Google Pixel 6a pre-orders are now live. Buy direct from the Google Store, though, and you get a neat little bonus with your purchase: a free pair of Google Pixel Buds A-Series that would usually cost $100 / £100.
The Google Pixel 6a was first announced at the Google IO 2022 conference with a budget-friendly price of $449 / £399. It comes with 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage, plus there are three different color options, including Charcoal (that's black), Chalk (that's white) and Sage (a pale green). As a more affordable alternative to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, it borrows a number of key features from those well-rated flagship phones but cuts a few corners elsewhere to drop the price.
Similarly, then, the Google Pixel Buds A-Series are a downscaled version of the Pixel Buds 2. They may not be the most comfortable option – and lack some advanced features such as noise-cancellation and wireless charging – but we found they are a decent pair of true wireless earbuds in our review. They come into their own, too, when paired with Google Pixel devices, so it's a useful extra to go with your new smartphone.
You've got from now until August 1st to take advantage of this Google Pixel 6a pre-order offer at the Google Store. Meanwhile, the smartphone is scheduled for release on July 28, so you've got some time after launch to grab it in case you want to think about it after reading our Google Pixel 6a review and see whether it claims a spot in our best cheap phones guide. We'll also keep an eye out for any other Google Pixel 6a pre-orders at other retailers.
Pixel 6a pre-order at the Google Store
Back to the phone: let's hit you with those key specs. The Google Pixel 6a has a 6.1-inch OLED screen with a 1080 x 2400 resolution, HDR support and a 60Hz refresh rate - that means it's smaller and less responsive compared to its siblings.
These are all understandable compromises given the price, though. And, as we saw with the Google Pixel 5a, it means the emphasis for the Pixel 6a is on delivering a solid mid-range phone with a great camera (including the clever Magic Eraser trickery), all-day battery life and a performance-boosting Tensor chip.
