Google Pixel 6a: is this smartphone really better than the Nothing Phone (1)?

As usual, Google has unveiled an “a” version of its advanced terminals. More affordable, this versatile smartphone focuses on photography, an area that the Californian giant has mastered perfectly, while the Chinese outsider still has everything to prove.

More pragmatically, the Pixel 6a shows a now familiar design, while the Nothing Phone (1) plays the card of originality. If the Google mobile wins this round, it is thanks to its better compactness and, above all, its IP67 protection index. However, the victory is not overwhelming compared to a smartphone with a much more ambitious appearance enhanced by its rear LEDs, equipped with unprecedented wireless charging in this segment and IP53 certification.

On the side of the screen, victory goes to the newcomer, the Telephone (1). Although the two devices have a similar panel, the Nothing model stands out a bit. With a Full HD definition (2,400 x 1,080 pixels), it offers a refresh rate of 120 Hz against only 60 Hz for the Google smartphone. And drives the point home with a more accurate calibration and a high brightness peak.

In terms of performance, the Nothing Phone (1) proved particularly sharp thanks to its Snapdragon 778G. If the two Android terminals were very fast, the Qualcomm chip equipping the phone (1) delivers video game performance that the opponent’s Tensor fails to match. In any case, the manufacturers provide phones that are comfortable in all situations.

It is clear that it is on the trigger of the image that Google clearly stands out. Less ambitious than the Pixel 6, this “a” version nevertheless has two 12.2 megapixel sensors compared to a duo of 50 Mpx sensors for the phone (1). But the characteristics are not everything, and the Mountain View company knows it well, arguing for very advanced processing algorithms that allow the Pixel 6a to deliver faithful images and high sharpness. Not surprisingly, the night shots are also in favor of Google, proving to us once again that software processing works miracles.

On the autonomy side, the Pixel 6a is more durable, especially thanks to its larger battery capacity, but the phone (1) benefits from a much faster and wireless charging.

The Pixel 6a wins this duel thanks to its IP67 certification and its photo component, which Google maintains a certain edge on. But don’t let the Mountain View company rest on its laurels because the outsider Nothing proves to us that it has weapons sharp enough to eclipse players that are already well established.