Google unveils the mid-range Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL starting at $399

Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL were officially announced, after months of leaks, this evening during the opening conference of the Google I/O 2019, which this year was also full of interesting news.

The two smartphones are presented just as anticipated by the rumors and are positioned in the mid-range segment with a lot of software features and competitive prices. Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are the first smartphones from Google Pixel series not to position themselves in the premium segment of the market.

There is not much to say about their design because this is, perhaps, the element to which Google has paid less attention. Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are reminiscent of Google Pixels 2 and this means that their appearance is out of step with the times. The frames are thick, perhaps too much, and this means that the dimensions, despite the rather small displays, are generous. There is no notch, it is true, and this is undoubtedly a nice plus, but it all goes to the detriment of the overall dimensions. They are made of polycarbonate, with a glossy-matt finish that recalls the glass of the Google Pixels 3, and this could be good because they are both very light, despite not being among the most appreciated and resistant materials.

Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL specifications

• Pixel 3a – 5.6-inch (1080 x 2220 pixels) FHD+ OLED 18.5:9 display, 441 PPI, HDR support, Dragontrail glass protection
• Pixel 3a XL – 6-inch (2160×1080 pixels) FHD+ OLED 18:9 display, 400 PPI, HDR support, Dragontrail glass protection
• Octa-Core Snapdragon 670 ( 2 x 2GHz Kryo 360 (performance) + 6 x 1.7GHz Kryo 360 (efficiency)) 10nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 615 GPU
• 4GB LPDDR4X RAM, 64GB storage
• Android 9.0 (Pie)
• 12.2MP rear camera with LED flash, 1.4μm pixel size, ƒ/1.8 aperture, 76° FOV, Dual PD auto focus, OIS, EIS, 4K video recording at up to 30 fps, 720p at up to 240 fps
• 8MP  front camera with f/2.0 aperture, 84° FOV,  1.12μm pixel size
• Fingerprint sensor
• Active Edge
• 3.5mm audio jack, Stereo front-firing speakers, 2 microphones
• Pixel 3a Dimensions: 151.3 x 70.1 x 8.2mm; Weight: 147g
• Pixel 3a XL Dimensions: 160.1 x 76.1 x 8.2 mm; Weight: 167g
• 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11ac 2x2MIMO (2.4/5 GHz), Bluetooth 5 LE, GPS, USB Type-C Gen 1 , NFC
• 3000mAh (Pixel 3a) / 3700mAh (Pixel 3a XL) battery with 18W fast charging

Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL use the latest Android 9 Pie, with security and system updates guaranteed for at least three years. The software is full of features and complete just like the older brothers, from whom they inherit everything. There are, for example, the Always on Display, Now Playing, the At-a-Glance widget, Notification dots, Color Profiles, lots of system gestures, Google Lens, AR Core support with Maps AR too , Call Screen, Active Edge, Smart Storage, adaptive battery, adaptive brightness and digital well-being, and all the features found in Google Pixels 3 smartphones.

And the same goes for the photographic sector because they mount the same sensors and include the same software features as the older brothers. This means that Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL use a full version of the Google Camera and guarantee great photo quality and great versatility of shooting. We must not forget that both have eSIM support, although at the moment it is not yet available in all countries. In essence, they use the same operating system as the Google Pixels 3, without any waiver.

Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are available for purchase today in several countries from the Google Store, in Just Black, Clearly White and Purple-ish colors, at a price of $399 and $479 respectively, with unlimited free high quality storage on Google Photo. Their package includes the wall power supply, a 1m charging and data exchange cable, a SIM removal tool, Quick Start Guide and Quick Switch Adapter.