Home/Google/Google Pixel 3a XL vs Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer
Google Pixel 3a XL

Google Pixel 3a XL

#1076
Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer

Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer

#1345

Category Breakdown

Google Pixel 3a XL
Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer
Performance
74.288.2
Camera
93.486.7
Display
78.381.7
Battery
27.024.2
Build
71.781.2
Connectivity
72.972.0
Audio
87.68.9
Overall
63.459.7

Summary

  • The Google Pixel 3a XL features a plastic build with a glass front, while the Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer has a more premium glass and aluminum construction.
  • The Pixel's 6.0-inch OLED display lacks HDR support, whereas the Mi 8 Explorer's 6.21-inch Super AMOLED display includes HDR10, providing better color and contrast.
  • In terms of performance, the Pixel is powered by the Snapdragon 670, while the Mi 8 Explorer has the more powerful Snapdragon 845, along with more RAM at 8GB compared to the Pixel's 4GB.
  • Both phones have capable cameras, but the Mi 8 Explorer offers dual rear cameras with optical zoom and higher video recording capabilities.
  • The Pixel 3a XL has a larger battery capacity at 3700mAh, compared to the Mi 8 Explorer's 3000mAh, but both support 18W charging.
  • Software-wise, the Pixel runs a cleaner Android experience with timely updates, while the Mi 8 Explorer runs MIUI, which may include additional features but can be less streamlined.

Side-by-side Specification Comparison

Google Pixel 3a XL
Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer

General

Release Date

2019, May 07
2018

Announced

2019, May 07
2018

Description

Versions: G020C, G020G, G020F
For China

Display

Size

6"
6.21"

Type

OLED
Super AMOLED, HDR10

Resolution

1080 x 2160 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~402 ppi density)
1080 x 2248 pixels (~402 ppi density)

PPI

1080
1080

Refresh Rate

60Hz
60Hz

HDR Support

Protection

Asahi Dragontrail Glass
Corning Gorilla Glass 5

Performance

Chipset

Qualcomm SDM670 Snapdragon 670 (10 nm)
Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm)

CPU

Octa-core (2x2.0 GHz 360 Gold & 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 360 Silver)
Octa-core (4x2.8 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 385 Silver)

GPU

Adreno 615
Adreno 630

Memory

64GB 4GB RAM
128GB 8GB RAM

Expandable Storage

Card Slot

No
No

Camera

Main Camera

12.2 MP, f/1.8, 28mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
12 MP, f/1.8, 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, 4-axis OIS12 MP, f/2.4, 1/3.4", 1.0µm, AF, 2x optical zoom

Main Camera Features

Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, HDR, panorama
Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama

Front Camera

8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm
20 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/3", 0.9µmTOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)

Front Camera Features

HDR
N/A

Video Recording

4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps
4K@60fps, 1080p@30/240fps, 720p@960fps

Selfie Video

1080p@30fps
1080p@30fps

Optical Stabilization

Night Mode

Raw Photo Support

Battery

Capacity

3700 mAh
3000 mAh

Battery Details

Li-Po 3700 mAh, non-removable
Li-Po 3000 mAh, non-removable

Charging Details

18W wired, PD2.0
18W wired, QC4

Fast Charging

Wireless Charging

Build & Safety

Dimensions

160.1 x 76.1 x 8.2 mm (6.30 x 3.00 x 0.32 in)
154.9 x 74.8 x 7.6 mm (6.10 x 2.94 x 0.30 in)

Weight

167 g
177 g

Materials

Glass front (Asahi Dragontrail), plastic back, plastic frame
Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, aluminum frame (7000 series)

Colors

Just Black, Clearly White, Purple-ish
Black (transparent back)

Foldable

SAR

N/A
N/A

Connectivity

SIM

Nano-SIM +eSIM
Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM

Network

GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE
GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE

Network Speed

HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (3CA) Cat11 600/75 Mbps
HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (4CA) Cat16 1024/150 Mbps

5G

4G

WiFi

Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA

Bluetooth

5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD

NFC

USB

USB Type-C 2.0
USB Type-C

IR Blaster

Headphone Jack

Radio

Positioning

GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO
GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)

Audio

Stereo Speakers

Loudspeaker

Yes, with stereo speakers
Yes

Audio Jack

Yes
No

Software & Security

Operating System

Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12
Android 8.1 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 10, MIUI 12

Fingerprint

Face Unlock

Sensors

Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Face ID, fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass