[Google Pixel 6a] DanTheSage:
I recently bought a Pixel6a with the Black Friday deal in Europe. Loved the software, but hated the hardware. Battery life has been awful since it didn't last a day, the colours look duller than my previous devices, has rainbow banding on white screen which is annoying for me and forced me to change to Dark Mode, but it's still annoying when reading with white background or watching videos (let's say there's a wardrobe in a video, a part of the wardrobe looks greener, the following looks normal and the following looks pinkier). The device doesn't overheat to the point of stop working, but It heats enough to be uncomfortable on my hands doing common everyday tasks (e.g. It gets to 40C when using Youtube/Twitch and 45C while gaming according to CPU Monitor App, but It feels hotter than what it looks like (disclaimer: 5G has been deactivated ever since I got the phone and using latest December update)), and after prolonged use, 15 mins or more, I have to let it down to cool it because touching the bare aluminium is uncomfortable to hold. I've sometimes found out it just heats up for no reason at all with no processes in the background.

I contacted Europe Google Support since I have till the 15th of January to send back the phone if I want. They first suggested a repair (I don't know what the tech support wanted to repair since It just sounds like a defect) and ended up doing an advanced replacement for a completely new device because the tech support guy concluded the device was defective based on my description. The device I got for replacement was a refurbished phone instead of a new factory one. Still, I tested out the device and found out it that had worse rainbow banding and the same heating issue or worse.

I contacted support again and they said they would contact the higher-ups with my case and I'd receive an email soon with an answer. Honestly, I'm not really hopeful with the upcoming answer, and I can't believe Google sends refurbished phones for clients in the returning window, I've had other phones with similar replacements and always got a completely new factory one and I feel betrayed about it.

I read online that a lot of people went through this problem and it got resolved after a replacement but it looks like I haven't been that lucky. Wondering what to do about it, thinking of asking Google about an actual replacement that hopefully doesn't have the uncomfortable heat and rainbow banding, but I'm in the verge of returning it due to this last experience. The pixel 6a is really good for browsing the web and using apps really fast since the software experience is so smooth compared to other devices, but I end up watching videos on my older devices (I have a really old 200€ Samsung, bq) because the experience is just better. I'm also a heavy phone gamer, so I don't mind a little heat when playing games, but this much looks like it's gonna wear the phone really fast and it's very concerning.

However, unlike many other users, I found no issues at all with the fingerprint sensor! Found out It just works better using the tip of the thumb rather than the full thumb and It works 100% of the time on both phones. Thumbs up for that! And also, the motor inside this device that produces the vibrations is the best one I've found so far in my life.

Let me know your thoughts and if you have the same temps while doing simple everyday tasks like me, and if the devices I have are really defective or that's their intended use because I have no stores available near me to check the phones or ask about it, and therefore take action based on it.

Thank you all in advance!

Other issues I found with the Pixel6a that I believe CAN be fixed through software:

The first 5 levels of volume don't actually move the slider a bit. Really annoying.

Saturated colours are really below the rest of the devices in the market. The only option for colour settings is either Natural or Adaptive, but even Adaptive looks like bare Natural on other devices I have. I also can't believe a Pixel has a cold-warm slider for taking photos but doesn't have the same slider for the colours of the phone itself. Let the people have the colours they want and don't force them on your business clamping or force them to root the phone.