ISSUE 62 • ANDROID ADVISOR 15GOOGLE I/O 2019things very similar with the 3a, and even side by side
you’d struggle to tell it apart from the regular Pixel 3
(£739). The design is kept the same with all the little
details found on flagship devices.
That includes a two-tone finish on the back with
a shiny glass section around the camera. The main
difference is that the 3a is a little bit more chunky,
but not by much. There are also slightly thicker bezels
either side of the screen. The main thing here is the
big chin below the display.
The Pixel 3a is available in Clearly White, Just Black,
and a new colour called ‘Purple-ish’. This is a dusty
pastel-looking colour, which is very subtle and has a
lime green power button.
The pressure sensors on the side of the phone
remain, so you can use Active Edge to, for example,
summon Google Assistant.
There are two big things to note about the Pixel 3a
design when comparing it to the Pixel 3. First, you get
a headphone jack, thanks partly to the slightly bigger
frame. Secondly, it’s not waterproof.
Processor
Although the design of the Pixel 3a is like its flagship
big brother – the 3a XL (see page 21) – there are
some specification changes you should be aware of.
First off, you get a lower tier processor: a Qualcomm
Snapdragon 670 instead of an 845. In general use, the
phone doesn’t feel any different to the Pixel 3. It does,
however, take longer when demanding tasks arise
such as taking a Night Sight photo with the camera.
It’s a small sacrifice for a phone at this price, though.