Google Pixel 3a
Shares rank 27 of 46 smartphones by recommenders
Recommended for its unlockable bootloader, custom ROM support and reliable calls, though it stopped getting security updates about three years after release.
8 people recommended Google Pixel 3a in Hacker News comments, 1 had mixed feelings and 7 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026.
Summary written by Claude from 16 comments.
16 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 8
- mixed feelings
- 1
- warn against or regret it
- 7
The record
Recommended in 5 of 12 months
In 8 different threads.
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: recommended
- March 2026: recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 8 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, not met.
- 1.1 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, not met.
- Recommended in 5 of 12 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
- Recommended in 8 threadsNeeds 5 or more, met.
- The biggest thread supplies 25% of its recommendersNeeds half or less, met.
The same rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. Mixed feelings count toward neither side. How the badge works
What people say about it
Reasons grouped from a sample of 16 of the 17 opinions about it, picked in proportion to how many people recommend it, have mixed feelings and criticize it. Each mark is one comment in the sample. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Unlockable bootloader and custom ROM support
“Pixel devices have historically been really good about letting you unlock the bootloader and install what you want”
Comment from 13 May 2026 in “Googlebook: Designed for Gemini Intelligence – Coming Fall 2026 – Googlebook” “Pixel devices are very well supported by third-party ROMs after EOL”
Comment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Pixel 10a” Reliable phone calls and everyday performance
“These days the Google Pixel 3a is coming close, as multiple people report reliable phone calls”
Comment from 16 Feb 2026 in “Pocketblue - Fedora Atomic for Mobile Devices” “I loved my pixel 3a - it did the work”
Comment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Pixel 10a”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Security updates ended after about three years
“The fact that they decided to drop support for the pixel 3a ~3 years after its release was fucked up.”
Comment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Pixel 10a” “stopped receiving security updates after less than 3 years”
Comment from 12 May 2026 in “Googlebook: Designed for Gemini Intelligence – Coming Fall 2026 – Googlebook” “doesn't get any security updates anymore since years now”
Comment from 2 Mar 2026 in “/e/OS is a complete "deGoogled", mobile ecosystem” - Comment from 3 Mar 2026 in “/e/OS is a complete "deGoogled", mobile ecosystem”
No HDMI or USB-C video output
“old Pixels don't support video out over USB-C for whatever reason”
Comment from 6 Aug 2026 in “I'm switching my phone from Android to Linux” “Old pixels don't have HDMI output, I learned it the hard way when the screen of my Pixel 3a died.”
Comment from 29 Jan 2026 in “Android's full desktop interface leaks: New status bar, Chrome Extensions”
Other smartphones people recommend
The four most recommended other smartphones, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Mixed | Criticize | Approval | Months | Had for | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple iPhone | 438 | 190 | 789 | 36% | 12 | 7 yrs97 people | — |
| Fairphone | 110 | 42 | 94 | 54% | 12 | 3 yrs14 people | — |
| iPhone 13 mini | 105 | 32 | 44 | 70% | 12 | — | Approved |
| Apple iPhone Pro | 90 | 45 | 138 | 39% | 12 | 4 yrs24 people | — |
| Google Pixel 3aThis page | 8 | 1 | 7 | 53% | 5 | — | — |
Also compared with iPhone SE, Jolla Phone, Nokia N900 and Apple iPhone 12 mini.
What people said
16 of the 17 opinions about it, picked in proportion to the three counts, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“the keyboard just works. No typo, no ass completions”
“old Pixels don't support video out over USB-C for whatever reason”
“Pixel devices have historically been really good about letting you unlock the bootloader and install what you want”
“stopped receiving security updates after less than 3 years”
“yeah pixel used to be great”
“I've experienced burn-in on my pixel 3a after 2 years.”
“Pixel 3a only offered 3 years of security updates”
“doesn't get any security updates anymore since years now”
“you can certainly buy some of the supported smaller devices (e.g. Pixel 3a) and change battery for new”
“Opens Signal and HomeAssistant faster than my 2022 iPhone ever did”
“I loved my pixel 3a - it did the work”
“Pixel devices are very well supported by third-party ROMs after EOL”
“The fact that they decided to drop support for the pixel 3a ~3 years after its release was fucked up.”
“These days the Google Pixel 3a is coming close, as multiple people report reliable phone calls”
“Old pixels don't have HDMI output, I learned it the hard way when the screen of my Pixel 3a died.”
“purely "fun" option, I would get smth like Google Pixel 3a”
Counts come from 1,791,911 Hacker News comments labeled by Claude, November 2025 to October 2026, with data through October 31, 2026. Counts updated 2 Nov 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.