Having taken a fresh, purple-ish Pixel 3a apart, we’re kinda impressed, kinda confused, and feeling like it’s 2016 all over again.
The Pixel 3a is easier on the wallet, and it’s easier to fix if you bust the screen or something inside—although that display is so slim you might end up with more broken than fixed. That said, a headphone jack these days feels like a luxury. We had an easier time getting into the Pixel 3a than its premium predecessor, and granted it a Repairability Score of 6 out of 10—higher than most modern-day Android flagships.
Google Pixel 3a Teardown Highlights:
- In defiance of all the rumors, both our Pixel 3a and 3a XL have Samsung-made OLED panels—not LG. Seeing as past Pixels had some issues with LG-made panels, this should come as welcome news for 3a owners.
- An 11.55 Wh battery in the 3a actually beats the Pixel 3’s 11.2 Wh battery, although it comes in just under the iPhone XR and Galaxy S10e’s 11.16 Wh and 11.94 Wh batteries, respectively.
- If you’re looking for a more cinematic offering in this series, we’ve got a video teardown of the Pixel 3a XL, too.
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