Should you buy the Google Pixel 3 in 2020?

Best answer: The Pixel 3 is still a compact, powerful phone with years of guaranteed software updates ahead of it — but it's hard to recommend it these days over the more powerful Pixel 4 or the cheaper, longer-lasting Pixel 3a.

• Powerful successor: Google Pixel 4 ($638 at Amazon)
• Lower price, same experience: Google Pixel 3a ($350 at Amazon)

The Pixel 4 is the more modern flagship

The Pixel 3 was a great phone for its time, but its successor has been out since October of last year in the form of the Pixel 4. With it comes the newer, more powerful Snapdragon 855 processor, along with plenty of hardware upgrades including a 90Hz display and a secondary telephoto camera. You also get Google's new Soli sensor, which introduces Motion Sense gestures and a new Face Unlock system that replaces the Pixel 3's fingerprint sensor.

Unlike the previous generation, the Pixel 4 has a uniform design between its standard and XL variants, neither of which features a display notch. Despite a slightly smaller battery, the more power-efficient chipset means you get better battery life than on the Pixel 3 as well — though bear in mind, that still doesn't mean you'll get particularly good battery life, particularly with the smaller model.

Many of the Pixel 4's new software features have been retroactively ported to the Pixel 3, including the jaw-dropping astrophotography camera mode and Live Captioning. This means that if you already have a Pixel 3, you aren't missing much on the software side. In fact, one of Google's selling points for the entire Pixel line is its long-running software support. The Pixel 4's more powerful specs and additional hardware still make it well worth buying over the aging Pixel 3.

... But the Pixel 3a is the better value

Meanwhile, the Pixel 3a is a more affordable alternative that offers a nearly identical experience to the regular Pixel 3. It has most of the Pixel 3's best features, including its remarkable camera and regular software updates. In exchange, you give up the Pixel 3's glass back for a plastic one, and lose water resistance and wireless charging — though interestingly, you regain the headphone jack the Pixel 3 omitted.

The Pixel 3a offers up-to-date software, an amazing camera, and a compellingly low price.

There's also a significantly slower processor in the Pixel 3a, which translates to longer load times when opening apps and scrolling through the Android 10 interface, but it's still reasonably snappy, especially when compared to similarly priced options from other manufacturers. One aspect where the Pixel 3a actually performs better than the Pixel 3 is in battery life, with the 3a able to make it through a full day of use with ease.

If photography is your sole priority, there's almost no reason to spend the extra money on the Pixel 3 or 4; the 3a has the same main sensor as its pricier counterpart (though it lacks the Pixel 4's telephoto camera), and even carries over features like Night Sight, allowing you to take photos far above the 3a's price point. You'll miss out on the wide front-facing cameras of the higher-end models, and the slower chipset means you'll need to wait a bit longer for your photos to process, but those are pretty minor tradeoffs for this level of camera performance.

In short, the Pixel 3a is the clear choice if you're after a pure Google experience with a limited budget, while the Pixel 4 wins out for those in need of flagship-tier performance. That doesn't leave much room for the Pixel 3 in the middle; while you can find the Pixel 3 used for around the same price as the 3a these days, the latter offers far better battery life and a more durable casing. The Pixel 4, on the other hand, is more powerful and features modern appointments. Skip on the Pixel 3 and buy either of these great options instead.

Powerful successor

Pixel 4

$638 at Amazon $699 at Walmart

Computational photography taken to the next level

The Pixel 4 offers top-of-the-line specs and adds a telephoto camera to its already impressive photography experience. Its new Soli sensor allows for Face Unlock and Motion Sense gestures, and the new astrophotography mode is stunning.

Lower price, same experience

Pixel 3a

$350 at Amazon

The core Pixel experience — and camera — for hundreds less

The Pixel 3a has the same software, features, and camera experience as the Pixel 3, but at a more enticing price point. The processor might be a little slower, but otherwise it's largely the same phone, with better battery life to boot.

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