Google Pixel 3a vs Pixel 3: is US$400 extra for premium smartphone still worth paying?

Google this month launched the US$399 Pixel 3a and US$479 Pixel 3a XL smartphones, only seven months after the release of the pricier Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL handsets.

The likely question from consumers is: “Why would I want to spend at least US$400 more for Google’s premium flagships, when these latest mid-priced devices offer so many overlapping features?”

The answer, at least for most of you, is you wouldn’t.

What the US$799 (for the Pixel 3) and US$899 (for the 3 XL) buys you is a device with a better build quality and some nice extra features, although given the price difference, you can probably live without them.

Design and hardware

All the phones have 4GB of RAM and start at 64GB of storage. On the Pixel 3 and 3 XL, you can spend more for a 128GB storage option that is not available on the new phones.

There isn’t a huge variation in weight or size either. The designs look much the same, too. Both rely on fingerprint sensors; there is no facial recognition.

The bodies of the latest phones are of a lightweight durable polycarbonate unibody design versus the Pixel 3’s premium metal frame and glass back, so there is something of a trade-off there. As for the glass on the front, compared to Corning’s Gorilla Glass on the Pixel 3 models, something called Dragontrail from Asahi on the 3a models may not be inferior – although I’m not sure your average buyer will notice.

Only time will tell if any meaningful problems surface. The screen has certainly held up for the few days I’ve had with the devices.

Software and features

For sure, with the more robust Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 on the Pixel 3s compared to the Snapdragon 670 on the 3a models, the new phones aren’t as snappy. But again, the step up for the average consumer may not justify the expenditure.

On all the devices, you can squeeze the sides to summon Google Assistant.

Both the recent phones run the Android Pie flavour of Google’s mobile operating system; eventually (unless you choose to try the beta software in the interim) they’ll run the upcoming Android Q.

One of the features that generated the most attention on the Pixel 3 is “Call Screen”, which is meant to turn the tables on all those telemarketer calls. When a call comes in from a number you don’t recognise, you can tap a screen call button that gives an automated response to the caller that tells them “you are using a screening service from Google”.

Performance and battery life

The Pixel 3s earned high marks from reviewers, me included, for their excellent camera. And if the camera is what attracted you to the Pixel 3s in the first place, the good news is that these latest devices pretty much match the quality.

Features that debuted on the Pixel 3, such as the machine-learning-driven Top Shot are found here, too. That’s where the phone, at least on some pictures, does its best to pick the best shot among a burst of images automatically captured – in theory, one where everyone’s smiling or otherwise properly posing.

Night Sight, as the name suggests, is all about capturing images in dim light without a flash. It also has Portrait mode on the front and rear cameras.

There are a few photo trade-offs. On the Pixel 3a, you don’t get the second wide-angle selfie camera that is on the Pixel 3. And while the 3 and 3a models let you upload images for free to Google Photos, you can do so at the original (better) quality on the earlier models.

Put wireless charging in the “you’ve got to give up something to get something” category. The Pixel 3a and 3a XL lack this feature that the Pixel 3 and 3 XL have.

Google, even on its mid-priced devices, brought back the standard 3.55mm headphone jack that disappeared on its more expensive Pixels.

For those of us who still use corded headphones, this is a welcome and somewhat unexpected development.

Google says the battery on the new phones will deliver up to seven hours of use on a 15-minute charge and last 30 hours on a full charge. The battery system is said to learn your favourite apps and prioritise power for the ones you use most frequently.

The new phones have batteries rated a bit higher. (I haven’t conducted any formal tests.)

Conclusion

In a side-by-side comparison, the Pixel 3 is better than the Pixel 3a. But the 3a represents far better value.

Key specs

Dimensions: Google Pixel 3a: 151.3mm x 70.1mm x 8.2mm, Google Pixel 3a XL: 160.1mm x 76.1mm x 8.2mm

Weight: Google Pixel 3a: 147g, Pixel 3a XL: 167g

Display: Google Pixel 3a: 5.6in (1,080 x 2,220 pixels) OLED; Pixel 3a XL 6in (1,080 x 2,160 pixels) OLED

Battery: Google Pixel 3a: 3,000mAh; Google Pixel 3a XL: 3,700mAh

OS version reviewed: Android 9 (Pie)

Processor: Snapdragon 670

Main camera: 12.2MP, f/1.8, 28mm (wide)

Front camera: 8MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide)

Memory: Google Pixel 3a XL: 64GB, 4GB RAM (no SD card slot)

Colours: black, white, purple

Price: Pixel 3a: US$399, Pixel 3a XL: US$479