Google has bring out the long - await – but heavily leaked – Pixel 9a , and it ’s fairly much what we expect . That ’s great news for us consumers , but not so much for Google .
Why ? plainly put , thePixel 9acloses the gap between it and the flagship Pixel 9 more than any ‘ a ’ serial publication gimmick that come before it , so much so that the £ 300/$300 price difference between the two seems almost comical .
That ’s great news for us consumer , as we ’re get way more bang for our Pearl Buck with the £ 499/$499 Pixel 9a . However , it also means there areveryfew reason to opt for the £ 799/$799 Pixel 9 at this gunpoint . Sorry , Google , you might ’ve shot yourself in the understructure with this one .
get me explain .
These specs sound familiar
allow ’s start with the cover . The Pixel 9a examine quite the upgrade in the display section , sporting a larger 6.3 - column inch Actua video display than its 6.1 - inch precursor . If that screen size of it sounds familiar , it should ; it ’s the same size as the Pixel 9 .
It ’s not just the same size either ; it sports the same FHD+ resolution , dynamic 120Hz refresh rate ( LTPO tech is exclusive to thePixel 9 Promodels ) , 2700nit peak luminance and support for HDR10 + . In fact , the only visible difference between the two is the heaviness of the bezel , and there is n’t reallythatmuch in it .
It ’s a similar story when turning our attention to the cameras , and the primary camera in particular . While it might look like a downgrade compare to the 64MP snapper of its predecessor , it ’s in reality an upgraded lens that almost exactly mirror that of the Pixel 9 .
It might not be the full 50MP of the Pixel 9 , but at 48MP , it ’s not too far off . Besides , all the crucial spec , include a 1/2 - column inch sensor , f/1.8 aperture , OIS and PDAF autofocus , are selfsame , so it ’s safe to take on that performance will be on equivalence with the flagship where the main lens is concerned .
And , as always , the ‘ a ’ series smartphone gets the same Tensor chipset as the flagship option , in this example , theTensor G4 . It ’ll likely beslightlyunderpowered liken to that of the flagship to give it the boundary in performance , but largely speaking , you’re able to wait exchangeable degree of execution .
That also apply to the all - important AI smart of the gadget , thanks to the Tensor G4 ’s centering on AI carrying out . This mean that the Pixel 9a variation many , if not all , of the same AI feature film as the Pixel 9 , including the new Screenshots app , a smarter Gemini experience and photo editing tools like Best Take and Add Me .
In fact , with the same seven - year operating system hope as the flagship Pixel 9 , the Pixel 9a should get more software system updates , stretching to 2032 or else of 2031 .
Ironically , the Pixel 9a offers a bigger battery than the flagship alternative , 5100mAh compare to 4700mAh . That might not sound like a big difference , but Google claim the Pixel 9a can last 30 hour on a charge , while the Pixel 9 can last around 24 hours .
When you weigh all of this , Google ’s decision to fork off from the flagship Pixel design with the 9a make a bunch more sense . If the Pixel 9a also featured the redesign camera bar present on the Pixel 9 , it ’d make the two phonesalmostidentical at a coup d’oeil despite that not - undistinguished difference in price .
The Pixel 9 is technically better, but is it £300/$300 better?
It ’s secure to say that the two smartphones are moderately similar , but of course , the Pixel 9 is the more adequate to of the two . The Pixel 9 , for example , offers an upgraded glass rear in place of the plastic composite option on offer from the Pixel 9a , which contribute to the flagship ’s overall premium feel .
It also boasts improved enduringness on the front and rearward liken to the Pixel 9a . Where the Pixel 9a offer the cured Gorilla Glass 3 screen auspices , the Pixel 9 offer the high - end Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on both the CRT screen and glass rear .
And , while the chief cameras might be similar , the two differ wildly when it come to the attendant ultrawide .
The Pixel 9 swash a able 48MP autofocus - enabled ultrawide with a surprisingly wide f/1.7 aperture for an ultrawide lens . Despite Google take melioration have been made with the Pixel 9a , it still offers a comparatively basic mend stress 13MP f/2.2 ultrawide that ’s standardized to that of the Pixel 8a .
The Pixel 9 also comes with a boosted 12 GB of RAM to well manage the most demanding AI tasks equate to the 9a ’s 8 GB , and with 27W wired and 12.5W wireless charging , it charges quicker than the Pixel 9a ’s 23W and 7.5W – though there is n’t much in it .
The crowing question is , are all these niceties enough to vindicate a £ 799/$799 price rag when you’re able to buy what reckon to be afantastic mid - range phonethat ’s very like , or in some pillow slip better , for £ 300/$300 less ? I know which I ’d commend to friends and family , and let ’s just say it ’s not count good for the Google Pixel 9 …
We ’ve also compared the Pixel 9a to thePixel 8a , Pixel 7aand even theiPhone 16eif you ’re peculiar about how it stacks up to the competition .
We ’ve got wads more coverage of the Pixel 9a , so check out :
