Google Pixel 9a overview: That is the price range smartphone to beat in 2025

For years, Google’s Pixel A-series line has been top-of-the-line offers in smartphone-land. So long as you’ll be able to tolerate (or hell, even choose) Android to iOS, these are typically the perfect telephones that may be had for $500.

That hasn’t modified with the brand new Pixel 9a, however the market panorama has…considerably. Apple not too long ago launched its model of a price range cellphone with the iPhone 16e, a $599 system that gives one thing near the Pixel A-series expertise, however on iOS. Nevertheless, in the event you’re not enamored with the Apple ecosystem and wish a great mid-range cellphone with flagship options, the Pixel 9a remains to be the champ in that regard.

I don’t love the Pixel 9a’s new design all that a lot, however that’s small potatoes in comparison with its good battery life, stable on a regular basis efficiency, and have parity with the comparatively dearer Pixel 9, which did not fairly justify its $799 price ticket for me.

Google Pixel 9a: Spectacular specs, generic design

For a beginning worth of $499, right here’s what you get contained in the Pixel 9a:

• Show: 6.3-inch show

• Decision: 1080×2424 decision and 120Hz variable refresh charge

• Processor: Google Tensor G4 processor

• RAM: 8GB

• Storage: 128GB storage

• Battery: 5,100mAh battery (24-30 hours in our testing)

Google’s whole gimmick with the A-series Pixel telephones is that every one is very shut in specs to the earlier fall’s flagship Pixel cellphone, and that’s no totally different right here. The Pixel 9a has the very same show specs because the Pixel 9, the identical processor, and the identical beginning storage. You’re getting much less RAM right here (8GB in comparison with 12GB), however as a trade-off, you’re additionally getting a much bigger battery. The Pixel 9’s measured in at 4,700mAh.

You can too pay an additional $100 to get 256GB storage, however that’s the one variance right here.

We’ll get into the sensible, on a regular basis variations afforded by these specs in a minute, however the greatest distinction between the 2 telephones by far is how they give the impression of being. The Pixel 9 had the identical horizontal digicam bar that sat atop the middle of the cellphone’s bottom as a number of different Pixel fashions earlier than it. That, to me, was form of an iconic search for the Pixel sequence, which does not actually have some other distinctive visible signifiers. 

Google dropped that solely with Pixel 9a. As an alternative, the 2 rear digicam lenses dwell in a barely raised little oval-shaped housing on the left-top facet of the cellphone’s again. Put merely, it seems very generic. It seems like a prop cellphone in a film the place they don’t wish to do any product placement. I don’t suppose it seems dangerous, thoughts you, however Google took one thing that was instantly visually identifiable as a Pixel and turned it into one thing that, from a distance, simply seems like some other generic cellphone.

That mentioned, it does really feel good within the palms and is nearly the correct dimension for me. I additionally love the colour alternatives this time round: Peony, Iris, Porcelain, and Obsidian. I had the Peony mannequin for overview functions, and it seems simply beautiful, although not fairly as beautiful as my pink iPhone 16.

Google Pixel 9a: A flagship show

There isn’t quite a bit to say in regards to the Pixel 9a’s show as in comparison with the Pixel 9’s as a result of they’re precisely the identical. Nevertheless, in comparison with the iPhone 16e, there’s one main distinction price noting.

Particularly, Google’s cheaper handset provides a considerably increased refresh charge than Apple’s price range cellphone. You stand up to 120Hz efficiency on Pixel 9a, whereas the iPhone 16e remains to be inexplicably locked to 60Hz. I don’t actually perceive why Apple is so behind the occasions on this, locking 120Hz help to its Professional telephones solely, however that’s nonetheless sadly the truth we dwell in.

By itself deserves, although, the Pixel 9a’s show didn’t give me something to complain about. 6.3-inches is about as massive as I need a cellphone to be with out it feeling too tall within the palms, and its 2,700 nits of peak brightness greater than do the job on a shiny, sunny day in Brooklyn.

Google Pixel 9a: Rock-solid efficiency

Pixel 9a is powered by the very same Google Tensor G4 chip because the Pixel 9. At a sure level, you start to surprise why the Pixel 9 exists in any respect. Luckily, this is not a overview of the now-overpriced Pixel 9.

Anyway, I discovered no efficiency hiccups to talk of throughout my time with Pixel 9a. Setup is a breeze, as at all times, and apps load as shortly as could be anticipated throughout every day use. Multitasking doesn’t appear to gradual it down a lot in any respect, both. The one factor I might notice is that I discovered the Pixel 9a to get somewhat heat whereas watching YouTube movies. Granted, I used to be utilizing it and not using a case, so which may mitigate this concern. However simply be warned that, in the event you resolve to go caseless, you would possibly really feel a tiny bit of warmth after extended use.

On the metrics facet, Pixel 9a doesn’t end as an elite contender, however it’s additionally a $500 cellphone, so it doesn’t must. Its multi-core rating within the Geekbench 6 benchmarking software program is 4,229, which may be very near the Pixel 9’s rating of 4,358. That’s clearly not even near the ten,049 you’d get from a Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely, however that’s a flagship cellphone, and this isn’t. 

The purpose is that Pixel telephones generally have underwhelming benchmark scores in comparison with the competitors, however the precise on a regular basis efficiency is completely fantastic. I didn’t even discover the discount in RAM from 12GB to 8GB in comparison with the Pixel 9 I examined.

The Pixel 9a comes with Gemini in-built

Just about each cellphone launched in 2025 is now described as an AI smartphone, and the Pixel 9a is not any exception. It comes outfitted with Google Gemini built-in, together with entry to Gemini Dwell and Circle to Search. These are the identical AI options that graced the Pixel 9 lineup final yr. None of those options has been considerably upgraded in any manner, however they’re a minimum of there in order for you them. Personally, I discover these AI instruments fairly gimmicky, however in the event you’re fascinated about AI bells and whistles, this cellphone’s received ’em.

On the very least, it’s one other notch within the, “Why even buy a Pixel 9?” argument.

Google Pixel 9a: 24 hours of battery life

The Pixel 9a’s 5,100mAh battery is larger than the 4,700mAh cell within the Pixel 9, however let’s be actual: these numbers don’t imply a lot of something to the common individual.

I examined each telephones with Mashable’s customary cell battery-testing protocol: working movies on loop at 50 % brightness till they died. After I did this for the Pixel 9 final yr, it petered out after 19 hours and 20 minutes. The Pixel 9a, nevertheless, was capable of final 24 hours and 24 minutes beneath the identical circumstances.

That’s a reasonably large hole, and the takeaway is that this smartphone lasts a very long time for a $500 cellphone. Basic use bears this out, too, as I used to be capable of go roughly 24 hours between expenses in on a regular basis circumstances, too. Google charges it for 30 hours, which I may see being achievable in the event you turned off 120Hz mode, however then you definately’d be giving up one of many massive benefits the Pixel 9a has over most iPhone fashions, so why would you do this?

Google Pixel 9a: How good are the cameras?

I might say the most important discrepancy between Pixel 9 and Pixel 9a exists within the digicam array, which is to be anticipated. Finances telephones hardly ever have wonderful cameras, however for what it’s price, I feel the Pixel 9a does simply fantastic for the worth.

You get a 48MP predominant lens and a 13MP ultra-wide lens on the again, which pale compared to the 50MP/48MP equivalents on Pixel 9. The front-facing digicam’s 13MP spec is somewhat larger than the ten.5MP selfie cam on Pixel 9, a minimum of. Nonetheless, in order for you higher specs, you’re going to wish to get a Pixel 9. That a lot is for certain.

Nonetheless, the Pixel 9a can take some very vivid, sharp, and colourful pictures in its personal proper.

One purpose the 9a takes such an enormous step up from the Pixel 8a? The addition of Macro Focus, which helps you to get in actual shut on small objects like budding flowers and seize granular quantities of element. I do not love the dearth of a transparent visible signal that Macro Focus is in impact whereas utilizing the digicam app, however you’ll be able to see which pictures use it in your gallery afterward. It really works fairly nicely!

This is not something new for Google, however as at all times, Evening Sight is a godsend in low-light circumstances. My yard is not possible to shoot in at evening with out it. See the earlier than and after for your self:

Unsurprisingly, you solely stand up to 8x zoom in Pixel 9a, which is similar as Pixel 9. It is undoubtedly not the unbelievable 30x zoom you’d discover in a Pixel 9 Professional, however it’ll do.

Lastly, portrait mode nonetheless seems good. Not a lot else to say about it.

So, is the Google Pixel 9a price it?

Android lovers who simply need a principally clear model of the OS with a full characteristic set and good battery life most likely don’t must look anyplace else. For now, the Pixel 9a is the price range smartphone to beat in 2025.

This dialog is made barely extra fascinating by the latest addition of the iPhone 16e, however the Pixel 9a’s show superiority alone kinda settles the argument in my thoughts, at the same time as a faithful iPhone man. Except for that, that is mainly only a cheaper Pixel 9 that doesn’t look fairly as cool. 

For simply $500, although, you’re not making an attempt to make a trend assertion. You’re making an attempt to get a top quality cellphone with a good digicam, and the Pixel 9a accomplishes that.