Google Pixel 6a vs. Apple iPhone SE: The Best Phone Under $500
Google hasn't completely opened the curtain on the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro yet, but it did just upgrade its more affordable smartphone selection with the Pixel 6a. The latest Pixel model has a Tensor processor, an OLED screen, and multiple cameras, and it starts at $449. That price makes it ripe for comparison with Apple's iPhone SE, which starts at $429.
The Pixel 6a doesn't come out until July 28 and we won't have a definitive verdict until we fully test it, but for now we can compare specs to help you decide which phone is a better fit for you.
The Pixel 6a is decidedly Pixel 6-like in size, while the SE in iPhone SE could stand for "Small Edition." At 6.0 by 2.8 by 0.4 inches (HWD) and 6.3 ounces, the Pixel easily eclipses the iPhone SE's puny 5.5-by-2.7-by-0.3-inch, 5.1-ounce frame (then again, some people prefer small phones).
Size isn't the only design difference. With a nearly edge-to-edge screen featuring a hidden fingerprint sensor and a striking black band holding a two-lens camera stack on the back, the Pixel 6a is visually much more in line with its pricier siblings than the iPhone SE is. Apple's budget-friendly phone looks less sleek and more cramped than the iPhone 13 (or even the iPhone 11), with a chunky frame around its screen. Simply put, the iPhone SE looks dated.
You can take both phones anywhere, at least. Happily, both the Pixel 6a and the iPhone SE are waterproof and resistant to dust, with IP67 ratings. They can survive getting gunked up and washed off without issue.
Winner: Pixel 6a
A bigger phone means a bigger screen, and the Pixel 6a sports a 6.1-inch OLED touch screen with 2,400-by-1,080 pixels, for 429 pixels per inch. The iPhone SE's Retina HD LCD is much more modest, measuring in 4.7
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