This is a list of phones that are in a similar price range as the Pixel 6a, and they offer a great experience, as well. Some of the phones aren’t particularly “mid-ranged” per se, but they’re close in price.
Top 10 best alternatives to the Pixel 6a Summary
If you’re in a rush, then don’t worry. Here’s a quick rundown of the phones on this list. It shows you the MSRP of the device and it provides a link to where to buy. While this saves time, it’s recommended that you read below for a more detailed explanation of the phones. They show you some of the more important aspects of the devices and could help you make a more informed decision.
TCL Stylus 5G
Price: $258Where to buy: TCL
The TCL Stylus 5G is a new phone that was recently released by TCL, and this phone was able to knock it out of the park during our review session. You’d expect a phone this inexpensive to be underpowered. Not only is the price low, but the SoC is also a mid-tier MediaTek processor. That seems to have all of the hallmarks of an underperforming device. However, this phone is anything but an underperformer. The TCL Stylus 5G is a fantastic device and it punches way above its weight class. The phone navigates the software smoothly without much lag, and it has an amazing display for its price. You also have the addition of the stylus. This is the main feature of the phone, and it’s an extremely useful tool to use. There’s a suite of apps that utilize the stylus to its fullest potential.
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
Price: $449.99Where to buy: Samsung
Samsung seems to have struck gold with its next slew of mid-range devices in recent years. The next best thing to its Galaxy S phones is its Galaxy A phones. The middle child of the Galaxy A phones is the Galaxy A53 5G. There are aspects of this phone that don’t feel mid-range. The display is a gorgeous AMOLED panel that’s definitely flagship-grade, and that goes for the dual-firing speakers. Also, the feel in the hand is amazing. You’ll get the latest software from Samsung, and you won’t have to worry about the company taking a long time to update the phone. As for the camera package, it’s more than serviceable and produces some good results.
OnePlus Nord N20 5G
OnePlus has made a name for itself as the company that made flagship phones that sold for mid-range prices. Now, the company makes mid-range phones that sell at mid-range prices. These phones are sold under the company’s Nord line of phones. The OnePlus Nord N20 5G is one of the phones with a price comparable to the Pixel 6a. This is a phone that runs the company’s Oxygen OS software and it uses a beautiful display. The phone is able to run smoothly on the software, and the build quality is also really amazing. As the name suggests, this phone uses 5G technology, so you’ll have access to fast internet. When it comes to the camera, you won’t get results like the Pixel’s camera, but you’ll still get really good results.
Pixel 5a
Price: $385.99Where to buy: eBay
If you’re not looking to spend more money on the newest Pixel phone, why not settle for last year’s model? The Pixel 5a is still an extremely capable phone. With this phone, you still get quality performance along with the latest software updates from Google. Both the Pixel 5a and the 6a use the same camera technology, so you won’t see any lag in the camera department, and they both use beautiful AMOLED displays.
Poco X4 Pro 5G
Poco is the brand under Chinese OEM Xiaomi that makes really capable phones at stellar prices. This is one of the companies that usurped OnePlus as the king of flagship killers. The Poco X4 Pro doesn’t come with a flagship processor, but it’s still able to achieve admirable performance. The performance is the major selling point of this phone. This phone uses the latest version of MIUI 13. If you’re looking for a gaming phone, then you’ll be well-served with the Poco X4 Pro 5G. This phone can handle most of the games that you can throw at it with ease.
Nothing Phone(1)
Price: £399Where to buy: Nothing
This phone stands out on this list because it’s the first phone from the company Nothing. It recently launched, and it’s received decently favorable reviews. Under all of the gimmicks and Glyph lights, this is a capable phone. It uses a mid-range processor, but you won’t see any issue with the performance at all. Also, it uses the company’s own Nothing Launcher. This means that it will have some features that aren’t present with Stock Android phones.
Motorola G200
Motorola is one of the companies that made a name for itself in the mid-range market. Last year, it only made mid-range and budget phones. One of the phones in the mid-range price range is the Moto G200. This is a premium mid-ranger. This phone comes with the design you’d expect from a Motorola phone, and it has great specs for its price. Starting off, this phone uses the Snapdragon 888+. That was the most powerful Snapdragon processor from last year, and it will give you flagship performance. There’s also 8GB of RAM and 128GB/256GB of storage. The price is a little bit more than the Pixel 6a, but you’ll get rock-solid performance and a lot of RAM. The cameras will serve you well, however, not as good as Pixel 6a’s. If photography is not a priority, then you should consider the Moto G200.
Galaxy S20 FE
This phone might be on the older side, but an older flagship phone is still a more than worthy companion. The Galaxy S20 FE was released back in October of 2020, and it’s still being updated by Samsung. You can expect the most up-to-date software to come with it. You will still get great performance with the older hardware. Not only that, but this phone has an amazing screen, so it’s great for watching media. If you’re looking for a great camera, you’ll still get great results from this phone, though it will be behind some of the top flagship phones of this day.
TCL 20 Pro 5G
TCL is a company that makes all kinds of unique-looking devices, and the TCL 20 Pro is one of them. This phone is a bit more premium than the TCL Stylus, as it has an AMOLED display and a more capable processor. This phone has a 1080P+ AMOLED display, and it also uses the NXTVISION technology that the company uses for its TVs. This is great for people who want to watch HDR content. This technology also upscales SDR content to HDR, so you’ll have a great viewing experience regardless.
Nokia 8.3 5G
Price: $227.95Where to buy: B&H Photo
The Nokia 8.3 5G is a really capable mid-ranger that doesn’t have too many miles on it. It has decent specs for the price, and it will get you through the day just fine. Along with a great design, this phone comes with between 6GB and 8GB of RAM and between 64GB and 128GB of storage. It’s definitely a step behind the Pixel 6a, but it’s a bit cheaper, and you’ll still have a great experience with it. It’s for people who don’t quite have the money for a Pixel 6a.