You Can Preorder the Pixel 6a and PixelBuds Pro Today

The Google Pixel 6a and PixelBuds Pro earbuds are now available for preorder and will ship to customers starting July 28. Both devices will be available in 13 launch countries plus select retailers in India.

“At I/O we shared our upcoming hardware including Pixel 6a and Pixel Buds Pro,” Google’s Alicia Cormie writes. “As of today, both devices are available for pre-order on the Google Store. Pixel 6a starts at $449 and Pixel Buds Pro are available for $199.”

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I won’t be getting or reviewing the Pixel 6a, so I checked out the early reviews and wasn’t surprised at what I saw: great value, good performance, and decent if aging cameras. But it’s hard to argue with the asking price: $449 for the Tensor-based Pixel 6a seems like a good deal. You can learn more here.

The PixelBuds Pro are, to me, more interesting: these are Google’s first earbuds with active noise cancelation (ANC) and they utilize a custom 6-core audio chip running Google-developed algorithms. There’s also a Silent Seal feature that adapts to your unique ear shape, plus multiple eartip sizes to help ensure that unwanted sound stays out. The PixelBuds Pro cost $199.

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Conversation 9 comments

  • jlmerrill

    21 July, 2022 - 9:10 pm

    <p>Total cost for a Pixel6a and Pixel A buds with a Pixel 4a trade-in is $187 including tax. What could be better?</p>

    • anderb

      Premium Member
      21 July, 2022 - 9:32 pm

      <p>A phone that doesn’t use the tensor chip?</p>

    • rmlounsbury

      Premium Member
      22 July, 2022 - 2:04 pm

      <p>With the trade in pricing + Pixel Fan discount on the Pixel Buds Pro I was able to snag the Pixel 6a, Pixel A Buds, and Pixel Buds Pro for $328.99. Without the trade and discount that would have been $748.98. </p><p><br></p><p>Pretty solid haul for the price. </p><p><br></p><p>I’ll be curious to see where the Pixel Watch falls for pricing. Google will have a compelling eco-system to run against Apple for the first time. </p>

  • goodbar

    Premium Member
    22 July, 2022 - 10:39 am

    <p>That trade-in value is crazy! </p>

  • dftf

    22 July, 2022 - 2:29 pm

    <p>Seen some mixed reviews, myself… especially if you follow any tech <em>YouTube</em> reviewers.</p><p><br></p><p>Essentially, they agree the phone is good overall, with the usual clean Android experience and <em>Google’s</em> extras, like the call-screening. But they argue the <em>Android</em> mid-range is so-competitive now, that unless you really want to get those <em>Google</em>-y extras, you may get more elsewhere.</p><p><br></p><p>The <strong>Samsung Galaxy A53</strong>, for example, is £379 on the high-street (with a free pair of "Galaxy Buds Live" you can claim), or cheaper, if you’re willing to get one from <em>Amazon</em>. For that £20 less (than the <em>Pixel 6a</em> at £399), you’ll get Gorilla Glass 5, not 3; an AMOLED screen at up-to 120Hz (not OLED and 60Hz); a 64MP main-camera (not the 12MP one used since the <em>Pixel 2</em>!); a 32MP front-facing camera (not 8MP); a larger 5000mAh battery (versus 4410mAh); and slightly-faster 25W charging (versus 18W). Plus you can expand the storage with a microSD card, and you’ll get more <em>Android</em> OS updates during it’s lifetime.</p><p><br></p><p>Or the <strong>Nothing Phone (1) </strong>for £399, which similarly offers the Gorilla Glass 5; 120Hz screen; 2GB of extra RAM (starts at 8GB versus 6GB); has a 50MP main camera, and 16MP selfie camera; and 33W fast-charging, or 15W wireless-charging. (As a negative: only IP53 rated; the other-two are IP67).</p><p><br></p><p>So… the only real advantage hardware-wise on the <em>Pixel </em>would be the <em>Tensor</em> chip (assuming <em>Google</em> have ironed-out the issues some had with the <em>6 </em>and <em>6 Pro); </em>it’s slightly-smaller; it has the "always on display" (if you use that); and the USB C port operates at USB 3.1 speeds, not USB 2.0 speeds. (Initial reviews seem to suggest the in-screen fingerprint-reader does seem faster than on the <em>6</em> and <em>6 Pro</em>).</p>

    • goodbar

      Premium Member
      23 July, 2022 - 1:03 pm

      <p>Paying street price, that makes sense. However, if you get one of those phones, you can’t take advantage of a $300 trade-in, which drastically changes the value equation.</p>

      • dftf

        24 July, 2022 - 5:13 am

        <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">If you order direct from </span><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Samsung</em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, they also offer a trade-in programme — for </span><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Pixel </em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">devices (original </span><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Pixel</em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, up-to the </span><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Pixel 5</em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">) you can get "up to £200" off a new phone, depending on condition.</span></p><p><br></p><p>It would appear as of now, <em>Nothing</em> do not offer any trade-in, no.</p>

      • marcosv

        Premium Member
        24 July, 2022 - 11:16 am

        <p>Yup, trading in my old Pixel 3A for $300 off to get the Pixel 6A for $150 is the reason why I’m going for the Pixel 6A.</p><p><br></p><p>I’m returning the Samsung A53 5G I got for $350. That phone has a few missing features like the ability to temporarily limit to LTE only or easily set up APNs. The 3rd party apps recommended by carrier tech support seem to have messed up the phone configuration (can’t get out of LTE), even after a factory reset.</p><p><br></p><p>This phone is a backup to my Z Fold 3; so the A53 5G’s better display and faster fingerprint reader aren’t worth saving $150. Hoping the Pixel software experience — even on a Pixel 6A — will be better than the Samsung experience on the A53.</p>

  • Brian Hodges

    Premium Member
    22 July, 2022 - 7:39 pm

    <p>Why won’t you be reviewing it? Have you washed your hands completely of the Pixel line because of previous quality issues?</p>

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