What is the Google Pixel 3a’s battery life like?

• The Pixel 3a packs a 3000mAh battery that will just about get you through the day.
• This is no endurance beast but it matches the Pixel 3.
• USB-C PD charging is included, wireless charging is not.

I’ve been using the Google Pixel 3a as my primary smartphone throughout the three-week long review process. I’ve been just about getting through a full, busy day without needing to reach for the charger; with between roughly three and a half hours of screen-on time throughout that period. That’s perfectly acceptable for a phone of this size but it’s not going to trouble larger capacity phones like the Xiaomi Mi 9 and OnePlus 7 Pro.

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Google Pixel 3a battery performance: Video

The Google Pixel 3a pairs a good-sized battery with a smaller-than-average 5.6-inch display and a 1080p resolution. You can’t alter the resolution to try to save more battery.

This results in average media performance; however, small phones can never match the endurance of larger phones.

For instance, watching an hour of Netflix at 50 percent brightness took the battery down 9 percent. I had to increase this brightness level to about 80 percent to make it comfortable to view, and that took off 11 pecent.

Google Pixel 3a battery performance: Games

Gaming is always going to put a bigger strain on the battery than video streaming. This isn’t a gaming phone and some intensive titles do eat through the battery quite quickly.

For instance, playing an hour of the graphically intense Asphalt 9 consumed 17 percent charge, while the more casual Alto’s Odyssey drained 13 percent.

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Google Pixel 3a battery performance: Charging

There’s no wireless charging here, so you’ll be restricted to using the included 18W USB-C PD brick and cable. Thankfully, the smaller battery size means that charging doesn’t take too long. You can go from 0 to 100 percent in roughly 1 hour and 20 minutes, or to 50 percent in half an hour.