Google Pixel 6a 5G (Charcoal, 6GB RAM, 128GB Storage)

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I AM USING A PREMIUM PHONE, SO EXPECT ME TO ACT ACCORDINGLY.

I have been using this phone for more than one month so, it’s going to be a detailed review.

First I’d like to discuss the cons of the product which are few & can be easily ignored because its pros outnumber them heavily.

Cons- 1. As it supports only 20 W charging, it takes around 2 hours to get this fully charged. If you’re shifting from trendy fast charging phones that get the juice for the day within an hour, you’ll have some difficulty at the beginning. I normally charge my phone in the morning after waking up before heading to office. So, it has done good in my life by reducing my unnecessary screen time in the morning.

2. Battery life is not that great. I’m a moderate user. I leave it at 35-40% every night before going to sleep, but wake up to find it has dropped below 20% in the next morning. If you’re a heavy user, you might have to get the juice twice a day.

3. There is only one SIM slot. So, you have to opt for an eSIM for your secondary SIM.

4. Accessories aren’t easily available in the local market. If you’re planning to go for this device, it is advised to buy all the essential accessories like Back cover, Screen Protector altogether because you’ll have a hard time finding them in the local market.

That’s it for the cons. Now coming to the amazing part-

1. First of all, this comes with the Brand value of a Tech Giant like Google. That means this device is free from all unnecessary bloatwares, advertisements that come pre-installed with most of the devices. The UI experience is great.

2. The cameras are killers. This is the first time I found both front & rear cameras equally powerful. Photography is good, videography is even better, stabilization is great. If you like making videos, you’ll start looking for opportunities to take this thing out of your pocket to shoot.

To sum it up, I must say if you’re interested in a premium phone that comes with a Brand value of Google & you don’t have a budget for iPhone or other Flagships, there is no other option other than this device.

Performance is good
Camera is superb, especially the front camera … BUT
Microphone doesn’t work when in speaker mode. Speaker volume is less.
Still not 5G enabled.
One touch facility to enable silent mode when phone locked not available
Basically, after getting used to Android phones from other companies which are loaded with features, this phone feels like a let down. Have been using OnePlus phones since OnePlus 3, but gave up on OnePlus as their software crashes (phone becomes a brick) due to their recent updates.

I did a tonne of research and watched endless videos (too many to count) about this phone before deciding on and ordering it. It exceeding most of my exceptions after spending some time with it. Most of the complaints I came across about the device (60 Hz refresh rate, small screen, battery life, older generation cameras) were all nullified from my personal experience except for one major one……the under display optical fingerprint reader!!

Over time it became more and more unreliable to the point where it made using the phone annoying (I use fingerprint scanning for not only unlocking phone but also for access to secure apps like banking etc). Whenever I go to unlock my phone, sometimes it works flawlessly and other times it was so bad I had to resort to entering my pin. Success rate was basically less than 50%. For that I would have given this a 1 star rating for fingerprint reader.

I researched and tried all the different “solutions” I came across from many different forums and even the Google website and community. None solved the problem. I was considering replacing this with the newer 7a when the price drops and decided to research the feedback on the fingerprint scanner on this as well. To my surprise, similar complaints. There had to be a solution to this as some ppl were not getting issues with their phones.

After more searching I discovered the below solution, tried it and now I am as happy as can be. I thought it very important to share to as many ppl as possible to persons aren’t discouraged to obtain this excellent phone. The below is pulled from a user on Reddit:

” I have found a way to make it work reliably 9/10 times though:
* Add the same fingerprint twice: First time you register it, press firmly into the screen, then the 2nd time you register press lightly.
* If it says “can’t read fingerprint” or something like that, keep trying without moving, it’ll eventuall pick it up.
* Hold your phone how you would when you pick the phone up (as if you’ve just got it out of your pocket for example), don’t do it on a flat surface

This gives the sensor more date to compare with, increasing the odds of it recognizing something. You can tell when it’s gone into the 2nd set of fingerprint images because it takes 1/4 of a second longer than normal.”

I’m sure this will help most of you once followed exactly as described. This is a great phone that feels just like a flagship 2X and 3X the price. Don’t miss out. Btw the above should work for the 6,6 Pro, 7, 7 Pro and 7a as well.

Update: Don’t buy from Amazon!!!! If you buy from amazon, warranty is not given by google. You can claim warranty only if bought from Flipkart!!

I was using Redmi note 5 from last 4 years & wanted a phone for balancing my requirements as Office work apps (Teams, Outlook, workplace etc.), Utilities, Good camera (not oppo vivo type face beuty, but really a good camera), Good battery that lasts atleast 1 full day under heavy use, Compact design & also some gaming.
I was skeptical about battery life as many users reported it as issue that under mobile network battery drains fast, but I am using it daily on mobile network only, no such issue is found.
Its 9th Dec & we got new dec update, after which fingerprint reader has improved..its smoother now. Camera will not disappoint you for sure, Image after processing is at best.
I will also suggest you to get Cardboard app & a VR set (cheaper one), which will give next level experience.
Don’t buy Cover & glass online, if you have mobile market nearby, then buy from there. I got very smooth silicon cover with cushion pading from inside at 150 rs & glass at 150 also, which are availabe at 400-500 rs online.
Back cover is must as given glass back design attracts fingerprint and also is vulnerable to scratches (yes…scratches from keys if you put mobile & keys in same pocket).
Buy a 20W adaptor (C-type & Simple one inputs), which is sufficient. It charges faster if you use Cable given by google, & slowly with other cables.

Overall, I got what I expected. If you have same expectations as mine, just go for it.

If want a brand+Camera+Latest update with advance features of Google +Compact Accessibility in a device then go for it