Google Pixel 3a – Best Mid Range Camera Smartphone

Over the years, high-end flagship phones have become really expensive and thanks to phones like OnePlus around, quite a few people aren’t seeing much merit in overstretching their budgets all the way to the $1000 mark. Which is perhaps why Samsung, Apple, and even OnePlus are bringing in more accessible versions of their high-end phones. Google follows suit with the new Pixel 3a and 3a XL.

Of these, the Pixel 3a costs 39,999 INR in India, which is slightly more than what it sells for in the US. Is it still an option you should consider? We have been living with the phone for around 2 weeks now, and will now share our experience in a detailed review.

Design and Build

The Pixel 3a replaces metal and glass in original ‘3’ with plastic construction, but it doesn’t feel cheap at all and retails the two-tone design language. There is no denying that this is a well-built phone. The 3a is also delightfully compact and weighs just 147 grams, which is to say that it’s super comfortable to wield.

Yes there are bezels at the front, and they felt a bit jarring initially, but after a week of usage, we feel perfectly at home. There is no water resistance or wireless charging, but the Pixel 3a retains stereo speakers.

We personally like compact phones and Google Pixel 3a provides a good in hand feel and is easy to use.

Display

The Pixel 3a has a sharp 5.6-inch Full HD screen. Contrary to what the bezels might suggest, this is not a 16:9 panel, but an 18.5:9 aspect ratio screen. We are glad that Google has sided with a vibrant OLED screen instead of LCD because that makes features like Always-On screen feasible. We didn’t mind the small size one bit, but if you have an affinity towards bigger panels, you may consider the Pixel 3a XL instead.

This is a well-calibrated display panel and you will enjoy the experience while watching videos or movies and while playing games. There are three color profiles that consumers can choose between. The screen also enjoys Asahi Dragontrail glass protection against scratches and smudges.

Camera

The camera is one area where the Pixel beats all competition hands down and sets a very high benchmark. That’s because all the great features and processing chops in the more expensive pixels have been passed on to these midrange models! The only thing missing on the Pixel 3a compared to the Pixel 3 is the visual processing core, but that’s not a major set back, especially if you compare it to whatever similarly priced competition has to offer.

On the rear, there is a 12.2 MP camera sensor with f/1.8 aperture and it can very well compete with the best of flagship options out there. The 8MP front camera with f/2.0 aperture is equally impressive.

Google has hands down the best image processing software and the magic works in features like Portrait mode, Super zoom, Nightsight and more.

The Pixel 3a doesn’t get the free 2-year full-size Photo storage space on Drive, though. That perk is still reserved for the high-end pixels. You can store only high-quality photos.

Performance and Software

The Pixel 3a is powered by Snapdragon 670 paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. The configuration feels lacklustre for a phone that costs 40K, but Google’s software magic once again pitches in and helps the Pixel 3a render smooth day-to-day usage.

High-end games like Asphalt 9 and PUBG don’t run as smooth as they would on Snapdragon 845 or Snapdragon 855 powered phones. But you can still run those games and there is no heating issues.

The software running on the phone is the best of Android. Pixel 3a owners will benefit from timely updates and will also get to use all cool features presented at I/O 2019 like Live captions well ahead in advance.

The call quality on our Pixel 3a is awesome, but you will have to remain content with using just a single SIM. The capacitive fingerprint sensor on the rear is extremely fast.

Battery

The Pixel 3a comes with a 3000mAh battery. While this doesn’t sound like much, you will easily be able to sustain for a day with moderate to heavy usage, that is if you are not much into gaming.

The phone supports 18W fast charging and a Quick Charge adaptor is bundled in the box. While using Pixel 3a our daily driver, we managed really well. And our usage is quite heavy.

Verdict

The Pixel 3a is an excellent phone for Android enthusiasts or for anyone who just needs the best mid-range camera phone. Or maybe even for anyone who’s looking for a compact yet premium phone experience. Single SIM functionality and average gaming performance aren’t traits that could deter regular consumers. If you ask us, we quite enjoyed our time with the 3a. Having said that, the Pixel 3a would have made much more sense for its US Price. Overall, if you are looking for a reliable mid-range camera smartphone which takes great images in almost any light condition than Pixel 3a is a good option.