“This was a gift for somebody else, so I don't have much hands-on experience to draw on.
The purchase process was easy enough, although a little more convoluted than a typical online purchase because a credit check is needed due to taking on a contract. Delivery was delayed by a day by the carrier, which proved awkward in this particular instance as it was intended as a surprise gift and the recipient ended up signing for it, which I had planned carefully to avoid. Packaging was discrete enough not to give the game away; just havig to tell a white lie about the package was uncomfortable at the time.
The device itself seems decent, from my limited involvement in setting it up. The Pixel 6a it replaced was capable enough apart from the age of the battery reducing its capacity and, replenished battery aside, the 10a doesn't 'feel' significantly different in operation. I don't notice the doubled refresh rate, which I did switch on in the settings, in any way and the photos don't look that different to the ones captured on the earlier device. It also 'looks' significantly chunkier despite the mere 0.1mm extra thickness and I can't tell why that is. The recipient also says the new device feels perceptibly weightier, despite the mere 3% gain.
We've not experimented with the newer AI features of the camera yet, either, so can't really comment on those.
In summary, initial response is mild disappointment that a £400 device doesn't feel that different in operation to the four-generations-older device it replaced, but the refreshed battery life is hugely welcome (it now lasts the day and beyond) and the reset in the updates schedule is reassuring. We are not 'power' users so people who game, browse or social media more than we do may appreciate the step changes more.”
