Google Pixel 8a vs Pixel 6
Here we compared two smartphones: the 6.1-inch Google Pixel 8a (with Google Tensor G3) that was released on May 7, 2024, against the Google Pixel 6, which is powered by Google Tensor and came out 2 years and 7 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 8a
- Delivers 78% higher peak brightness (1518 against 851 nits)
- 45% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (1223K versus 842K)
- Higher display refresh rate – 120 Hz
- Better camera quality (According to DxOMark rating)
- Newer Bluetooth version (v5.3)
- The phone is 2 years and 7 months newer
- CPU with a higher amount of cores (+1)
- 23% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 1683 and 1363 points
- Weighs 19 grams less
- The front-facing camera can record video at 4K
Reasons to consider the Google Pixel 6
- Waterproof body (IP68 classification)
- Has a 0.3 inch larger screen size
- More recent OS version: Android 15 versus 14
- Supports higher wattage charging (30W versus 18W)
- Reverse charging feature
Review
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
Choose the importance of each parameter to more accurately identify the smartphone that best meets your particular needs.
Tests and specifications
Comparison table of technical specifications and testsDisplay
| Type | OLED | OLED |
| Size | 6.1 inches | 6.4 inches |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
| Aspect ratio | 20:9 | 20:9 |
| PPI | 430 ppi | 411 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 90 Hz |
| Adaptive refresh rate | Yes (60-120 Hz) | No |
| Max rated brightness | 2000 nits | 500 nits |
| Max rated brightness in HDR | 1400 nits | 800 nits |
| HDR support | Yes, HDR10 | Yes, HDR10+ |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Screen-to-body ratio | 81.3% | 83.3% |
| Display features | - DCI-P3 - Always-On Display | - DCI-P3 - Always-On Display |
| RGB color space | 99.1% | 99.8% |
| PWM | 120 Hz | 397 Hz |
| Response time | 2 ms | 5 ms |
| Contrast | ∞ Infinity | ∞ Infinity |
Peak brightness test (auto)
Design and build
| Height | 152.1 mm (5.99 inches) | 158.6 mm (6.24 inches) |
| Width | 72.7 mm (2.86 inches) | 74.8 mm (2.94 inches) |
| Thickness | 8.9 mm (0.35 inches) | 8.9 mm (0.35 inches) |
| Weight | 188 g (6.63 oz) | 207 g (7.3 oz) |
| Waterproof | IP67 | IP68 |
| Rear material | Plastic | Glass |
| Frame material | Metal | Metal |
| Colors | White, Black, Blue, Green | Black, Blue, Yellow |
| Fingerprint scanner | Yes, in-display | Yes, in-display |
Screen-to-body ratio
Performance
| Chipset | Google Tensor G3 | Google Tensor |
| Max clock | 3000 MHz | 2800 MHz |
| CPU cores | 9 (1 + 4 + 4) | 8 (2 + 2 + 4) |
| Architecture | - 4 cores at 1.7 GHz: Cortex-A510 - 4 cores at 2.37 GHz: Cortex-A715 - 1 core at 2.91 GHz: Cortex-X3 | - 4 cores at 1.8 GHz: Cortex A55 - 2 cores at 2.25 GHz: Cortex A76 - 2 cores at 2.8 GHz: Cortex-X1 |
| L3 cache | - | 4 MB |
| Manufacturing | Samsung | Samsung |
| Lithography process | 4 nanometers | 5 nanometers |
| Neural processor (NPU) | Yes | Tensor Processing Unit |
| Graphics | Mali-G715 MP7 | Mali-G78 MP20 |
| GPU shading units | 896 | 1280 |
| GPU clock | 890 MHz | 848 MHz |
| FLOPS | ~1594.8 GFLOPS | ~2170.9 GFLOPS |
Benchmarks
Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)
Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)
AnTuTu Benchmark 10
| CPU | 368321 | 221486 |
| GPU | 432077 | 298771 |
| Memory | 218319 | 133827 |
| UX | 204978 | 188464 |
| Total score | 1223695 | 842548 |
| Samples | [3 tests] | [12 tests] |
3DMark Wild Life Performance
| Max surface temperature | 46.4 °C | 42.1 °C |
| Stability | - | 56% |
| Graphics test | - | 38 FPS |
| Graphics score | - | 6379 |
PCMark 3.0
| Web score | - | 7660 |
| Video editing | - | 6593 |
| Photo editing | - | 18171 |
| Data manipulation | - | 10286 |
| Writing score | - | 14696 |
Memory
| RAM size | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory type | LPDDR5 | LPDDR5 |
| Memory clock | 3200 MHz | 3200 MHz |
| Channels | 4 | 4 |
| Storage size | 128, 256 GB | 128, 256 GB |
| Storage type | UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 |
| Memory card | No | No |
Software
| Operating system | Android 14 | Android 12 (Can be upgraded to Android 15) |
| ROM | Stock Android | Stock Android |
| OS size | 18.4 GB | 17.6 GB |
Battery
| Capacity | 4492 mAh | 4614 mAh |
| Max charge power | 18 W | 30 W |
| Battery type | Li-Po | Li-Ion |
| Replaceable | No | No |
| Wireless charging | Yes (7.5 W) | Yes (21 W) |
| Reverse charging | No | Yes, (wireless) |
| Fast charging | Yes (33% in 30 min) | Yes (41% in 30 min) |
| Full charging time | 2:09 hr | 1:53 hr |
| Web browsing | 08:15 hr | 07:07 hr |
| Watching video | 13:00 hr | 13:13 hr |
| Gaming | 04:54 hr | 05:02 hr |
| Standby | 86 hr | 85 hr |
General battery life
Main camera
| Matrix | 64 megapixels | 50 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 9000 x 7000 | 8192 x 6144 |
| 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 | 120° | 114° |
| Lenses | 1) Standard: 64 MP 2) Ultrawide: 13 MP | 1) Standard: 50 MP 2) Ultrawide: 12 MP |
| Camera features | - Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support | - Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support |
| Image resolution | 64 MP | 50 MP |
| Aperture | f/1.9 | f/1.9 |
| Focal length | 26 mm | 25 mm |
| Sensor | Sony IMX787 | Samsung GN1 |
| Sensor size | 1/1.73" | 1/1.31" |
| Pixel size | 0.8 micron | 1.2 micron |
| Autofocus | Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) | Laser autofocus |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
| Image resolution | 13 MP | 12 MP |
| Aperture | f/2.2 | f/2.2 |
| Focal length | - | 17 mm |
| Sensor | Sony IMX712 | Sony IMX386 Exmor RS |
| Sensor size | 1/3.06" | 1/2.9" |
| Pixel size | 1.12 micron | 1.12 micron |
| Stabilization | Digital | Digital |
DxOMark main camera tests
Photo quality
Video quality
Generic main camera score
| Bokeh | 60 | 65 |
| Preview | 71 | 65 |
| Zoom | 126 | 79 |
| Samples | Photo samples of Google Pixel 8a from DxOMark | Photo samples of Google Pixel 6 from DxOMark |
Selfie camera
| Megapixels | 13 megapixels | 8 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 4032 x 3024 | 3840 x 2160 |
| Aperture | - | f/2.0 |
| Focal length | - | 24 mm |
| Sensor | - | CMOS |
| Pixel size | - | 1.12 micron |
| Autofocus | - | No |
| Stabilization | - | Digital |
| Video resolution | 2160p (4K) at 30 FPS | 1080p (Full HD) at 30 FPS |
| Depth sensor (TOF 3D) | No | No |
DxOMark front camera
| Photo | - | 130 |
| Video | - | 127 |
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax) | Wi-Fi 6E (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 | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Bluetooth features | LE | LE, A2DP |
| USB type | USB Type-C | USB Type-C |
| USB version | 3.2 | 3.1 |
| USB features | - Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG | - Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG |
| DisplayPort | Yes | - |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, 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 |
| eSIM support* | Yes | Yes |
| Hybrid slot | No | No |
| LTE Cat* | 20 | 20 |
| 5G support | Yes | Yes |
Sound
| Speakers | Stereo | Stereo |
| Headphone audio jack | No | No |
| FM radio | No | No |
| Dolby Atmos | No | No |
Speakers test
Max loudness
Other
| Category | Mid-range | Flagship |
| Announced | May 2024 | October 2021 |
| Release date | May 2024 | October 2021 |
| Launch price | $499 | $600 |
| 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.

