Hello all, first timer here. Thinking about a Pixel 3A but since the price of the 3 is $599 now maybe $200 more for the 3 instead? I had an original Pixel and really liked it. Using a Moto Z2 play currently and tired of slow security updates and non working NFC. Thanks for any input.
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Pixel 3 or 3A?
- Thread starter Mackey69
- Start date
I have the Pixel 3a and don't miss any of the features that differentiate it from the 3.
Namely:
Namely:
- Slightly slower proc
- lesser front camera
- plastic back
- No wireless charging
- No front facing speakers
Thanks for the reply, exactly the kind of feedback I'm looking for. None of those points are deal breakers to me...
How about a headphone jack? Because the 3a has one and the 3 hasn't.
Hah, that too.
By the way, welcome to the community. I hope you find things a little more friendly here.
Another good point, thanks. I still use wired headphones.
Thanks! Yeah, exactly what I've been looking for. Too many posts on other sites that turn into drama or nastiness. None of that for me...
The night camera... is that the same on both phones?
Rear camera and software is identical. My understanding from someone that owns both is it takes a bit longer for the 3a to process, but I think you would only notice on a side by side comparison.
I've got both a 3 (work phone) and a 3a (personal phone). In everyday use they are pretty much identical. And yes, the camera on the back is the same as in the full-up Pixel 3, Night Sight and all. I've taken pictures side by side and not been able to tell them apart except for the EXIF data. ([EDIT:] As @Unforgiven mentioned above, the 3a doesn't have the dedicated Pixel Visual Core chip for offloading photo processing. Photos are still captured just as quickly but they take a little longer to process the HDR+ and other enhancements since they're running on the same CPU+GPU as the rest of the OS.)
I do miss the 3's wireless charging via the Pixel Stand, but the 3a's battery life is fantastic enough that I don't really care. The combination of a slightly larger battery + lower resolution display + slower processor means it seriously just sips at the juice.
The 3a does struggle a little bit with intensive games like Elder Scrolls: Blades, but I couldn't tell a difference between the two while testing out Mario Kart Tour.
Another difference is that the Pixel 3 gets unlimited photo backups at original size while the 3a's free backups are in a slightly-smaller "high quality" size. Again, my eyes can't generally tell a difference between the two - and Google One storage is pretty cheap anyway if you need the full-resolution photos instead.
Honestly, I find it hard to recommend the Pixel 3 at this point. The Pixel 3a just provides 95% of the same experience at 50% of the cost. That's a no-brainer to me.
I do miss the 3's wireless charging via the Pixel Stand, but the 3a's battery life is fantastic enough that I don't really care. The combination of a slightly larger battery + lower resolution display + slower processor means it seriously just sips at the juice.
The 3a does struggle a little bit with intensive games like Elder Scrolls: Blades, but I couldn't tell a difference between the two while testing out Mario Kart Tour.
Another difference is that the Pixel 3 gets unlimited photo backups at original size while the 3a's free backups are in a slightly-smaller "high quality" size. Again, my eyes can't generally tell a difference between the two - and Google One storage is pretty cheap anyway if you need the full-resolution photos instead.
Honestly, I find it hard to recommend the Pixel 3 at this point. The Pixel 3a just provides 95% of the same experience at 50% of the cost. That's a no-brainer to me.
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Glad that's not just me 
Congrats!!!
