We’re about to get the Google Pixel 6a vs. iPhone SE 2022 battle we’ve been anticipating since rumors suggested that both Apple and Google were planning low-cost phone releases for the first half of 2022. And when it happens, we’ll see which phone can claim the top spot on our list of best cheap phones.
Apple’s already held up its end of the bargain, releasing the iPhone SE (2022) in March. Known as the iPhone SE 3 back when it was just a rumor, this handset replaces the old iPhone SE with a 5G-ready model that boasts a much more powerful processor than before.
The Pixel 6a is more mysterious, though that could be about to change. Google appears to be building up toward a spring launch after rolling out the Pixel 5a in late summer last year. And the Pixel 6a could get a processor boost of its own, as Google might turn to the same chipset that powers its Pixel 6 flagships.
The iPhone SE 2022 vs. Pixel 5a battle was closely fought, and a Pixel 6a vs. iPhone SE 2022 head-to-head confrontation figures to be equally tight. Here’s how we see the face-off going down, based on our iPhone SE tests and the rumors we’ve heard so far about the Pixel 6a.
Google Pixel 6a vs. iPhone SE 2022: Specs
| iPhone SE 3 | Google Pixel 6a (rumored) | |
| Screen size | 4.7 inches | 6.2 inches |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 90Hz |
| CPU | A15 Bionic | Google Tensor |
| Rear cameras | 12MP | 12MP wide; 12MP ultrawide |
| Front camera | 7MP | 8MP |
| Battery size | 2,018 mAh (based on teardowns) | 4,800 mAh |
| Software | iOS 15 | Android 12 |
Google Pixel 6a vs. iPhone SE 2022: Price and availability
Apple and Google both offer high-end flagships with prices to match, but the iPhone SE and Pixel A Series phones give the two companies a chance to compete for budget-minded shoppers. It’s certainly continued with the iPhone SE 2022, which undercuts the current Pixel 5a by $20 — Apple sells its phone for $429 versus $449 for the current Pixel.
Can Google match or even beat that price with the Pixel 6a? It will be difficult, especially considering the features like 5G connectivity and a new Tensor chipset rumored for the upcoming phone. But we’d expect Google to keep the Pixel 5a’s price under $500 so it can compete with both the iPhone SE (2022) and the Samsung Galaxy A53, which shares the Pixel 5a’s $449 cost.
Equally important will be where you can get these phones. Google limited the Pixel 5a’s release to the U.S. and Japan, and Google Fi was the only carrier to offer the discount phone. The pressure will be on Google to make the Pixel 6a more widely available, especially with the iPhone SE having launched in multiple countries. In the U.S., you can pick up Apple’s phone from all of the best phone carriers.
We’re going to find out very soon how much the Pixel 6a costs, if rumors about the phone’s release date are true. Since the start of the year, rumors have pointed to a May launch for the Pixel 6a, something Google’s Sundar Pichai seemingly confirmed when he said that Google would show off new hardware at its Google I/O developer conference. Google I/O 2022 kicks off May 11.
Google Pixel 6a vs. iPhone SE 2022: Design and display
If you saw the iPhone SE 2020, you know exactly what the iPhone SE (2022) looks like. You get a Touch ID sensor on the bottom bezel and a chunky bezel up top to house the selfie cam — the same look as 2017’s iPhone 8. The back of the phone features a single camera lens, just like before.
In contrast, Google could shake things up with the Pixel 6a. For its Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro series last fall, Google introduced a distinctive new look in which a horizontal camera bar stretches across the back of that phone. That design could find its way to the Pixel 6a if Google wants to keep things looking consistent.
The iPhone SE 2022’s familiar design means it retains the 4.7-inch LCD panel of its predecessor. And like the iPhone 13 nor the iPhone 13 mini, it’s got a fixed 60Hz refresh rate — a feature Apple reserves for its iPhone 13 Pro models.
Fast-refresh rates have yet to find their way into Google’s A Series phones, and early rumors suggested that might continue with the Pixel 6a. More recently, though, at least one leaker has claimed that the Pixel 6a could sport a 90Hz refresh rate. We’d say that feature is still up in the air, but if it comes to pass, Google’s phone would have an edge over the iPhone SE.
Rumors suggest the Pixel 6a’s screen will come in at 6.2 inches — bigger than the iPhone SE’s 4.7-inch display, but smaller than what Google offered with the Pixel 5a.
Google Pixel 6a vs. iPhone SE 2022: Cameras
After adding a second lens, the Pixel 5a firmly established itself as one of the best camera phones around on a budget. While Google’s intelligent photo features still carry the day, the 16MP, 117-degree ultrawide camera on the Pixel 5a gives that device added flexibility. We certainly saw that when we compared the iPhone SE’s camera output to the Pixel 5a..
You have to assume dual cameras will be coming back to the Pixel 6a with the only question being whether Google boosts the resolution of the main sensor beyond 12MP. For now, the only camera rumor we have to go on for the Pixel 6a forecasts a 12MP main camera, 12MP ultrawide camera and 8MP selfie camera.
There’s no change to the camera hardware on the iPhone SE 2022. You get a 12MP lens as before, with no ultrawide shooter to expand the kinds of shots Apple’s phone can pull off. Fortunately, a better processor than the one in the 2020 edition of the phone — more on that below — powers more camera features like Smart HDR 4 for handling tricky lighting and Deep Fusion for calling out more details. The iPhone SE also supports Photographic Styles, which lets you change the look of your photos on the fly.
What you don’t get with the iPhone SE (2022) is any dedicated Night mode. It’s a puzzling omission, as there doesn’t seem to be any technical limitation on including it. As a result, the iPhone SE struggles to keep up with phones that can take low-light photos, such as the Pixel 5a. (The photo comparison up above shows just how behind the curve the iPhone SE is.) We imagine this is one area where the Pixel 6a is going to trounce the iPhone SE (2022).
Google Pixel 6a vs. iPhone SE 2022: Performance and 5G
Normally, any performance face-off between one of Apple’s phones and an Android device is a mere formality, given Apple’s success at building the fastest mobile chipsets we’ve tested. But the Google Pixel 6a vs. iPhone SE (2022) face-off offers an intriguing new development.
Apple is certainly up to the change, having equipped the new SE with the A15 Bionic, which is the same chipset that powers the iPhone 13 family. That means the same processing power available in Apple’s most expensive phones is also available in a $429 handset.
iPhone SE (2022) benchmarks illustrate just how powerful this phone is, thanks to the A15 Bionic. It can keep up with the iPhone 13, meaning it easily outperforms the best Android phones — even the Pixel 6 and its Tensor chip.
But there’s more to Google’s Tensor chipset than performance. Google designed the chipset with an emphasis on machine learning. That, in turn, has powered some helpful new experiences on the Pixel 6 phones like live audio dictation for text messages and advanced call screening features. And that’s relevant to the Pixel 6a because rumors suggest the Tensor silicon is headed to Google’s lower-cost phone.
While the iPhone SE (2022) and its A15 chip should outmuscle the Pixel 6a in timed tasks and multitasking, Google’s low-cost phone could rely on its Tensor engine to pull off tricks the Apple device simply can’t. We’re looking forward to see how this battle shakes down.
Regardless of which chip the respective phones use, both will support 5G connectivity, though there’s a caveat in the case of the iPhone SE. It doesn’t support mmWave-based 5G, so it can’t take advantage of Verizon’s super-fast 5G connections. The phone does work with C-Band 5G, which Verizon is increasingly using to deliver faster 5G, and there’s no problem with the sub-6GHz 5G networks that AT&T and T-Mobile have built out.
Google Pixel 6a vs. iPhone SE 2022: Battery life and charging
The iPhone SE (2022) didn’t do much to improve upon the battery life of its predecessor, turning in a worse time on our battery test. We have phones surf the web over cellular until they run out of power, and the iPhone SE (2022) turned in a time of 9 hours and 5 minutes. That’s not only worse than the average smartphone by nearly an hour, it’s 13 minutes less than the last iPhone SE lasted.
So that’s an opportunity for the Pixel 6a, especially since the Pixel 5a is only a little bit better than the iPhone SE, with a time of 9 hours and 45 minutes on our test. Leaked specs suggest the Pixel 6a will have a 4,800 mAh battery, up slightly from the 4,680 mAh cell in the Pixel 5a.
The iPhone SE (2022) still charges at 20W, which is better than the Pixel 5a’s 18W speed. A rumor tips the Pixel 6a to get 30W charging. However, the Pixel 5a lacked wireless charging, a feature you get on the iPhone SE (2022), so that’s another possible area for the Pixel 6a to address.
Google Pixel 6a vs. iPhone SE 2022: Software and special features
One of the safest bets to make about either phone is that they’ll run the latest versions of their respective software. The iPhone SE (2022) ships with iOS 15, and you can bet that Android 12 will come on the Pixel 6a. Upgrading to Android 13 when the full version comes out later this year will be easy on the Pixel 6a, though you could say the same thing about the iPhone SE and iOS 16.
Google offers three years of software support for its phones, so your Pixel 6a should be good through Android 15. Of course, the original iPhone SE released six years ago can still run the latest iOS version, so this is one area where Apple still trumps Google.
Where the Pixel 6a could stand out is if it gets the Tensor chip Google introduced last fall. That would potentially give it access to some of the AI-powered capabilities that help the Pixel 6 phones stand out. The question is whether all those AI features would be enabled on the Pixel 6a or whether Google would hold some back to differentiate its budget phone from its flagship devices.
Google Pixel 6a vs. iPhone SE 2022: Outlook
Past iPhone-Pixel confrontations have come down to which phone takes the better photos, but the Google Pixel 6a vs. iPhone SE (2022) face-off adds some extra factors. We’ll be interested to see what Tensor brings to the mix. And price will continue to be a factor, especially if Google can’t find a way to lower the Pixel 6a’s cost to match the iPhone.
We won’t be waiting much longer to see which phone ends up on top, should the Pixel 6a ship in May. And we can’t wait to find out how those two phones compare.
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