Bottom line: Naturally, there are some drawbacks that come with the territory at this price point. The Snapdragon 670 processor isn't going to impress when it comes to raw performance. What's more, the new Pixels aren't waterproof and you don't get amenities like wireless charging.
Google officially unveiled the Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL during its I/O conference keynote today, bringing new junior flagships starting at just $399. Aesthetically speaking, the new Pixel 3a phones look very similar to their predecessors despite being housed in a plastic shell. Under the hood is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor alongside Adreno 615 graphics, 4GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 64GB of storage.
Pixel devices are known for their superior camera technology and this more affordable batch of phones is no different. In fact, it's really what makes the Pixel 3a tick - a stellar camera at a very affordable price point. Around back is a 12.2-megapixel shooter with f/1.8 aperture and a 76-degree field of view and on the front, you get an 8-megapixel shooter sporting an f/2.0 aperture and an 84-degree field of view.
It also includes the same features that made the original Pixel 3 so great such as Night Sight, Top Shot and a new time lapse feature.
The new Pixels additionally pack in a 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 5.0, stereo speakers, USB-C 2.0 connectivity and the latest version of Android (9.0 Pie) with guaranteed updates for at least three years. You also get a 3,000mAh battery with the 3a and a larger 3,700mAh unit with the XL variant.
The Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are available in your choice of Just Black, Clearly White or Purple-ish with OLED displays of 5.6 inches and 6.0 inches, respectively. It's available from the Google Store as well as through Verizon, Sprint, US Cellular and Google Fi and is shipping from today.