Google Pixel 9a Review: Still the Best Smartphone

Google is employing the aforesaid top-end Tensor G4 processor arsenic the Pixel 9 series, though you get lone 8 gigabytes of RAM versus 12 connected the Pixel 9 and 16 connected the Pixel 9 Pro. For the astir part, show feels identical to Google's flagship phones. Apps motorboat quickly, multitasking is snappy, and it didn't conflict with the fewer mobile games I tried.

But the lesser RAM means a fewer Gemini-powered bundle features from the Pixel 9 bid aren't available, similar the Pixel Screenshots app and Call Notes, which automatically provides a substance summary of your telephone calls. I find these helpful, truthful it's a shame they're not here, but not capable to ding the phone's people for it.

I besides had immoderate issues with Assistant Voice Typing—the souped-up voice-to-text tech—though this whitethorn oregon whitethorn not beryllium related. It got a fewer things incorrect arsenic I spoke. That's communal for different phones, but I usually person a astir flawless acquisition connected Pixels.

The large betterment implicit its predecessor is artillery life. There's present a beefy 5,100-mAh cell, the largest to day successful a Pixel phone. You're not going to get two-day artillery life, but I've mostly ended astir days with a comfy 30 to 40 percent near over. On the time of the Nintendo Switch 2 announcement, I was posting unrecorded for an hr connected Bluesky, not to notation utilizing Slack and enabling the blistery spot relation to edit and upload immoderate photos from a tablet. By 5:30 pm, the Pixel 9a was astatine 15 percent. Heavy users whitethorn request to tote astir a powerfulness bank.

I haven't had galore issues with the remainder of the hardware. I similar that I tin wirelessly complaint this Pixel adjacent if it's utilizing the older, basal Qi standard. Wireless charging isn't a fixed connected inexpensive and midrange phones, truthful this is simply a plus. Google has upgraded the IP standing to IP68 now, meaning the telephone tin beryllium submerged for longer periods and inactive travel retired OK. The optical fingerprint sensor is accelerated and reliable, and this remains 1 of the lone Android phones with a unafraid look unlock that works with banking and different delicate apps. It's a shame that Google's face-scanning biometrics strategy inactive doesn't enactment good successful the dark, and it's not arsenic unafraid arsenic Apple's Face ID (it tin beryllium spoofed).

The Pixel Eye

The dual-camera strategy consists of a 48-megapixel main sensor and a 13-MP ultrawide, with a 13-MP selfie camera connected the front. As with virtually each Pixel phone, it's hard not to beryllium impressed with the camera prime compared to its peers. This Pixel is besides privy to galore of the caller AI bundle features Google debuted connected the Pixel 9, similar Add Me, Best Take, Reimagine, and Auto frame. I explored a batch of these features present and successful my Pixel 9 review.

Images whitethorn not beryllium as crisp arsenic what you mightiness get from the iPhone 16e's camera, but you'd lone announcement if you zoomed in. Whether it's during the time oregon astatine night, you tin expect a sharp, colorful, and agleam photo, 1 that tin grip high-contrast scenes decently. Even immoderate 4K 60-frames-per-second video footage I changeable successful a dimly lit karaoke country came retired looking perfectly usable, if a spot grainy.