Google Pixel 9a vs. Pixel 8a: All the biggest changes

Now that Google has launched a new budget Android phone, a Google Pixel 9a vs. Pixel 8a comparison becomes more relevant than ever. If you're one of the many people people on the hunt for the best cheap phone, these are two phones you don't want to miss.

Google's Pixel A series phones have built up a pretty strong reputation for offering premium features at a more reasonable price than most flagships, and last year's Pixel 8a certainly upheld that tradition.

Not only did the Pixel 8a's cameras produce photos that could hold their own against much more expensive camera phones, the device also delivered the same AI capabilities found in Google's Pixel 8 flagships. And all that came in a phone that cost less than $500.

We expect the new Google Pixel 9a to offer similarly strong camera performance while also matching the Pixel 9's AI feature set. But there are other changes, including a brand new look. Though we won't get a better idea of what the phone can offer until we do some hands-on testing

This Google Pixel 9a vs. Pixel 8a face-off looks at what those changes are based on what Google's told us about the phone. Let's dive in.

Google Pixel 9a vs. Pixel 8a price and availability

The Pixel 8a debuted just ahead of the May 2024 Google I/O conference, which has been Google's usual launch window for its midrange phone.

With the Pixel 9a, Google has moved the launch date up to March — ahead of an official release at some point in April. While we won't know the exact release date yet, we do know that the 9a will start at $499 for a 128GB model — the same price an equivalent Pixel 8a cost last year.

Sadly Google isn't offering pre-orders for the Pixel 9a this year, so you'll just have to wait for the actual release date before you can order one of these phones for yourself. This lack of a pre-order window also means that there are no free gifts on offer for buying early (that we know of).

This $499 Pixel 9a price tag also has an edge over the iPhone 16e, its closest rival in the midrange phone market. Apple's iPhone SE replacement costs $599, so Google is well positioned to offer a more affordable model with the Pixel 9a.

Google Pixel 9a vs. Pixel 8a specs

Google Pixel 9a vs. Pixel 8a design and display

Google's Pixel lineup got itself a new look with the Pixel 9a. Past Pixels — flagships and midrange models included — have featured a camera bar on the back of the device. That bar spanned the length of the phone and housed the rear cameras in a horizontal line.

The Pixel 9a lacks that camera bar, and offers a pill-shaped camera array tucked into the left corner of the phone. But the more minimalist look isn't all Google is offering. That camera bump is remarkably small, to the point where it's almost flush to the back of the phone.

So you may be able to put the phone down on a flat surface with minimal wobbling or instability.

The Pixel 9a also features flatter sides than its predecessor, in line with the rest of the Pixel 9 series. While this look is rather similar to Apple's iPhones, there are plenty out there who prefer phones without rounded edges. Both for comfort and aesthetic reasons. Clearly Google is appealing to them

The Pixel 8a features a 6.1-inch OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. The Pixel 9a bumps those numbers slightly with a 6.3-inch display, and an adaptive 60-120Hz refresh rate. While not as impressive as the Pixel 9 Pro's 1-120Hz refresh rate, the adaptive nature should prove beneficial for the Pixel 9a's battery life — since it won't be

Google offers the Pixel 8a in four colors Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay and Aloe. (You can call those options black, white, blue and green if you prefer.) Color options include the classic Obsidian and Porcelain hues, as well as Peony (pink) and Iris (light purple).

Google Pixel 9a vs. Pixel 8a cameras

Cameras are a critical part of the Pixel A series story as they help Google's device rank among the best camera phones year after year. That's as much about the image processing Google includes on its phones, but hardware plays a role, too.

The Pixel 8a features a 64MP main camera joined by a 13MP ultrawide lens on its back, while a 13MP sensor powers the front camera. The Pixel 9a is keeping that dual rear lens setup, even as rivals like Nothing are making hay with devices that feature telephoto lenses at a much lower starting price — like Nothing Phone 3a

The Pixel 9a will be changing the camera specs somewhat, with a 48MP main camera and a 13MP ultrawide lens.

On paper, that seems to be a downgrade, at least in terms of megapixels. But the 48MP sensor Google reportedly plans to use would be the same one featured in other phones such as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. That sensor is larger than the one the Pixel 8a uses, which should result in the ability to capture more light. That would translate to sharper pictures from the Pixel 9a.

Google has also confirmed that astrophotography and Night Sight have come to the Pixel 9a — likely aided by that larger sensor. A new macro-focus mode also utilizes the ultrawide lens and AI to offer better close-up photos.

Sadly we won't know just how good the Pixel 9a's camera capabilities are until we can do some hands-on testing. So watch this space, as we put it head-to-head with the Pixel 8a and other phones.

Google Pixel 9a vs. Pixel 8a performance

Just about the easiest upgrade to forecast on a new Pixel phone involves the system-on-chip Google plans to use. Since Pixel A phones typically opt for the same silicon as the flagship phones released the prior fall, it's no surprise that the Pixel 9a is powered by the Pixel 9's Tensor G4 chipset.

The switch to a Tensor G4 from the Tensor G3 in the Pixel 8a should lead to a boost in performance, at least if the benchmarks we got when testing the Pixel 9 are any indication. We won't know for sure until we can do some benchmarking with the Pixel 9a, though.

The G4-powered Pixel 9 beat the Pixel 8's single-core and multicore Geekbench 6 test results by 12% and 23%, respectively, which suggests a faster CPU. Graphics test scores were flat between the Tensor G4 and G3, though.

While faster performance is always welcome, that's not the real benefit to Google's Tensor silicon. Tensor puts the focus on its neural engine, which allows it to power on-device AI features. We'll look at the implications there when we talk about Google Pixel 9a vs. Pixel 8a software improvements.

Google Pixel 9a vs. Pixel 8a battery life and charging

The Pixel 8a managed to buck a trend with recent Google devices by outperforming the average smartphone's result on our battery test, in which we time how long it takes for a phone to run out of power when surfing the web continuously.

The Pixel 8a's time of 11 hours and 21 minutes was a step in the right direction, but still well off the pace need to boast the best phone battery life.

Google has taken steps to further address Pixel longevity, with the phone offering a larger 5,100 mAh battery. That's quite an upgrade from the 4,492 mAh cell in the Pixel 8a. While we hope this offers a significant improvement to battery, we need to do some testing before we'll know for sure.

Wired charging speed has also had a slight boost with the Pixel 9a now capable of hitting 23W charging speeds. That should mean slightly faster recharge time compared to the 18W speeds offered by the Pixel 8a.

Sadly wireless charging speed is still limited to 7.5W, which is pretty slow. But at least we have wireless charging, which wasn't always true of the A-series Pixels.

Google Pixel 9a vs. Pixel 8a software and special features

Since the Pixel 9a runs on the same Tensor G4 chipset, we can count on the new phone picking up the Google AI tools found on the Pixel 9.

This includes photo editing features like Add Me for inserting people into group shots and the Reimagine image editing feature that relies on text prompts. Not to mention all the older AI editing tools like Magic Editor, Photo Unblur and Auto Frame.

Other flagship software features on offer her include Call Screen, which lets Google Assistant take calls for you, Circle to Search, Pixel Studio image generation, the Pixel Screenshots app and Gemini Live. Gemini Live Video will also allow users to interact with the AI using the Pixel 9a's camera, but only if you also have a paid Gemini Advanced subscription

With the Pixel 8a, Google boosted security and software support to seven years for its midrange phone. That trend if set to continue with the Pixel 9a.

Google Pixel 9a vs. Pixel 8a outlook

The Google Pixel 9a could very well hold on to the best cheap phone crown thanks to all these different upgrades.

For the same $499, the Pixel 9a delivers a larger display, a sleeker design without the bulky camera bar and more powerful cameras. And while the Tensor G4 chip isn't the fastest, it should provide smooth performance in everyday tasks.

Add in compelling AI features and a larger battery, and this could be one of the best bargains of the year. Stay tuned for our full review.

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