GoKawiilDhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
The Pixel lineup has been a part of my smartphone rotation ever since the first model launched way back in 2016. And like everyone else, I’m a big fan of a good deal. So, the Pixel A-series smartphones has, predictably, been of particular interest to me. The idea of blending good-enough specs with excellent value isn’t new, but when paired with Google’s clean software and cutting-edge AI smarts, there’s a lot to like here on paper. But times are changing, and the definition of value continues to get redefined year on year.
In an AI-first market, OnePlus is going against the grain with an old-school value-conscious flagship killer.
I have grown increasingly weary of Google’s dogmatic insistence on an AI-first strategy, particularly when so many of those headline features remain exclusive to North America. So, when the first rumors about the OnePlus Nord 6 started circulating, I was more than intrigued. Especially about that 9,000mAh battery.
Now that I’ve used the phone for the last couple of weeks, it has become clear that it’s everything I wanted the Pixel 10a to be. While Google has spent the last year convincing us that mid-range phones should focus on AI-assisted shenanigans that are often little more than one-time-use gimmicks, OnePlus has gone in the opposite direction. The result is a device that feels less like a compromise and more like an old-school affordable flagship, or as the enthusiasts call it, a flagship killer. For a similar price, you’re not just getting a few extra megapixels; you’re getting dramatically better hardware for the money, and software that can keep up just fine.
Is Google focusing too much on AI at the cost of hardware? 31 votes Yes, hardware matters more 74 % No, AI is the future 0 % We need a better balance of both 26 % Not sure 0 %
A tale of two processors
Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
At the heart of the Pixel 10a is the Tensor G4. It is a chip that Google describes as “optimized for AI,” which is to say, it’s been designed from the ground up for running Google’s AI models instead of raw speed. In real-world use, that means the Pixel 10a is great for Magic Eraser and real-time translation, but it can struggle when you push it with intensive multitasking or high-end gaming. And it does.
Having used the Pixel 9 Pro — which shares this same Tensor G4 architecture — for the past 18 months, I can confidently say that its long-term performance leaves much to be desired. This is a chip that plays it safe. Which is fine for the average user, but at a time when even average users are dabbling in resource intensive software like Lightroom on their phones, it can get frustrating real quick.
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