixel 6: How Its Price Stacks Up Against the Competition

Google Pixel 6a vs. Pixel 7: Performance

As mentioned above, the Pixel 7 takes the lead in the performance game with a better 2nd-Gen Tensor chipset. The Pixel 6a continues with the same older Tensor processor that was introduced in the Pixel 6 series. 

The new Tensor chip in the Pixel 7 brings new AI-driven features like voice typing and transcribing audio messages in the messages app on the go. The Pixel 7 also has a Direct My Call feature which gives you an on-screen listing of your directory options. The Pixel 6a also has this feature.

Google Pixel 6a vs. Pixel 7: Battery life and charging

In terms of battery capacity, both phones are almost identical – the Pixel 7 has a 4355 mAh battery while the Pixel 6a has a 4410 mAh battery. The Pixel 6a goes 6 hours and 29 minutes on a single charge. Not very impressive, right? Google is confident that the better power efficiency of the new processor will improve the battery life of the Pixel 7 phone.

The Pixel 7 offers a faster 30W charging and has fast wireless charging which is not available in the Pixel 6a.

Conclusion

If you want to save money while getting the same brilliant Pixel experience along with excellent photography capabilities, the Pixel 6a could be the cheapest option available.

But if you’re looking to improve your Pixel experience with a more powerful 50MP camera, a 2nd Gen Tensor processor that runs some new camera, a larger battery, and a face unlock feature, the Pixel 7 can be the winner. 

Also, wireless charging is only available with the Pixel 7 phone. So, the decision to pick the Pixel 7 or Pixel 6a comes down to your priorities regarding the features you want in the Pixel phone and your budget.