We’re coming to think of the Google Pixel as the iPhone of the Android world. And, no, I don’t mean that as an insult.
And so, too, do Pixel phones, such as the new, low-cost Pixel 6a we’ve been reviewing here in the Digital Life Labs this past week or so.and like the iPhone, the Pixel 6a feels effortless and harmonious to use, where everything looks right and is in the right place, and for the most part works. But it’s in benchmark comparisons with the iPhone that we see that Google still has some way to go with its Tensor chip. Compared to an iPhone 13 Pro, the Pixel 6a was 40 per cent slower for single- and multi-core performance, and a whopping 52 per cent slower for graphics.
One of our favourite Pixel features, a piece of software known as “Now Playing” that automatically listens for music that’s playing within earshot of the phone, and identifies and catalogues it for you, wasn’t completely compatible with the 6a, either.