Google Pixel 6a vs 4a 5G
Here we compared two smartphones: the 6.1-inch Google Pixel 6a (with Google Tensor) that was released on May 11, 2022, against the Google Pixel 4a 5G, which is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G and came out 19 months before. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.
Key differences
Reasons to consider the Google Pixel 6a
- Waterproof body (IP67 classification)
- 2.1x better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (774K versus 373K)
- Delivers 27% higher peak brightness (881 against 694 nits)
- Newer Bluetooth version (v5.2)
- Comes with 525 mAh larger battery capacity: 4410 vs 3885 mAh
- Uses a faster type of memory: LPDDR5
- The phone is 1-year and 7-months newer
Reasons to consider the Google Pixel 4a 5G
- Includes a 3.5 mm headphone audio jack port
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Review
Display
Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness
Performance
CPU/GPU performance in apps and games
Battery
Battery life, charging type and speed
Camera
Photo and video recording quality
Connectivity
Networks, ports, data transmission
NanoReview score
Final comparison evaluation
Value for money
You can enter your local price of these phones (in USD or any other currency) and click on the "Calculate" button to see which one has a better value for money.
Tests and specifications
Comparison table of technical specifications and testsDisplay
| Type | OLED | OLED |
| Size | 6.1 inches | 6.2 inches |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels | 1080 x 2340 pixels |
| Aspect ratio | 20:9 | 19.5:9 |
| PPI | 429 ppi | 413 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Adaptive refresh rate | No | No |
| Max rated brightness | 500 nits | 700 nits |
| Max rated brightness in HDR | 1100 nits | - |
| HDR support | Yes, HDR10+ | Yes, HDR10 |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Screen-to-body ratio | 83% | 84.1% |
| Display features | - DCI-P3 - Always-On Display |
- Always-On Display |
| RGB color space | 96.9% | 96.9% |
| PWM | 240 Hz | 250 Hz |
| Response time | 3 ms | 6.4 ms |
| Contrast | ∞ Infinity | ∞ Infinity |
Peak brightness test (auto)
Design and build
| Height | 152.2 mm (5.99 inches) | 153.9 mm (6.06 inches) |
| Width | 71.8 mm (2.83 inches) | 74 mm (2.91 inches) |
| Thickness | 8.9 mm (0.35 inches) | 8.2 mm (0.32 inches) |
| Weight | 178 g (6.28 oz) | 168 g (5.93 oz) |
| Waterproof | IP67 | No |
| Rear material | Plastic | Plastic |
| Frame material | Metal | Plastic |
| Colors | White, Black, Green | Black |
| Fingerprint scanner | Yes, in-display | Yes, rear |
Screen-to-body ratio
Performance
| Chipset | Google Tensor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G |
| Max clock | 2800 MHz | 2400 MHz |
| CPU cores | 8 (2 + 2 + 4) | 8 (1 + 1 + 6) |
| Architecture | - 4 cores at 1.8 GHz: Cortex A55 - 2 cores at 2.25 GHz: Cortex A76 - 2 cores at 2.8 GHz: Cortex-X1 |
- 6 cores at 1.8 GHz: Kryo 475 Silver (Cortex-A55) - 1 core at 2.2 GHz: Kryo 475 Gold (Cortex-A76) - 1 core at 2.4 GHz: Kryo 475 Prime (Cortex-A76) |
| L3 cache | 4 MB | - |
| Lithography process | 5 nanometers | 7 nanometers |
| Graphics | Mali-G78 MP20 | Adreno 620 |
| GPU clock | 848 MHz | 750 MHz |
| FLOPS | ~2171 GFLOPS | ~700 GFLOPS |
Benchmarks
Geekbench 5 (Single-Core)
Geekbench 5 (Multi-Core)
AnTuTu Benchmark 9
| CPU | 208269 | 110393 |
| GPU | 305908 | 94787 |
| Memory | 110039 | 69352 |
| UX | 144068 | 97659 |
| Total score | 774388 | 373849 |
3DMark Wild Life Performance
| Max surface temperature | 41.4 °C | - |
| Stability | 55% | 89% |
| Graphics test | 37 FPS | 6 FPS |
| Graphics score | 6275 | 1104 |
PCMark 3.0
| Web score | 6092 | - |
| Video editing | 5676 | - |
| Photo editing | 17494 | - |
| Data manipulation | 9105 | - |
| Writing score | 15469 | - |
Memory
| RAM size | 6 GB | 6 GB |
| Memory type | LPDDR5 | LPDDR4X |
| Memory clock | - | 2133 MHz |
| Channels | 2 | 2 |
| Storage size | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| Storage type | UFS 3.1 | UFS 2.1 |
| Memory card | No | No |
Software
| Operating system | Android 12 (Can be upgraded to Android 13) | Android 11 (Can be upgraded to Android 13) |
| ROM | Stock Android | Stock Android |
| OS size | 14.3 GB | 14.8 GB |
Battery
| Capacity | 4410 mAh | 3885 mAh |
| Charge power | 18 W | 18 W |
| Battery type | Li-Po | Li-Po |
| Replaceable | No | No |
| Wireless charging | No | No |
| Reverse charging | No | No |
| Fast charging | Yes (42% in 30 min) | Yes (45% in 30 min) |
| Full charging time | 1:51 hr | 1:40 hr |
| Web browsing | 11:03 hr | - |
| Watching video | 16:44 hr | - |
| Gaming | 06:15 hr | - |
| Standby | 91 hr | - |
General battery life
Camera
| Matrix | 12.2 megapixels | 12.2 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 4032 x 3024 | 4000 x 3000 |
| Zoom | Digital | Digital |
| Flash | Dual LED | Dual LED |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
| 8K video recording | No | No |
| 4K video recording | Up to 60FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| 1080p video recording | Up to 60FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| Slow motion | 240 FPS (1080p) | 240 FPS (1080p) |
| Angle of widest lens | 114° | 107° |
| Lenses | 2 (12.2 MP + 12 MP) | 2 (12.2 MP + 16 MP) |
| Wide (main) lens | - 12.2 MP - Aperture: f/1.7 - Focal length: 27 mm - Pixel size: 1.4 micron - Sensor: 1/2.55", Sony IMX363 (Exmor-RS CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) - Optical stabilization |
- 12.2 MP - Aperture: f/1.7 - Focal length: 27 mm - Pixel size: 1.4 micron - Sensor: 1/2.55", Sony IMX363 (Exmor-RS CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) - Optical stabilization |
| Ultra-wide lens | - 12 MP - Aperture: f/2.2 - Focal length: 17 mm - Pixel size: 1.12 micron - Sensor: 1/2.9", Sony IMX386 (Exmor-RS CMOS) |
- 16 MP - Aperture: f/2.2 - Pixel size: 1 micron |
| Camera features | - Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support |
- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support |
| Samples | Photo samples of Google Pixel 6a from DxOMark | - |
| Megapixels | 8 megapixels | 8 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 3840 x 2160 | 3264 x 2448 |
| Aperture | f/2.0 | f/2.0 |
| Focal length | 24 mm | 24 mm |
| Pixel size | 1.12 microns | 1.12 microns |
| Sensor type | Exmor-RS CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor size | 1/2.8" | 1/4" |
| Video resolution | 1080p (Full HD) at 30 FPS | 1080p (Full HD) at 30 FPS |
DxOMark camera tests
Photo quality
Video quality
Generic camera score
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax) | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac) |
| Wi-Fi features | - Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display |
- Dual Band - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display |
| Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5.1 |
| Bluetooth features | LE, A2DP | LE, A2DP |
| USB type | USB Type-C | USB Type-C |
| USB version | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| USB features | - Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG |
- Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS |
| NFC* | Yes | Yes |
| Infrared port | No | No |
| Number of SIM* | 1 | 1 |
| Type of SIM card | Nano | Nano |
| Multi SIM mode | - | Standby |
| eSIM support* | Yes | Yes |
| Hybrid slot | No | No |
| LTE Cat* | 20 | 20 |
| 5G support | Yes | Yes |
Sound
| Speakers | Stereo | Stereo |
| Headphone audio jack | No | Yes |
| FM radio | No | No |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes |
Speakers test
Max loudness
Other
| Category | Flagship | Mid-range |
| Announced | May 2022 | September 2020 |
| Release date | June 2022 | November 2020 |
| Sensors | - Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint |
- Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint |
*Disclaimer! NFC, GSM network support, and some other specs can be different depending on the country.
Conclusion
After analyzing all the data, we think that the Google Pixel 6a is definitely a better buy.
Cast your vote
Total votes: 143
