Google Pixel 6a vs Pixel 5a 5G: What's the Difference?

Google Pixel 6a was launched during Google's I/O event on Wednesday. The latest handset from the tech giant is an upgrade to last year's budget offering, the Google Pixel 5a 5G, and is powered by the company's in-house Tensor processor and a Titan M2 security coprocessor. The Google Pixel 6a and Pixel 5a 5G feature 60Hz refresh rate displays, 6GB of RAM, and carry dual rear cameras headlined by 12.2-megapixel primary sensor. However, the two phones also have several differences, such as battery capacity and screen size.

Let's compare the Google Pixel 6a against its predecessor Google Pixel 5a 5G to figure out the basic differences between the two on paper.

Google Pixel 6a vs Pixel 5a 5G price compared

The new Google Pixel 6a comes with an exact price of $449 (roughly Rs. 34,800), just as the Pixel 5a 5G. The new Pixel 6a is offered in Chalk, Charcoal, and Sage colour options and will be available for pre-order in the US starting July 21. It is expected to make India debut later this year. The Google Pixel 5a 5G, on the other hand, was launched in August last year in a single Mostly Black shade. The handset was not sold in the Indian market.

Google Pixel 6a vs Pixel 5a 5G specifications compared

The dual-SIM (Nano+eSIM) Google Pixel 6a runs on Android 12 out of the box, while the single SIM (Nano) Pixel 5a 5G runs Android 11. In terms of display, the Pixel 6a features a 6.1-inch full-HD+ (1,080 x 2,400 pixels) OLED display with a 20:9 aspect ratio, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection, and 60Hz refresh rate. The Google Pixel 5a 5G, on the other hand, has a slightly larger 6.34-inch full-HD+ (1,080x2,400 pixels) OLED display with a 20:9 aspect ratio, 413ppi pixel density, 60Hz refresh rate, and HDR support.

The new Google Pixel 6a is powered by an octa-core Google Tensor SoC and a Titan M2 security coprocessor, which is paired with 6GB of LPDDR5 RAM. In contrast, the Google Pixel 5a 5G packs Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765G SoC under the hood paired with an Adreno 620 GPU and 6GB of LPDDR4x RAM.

For photos and videos, the Pixel 6a has pretty much the same dual-rear camera setup as the Pixel 5a 5G with a 12.2-megapixel primary sensor that has an f/1.7 lens. The camera unit in Pixel 6a includes a 12-megapixel secondary sensor with an ultra-wide-angle camera instead of the 16-megapixel secondary ultra-wide-angle sensor found on the Pixel 5a 5G. For selfies and video chats, both the models have an 8-megapixel selfie shooter with an f/2.0 aperture.

Google has packed 128GB of inbuilt storage on both the phones. Connectivity options on both phones include NFC, Google Cast, GPS, Galileo, USB Type-C port, and QZSS among others. The Google Pixel 6a has 5G, Bluetooth V5.2 connectivity, and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity options too. Connectivity options on the Pixel 5a 5G include dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth v5.0. The Pixel 5a 5G also has a 3.5mm headphone jack that isn't available on the new phone.

The Google Pixel 6a has an in-display fingerprint sensor for biometric authentication. The Pixel 5a 5G in contrast, has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. Other sensors on both phones include an accelerometer, ambient light, barometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, and proximity sensor.

Google has provided a 4,410mAh battery on the Pixel 6a that comes with fast charging support. The Google Pixel 5a 5G, in comparison, packs a larger 4,680mAh battery with 18W fast charging support.