Smartphones > Google Pixel 6a > Battery Test Results
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Google Pixel 6a Battery test

This device has been retested in the latest version of our protocol. This summary has been fully updated. For detailed information, check the What’s New article
OTHER AVAILABLE TESTS FOR THIS DEVICE

We put the Google Pixel 6a through our rigorous DXOMARK Battery test suite to measure its performance in autonomy, charging and efficiency. In these test results, we will break down how it fared in a variety of tests and several common use cases.

Overview

Key specifications:

  • Battery capacity: 4410 mAh
  • 18W charger (not included)
  • 6.1-inch, 1080 x 2400, 60 Hz, OLED display
  • Google Tensor (5 nm)
  • Tested ROM / RAM combination: 128 GB + 6 GB

Scoring

Sub-scores and attributes included in the calculations of the global score.


Google Pixel 6a
94
battery
95

189

103

195

96

198

91

184

96

182

89

205

88

194

Key performances

Charging Time
2 days 2h
Battery life
Charging Time
1h11
80% Charging time
Charging Time
2h12
Full charging time
Quick Boost
2h10 autonomy
after 5-minute charge

Pros

  • Decent autonomy when streaming video
  • Low residual consumption of the charger itself

Cons

  • Very low autonomy when calling and streaming music
  • Poor performance on the go, especially when calling
  • Long charging time
  • Poor autonomy recovered after 5-minute charge
  • Very low charge efficiency
  • High discharge currents on average (except for video)

The Google Pixel 6a’s battery struggled in the series of battery tests, leading to an overall low global score. Its performance during the typical usage scenario was average, but the idle phases were not well-managed. During the calibrated tests, the device consumed a lot of power when calling and streaming music, but showed decent autonomy when streaming videos. When using key outdoor functions such as the GPS navigation, the camera, or especially when calling, the Pixel 6a’s autonomy was very low.

In terms of charging, the 30W Google charger couldn’t provide a decent experience because the device supported only 18W. It took 2 hours and 12 minutes to fully charge the 4410mAh battery. The autonomy gained after charging the phone for 5 minutes was only 2 hours and 10 minutes on average, among the lowest in our database so far. The charge efficiency was also really low, even though the travel adapter’s efficiency was average. One good point, however, was that Google’s 30W charger’s had one of the lowest residual consumption levels when left plugged into a power outlet without charging the phone. On average, the discharge currents were high, especially when calling and streaming music, but below average during the video use cases, which means that the device is well-optimized for streaming videos, but not when calling and streaming some music.

Compared with other devices from the same price range ($400 to $699), the Google Pixel 6a’s finds itself in the penultimate position in our High-end segment ranking, because of its very poor charging performance, low efficiency, and a slightly below-average autonomy score due to its low autonomy in calibrated and on-the-go tests.

Test Summary

About DXOMARK Battery tests: For scoring and analysis in our smartphone battery reviews, DXOMARK engineers perform a variety of objective tests over a week-long period both indoors and outdoors. (See our introductory and how we test articles for more details about our smartphone Battery protocol.)

The following section gathers key elements of our exhaustive tests and analyses performed in DXOMARK laboratories. Detailed performance evaluations under the form of reports are available upon request. Do not hesitate to contact us.

Battery Charger Wireless Display Processor
Google Pixel 6a 4410mAh 18W
(not included)
- OLED
1080 x 2400
Google Tensor
Google Pixel 6 4614mAh 30W
(not included)
21W OLED
1080 x 2400
Google Tensor
Apple iPhone SE (2022) 2018mAh 18W
(not included)
15W LCD IPS
750 x 1334
Apple A15 Bionic
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G 5000mAh 25W
(not included)
- AMOLED
1080 x 2400
Samsung Exynos 1280

Autonomy

96

Google Pixel 6a

182

Wiko Power U30
How Autonomy score is composed

Autonomy score is composed of three performance sub-scores: Stationary, On the go, and Calibrated use cases. Each sub-score comprises the results of a comprehensive range of tests for measuring autonomy in all kinds of real-life scenarios.

Light Usage
70h
Light Usage
Active: 2h30/day
Moderate Usage
50h
Moderate Usage
Active: 4h/day
Intense Usage
32h
Intense Usage
Active: 7h/day

Home/Office

95

Google Pixel 6a

189

Vivo Y72 5G

A robot housed in a Faraday cage performs a set of touch-based user actions during what we call our “typical usage scenario” (TUS) — making calls, video streaming, etc. — 4 hours of active use over the course of a 16-hour period, plus 8 hours of “sleep.” The robot repeats this set of actions every day until the device runs out of power.

Typical Usage Scenario discharge curves

On the go

103

Google Pixel 6a

195

Samsung Galaxy M51

Using a smartphone on the go takes a toll on autonomy because of extra “hidden” demands, such as the continuous signaling associated with cellphone network selection, for example. DXOMARK Battery experts take the phone outdoors and perform a precisely defined set of activities while following the same three-hour travel itinerary (walking, taking the bus, the subway…) for each device

Autonomy for on the go use cases (full charge)

Calibrated

96

Google Pixel 6a

198

Samsung Galaxy M51

For this series of tests, the smartphone returns to the Faraday cage and our robots repeatedly perform actions linked to one specific use case (such as gaming, video streaming, etc.) at a time. Starting from an 80% charge, all devices are tested until they have expended at least 5% of their battery power.

Autonomy for calibrated use cases (full charge)

Charging

93

Google Pixel 6a

181

Realme GT Neo 3
How Charging score is composed

Charging is fully part of the overall battery experience. In some situations where autonomy is at a minimum, knowing how fast you can charge becomes a concern. The DXOMARK Battery charging score is composed of two sub-scores, (1) Full charge and (2) Quick boost.

Wired
Wired
42%
in 30 min
1h11
0 - 80%
2h12
Full charge

Full charge

91

Google Pixel 6a

184

Black Shark 5 Pro

Full charge tests assess the reliability of the battery power gauge; measure how long and how much power the battery takes to charge from zero to 80% capacity, from 80 to 100% as shown by the UI, and until an actual full charge.

Power consumption and battery level during full charge
The charging curves, in wired and wireless (if available) showing the evolution of the battery level indicator as well as the power consumption in watts during the stages of charging toward full capacity.
Time to full charge
The time to full charge chart breaks down the necessary time to reach 80%, 100% and full charge.

Quick boost

96

Google Pixel 6a

182

Realme GT Neo 3

With the phone at different charge levels (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%), Quick boost tests measure the amount of charge the battery receives after being plugged in for 5 minutes. The chart here compares the average autonomy gain from a quick 5-minute charge.

Average autonomy gain for a 5 minute charge (wired)

Efficiency

88

Google Pixel 6a

154

Oppo Reno6 5G
How Efficiency score is composed

The DXOMARK power efficiency score consists of two sub-scores, Charge up and Discharge rate, both of which combine data obtained during robot-based typical usage scenario, calibrated tests and charging evaluation, taking into consideration the device’s battery capacity. DXOMARK calculate the annual power consumption of the product, shown on below graph, which is representative of the overall efficiency during a charge and when in use.

Annual Consumption Google Pixel 6a
4.5 kWh
Efficient
Good
Bad
Inefficient

Charge up

89

Google Pixel 6a

205

Nubia RedMagic 7 Pro

The charge up sub-score is a combination of four factors: the overall efficiency of a full charge, related to how much energy you need to fill up the battery compared to the energy that the battery can provide; the efficiency of the travel adapter when it comes to transferring power from an outlet to your phone; the residual consumption when your phone is fully charged and still plugged into the charger; and the residual consumption of the charger itself, when the smartphone is disconnected from it. The chart here below shows the overall efficiency of a full charge in %.

Overall charge efficiency

Discharge

88

Google Pixel 6a

194

Apple iPhone 14 Pro

The discharge subscore rates the speed of a battery’s discharge during a test, which is independent of the battery’s capacity. It is the ratio of a battery’s capacity divided by its autonomy. A small-capacity battery could have the same autonomy as a large-capacity battery, indicating that the device is well-optimized, with a low discharge rate.

Average discharge current

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