What’s the difference? Which should you buy?

Google’s latest Android flagships, the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, are finally here. They feature new designs, are powered by Google’s own chipset, and sport improved cameras. However, Google’s affordable Pixel 5a has only been available for a few months at this point. So, should you go for the latest and greatest from Google, or is the Pixel 5a a better option for you? Let’s find out in our Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 5a comparison.

We’ll dig into the most important specs, as well as the prices of each model to give you a better idea of which Pixel is right for you. Let’s get to it.

Our thoughts: Google Pixel 6 Pro hands-on | Google Pixel 6 hands-on

Google Pixel 6 series vs Pixel 5a

Specs

The Google Pixel 5a sticks to a tried and true formula, and it launched with an almost identical design to the Pixel 5. It keeps the corner-mounted punch hole camera, corner-mounted rear cameras, and the same button layout that Pixel users know and love. Google’s Pixel 5a has a headphone jack as well, something you won’t find on the OEM’s proper premium devices.

Read next: Google Pixel 5a review

The Pixel 5a is also slightly larger than Google’s previous flagship, offering a 6.34-inch display compared to the 6.0-inches of its namesake. It packs a Full HD+ resolution, a 60Hz refresh rate, and Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3. It also sports an aluminum body design and an IP67 rating that can handle a little more adventure than the previous plastic versions.

However, the Pixel 5a seems to be the last of its kind. With the Pixel 6 series, Google has thrown the previous rulebook out the window. Gone are the corner-mounted cameras on both sides, and the bio resin-coated aluminum of the Pixel 5 has made its exit as well. Now, the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro sport a glass sandwich design for a more premium look and feel.

Google’s new duo features the company’s largest displays yet, with the Pixel 6 opting for a 6.4-inch display and the Pixel 6 Pro soaring to 6.7 inches. Both offer AMOLED panels, though the Pixel 6 stops at a Full HD+ resolution while the Pixel 6 Pro heads for Quad HD+. Once again, the Pro model holds an edge on the refresh rate, offering 120Hz to the vanilla model’s 90Hz. The front-facing camera resides in a central punch hole, but the most noticeable change lies in the new camera bump. It’s a drastic departure for Google, and we’ll dig into the nitty-gritty in the next section.

Hardware and cameras

The Google Pixel line has always been at the forefront when it comes to smartphone photography. While the Pixel 5a didn’t shake things up in terms of hardware, the image processing has never been better. The mid-range device stuck with a very familiar setup on the back, with a 12.2MP main shooter and a 16MP ultra-wide option. It’s the same setup you’ll find on the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5.

See also: The best camera phones you can get

However, the Pixel 6 series offers something completely different. The camera bar is impossible to miss, and it looks nothing like Google’s traditional corner-mounted arrays. Both the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro have finally bid farewell to the 12.2MP primary shooter in favor of a 50MP wide option. The pair offers a 12MP ultra-wide lens as well, but you’ll have to go for the Pixel 6 Pro if you want Google’s first triple camera. It carries a 48MP telephoto lens that’s capable of up to 4x optical zoom.

Google’s upgrades don’t stop at the cameras when comparing the Pixel 6 vs the Pixel 5a. The mid-range device comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage on board, as well as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC. It’s once again unchanged from the Pixel 5, and it helps to keep the costs low.

The Pixel 6 series, on the other hand, is the first to offer Google’s brand-new Tensor chip. It’s been a long time coming, and the new silicon promises the best photo and video results of any Pixel device to date. Another key aspect of the new chip is that it allows Google to offer a whopping five years of guaranteed security updates. The company is also promising three years of OS updates. Google added the Titan M2 security chip for good measure, which brings end-to-end security into the picture with anti-phishing and anti-malware protection.

You’ll also find more RAM and storage options on Google’s latest flagships. The Pixel 6 offers a familiar 8GB of RAM, along with either 128GB or 256GB of storage. If you need a bit more kick, the Pixel 6 Pro packs 12GB of RAM as well as up to 512GB of storage space.

Need lots of RAM? The best phones with 8GB of RAM | The best phones with 12GB of RAM

The Pixel 5a also boasted the largest battery of any Google Pixel phone until the Pixel 6 series arrived. It offers a solid 4,680mAh cell with 18W fast charging, though you still won’t find wireless charging as an option. As for the new Pixel 6, it offers a slightly smaller 4,614mAh cell with 30W wired charging and 21W wireless charging to get you back on the go faster.

However, the Pixel 6 Pro is Google’s new battery king. It sports a 5,003mAh cell with the same 30W wired charging and faster 23W wireless charging. Google’s Pixel family has finally made the move to USB PD PPS charging, which is part of what allows for reliably faster speeds.

• Google Pixel 5a: $449 / 51,700 Japanese Yen
• Google Pixel 6: $599 / £599 / €649
• Google Pixel 6 Pro: $899 / £849 / €899

With just one version of the Pixel 5a on the market, it’s not hard to find the right price. You’ll get 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for just $449 in the United States or 51,700 Japanese Yen — the only two countries in which the device launched. The Pixel 5a is also available in just one color, Mostly Black. It looks more like midnight green in the right lighting, and it’s an attractive option among Google’s history of Just Black devices.

The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro offer more flexibility in storage options, but that comes at a cost. You can pick up the Pixel 6 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for $599 or 256GB of storage for $699 in any of the three colors. Google once again dipped into its list of creative names and selected Kinda Coral, Sorta Seafoam, and Stormy Black for its more affordable flagship. The Pixel 6 finally brings back the two-toned designs that so many loved from the early days of the series.

Over on the Pixel 6 Pro, you’ll find 12GB of RAM as the standard. You can pair that with 128GB of storage for $899, 256GB for $999, or a whopping 512GB for $1,099. The color options are slightly more muted, with Sorta Sunny and Cloudy White joining Stormy Black.

The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro launched for pre-orders on October 19, and you can expect the phones to start arriving around October 28.

Google Pixel 6 series vs Pixel 5a: Which should you buy?

Choosing between the new Google Pixel 6 series and the Pixel 5a is easier said than done. The most significant decision you’ll have to make is whether you need the power of a flagship device or if you want to keep your wallet comfortable with a mid-range alternative.

Google’s Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have a clear advantage when it comes to the cameras, charging speeds, and future update support with the Tensor chip. However, you’ll have to splash out quite a bit more cash — at least $150 for the Pixel 6 and $450 for the Pixel 6 Pro. The flagship duo offers more screen real estate and an IP68 rating compared to the Pixel 5a’s IP67 rating.

Although the new Tensor chip is one of the Pixel 6 series’ best selling points, it may also be a reason to stick with the Pixel 5a. This is Google’s first chipset after all, so there may be a few kinks to iron out along the way. It’s also tougher to damage aluminum than glass, so the Pixel 5a might put up with a bit more abuse in everyday situations. However, the Gorilla Glass Victus on the Pixel 6 Pro will handle more scratches and drops than the Gorilla Glass 3 of the more affordable device.

If you already have the Google Pixel 5a, the choice to upgrade is even tougher. You’ll have to weigh out how badly you want new features like the improved camera and refined design. If you’re enjoying your Pixel 5a, there’s no need to make the change while we wait to see how the Tensor chip performs.