Last year wasn't all that great for Google's Pixel 3 lineup. Plagued by a myriad of issues and an an increase in prices, the phones shipped lesser numbers than the already limited volumes of the Pixel 2 series. Now more than ever, Google needs a more affordable entryway into the Pixel family.

Stunning camera Excellent battery life Well optimized for performance Three years of updates

Price 4GB RAM is limited 64GB storage is too little in 2019

The premium smartphone category has changed over the years. We now have high-end phones with prices tipping over the 1 lac price point then there are 'affordable flagships' which are not as pricey, but offer high- end features.

The Google Pixel 3a XL is a great phone with bags of appeal, but this larger version feels like it's a little too expensive for the money you're asked to pay for it. The mid-range hardware sees it priced higher than phones like the Moto G7 Plus or the Nokia 7 Plus , while aggressive pricing from...

Great camera experience; Pure Android is bloat free; Good battery life; Great display; 3.5mm headphone socket

Price a little high; Speaker change isn't great; No microSD card slot

It's hard to see anything the Pixel 3a XL does wrong for the price. No, it's not as powerful as the flagships of last year, but it leaves the main strengths of the Pixel 3 XL untouched: the best-in-class camera and a smooth, bloat-free installation of Android, first in line for updates.

Well planned cuts on the Pixel 3 XL; Same excellent camera; Clean Android 9 experience with early updates

Pixel 3a is even cheaper; No expandable storage

All of this goes together to produce a rather impressive overall package. In fact, in the Pixel 3a XL I think Google has stumbled across a magic formula. This is a phone that's not only far more reasonably priced than most modern flagships, but also looks good, feels just as responsive and takes...

Same camera as the Pixel 3 XL; Same software as the Pixel 3 XL; Better battery life than the Pixel 3 XL

No water or dust-resistance; No wireless charging; Screen isn't edge-to-edge

Its design may not be head-turning, but the Google Pixel 3a XL packs a punch internally with a potentially great camera for the price point. It's the best of Google in a phone, at a lower price tag.

Headphone jack returns; Great camera potential; Slick; stock Android

Design is a little bland

Google's is undeniably a good phone, known for its clean and efficient "Android as Google intended" user experience and astounding camera. But prices start at a fairly steep £739/$799 and, as it's transpired, this has contributed to underwhelming take-up in the eyes of its creators.

The best thing about the new Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL is just how similar they are to the full-price Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL respectively. It would take more than a casual glance to distinguish the two new phones from their more powerful siblings, and Google is very proud of this.

Good; Very good cameras; Good software features; Guaranteed updates for three years; Stereo speakers; Good; Very good cameras; Good software features; Guaranteed updates for three years; Stereo speakers

Bad; Expensive; Weak processor and low storage for the price; Bad; Expensive; Weak processor and low storage for the price

We spent some time with the device and here are our first impressions....

Google is pivoting to a whole new pricing bracket. At its annual Google I/O conference Tuesday, the tech giant announced the Pixel 3A and Pixel 3A XL. Though they have last year's name, they're indeed new phones that serve as a more budget-friendly variant of the company's main flagships, the Pixel...

The Pixel 3A XL packs a large screen; a fantastic camera; a long-lasting battery and a headphone jack -- all at a more affordable price than the Pixel 3 and 3 XL

The phone doesn't have water resistance, wireless charging or expandable memory; As a Pixel 3A XL owner, you have unlimited uploads to Google Photos only at high quality, not original