Google’s latest mid-range A-series Pixel handsets step it up a notch, offering almost all the features of a high-end smartphone, including the latest AI and camera tricks, at a more affordable price.
The Pixel 8a starts at £499 (€549 / $499 / AU$849). It might be £50 more than last year’s 7a, but the new model improves on almost everything and is £200 cheaper than the Pixel 8.
Google has redesigned the phone, making it more rounded, especially at the corners, making it easier to hold without a case. It’s still a Pixel, with a large aluminum camera bar on the back, and it looks great in bolder colors.
The 6.1-inch screen has been upgraded since last year to match that of the more expensive Pixel 8; it’s significantly brighter and runs at up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling. It’s a nicely sized, crisp, colorful display.
The frame is made of aluminum and the back is made of fingerprint-resistant matte plastic, making it look much cleaner.
Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
The 8a is powered by Google’s latest top-of-the-line Tensor G3 chip. It’s not the fastest processor on the market, but it’s much more powerful than many of the lower-tier chips. The phone was always responsive. Google’s various software features are fast and games work flawlessly.
Battery life is decent but nowhere near the best: The Pixel lasts up to about 35 hours on a single charge with just over five hours of active screen use. If you spend all day on 5G using mapping or similar power-hungry tools, you might need to charge it before bed.
specification
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screen: 6.1-inch 120Hz FHD+ OLED (430ppi)
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Processor: Google Tensor G3
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Ram: 8GB
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storage: 128 or 256GB
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operating system: Android 14
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camera: 64MP + 13MP Ultra Wide, 13MP Selfie
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Connectivity: 5G, Sim and eSim, Wi-Fi 6E, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, and GNSS
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water resistance: IP67 (1m, 30 minutes)
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size: 152.1×72.7×8.9mm
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weight: 188 grams
Android 14 with all AI
The 8a is equipped with a fingerprint scanner. 2D face recognition It will match your Pixel 8 to unlock your phone.
Photo: Samuel Gibbs/Guardian
The Pixel 8a comes with Android 14 and pretty much every major AI feature Google has added to its high-end smartphones, including some great ones. Search by circle Features that debuted earlier this year, live translation and transcription, call screening and anti-spam features, and more Google’s Gemini Tool Chatbot – however, the latter is yet to arrive in the UK.
One of the biggest upgrades to Pixel this year is the extension of software support for at least seven years after release. This includes the Pixel 8a. This support period is very welcome and unheard of in the sub-£500 mid-range market.
camera
The Google Camera app has enough tools and settings to help you get the right shots without getting overwhelmed.
Photo: Samuel Gibbs/Guardian
The Pixel 8a has essentially the same best-in-class camera system as last year’s 7a.
The main 64-megapixel camera is the star of the show, taking great photos in a variety of lighting conditions. The 13-megapixel ultrawide camera is one of the best, especially at this price. There’s no macro mode or telephoto camera, but you can get decent results up to 3-4x digital zoom. Google’s camera system handles difficult scenes like high-contrast lighting and fast-moving objects better than its competitors, making it a great point-and-shoot camera.
Most of Google’s great AI photography tools are also available. These include an astrophotography mode, a deblur tool, a magic eraser, and a magic editor tool. The most popular is the Pixel 8 Pro’s “Best Take” feature. This feature allows him to combine faces from multiple images to create one “best” photo, capturing a group where everyone looks their best. This will be especially helpful for parents.
sustainability
The 18W wired charging will reach 60% in 45 minutes and full after an hour, which is quite slow, but there’s also Qi wireless charging.
Photo: Samuel Gibbs/Guardian
Google hasn’t released an expected battery lifespan, but it should last at least 80% of its original capacity for 500 full charge cycles. The phone is repairable. By Google and Third Party Shop Genuine replacement parts directly available From iFixit.
Pixel 8a is made from recycled aluminum, plastic, and tin, which makes up at least 24% of its weight. The company is Environmental impact report For phone and will Recycle your old device Free.
price
Pixel 8a price £499 (549 euro/$499/849 Australian dollars), or £559 (€609 / $559 / AU$949) for 256GB.
By comparison, the Pixel 8 costs £699The price of the Pixel 8 Pro £999The price of the Fairphone 5 £649Nothing Phone 2 price £499 And the price of iPhone SE is £429.
verdict
Pixel 8a offers nearly all the great features of Google’s top smartphones at an affordable price.
A quality camera system, high-end chip, great screen and attractive design already put this phone at the top of the mid-range, but seven years of software support and access to Google’s latest and most cutting-edge AI tools put it in a class of its own.
To achieve the lower price, some compromises were made: the back of the phone is plastic instead of glass, and the screen has larger bezels. The phone’s water resistance, scratch resistance, and battery life aren’t the best. It’s also a bit disappointing that it doesn’t have built-in spatial audio for headphones. But in the interest of cost savings, these minor shortcomings are easy to ignore.
The Pixel 8a is by far the best mid-range smartphone out there — you’d have to spend almost twice as much to get a better Android phone.
Strong Points: With seven years of software updates, a best-in-class camera, a great screen, a top-tier chip, solid battery life, recycled materials, and impressive generative AI capabilities, it comes in at under the price of a high-end phone.
Cons: No extended optical zoom on camera, raw performance and battery not the best, only IP67 water resistance, plastic back, no built-in spatial audio, old Gorilla Glass 3.
