Motorola Moto G 62 5G: tall boy (review)

8.7

Packing a big display and long battery life, the Motorola Moto G 62 5G can hold its head high in the low to mid-range Android crowd.

As the price of some Android flagships soars ever higher, it’s certainly worth asking whether a solid mid or even low-range handset would meet your needs. Offering a great balance between price, performance and features, these Android handsets are the best option for many smartphone shoppers.

These days, aiming for a lower price tag doesn’t mean sacrificing on screen size, especially with extra-tall aspect ratios. Enter the Motorola Moto G 62 5G, a tall boy which still fits in your hand and won’t break the bank.

Review: Motorola Moto G 62 5G

Australian website	here
Price	$399 RRP
Warranty	1 year
Other	You can read other GadgetGuy Motorola news and reviews here

First impressions

While 6.5 inches might sound like an unwieldy handset, the Motorola Moto G 62 5G features an unusual 20:9 aspect ratio which allows the screen to be quite tall without making the handset uncomfortably wide.

In this and many other ways, the Moto G 62 5G is very similar to the Moto G51 5G. A centimetre taller, the G51 5G’s 20:9 aspect ratio manages to squeeze a spacious 6.8-inch display. The new Moto G 62 5G might have a slightly smaller display, but it will offer a better trade-off of handset size versus screen size for some hands.

Once you look past the screen size, you’ll find a bright, crisp IPS LCD screen – the colours might be a tad saturated for some tastes, because it’s set to “Saturated” by default, but you can easily change this to “Natural” if preferred.

There’s a large power button on the right-hand side of the handset, which doubles as a fingerprint reader (you can also unlock the handset with Face Unlock). Above the power button is a volume rocker.

Around the back you’ll find a triple camera array consisting of a 50 MP primary shooter, 8 MP ultrawide and 2 MP macro – again, similar to the Moto G1 5G. On the front, you’ll find that it’s stepped up to a 16 MP selfie camera.

In an expected compromise in this price point, the handset features a plastic back rather than premium metal or glass, although the plastic does have a slight sheen to it. Like most Motorola phones, the Moto G62 5G comes with a basic transparent protective case. It offers some impact protection but doesn’t seem as robust as something like a Tech 21 case. 

A 20:9 aspect ratio makes the Moto G62 5G tall but not too unwiedly.

Motorola Moto G 62 5G Specs

Display size	6.5 inch, 2400×1080 pixel
Display technology	IPS LCD, 120 Hz refresh rate
Dimensions	161.83 × 73.96 × 8.59 mm
Weight	184 gm
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 480+ 5G
CPU	2.2 GHz octa-core Kryo 460
RAM	4 GB
GPU	650 MHz Adreno 619
Storage	128 GB
Expansion	microSDXC (up to 1 TB)
OS	Android 12
Ruggedness	“Water-repellent” design
Rear Cameras	50 MP, f/1.8 (wide), 0.64 µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 118˚ (ultrawide), 1.12 µm 2 MP, f/2.4, 1.75 µm (macro)
Front camera	16 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1.0 µm
Wi-Fi	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
Bluetooth	5.1
Security	Fingerprint reader, Face Unlock
Ports	USB Type-C 2.0, 3.5 mm headset jack
Battery	Li-Po 5000 mAh
Bands	2G/ 3G/ 4G LTE/ 5G sub-6 GHz
Colours	Midnight Grey

Features

Android 12 without bloatware, running on a Snapdragon 480+ 5G with 4 GB of RAM, offers the foundations of a solid low to mid-range handset. Naturally it’s not going to go toe-to-toe with the most powerful Android smartphones and it would have been nice to see a little more RAM.

As the name suggests, it’s a 5G chipset, ensuring you can take advantage of Australia’s fastest mobile broadband networks – although, like most, it only supports sub-6 GHz 5G networks and not millimetre wave.

Multimedia is where the Moto G62 5G shines, thanks to that large, crisp display offering a 120Hz refresh rate. This ensures silky smooth gaming and scrolling, although you need an eye for detail to really appreciate it.

Accompanying the screen are stereo speakers which support Dolby Atmos for making the most of the high-end sound found in streaming services like Netflix.

The phone will keep you entertained for a long time, with a generous 5000 mAh battery ensuring that, if you don’t push it too hard, you should be able to go 24 hours before recharging. That’s impressive considering the size of the screen and its high 120 Hz refresh rate (which you can dial back to 60 Hz to help conserve power). Thankfully, the phone comes with a 15 W charger with support for fast charging, but not wireless charging.

When it comes to ruggedness, talk of a “water-repellent” design – rather than citing a specific IP rating – might be a concern if you’re looking for a handset that can survive a little misadventure.

The fine print says that the: “Water-repellent design creates a barrier to help protect against moderate exposure to water such as accidental spills, splashes, or light rain. Not designed to be submerged in water, or exposed to pressurised water, or other liquids; may diminish over time. Not waterproof.”

A bright, crisip display with stereo speakers supporting Dolby Atmos is great for keeping you entertained.

Quality

The GeekBench 5 benchmarks tell a likely story. The handset scores 545 on the CPU single core test and 1740 on the multi-core. That’s about what you’d expect with this spec sheet and price tag, making it a fraction more powerful than the Moto G51 5G while still putting it in similar territory to the Samsung Galaxy A22 5G.

It’s fair to say that the Motorola Moto G62 5G has enough grunt to handle anything your typical user would throw at it day to day. It’s certainly not for gamers or anyone else craving power, but people who don’t push their handsets are unlikely to hit its limitations.

As for photography, 50 MP is certainly a lot of pixels, but it’s a relatively small sensor with small pixels, which means it can struggle a bit in low-light conditions.

The end results reflect the phone’s low price tag, they’re reasonable photos but if you’re fussy about smartphone photo quality, then they’ll likely be shopping in a higher price bracket where lower megapixel cameras with better sensors and optics can deliver better results.

GadgetGuy’s take

The Motorola Moto G62 5G is a solid low to mid-range handset which offers the benefits of 5G, a big screen and long battery life. It understandably makes sacrifices to keep the price tag down, but you might not mind as long as you’re not looking for a powerhouse device or concerned about the fact it’s not waterproof.

If you want a big screen but your needs are simple, the Moto G62 5G might fit nicely in your hand and your budget.

Motorola Moto G 62 5G: tall boy (review)

A decent handset which mostly makes sacrifices in the right places, the Motorola Moto G62 5G smartphone has a lot to offer low to mid-range Android shoppers.

Features

9

Value for money

9

Performance

8.5

Ease of use

8.5

Design

8.5

Positives

Affordable 5G

Big, bright 120 Hz screen

Long battery life

Negatives

Only 4 GB of RAM

No IP rating

8.7

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Telstra free Wi-Fi coming to payphones across Australia

Telstra free Wi-Fi is available from around 3,000 payphones across Australia as of today, with the goal to upgrade the entire network of 12,000 payphones to provide free Wi-Fi in the coming year.

The move follows on from Telstra’s decision to make national payphone calls free last year. One priority under the initiative is to provide enhanced power resilience and Telstra free Wi-Fi capability for 1,000 payphones in disaster-prone regional areas, according to Telstra group executive for consumer and small business Michael Ackland.

Almost 19 million free calls have been made from Telstra payphones in the past year, including more than 250,000 calls made to critical services such as Triple Zero and Lifeline. Centrelink was the most dialled service from payphones.

Payphones have also played a vital role in many communities across the country, particularly those impacted by disasters such as summer bsuhfires and the recent floods across Northern NSW and Queensland.

“While a lot of us take connectivity for granted these days, many isolated or vulnerable people, although they may have access to a mobile device, don’t always have the data to be able to connect,” Ackland says.

“Free Wi-Fi has the potential to make a massive difference in their ability to stay connected to family and friends and access essential services.”

Originally, Wi-Fi from payphones was part of the telco’s Telstra Air offering – only available to some Telstra customers. Initial plans to eventually charge for access to the Telstra Air network never eventuated.

Instead, access to Telstra free Wi-Fi has gradually been restricted, such as removing access for Telstra mobile pre-paid customers in 2020. While Telstra Air access is still available to post-paid customers as a plan inclusion, it became less relevant as the telco began to offer unlimited data on its post-paid plans.

More news on Telstra at GadgetGuy.

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Ultra-portable Wonderboom 3 Bluetooth speaker adds more range and better battery

The petite Wonderboom 3 portable speaker is coming soon with several new quality-of-life improvements over its predecessor, alongside a new look for the Hyperboom party speaker, as announced by Logitech’s Ultimate Ears brand.

Ultra-portable, brightly coloured and affordable, the Wonderboom 3 is a 360-degree Bluetooth speaker designed for taking just about anywhere. Despite its size, the speaker features bassy audio on its own or paired up with another Wonderboom 3 to amplify the sound or produce a stereo output. You can even have it cranking tunes while in the shower, thanks to its waterproof and dustproof IP67 rating. Marketed as a pool party or beach companion, the Wonderboom 3 also floats in water and can withstand 30 minutes of submersion.

What’s good?

More battery life is the first improvement the Wonderboom 3 has over its predecessor. Ultimate Ears claims it lasts up to 14 hours, up from the Wonderboom 2’s 13 hours on a single charge. Another benefit of the new model is its increased Bluetooth range, which now reaches 40 metres, an increase over the previous speaker’s 33-metre range. From an eco-friendly viewpoint, the Wonderboom 3 is made of 31% recycled plastic sourced from end-of-life tech, meaning less overall wastage.

Available from 31 August, the Wonderboom 3 series comes in four different colours: Joyous Bright (Grey), Hyper Pink, Performance Blue, and Active Black. At a $149.95 RRP, it’s a reasonably priced wireless portable speaker.

Meanwhile, the larger Hyperboom speaker isn’t getting the same level of overhaul, but will soon be available in white. Billed as Ultimate Ears’ loudest and bassiest speaker, what the Hyperboom lacks in sheer portability, it makes up for in versatility. With a 24-hour battery, it supports four inputs in total: two Bluetooth devices, an optical audio connection, and a 3.5mm aux jack. 

The larger Hyperboom portable speaker.

You can still use it next to the pool, as it has an IPX4 rating, so splashes are fine – just don’t dunk it in the water. Other than that, the Hyperboom features adaptive EQ technology, reading its surroundings and adjusting the sound accordingly. Plus you can sync it with other Ultimate Ears speakers – including Boom, Megaboom and Hyperboom devices – via the Boom app. Available at retailers from 9 September, the new white Hyperboom has a $599.95 price tag.

Both Ultimate Ears speakers already have a strong reputation, so any improvements will undoubtedly add to the experience. Longer battery life and further Bluetooth range surely make Wonderboom 3 an even more tantalising portable speaker choice.

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Samsung’s massive Odyssey Ark gaming monitor is for multitaskers and gamers alike

An absolute behemoth: the best way to describe the upcoming Samsung Odyssey Ark display designed for gaming performance.

Fresh off releasing its new range of ViewFinity business and Odyssey gaming monitors, Samsung recently announced the Ark as another display option coming within the next few months. Standing at 55 inches, the 4K 1000R curved gaming monitor is large by monitor standards. Using a cutting-edge VA 165Hz panel, the Odyssey Ark features a rapid 1ms response time and is lit by Samsung’s Quantum Mini LED technology.

In addition to the standard landscape orientation, you can rotate the screen vertically, in what Samsung refers to as “Cockpit Mode”. This configuration enables three screens to be displayed on top of one another, while landscape allows for four. There’s a fair bit of customisation with the multitasking, too. Within the 55-inch monitor, you can tweak the screen size to be anywhere between 27 inches and the full size, plus swap between 16:9, 21:9 and 32:9 ratios.

Cockpit Mode in action

Behind the swift customisation options is a new controller Samsung has made exclusively for the Odyssey Ark: the Ark Dial. Solar-powered and chargeable via USB-C, the controller swaps between multitasking and screen size settings at a touch. It also grants access to the Game Bar, an overlay showing performance metrics like frames per second, and access to HDR and variable refresh rate options.

The Ark Dial controller.

From a visual perspective, the Odyssey Ark has a 178-degree viewing angle in both horizontal and vertical alignments. Its Matte Display also reduces pesky glare and reflections should you have to contend with natural light. Alongside the visual features, the monitor incorporates four speakers on each corner and two centrally-located woofers for an in-built surround sound experience that supports Dolby Atmos. Samsung claims that the resulting 60W 2.2.2 channel system produces the lowest 45Hz notes of any gaming soundbar or screen.

Although a precise release window and pricing have not yet been specified for Australia, we’re told to expect availability in the coming months. If you’re keen on a large gaming monitor, you can register your interest in the Odyssey Ark via the Samsung website.

It certainly looks like an impressive display, but the main question is that of price. Depending on the cost, you may well wonder if a reasonably priced TV would be a better option serving as a large monitor. Computer monitors tend to have less latency – therefore reduced input lag – than TVs, plus the vertical and horizontal modes of the Odyssey Ark could be nice-to-haves if the price is right.

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NBN download speeds improve while uploads remain stagnant

If you noticed slightly faster internet over the past few months, you’re not just imagining things. A recent report from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found that download speeds for retail NBN fixed-line connections are on the rise.

Average download speeds across fixed-line connections from retail service providers (RSPs) sat at 99.3% of the advertised plan speed in May 2022, up from the previous quarter. For example, it means users on an NBN 100 plan averaged a download speed of 99.3Mbps, and the equivalent for other tiers. Back in February, this figure was 97.9%. This is according to the quarterly Measuring Broadband Australia report published by the ACCC.

In the context of the report, fixed-line connections refer to NBN internet plans connected via a physical cable, whether it be fibre to the premises or fibre to the node. The 99.3% figure encompasses average download speeds during all hours, including the peak usage period between 7-11 pm. Isolating the busy hours brings the average download speed down to 97.6% of the plan speed.

Exetel, based in Sydney, led the way for retailers during busy hours with a download average of 102.3% during the testing period. Meanwhile, the Singapore-founded telco MyRepublic lagged behind, slowing down to an 88.8% average download speed during peak hours.

However, average upload speeds remain reasonably below what RSPs are selling. In the same May 2022 period, uploads averaged out at 85.6% of total plan speeds during all hours. While this is still an increase over February’s 84.7% figure, it’s comparatively well below downloads. According to ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey, this discrepancy is due to how NBN Co allocates capacity.

“Download speeds have improved for many consumers over the last two years because NBN Co overprovisions the download component of some plans,” Brakey said in a media release.” Upload speeds are more substantially below maximum plan speeds because NBN Co doesn’t overprovision the upload link.”

In fact, the ACCC noted that its reports indicate that upload speeds have not improved significantly since the start of 2020. The watchdog mentioned that this could change should NBN Co decide to overprovision upload components similar to what is already done for downloads.

Also included in the ACCC’s reporting were figures showing improvements to NBN fixed wireless connections. Across all hours, average download speeds hit 101.5% of plan speeds in May 2022, up from 92% in February. In busy hours, this dropped to 77.6%, which is still better than the total upload average of 65.9% or the peak period upload average of 51.3%.

It’s good to see download speeds increase to the point we’re getting what we pay for. Conversely, it’s disappointing to see the upload discrepancy continue. With hybrid and remote working a normal part of many Australians’ lives, being able to quickly upload and send files is more important than ever. Let’s hope this is addressed before potential price increases are put back on the table.

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The best Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4, Z Fold4, Watch5 and Buds2 Pro pre-order deals in Australia

After seeing the latest gadgets firsthand at the 10 August Samsung Unpacked 2022 event, we also have the full details of the bundles offered by major telcos in Australia so you can find the best deal.

Pre-orders are currently live for all devices ahead of the 2 September launch, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 and Fold4 phones, the Galaxy Watch5 and Watch5 Pro wearables, and the new Galaxy Buds2 Pro earbuds. Several local carriers have pre-order bonuses on offer, ranging from extra accessories to deep trade-in discounts. Vodafone is one carrier promoting bonus trade-in credit when you hand in your old device – which is also subject to connecting to an eligible 12, 24 or 36-month plan. You can check the devices eligible for bonus credit via the Vodafone website.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 pre-order deals

Colour	Price & Storage	Pre-order Bonus
Pink Gold, Graphite, Blue, Bora Purple	128GB – $1,499 256GB – $1,649 512GB – $1,849 Bespoke 256GB – $1,729	Samsung: A free storage upgrade (up to $200 worth of value), an additional trade-up bonus of $300 for Flip4, 50% off Samsung Care+. Optus: Bonus Tab A8 (Grey 64GB) valued at $529 RRP, 3-month free 5GB connected devices data plan for the Tab A8 pre-order cohort, 6-month free Upgrade & Protect. Vodafone: Bonus $500 trade-in credit, bonus Samsung Trio Wireless Charger. Telstra: Receive a free Galaxy Watch5, valued at up to $649.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 pre-order deals

Colour	Price & Storage	Pre-order Bonus
Phantom Black, Beige, Greygreen, Burgundy (exclusive to Samsung.com)	256GB – $2,499 512GB – $2,699 1TB – $2,999 (Samsung Exclusive)	Samsung: Storage upgrade (up to $300 worth of value), an additional trade-up bonus of $500 for Fold4, 50% off Samsung Care+. Optus: Bonus Tab A8 (Grey 64GB), valued at $529 RRP, 3-month free 5GB connected devices data plan for the Tab A8 pre-order cohort, 6-month free Upgrade & Protect. Vodafone: Bonus $700 trade-in credit, bonus Samsung Trio Wireless Charger. Telstra: Receive a free Galaxy Watch5 valued at up to $649.

Samsung Galaxy Watch5, Watch5 Pro, and Buds2 Pro pre-order deals

Model	Colour	Price	Pre-order Bonus
Galaxy Watch5 40mm (Aluminium, 20mm Sports Band)	Graphite / Graphite strap, Pink Gold / Pink Gold strap, Silver / Lavender strap.	$499 (Bluetooth) $599 (LTE)	Optus: Get a bonus pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds2 in White, valued at $219 RRP. Vodafone: Get a bonus pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds2 in White, valued at $219 RRP. Telstra: Get a bonus pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, valued at $249 RRP.
Galaxy Watch5 44mm (Aluminium, 20mm Sports Band)	Graphite / Graphite strap, Sapphire / Blue strap, Silver / White strap.	$549 (Bluetooth) $649 (LTE)	Optus: Get a bonus pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds2 in White, valued at $219 RRP. Vodafone: Get a bonus pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds2 in White, valued at $219 RRP. Telstra: Get a bonus pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, valued at $249 RRP.
Galaxy Watch5 Pro 45mm (Titanium, 20mm FKM D Buckle Band)	Titanium Black / Black strap, Titanium Grey / Grey strap	$799 (Bluetooth) $849 (LTE)	Vodafone: Get a bonus pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds2 in White, valued at $219 RRP.
Galaxy Buds2 Pro	Bora Purple, White, Graphite	$349	Optus: Receive a bonus accessory voucher valued at $50.

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There are multiple options to get a good deal on the latest Samsung gear. As with any new phone, the value depends on which carrier you’re happy to sign up with – existing Vodafone customers appear to be the big winners here with the sizable trade-in bonuses.

Read more Samsung news on GadgetGuy

Valens Quinn attended the Samsung Unpacked event in New York as a guest of Samsung Australia.

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Cloud gaming is on the rise, if Xbox is any indication

According to recent data from Microsoft, more people are taking advantage of cloud gaming services, revealing its cloud-based platform has seen a staggering 1,800% usage increase in the last year.

The statistic was revealed in a community update video hosted by Kevin LaChapelle and Catherine Gluckstein from the Xbox Cloud Gaming team. Granted, the cloud platform hasn’t been around for long – it only launched in Australia last October – and is still rolling out worldwide, but it shows a decent adoption rate.

It’s reasonable to suggest several factors are behind the growth. For starters, anyone can play Fortnite for free using Xbox Cloud Gaming, which remains the only way for iOS users to play the popular multiplayer game following Epic Games’ ongoing standoff with Apple. Another aspect is the increased availability of Xbox Cloud Gaming across devices. In addition to Xbox consoles and PC, you can stream games to mobile and TVs – Samsung rolled out a native Xbox app in June.

Other discussion points in the video included increasing server capacity, more touch-control customisation for mobile devices, and that Xbox Cloud Gaming recently launched for our New Zealand neighbours. There’s also a feedback portal to make requests to the Xbox team, where people have already asked about purchasing games specifically for cloud use, and more options to tweak visual quality. Nothing was mentioned in the video about the in-development “Keystone” streaming dongle, which recently received an official update from Microsoft.

As mentioned earlier, any increase in cloud gaming will appear significant due to the technology’s infancy. However, this does little to diminish the impact it will have on gaming in general. Like the shift from physical to digital software, hardware is becoming less of a barrier to entry as companies like Microsoft encourage you to play however and wherever you want.

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Android malware apps on Google Play Store infect millions of devices

Serving up malicious ads, while potentially stealing credentials and financial information, dozens of Android malware apps have snuck onto the Google Play Store, where they have been downloaded more than two million times.

Uncovered by security researchers at Bitdefender, the 35 apps trick Android users into installing them from the Google Play Store by pretending to offer some useful functionality such as editing images or GPS tracking. Once installed, the malicious apps change their name and icon – sometimes posing as the Settings app – making them difficult to find and uninstall.

If the user clicks on the fake Settings icon, the malware app launches hidden from view and then launches the legitimate Settings app.

Once installed, the malicious apps serve intrusive advertisements, generating fraudulent impressions and ad revenue for their operators. They also offer the ability to install additional malicious software on a compromised device, which can steal credentials and financial information.

While all of the detected apps are clearly malicious, their developers were still able to upload them to the Google Play Store and even push out updates which made the apps better at hiding on devices.

Bitdefender identified the Android malware apps using a new real-time behavioural technology designed to detect precisely such dangerous practices.

“Just because we download an app from the official store doesn’t mean it will be safe,” according to a BitDefender blog post.

“While official stores are usually very good at weeding malicious or dangerous applications out, some history shows that a small number of bad apps manage to get through and make victims until they get reported.”

Simple rules to help keep smartphone users stay safe include:

• Don’t install apps that you don’t really need
• Remember to delete apps you no longer user
• Be wary of apps with a large number of downloads, yet few or no reviews
• Be wary of apps that request special permissions, like Drawing over apps or access to Accessibility
• Be wary of apps that request access to permissions that have nothing to do with the advertised functionality
• Always run a security solution in the background that can detect malicious behaviour

More on malware at GadgetGuy.

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Netflix Games library is brilliant, but unloved

In an effort to diversify its entertainment portfolio, streaming giant Netflix expanded its TV show and movie offering to include video games on mobile devices. However, the company seems to have hit a snag: only a minuscule amount of subscribers are actually playing the games, despite some excellent titles.

Data from app analytics firm Apptopia estimates games available through Netflix have been downloaded 23.3 million times in total and average 1.7 million users per day. In other words, less than 1% of the service’s 221 million subscribers. That Netflix includes fantastic games like Moonlighter, platform-exclusive Poinpy from renowned label Devolver Digital, and Into the Breach – one of the best tactics games in recent years – seems to have had little impact.

Netflix began its gaming foray in November 2021 with a small library, before ramping up its efforts, culminating in announcements galore during the 2022 “Not-E3” period. The current and upcoming range of games also includes adaptations of Netflix series Stranger Things, The Queen’s Gambit, plus Shadow and Bone. To support the company’s push into video games, several studios – such as Oxenfree developer Night School – have joined Netflix.

Although Netflix will likely have a clearer picture of usage data than an external analytics company, it’s still an indication of a poor adoption rate. It hasn’t been a good year for the US-based company so far. Subscribers are dropping off, with 1.28 million users from the US and Canada leaving the service between March and June. There are also plans to bring in cheaper ad-supported plans to stop the slide. Whether video games are enough to entice people to sign up or stay remains to be seen, Currently, the reported game usage data indicates a broad lack of awareness, discoverability issues, apathy – or all of the above. 

To play a Netflix-listed game, you need to scroll to the games row via the mobile app. Following this, selecting a game will open either an App Store or Google Play listing, where you can download and play it at no extra cost. This might be one of the issues: friction generated by multiple steps that navigate away from the Netflix app.

Regardless of what’s preventing Netflix subscribers from playing its games, here’s hoping more people realise what they’re missing out on. My concern is less directed towards the global mega-corporation, and more toward the developers whose work deserves success and recognition. If nothing else, download Poinpy and Into the Breach for an absolute blast of a time.

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Is Google Pixel 6a the best sub-$800 smartphone? (review)

9.1

Google shook up the premium smartphone market with the release of the $999 Pixel 6 earlier this year that in many respects outperformed flagship smartphones costing twice as much. Now the tech giant is looking to shake up the midrange market with the $749 Pixel 6a, offering the same Tensor chip and performance as its top phones but in a new, smaller body. 

So how does it fare?  

Design 

The Pixel 6a continues the two-tone visor design of the Pixel 6 phones, with a horizontal camera bar separating the brighter top portion from the more expansive muted colour. The Pixel 6a comes in three different colourways: Chalk, Charcoal and Sage. 

There is a slight downgrade in materials with the front of the phone using Gorilla Glass 3 as opposed to the more durable Victus glass from the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. There’s also plastic on the back instead of glass, and no wireless charging. 

The under-display fingerprint sensor performs more reliably on the 6a than on the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, but you do have to keep your finger pressed to the screen longer for the phone to consistently unlock. 

The OLED display is slightly smaller at 6.1-inches and it tops out at a 60Hz refresh rate as opposed to the smoother 90Hz of the Pixel 6 and 120Hz of the Pixel 6 Pro. It also isn’t the brightest panel going around but it gets bright enough for outdoor use and it supports HDR for some added pop to the viewing experience.

The lack of wireless charging and faster refresh rate display are notable omissions given that other mid-rangers such as Samsung’s Galaxy A53 offer those features. Still, the compact size of the Pixel 6a feels great in the hand and the plastic on the back feels closer to a soft-touch ceramic. 

The Pixel 6a only comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage so if you want more memory you will need to step up to the Pixel 6 phones. Google has omitted the headphone jack which is disappointing considering that last year’s Pixel 5a did come with one.  

The Pixel 6a ships with Android 12 and guarantees three years of software updates, which means it’ll get Android 13 when it arrives later this year. However, in a world where Samsung now guarantees four Android OS upgrades for its phones, including the Galaxy A53, Google’s effort here feels a little underwhelming. The upshot is that since this is a Pixel phone, the 6a will be among the first to receive Android software updates as well as beta previews for future Android builds.

The Pixel 6a retains the two-tone design with the distinct camera bar on the back from the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro

Battery life 

The Pixel 6a packs a solid 4,410mAh battery and combined with the Pixel’s ability to optimise the battery based on your usage habits, it delivered stellar battery life. Most days I would end up with at least 30-40 percent charge with the screen on time ranging between 5-6 hours. For most people, the Pixel 6a should sail through the first day and well into the next without having to charge the phone. 

Charging tops out at just 18W, taking two hours to fully charge the handset from dead flat to 100 percent. 

Software and performance 

What makes a Pixel phone is the software experience and Google has brought all the unique features it debuted on the more expensive Pixel 6 and 6 Pro to the 6a. Notable features such as the ability to translate languages on the fly within any app and when conversing with another person, as well as the lightning quick voice-to-text transcription, all work equally as well on the 6a. 

Our favourite feature is how the Google Assistant handles calls. It will screen calls from unknown numbers complete with a real-time transcription so you can decide whether to jump on the call.

Google Assistant will even wait on the line for you and let you know when the person on the other line is ready to talk, taking the tedium out of those painfully long calls to customer support. 

Meanwhile, on the Pixel home screen there’s a dedicated shortcut to viewing all the songs that the Assistant identified in the background over time with the option to directly export the songs into a playlist in YouTube Music. Having returned from a holiday in Fiji where we heard some amazing music both live and on the local radio, this feature really came in handy. 

Despite the lack of a faster refresh rate display, the software experience feels very snappy and smooth thanks to Google’s Tensor chip. In terms of raw performance, the processor is comparable to a Snapdragon 888 and is substantially more powerful than what you’ll find inside other mid-range handsets.

We also noticed that the Pixel 6a doesn’t get as warm as the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro and it doesn’t throttle performance as quickly when under load, which suggests Google has improved the thermal performance. 

Camera

While the Pixels 6 and 6 Pro provide an updated 50MP main camera sensor, the Pixel 6a sticks with the same 12MP Sony IMX363 sensor that the company has been using in previous generation Pixel phones dating back to 2017’s Pixel 2. Google has retained the ageing sensor’s relevance by dedicating considerable effort to the software side of image processing and it shows. 

The Tensor chip means that images are captured and processed significantly quicker than on the Pixel 5a and on par with the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. 

Comparing shots taken side by side with the Pixel 6 Pro’s main camera, we found the Pixel 6a produced shots with slightly more saturated colours in bright outdoor scenes which at times looked more pleasing to the eye. Although the Pixel 6 Pro’s larger 50MP main camera has an edge in resolved details and dynamic range, I found the shots out of the Pixel 6a main shooter to produce surprisingly more consistent results in more demanding scenes. 

A scene captured by Pixel 6a and 6 Pro. The Pixel 6a does a better job of isolating the subject from the background.

For example, in the shot above – with the subject standing in front of neon blue lights in the background – you can see that the Pixel 6a main shooter does a much better job at preserving the subject’s natural skin tone when compared to the Pixel 6 Pro which fails to isolate the subject from the neon-struck background almost entirely.     

The Pixel 6a is clearly benefiting from Google’s five years of image processing tuning with this particular image sensor. But there’s no denying that the larger and more powerful 50MP main shooter on the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro gives Google far more headroom to optimise the image processing over time. 

There’s parity on the ultrawide front, with the Pixel 6a using the same 12MP IMX386 Sony sensor as the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. There’s no dedicated telephoto lens but there’s a 2x zoom preset that effectively crops the shot and you can digitally zoom up to 7x. 

Shooting video at up to 4K and 60fps with the main camera and up to 30fps on the ultrawide look great with minimal noise and even exposures. We like how the recorded video retains the same contrasty look as the still images. 

In short, the Pixel 6a’s camera blows away every other Android smartphone within its price range and can trade blows with more expensive flagships. The only notable omission is the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens but that’s to be expected at this price point. 

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  Regular wide shot

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  Ultrawide low light shot

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  Autofocus on the Pixel 6a is fast enough to capture a fast moving toddler without blurring

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  Night sight

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  Night sight

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  Selfie camera: wide enough to fit a family in the frame

GadgetGuy’s take 

Google’s Pixel 6a is an impressive follow-up to last year’s Pixel 5a. It captures the essence of what made the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro such special smartphones and wraps it a more affordable package. The 60Hz display and lack of wireless charging count against it, but for overall value, the Pixel 6a simply can’t be beaten at this price point. 

The closest Android rival would be Samsung’s Galaxy A53 which boasts a bigger and faster 120Hz display as well as wireless charging. Still, it can’t match the stellar performance and overall user experience of the Pixel 6a. 

We would argue the Pixel 6a’s biggest competition is Google’s own Pixel 6, which regularly goes on sale for $899 and comes with a bigger screen, more durable glass as well as a slightly better camera. But for budget shoppers who want to experience the best of what Android has to offer, the Pixel 6a won’t disappoint.

Google Pixel 6a

Features

9

Value for money

9

Performance

9

Ease of use

9.5

Design

9

Positives

Great compact size while retaining a substantial 6.1-inch display

Impressive performance

Excellent camera

Steller battery life

Negatives

Display capped at 60Hz

No wireless charging

No headphone jack

9.1

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