ISSUE 68 • ANDROID ADVISOR 53Unique colour: Purple-ish
Verdict
The Pixel 3a isn’t just the cheapest way to get into
a current Google phone, it’s also a great Android
phone in its own right. For £399, you get a nice
OLED display, a great camera, and of course the
Google promise of three years of Android updates.
And it’s one of the few remaining phones to have a
headphone jack. Even without the latest specs, it’s still
a very, very good phone for £399.
Pixel 2 and 2 XL
Price: £225 (inc VAT) from fave.co/2NHIzDl
Price: £449 (inc VAT) from fave.co/2ND3asq
What you’re giving up
The Pixel 2 doesn’t have wireless charging, which
was introduced on the Pixel 3. Both phones also
have smaller displays compared to their Pixel 3 and
4 counterparts (5 inches on the Pixel 2 and 6 inches
on the Pixel 2 XL). It has slightly lower IP67 water
resistance versus IP68 on the 3 and 4, so you can
only dunk it in a meter of water rather than 1.5m. And
it may or may not receive Android 11 next year since
Google only guarantees two years of updates.
What isn’t on newer models
The Pixel 2’s aluminium back makes it more durable
than the glass on the Pixel 3 and later. You’re also
getting front-facing stereo speakers, which Google
abandoned on the Pixel 4. And while the Pixel 2