Google Pixel 6a vs Apple iPhone SE (2022)

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Google Pixel 6a vs Apple iPhone SE (2022)

Here we compared two smartphones: the 6.1-inch Google Pixel 6a (with Google Tensor) that was released on May 11, 2022, against the Apple iPhone SE (2022), which is powered by Apple A15 Bionic and came out 2 months before. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.

Key differences

An overview of the main advantages of each smartphone
Reasons to consider the Google Pixel 6a
  • Comes with 2392 mAh larger battery capacity: 4410 vs 2018 mAh
  • Has a 1.4 inches larger screen size
  • Thinner bezels – 17.6% more screen real estate
  • Shows 25% longer battery life (32:11 vs 25:39 hours)
  • Better camera quality (According to DxOMark rating)
  • 32% higher pixel density (429 vs 326 PPI)
  • Delivers 35% higher peak brightness (880 against 652 nits)
  • Newer Bluetooth version (v5.2)
  • Uses a faster type of memory: LPDDR5 3200 MHz
  • Has 50% more RAM: 6GB versus 4GB
  • Has an ultra-wide angle camera lens
  • OLED display (versus competitor''s IPS LCD)
Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone SE (2022)
  • Handles wireless charging up to
  • Apple releases software updates and supports their phones a few years longer than Google
  • 28% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (1171K versus 914K)
  • 53% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 2247 and 1467 points
  • Weighs 34 grams less

Review

Evaluation of Google Pixel 6a and Apple iPhone SE (2022) crucial features
Display
Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness
Camera
Photo and video recording quality
Performance
CPU and memory performance (apps, system)
Gaming
Capabilities for playing modern games
Battery
Battery life, charging type and speed
Connectivity
Networks, ports, data transmission
NanoReview Score
Final comparison evaluation

Value for money

Tests and specifications

Comparison table of technical specifications and tests

Display

Type OLED IPS LCD
Size 6.1 inches 4.7 inches
Resolution 1080 x 2400 pixels 750 x 1334 pixels
Aspect ratio 20:9 16:9
PPI 429 ppi 326 ppi
Refresh rate 60 Hz 60 Hz
Adaptive refresh rate No No
Max rated brightness 500 nits 625 nits
Max rated brightness in HDR 1100 nits -
HDR support Yes, HDR10+ Yes, Dolby Vision
Screen protection Corning Gorilla Glass 3 Tempered glass
Screen-to-body ratio 83% 65.4%
Display features - DCI-P3
- Always-On Display
- DCI-P3
Display tests
RGB color space 96.9% 99.9%
PWM 240 Hz -
Response time 3 ms 38 ms
Contrast ∞ Infinity 1655:1
Peak brightness test (auto)
880 nits

Design and build

Height 152.2 mm (5.99 inches) 138.4 mm (5.45 inches)
Width 71.8 mm (2.83 inches) 67.3 mm (2.65 inches)
Thickness 8.9 mm (0.35 inches) 7.3 mm (0.29 inches)
Weight 178 g (6.28 oz) 144 g (5.08 oz)
Waterproof IP67 IP67
Rear material Plastic Glass
Frame material Metal Metal
Colors White, Black, Green White, Black, Red
Fingerprint scanner Yes, in-display Yes, in-button
Screen-to-body ratio

Performance

Tests of Google Pixel 6a and Apple iPhone SE (2022) in the benchmarks
SoC
Chipset Google Tensor Apple A15 Bionic
Max clock 2800 MHz 3223 MHz
CPU cores 8 (2 + 2 + 4) 6 (2 + 4)
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
- 4 cores at 2.02 GHz: Blizzard
- 2 cores at 3.23 GHz: Avalanche
L3 cache 4 MB -
Lithography process 5 nanometers 5 nanometers
Graphics Mali-G78 MP20 Apple A15 GPU
GPU shading units 1280 640
GPU clock 848 MHz 1338 MHz
FLOPS ~2170.9 GFLOPS ~1712.6 GFLOPS

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)
Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)
AnTuTu Benchmark 10
914585
1171074
CPU - 268130
GPU - 325843
Memory - 182253
UX 913000 388874
Total score 914585 1171074
3DMark Wild Life Performance
Max surface temperature 41.4 °C 46.2 °C
Stability 56% 72%
Graphics test 37 FPS 47 FPS
Graphics score 6194 7914
PCMark 3.0
Web score 6177 -
Video editing 5806 -
Photo editing 17969 -
Data manipulation 9425 -
Writing score 15432 -

Memory

RAM
RAM size 6 GB 4 GB
Memory type LPDDR5 LPDDR4X
Memory clock 3200 MHz -
Channels 4 2
Storage
Storage size 128 GB 64, 128, 256 GB
Storage type UFS 3.1 NVMe
Memory card No No

Software

Operating system Android 12 (Can be upgraded to Android 13) iOS 15.3 (Can be upgraded to iOS 17)
ROM Stock Android -
OS size 14.3 GB 12 GB

Battery

Capacity 4410 mAh 2018 mAh
Max charge power 18 W 20 W
Battery type Li-Po Li-Ion
Replaceable No No
Wireless charging No Yes
Reverse charging No No
Fast charging Yes (42% in 30 min) Yes (61% in 30 min)
Full charging time 1:51 hr 1:18 hr
Battery life tests
Web browsing 10:54 hr 09:55 hr
Watching video 16:44 hr 08:38 hr
Gaming 06:05 hr 03:18 hr
Standby 91 hr 93 hr
General battery life
32:11 hr

Camera

Specs and camera test of smartphones
Main camera
Matrix 12.2 megapixels 12 megapixels
Image resolution 4032 x 3024 4032 x 3024
Zoom Digital Digital
Flash Dual LED Quad 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° -
Lenses 2 (12.2 MP + 12 MP) 1 (12 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 MP
- Aperture: f/1.8
- Pixel size: 1.22 micron
- Phase autofocus
- 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)
-
Camera features - Bokeh mode
- Pro mode
- RAW support
- Bokeh mode
- Pro mode
Samples Photo samples of Google Pixel 6a from DxOMark Photo samples of Apple iPhone SE (2022) from DxOMark
Selfie camera
Megapixels 8 megapixels 7 megapixels
Image resolution 3840 x 2160 3088 x 2320
Aperture f/2.0 f/2.2
Focal length 24 mm -
Pixel size 1.12 microns -
Sensor type Exmor-RS CMOS -
Sensor size 1/2.8" -
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 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
Wi-Fi features - Dual Band
- Wi-Fi MiMO
- Wi-Fi Direct
- Wi-Fi Hotspot
- Wi-Fi Display
- Dual Band
- Wi-Fi MiMO
- Wi-Fi Direct
- Wi-Fi Hotspot
- Wi-Fi Display
Bluetooth version 5.2 5
Bluetooth features LE, A2DP LE
USB type USB Type-C -
USB version 3.1 2
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
Network
Number of SIM * 1 1
Type of SIM card Nano Nano
eSIM support * Yes Yes
Hybrid slot No No
LTE Cat * 20 -
5G support Yes Yes

Sound

Speakers Stereo Stereo
Headphone audio jack No No
FM radio No No
Dolby Atmos Yes Yes
Speakers test
Max loudness
87.4 dB

Other

Category Flagship Mid-range
Announced May 2022 March 2022
Release date June 2022 March 2022
Sensors - Barometer
- Proximity sensor
- Gyroscope
- Accelerometer
- Ambient light sensor
- Compass
- Fingerprint
- Barometer
- Proximity sensor
- Gyroscope
- Accelerometer
- Ambient light sensor
- Compass
- Fingerprint
Bundled charger Not included Not included
* Disclaimer! NFC, GSM network support, and some other specs can be different depending on the country.

Conclusion

If the display, camera, battery life, and connectivity are more important to you, then choose the Google Pixel 6a . But if the performance, gaming, software, and sound are more of a priority – go for the Apple iPhone SE (2022) .

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