It’s the early days of Techtober 2022, and Samsung just dropped phones that cost $999 and $1,799, respectively, but it’s 2022, and budget or mid-range smartphones are having a moment. You can spend under $500 and score a terrific experience with good cameras, long battery life, and the ability to run a boatload of apps.
Leading the mid-range options are Apple’s third-generation iPhone SE and Google’s Pixel 6a. Priced at $429 and $449, respectively, both phones deliver fast speeds, clean interfaces, and other flagship features.
So now, we’re putting the iPhone SE and Pixel 6a head-to-head to help you decide.
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iPhone SE vs Pixel 6a: Design And DisplayIf you’re after a modern look, you’ll want to go with the Pixel 6a. Its 6.1-inch OLED screen stretches to the edges and fills the entire front. The frame here is soft aluminum, and the rear is smooth glass. Placing the 6a next to the Pixel 6 or 6 Pro might have you take a double take as they all sport a horizontal camera bar on the rear. And the 6.1-inch screen here looks and feels modern in use, and like the iPhone SE it’s at 60hz for a refresh rate. However, it’s a bit more immersive thanks to the larger size.
As the Pixel 6a looks modern and sits alongside more expensive smartphones, the third-generation iPhone SE opts for a classic design. It’s using the same build as the iPhone 8. You get a 4.7-inch Retina display, but it’s surrounded by bezels and features a Home button right below it. And in terms of quality, it has a really sharp resolution and can get quite vibrant with colors.
With the iPhone SE, you’ll want to make sure you’re comfortable with a smaller sized device. It’s a comfortable build, especially for someone who wants physical control or is upgrading from an iPhone 6, 7, or 8. And in typical Apple (AAPL) fashion, it uses aluminum and glass all around.
Final Takeaway on Design and Display: The Pixel 6a is a modern-looking smartphone, while the iPhone SE is more of a classic.
iPhone SE vs Pixel 6a: Performance and Battery LifeJacob Krol/The Street
The secret sauce of the iPhone SE third-generation is that it features the same processor — Apple’s A13 Bionic — as the entire iPhone 13 family. It bests any other budget or mid-range smartphone, including the Pixel 6a, in terms of performance. Applications open swiftly, you can quickly export or copy content, and you’ll struggle to make it slow down. It also allows for neat photography modes and provides a fairly long runtime. It will get through a whole day, but you’ll likely need to charge it overnight — it’s not a battery champ like the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
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Related: Your Buying Guide to the Best iPhones in 2022Similarly, the Pixel 6a uses the Google (GOOGL) -made Tensor chip that first premiered in the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro but pairs it with only 6GB of RAM. That might seem like a drop on paper, but the 6a also ran well in use. It was a bit slower with more intense workloads than the SE. Thanks to a 4,400mAh cell which lasted for a day and a half with heavy use, Google’s affordable Pixel crushes when it comes to battery life.
Final Takeaway on Performance and Battery Life: The iPhone SE wins with performance, but the Pixel 6a can last for days depending on your usage levels.
iPhone SE vs Pixel 6a: CamerasWe’ve covered the design, screen, battery and display, so what’s left is Camera performance. And on paper, it’s two cameras (iPhone SE) versus three cameras (Pixel 6a), but the results are a little more nuanced.
The iPhone SE features one main 12-megapixel wide lens on the back paired with a simple, circular LED flash. It’s excellent for taking shots and delivers end results similar to other iPhone models. You’ll get a good amount of details, especially in well-lit scenarios. It also supports Portrait Mode and uses AI (along with software) to separate the background from the foreground. The A13 Bionic inside makes it fast at capturing the image and processing it as well. It’s just a single lens, so it’s not as versatile as a device with multiple lenses.
And that’s where the Pixel 6a gets a main advantage with a 12.2-megapixel wide and a 12-megapixel ultra wide lens. They’re quick to capture an image, and process it, but also support Night Sight for impressive low-light shots and features like Magic Eraser. Both of those are not found on the iPhone SE.
Final Takeaway on Cameras: Apple’s iPhone SE can take excellent photos, but it’s bit limiting with just one rear lens, while the Pixel 6a offers Night Sight for great low-light photos and the ability to swap between two main lenses.
iPhone SE vs Pixel 6a: Bottom LineBoth the iPhone SE and the Pixel 6a are excellent mid-range smartphones with pretty much all the possible bells and whistles you could want at $429 and $449 respectively. They both lead this portion of the smartphone market as well and prove that you don’t need to necessarily spend thousands.
If you’re in the Apple ecosystem or just want an all around intuitive smartphone with great speed and a camera that performs well, the iPhone SE is excellent. It’s also slightly cheaper than the Pixel 6a.
But if you’re after an Android phone that delivers a clean experience, some impressive photo skills, and don’t want to be worried about charging it, the Pixel 6a is worth a look.
iPhone SE and Pixel 6a Tech SpecificationsApple iPhone SE third-generation
Google Pixel 6a
Display
4.7-inch Retina Display
6.1-inch Full HD display
Processor
A13 Bionic
Google Tensor
Cameras
12-megapixel wide (rear), 7-megapixel (front)
12.2-megapixel wide and 12-megapixel ultra wide (rear), 8-megapixel wide (front)
Battery
2,018mAh
4,400mAh
Connectivity
5G: Sub-6. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 6.
5G: Sub-6, mmWave, and C-Band. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 6
Storage
64GB, 128GB, or 256GB
128GB
Colors
Midnight, Starlight, or PRODUCT(RED)
Chalk, Charcoal, or Sage
Price
$429 (starting)
$449 (starting)
Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.