Google Pixel 6a vs Apple iPhone SE (2020)
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 (2020), which is powered by Apple A13 Bionic and came out 25 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
- Comes with 2589 mAh larger battery capacity: 4410 vs 1821 mAh
- Has a 1.4 inches larger screen size
- Thinner bezels – 17.6% more screen real estate
- Shows 35% longer battery life (32:11 vs 23:55 hours)
- Better camera quality (According to DxOMark rating)
- Modern USB Type-C port
- 38% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (914K versus 665K)
- 32% higher pixel density (429 vs 326 PPI)
- Delivers 33% higher peak brightness (880 against 663 nits)
- Newer Bluetooth version (v5.2)
- Has 2x more RAM: 6GB versus 3GB
- Uses a faster type of memory: LPDDR5 3200 MHz
- Has an ultra-wide angle camera lens
Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone SE (2020)
- Handles Qi wireless charging up to 7.5W
- Apple releases software updates and supports their phones a few years longer than Google
- Weighs 30 grams less
- 10% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 1620 and 1467 points
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
Value for money
Tests and specifications
Comparison table of technical specifications and testsDisplay
| 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 |
| RGB color space | 96.9% | 99.9% |
| PWM | 240 Hz | Not detected |
| Response time | 3 ms | 29 ms |
| Contrast | ∞ Infinity | 2457:1 |
Peak brightness test (auto)
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) | 148 g (5.22 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
| Chipset | Google Tensor | Apple A13 Bionic |
| Max clock | 2800 MHz | 2650 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 1.6 GHz: Thunder
- 2 cores at 2.65 GHz: Lightning |
| L3 cache | 4 MB | - |
| Lithography process | 5 nanometers | 7 nanometers |
| Graphics | Mali-G78 MP20 | Apple A13 GPU |
| GPU shading units | 1280 | 256 |
| GPU clock | 848 MHz | 1230 MHz |
| FLOPS | ~2170.9 GFLOPS | ~629.8 GFLOPS |
Benchmarks
Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)
Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)
AnTuTu Benchmark 10
| CPU | - | 129399 |
| GPU | - | 223288 |
| Memory | - | 107740 |
| UX | 913000 | 204233 |
| Total score | 914585 | 665085 |
3DMark Wild Life Performance
| Max surface temperature | 41.4 °C | 44.3 °C |
| Stability | 56% | 68% |
| Graphics test | 37 FPS | 41 FPS |
| Graphics score | 6194 | 6878 |
PCMark 3.0
| Web score | 6177 | - |
| Video editing | 5806 | - |
| Photo editing | 17969 | - |
| Data manipulation | 9425 | - |
| Writing score | 15432 | - |
Memory
| RAM size | 6 GB | 3 GB |
| Memory type | LPDDR5 | LPDDR4X |
| Memory clock | 3200 MHz | - |
| Channels | 4 | 2 |
| 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 13 (Can be upgraded to iOS 17) |
| ROM | Stock Android | - |
| OS size | 14.3 GB | 8.4 GB |
Battery
| Capacity | 4410 mAh | 1821 mAh |
| Max charge power | 18 W | 18 W |
| Battery type | Li-Po | Li-Ion |
| Replaceable | No | No |
| Wireless charging | No | Yes, Qi (7.5 W) |
| Reverse charging | No | No |
| Fast charging | Yes (42% in 30 min) | Yes (55% in 60 min) |
| Full charging time | 1:51 hr | 2:32 hr |
| Web browsing | 10:54 hr | 09:36 hr |
| Watching video | 16:44 hr | 07:32 hr |
| Gaming | 06:05 hr | 03:06 hr |
| Standby | 91 hr | 86 hr |
General battery life
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 - Focal length: 28 mm - Pixel size: 1.22 micron - Sensor: 1/3", Apple iSight Camera (CMOS) - 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 |
| Samples | Photo samples of Google Pixel 6a from DxOMark | Photo samples of Apple iPhone SE (2020) from DxOMark |
| Megapixels | 8 megapixels | 7 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 3840 x 2160 | 3088 x 2320 |
| Aperture | f/2.0 | f/2.2 |
| Focal length | 24 mm | 32 mm |
| Pixel size | 1.12 microns | 1 microns |
| Sensor type | Exmor-RS CMOS | 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 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 Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display |
| Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5 |
| Bluetooth features | LE, A2DP | LE, A2DP |
| USB type | USB Type-C | No |
| 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 |
| 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 | 16 |
| 5G support | Yes | No |
Sound
| Speakers | Stereo | Stereo |
| Headphone audio jack | No | No |
| FM radio | No | No |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes |
Speakers test
Max loudness
Other
| Category | Flagship | Mid-range |
| Announced | May 2022 | April 2020 |
| Release date | June 2022 | April 2020 |
| SAR (head) | - | 0.98 W/kg |
| SAR (body) | - | 0.99 W/kg |
| 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 | Yes, 5 W |
*
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.