84 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 63
COMPARISON
Design
The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a external designs are similar
in many ways, including size. The Pixel 3a is slightly
larger all around:Pixel 3a: 151.3x70.1x8.2mm
Pixel 3: 145.6x68.2x7.9mm
Pixel 3a XL: 160.1x76.1x8.2mm
Pixel 3 XL: 158x76.7x7.9mmMoving on to major design characteristics, the
Pixel 3 and 3 XL are distinctive – if not as beautiful
as flagships from Apple or Samsung. From the 3 XL’s
notch to the two-tone frosted-glass back, the Pixel
3 family is instantly recognizable at a distance.
The 3a follows a similar aesthetic, with some
tweaks. The 3a XL doesn’t have a notch, for instance,
so there’s a fair amount of space above the screen.
The other big change is on the 3a’s back: it’s made
of plastic rather than glass.
As far as external components, both have a single
camera lens in the top left corner and a smooth
‘window’abovethemattebody.The3alacksa
front-facing speaker below the screen, as you’ll
find on the Pixel 3.
The 3a is also a bit lighter, particularly comparing
the larger models of each:Pixel 3a: 147g
Pixel 3: 148g
Pixel 3a XL: 167g
Pixel 3 XL: 184g