Hands-on with the Google Pixel 9a: A Smart Mid-Range Choice
Google Pixel phones since the 6th generation have carried a trademark visual style, with its “Visor” design on the back. The new Pixel 9a throws it out of the window, at the same time it brings the usual updates to the operating system and processing. Check our initial impressions.
Pixel 9a: Design and Display
| Design and Build Quality | |
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| Display |
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| Dimensions |
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| Resistance |
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The biggest change in the Pixel 9a is undoubtedly the new flat design on the back. Instead of using the typical camera bar, the 9a’s camera module sits almost flush with the matte plastic back. And that was not achieved by making the phone thicker, as it is barely 0.4 mm thicker than the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro.
Without the “search bar” design, the dual cameras sit on a pill-shaped module, with the LED flash right next to it, directly mounted on the frosted plastic surface. On the sides, there is a metal frame with a matte finish, which in my opinion looks better than the shiny surface on the Pixel 9 Pro.
Ergonomics are fine at first glance, helped by the compact dimensions. The Pixel 9a is only slightly taller, wider, and thicker than the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro we tested last year.
Despite using a 6.3-inch display like those models, the Pixel 9a features thicker bezels around the OLED screen. On paper, the display brings the same features as the Pixel 9: 120 Hz (60 Hz by default), FullHD+ resolution, and 1800 nits brightness.
There is one important difference, however, with the Pixel 9a using Gorilla Glass 3 protection for the display (versus the more resistant Victus 2 on the other models). Water and dust protection is rated at IP68, just like the more expensive Pixel 9s.
Seven Years of Updates for the Pixel 9a
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| Operating system |
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| Update Policy |
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Trivia: All signs suggest that the Pixel 9a will be the only Pixel model launched with Android 15. While the other members of the Pixel 9 family were released with Android 14, Google is already close to launching version 16 of the operating system. Version numbers aside, the Pixel 9a is promised seven years of both security and feature updates.
As expected, the factory installation does not include third-party software, and after updating the system and apps there were 20 GB of used storage.
With a smaller RAM capacity, the Pixel 9a sacrifices some of the more resource-heavy AI features, but still packs lots of Gemini tricks, and even includes a free trial for the premium AI plan. Come back for the full review to see how they perform in real life.
Pixel 9a: Proper Mid-Range Performance
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| Processor |
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| Memory |
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| Connectivity |
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Powered by the same Tensor G4 chip found in the other Pixel 9 phones, the mid-range Pixel 9a feels like a more appropriate use of the chip, which lags noticeably behind other Android flagships in terms of processing power. In fact, performance is not much different from the previous three generations of Pixels. For a mid-range phone, though, it should be enough.
| Pixel 9a (Tensor G4) |
Pixel 8a (Tensor G3) |
Pixel 9 Pro (Tensor G4) |
iPhone 16e (Apple A18) |
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G (Snapdragon 7s Gen 3) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AnTuTu | 1,267,177 | 1,153,512 | 948,187 | 1,378.,592 | 741,190 |
| 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test |
Best loop: 2640 Worst loop: 1952 Stability: 73,94% |
Best loop: 2437 Worst loop: 1667 Stability: 68,4% |
Best loop: 2559 Worst loop: 2046 Stability: 79,95% |
Best loop: 3642 Worst loop: 2420 Stability: 66,45% |
Best loop: 1049 Worst loop: 1034 Stability: 98,6% |
| Geekbench 6 | Single: 1699 Multi: 4367 |
Single: 1688 Multi: 4362 |
Single: 1934 Multi: 4467 |
- | Single: 1173 Multi: 3259 |
We will save our impressions for the full review, but synthetic benchmarks show a similar level of performance compared to the more expensive models in both general tasks and gaming.
Camera Compromises on the Pixel 9a
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| Main Camera |
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| Ultra-Wide Camera |
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| Selfie Camera |
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| Max. Video Resolution |
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With a new camera design comes a new camera setup on the Pixel 9a. To achieve the thinner profile on the camera module, Google used a simpler camera sensor and lens array on the main shooter compared to other Pixel phones. That enabled the (almost) flat design, but the smaller sensor should perform worse than even the Pixel 8a. Again, we will test the phone to see if it really loses image quality, especially in low-light situations.
The Pixel 9a ultra-wide camera seems to use the same sensor and lens as the Pixel 8a, which returned good pictures in daylight but disappointed a bit at night. We expect similar results this generation, but only the full review will tell. Also, don’t expect similar results to those of the Pixel 9/9 Pro, as those models have better specifications for the ultra-wide snapper.
Google Pixel 9a battery
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| Battery Capacity |
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| Wired Charging Speed |
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| Wireless Charging Speed |
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With the biggest battery ever used on a Google phone, the Pixel 9a should deliver competent battery life but don’t expect it to break stamina records. The Tensor G4 chip is not known for being an efficient chip but at least the bigger 5100 mAh capacity should help things out. The fact that the phone does not come with bloatware and Google usually employs a suite of software optimizations on its phones, should result in better results than other Pixel 9 models.
On the charging department, the Pixel 9a can be recharged at up to 23 W using a PD-compatible adapter, and wireless charging is available, but at a maximum 7.5 W, following the Qi1 standard. There is no support for the Qi2 magnetic alignment, so you will need to get a special case if that is important.
Pixel 9a First Impressions
The Pixel 9a is an interesting update to Google's mid-range line. The new design steers away from the trademark visual of the family in the past 4 years, but does so with the benefit of a larger battery and a weaker camera on paper.
The seven-year update policy ensures a secured phone for longer than alternatives in the price range, and Google has been supportive of repairability initiatives by providing repair parts.
On the other hand, the lack of transparency with the Pixel 9a delayed launch (the specific component was never disclosed officially), and the recent controversy around the Pixel 4a's battery issues, leave some doubts about recommending the phone straight away.
We will be testing the Pixel 9a in the next weeks, so be sure to follow nextpit in our social media channels to be notified when the full review is published!
Google Pixel 9a - where to buy?
The Pixel 9a is on sale in the online Google Store, as well as in the usual retailers. The phone starts at $499 for the 128 GB model, but Google offers discounts on trade-ins and also if you join its Google Fi carrier plans.
There are four color options—blue, pink, black, and white—, and the upgraded 256 GB model has an MSRP of $599.
