Google Pixel 3a XL Review: A Worthy Pixel By Alex Hong

Hey there, Alex here. I’m sure most of you guys have already seen a bunch of other videos about the Pixel 3a at this point, so instead of going through everything in depth, I’m just going to dive right in and talk about my experience with the phone and how I feel about it. The whole point of the Pixel 3a is to bring the excellent camera experience from the Pixel 3 into a more affordable package. So let’s start with that. The Pixel 3a packs the same rear camera as the Pixel 3, so the image quality is almost indistinguishable from each other. It has excellent dynamic range, the way it processes images still looks amazing, and Night Sight still works remarkably well.

The images do take a bit longer to process because the Pixel 3a lacks a dedicated image processor, the Pixel Visual Core, but it’s really not a big deal considering the results that we’re getting. It’s actually lacking a spectral + flicker sensor as well, which sort explains why I’m noticing a bit more flickering when recording videos indoors using the Pixel 3a. But again, it’s not that big of a deal since it only happens in certain types of lighting. On the front, this is where I really noticed a difference in terms of quality. Other than not having that wide angle camera, I noticed that the images looks a little softer.

This is especially apparent in dimmer lighting conditions. It’s still really good, just not as good as the Pixel 3. Another thing that I love about Pixel devices is the software experience. It might be a little barebones for some, but I like how clean it is, and how it gets regular software updates. That’s still the same on the Pixel 3a, and most of the features from the Pixel 3 can be found here as well, so I’m not going to talk too much about those things.

The only exception here is perhaps the lack of the free original resolution backup to Google Photos. We’re only getting the free high quality backup option which every other phone gets anyway. I know the high quality option is still really good, but it’s just a little disappointing for me since I feel like they already brought the excellent camera experience from the Pixel 3 to the Pixel 3a, so why not provide the same excellent backup option as well? At this point, we should probably talk about the other trade-offs that we are getting on the Pixel 3a. The first thing you need to note, is that the glossy portion of the phone picks up scratches really easily. So I’ll personally recommend going for the lighter coloured versions, or just get a skin for the phone if you want to keep it in pristine condition.

Other than that, I don’t really mind the polycarbonate body. It's a little more durable against bumps and drops, and it still feels solid enough. On the front, the 1080p display is a step down from the Pixel 3 XL in terms of quality. But it’s still a good looking screen, apparently from Samsung, and it certainly looks better than the Pixel 2 XL’s display to me. It also gets bonus points from me for not having a notch at the top.

It’s using Dragon Trail glass instead of Gorilla Glass, which I have no idea is better or worse in terms of durability. Just try not to drop the phone. Another thing you’ll notice is that the bottom speaker, is no longer front firing. I don’t think it’s a big deal since a lot of phones uses the same configuration anyway. It doesn’t get quite as loud as the Pixel 3 XL, but it still sounds pretty good to me.

While we’re talking about audio, guess who’s back. Jack. Headphone Jack. I personally don’t care much for Jack, but I know some folks really missed him. Anway, moving on.

I’m sure you guys already know that the Pixel 3a doesn’t perform as well as the Pixel 3, or even the Pixel 2. The use of eMMC storage is a bit of a bummer, and I do feel the difference there. But it’s not really that bad. At no point in time, I felt like this was a slow phone. It handles everything I throw at it just fine and even gaming is pretty enjoyable on this phone.

Another thing that I’ve really enjoyed on the Pixel 3a XL is the battery life. It has a 3,700mAh battery, which is bigger than even the Pixel 3 XL. Combine that with the mid-range processor and a lower resolution screen, I can get through an entire day of heavy usage pretty easily. So I don’t even care that there isn’t wireless charging here, since I don’t have to worry about the phone running out of battery in the first place. There are a few other things that we’re missing out on, but I don’t think these are things that most people will care about except for water resistance.

But then again, even budget flagship devices often lacks water resistance as well. So, I know for those of us in Singapore, the price of the Pixel 3a feels pretty steep considering the hardware that it’s offering. Not just because of the markup over US prices, but also because of the other budget flagship options that we have here. However, if I base it on the US pricing, I totally get why a lot of reviewers in the US likes the phone so much. As someone who doesn’t like spending too much money on a phone, but still want a really amazing camera and good software experience, the Pixel 3a is the phone that I’ve always wanted Google to make.

The way I look at it is this. Given the choice between having better specifications, or having a camera that I can rely on to capture moments that could be once in a lifetime, I’ll pick the latter. Every. Single. Time.

Thanks for watching my review of the Pixel 3a XL. If you’ve enjoyed it, be sure to leave a like, and subscribe to the channel for more content in the future. Thanks again, and see you guys on the next one.

Source : Alex Hong