What you need to know
- The Google Pixel 6a was disassembled prior to its official market release.
- PBK gave the mid-range phone a decent repairability rating.
- The phone stood out in terms of battery replacement in particular.
Most flagship phones these days, including the Pixel lineup, aren't exactly the easiest bunch to repair, but some of Google's mid-range devices are an exception. Ahead of its official market release this week, the Google Pixel 6a has been disassembled to check its repairability.
It turns out that the device is easier to repair than the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, as well as many of the best cheap Android phones. Using the conventional way of prying open the phone to access its internals, PBKreviews was able to pull out the battery without breaking a sweat.
Unlike its more expensive siblings, the Pixel 6a doesn't use a liberal amount of glue in the center to keep the battery unit in place. This leads to easier battery replacement for the device.
Likewise, the OLED panel is easier to detach from the motherboard since it's only connected using a ribbon cable. In the mid-frame, a piece of graphite sheet is also used for heat transfer, preventing the phone from overheating.
However, you may encounter a bit of difficulty removing the USB-C port as it is soldered to the logic board. This should make repairing the charging port by yourself a little more challenging.
But thanks to Google's recent partnership with iFixit, doing your own repairs can be less of a nightmare. Through the partnership, Google will supply official repair parts for any Pixel phone released in the last five years.
PBK gave the Pixel 6a a repairability score of 7 out of 10, which is a decent mark. On the other hand, the Pixel 6 Pro scored 5.5/10 due to the difficulty with removing its battery. The device will officially go on sale on July 28.
