The Pixel 6a, Google’s mid-range smartphone, inherits some of the most important features of its older brothers; the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, such as the Tensor processor or the improvements at the software level that stand out so much in the firm’s terminals. Unfortunately, screen refresh rate is not one of them. The panel of the cheapest model, in particular, works at 60 Hz, instead of at least 90 Hz of the Pixel 6. Although someone has found a way to change this refresh rate and reach the long-awaited 90 Hz.
As reported TheVergea user nicknamed thelunarixus on Twitter, has achieved create a mod able to unlock the 90Hz refresh rate on the Google Pixel 6a. The software, remember, does not include any option for it. The mod, as the editors of the aforementioned medium have been able to verify, works correctly. However, the process to activate it is somewhat tedious, especially for inexperienced users.
In particular, it is necessary to activate the recovery mode on the device and manually flash an Android 13 beta. Subsequently, flash an image vendor_boot modified in order to access the system settings and activate the refresh rate at 90 Hz on the Pixel 6a. It is a process that greatly simplifies with ROM on which he seems to be working the user, and that it could be available soon.
So why doesn’t the Google Pixel 6a have a 90Hz display?
It is not clear why the Google Pixel 6a can run at 90 Hz with a mod, and not officially. One of the hypotheses is that the company you have disabled this option through software. Probably, to keep the refresh rate higher than 60 Hz as an exclusive feature of the high-end models, the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. It is also likely that that the display that comes with the Pixel 6a simply doesn’t support this higher frequency. However, and according to TheVergemany users have verified that the panel of the cheapest model, manufactured by Samsung, is practically identical to that of the Pixel 6, which does reach 90 Hz.
On the other hand, it is also likely that the 90 Hz of the Google Pixel 6a are achieved thanks to the overclock. This modification, however, could affect the useful life of the terminal, and cause internal problems or malfunctions. In any case, neither Google nor Samsung, who manufactures the panels for the Mountain View company’s terminals, have declared this finding.