Google Pixel 3A XL

At a glance

• 6 inch Full HD+ OLED Display
• Up to 39 hours of talk time
• 12.2 mpx camera
• 64 GB internal storage
• Headphone jack – so partly water resistant

Highlights

Big battery and fast speeds – a long-lasting battery and super-fast charging speeds if an 18W charger is used.

Pixel Imprint – use your fingerprint as authentication

Design & appearance

Bigger and bolder than the Pixel 3A, the 3A XL’s dimensions are 6.3in x 3.0in x 0.3 and it weighs a bit more at 164 grams. Still, it’s lighter than the Pixel 3 XL and, despite its size, one-handed use is still possible.

As a mid-range phone, it’s made from all plastic with matte finish, so it’s not a totally premium design. However, damage-resistant Asahi Dragontail glass is used for the front which keeps it sleek. The 3A XL doesn’t have a notch at the top of the screen, but with a screen this size the bezels shouldn’t bother you.

The Pixel 3A XL is available in Clearly White, Just Black and Purple-ish.

Camera

The 3A XL has a 12.2 mpx rear camera and an 8 mpx front camera. Like the 3 and 3A, it’s got all the features that make this camera so highly acclaimed: Night Sight, Portrait Mode and Top Shot. It uses the Google Lens technology to recognise certain images within your photos to bring to life, as well as having Optical Image Stabilisation and Electronic Image Stabilisation, which use gyroscopic sensors to detect vibration and prevent blur.

Display

The Pixel 3A XL has 6-inch OLED display, with a screen resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. That’s a ppi of 402, so just ever so slightly less than the 3A, but you won’t notice it – both have the clarity of premium models so stream away to your heart’s content.

Software and features

Like the 3A and Pixel 3, the 3A XL runs on Android 9.0 (Pie) and is upgradable up to Android 11. And Google guarantees you’ll still receive the latest software and security updates for three years. A few other features we like:

• Rear finger print scanning for extra security
• DNLA certified meaning data transfer with other DNLA products is easy
• Multi User System
• With the latest software, you’ll be able to use AR on Google Maps.

Performance

The 3A XL uses the Snapdragon 670 processor and has 4GB RAM. We mentioned the battery size is slightly bigger than its younger sibling at 3700 mAh, giving you 39 hours of talk time. As a low-cost edition, it doesn’t support wireless charging.