Google’s Pixel 8a Is a Tempting Midrange Phone

Android phone buyers who prefer to save a buck or two have a new option from Google.

Ahead of its I/O developer conference, Google today revealed the Pixel 8a, and like other devices in its “A” series, the 8a offers many of the same features as the main Pixel line with select spec downgrades to keep the price reasonable. This year, it strikes an appealing balance.

The company also detailed a new way to get the Pixel Tablet. Here’s what you need to know.

Google Pixel 8a: A Familiar Design Outside

Google redesigned the 8a to make it look more like the Pixel 8 ($699) and Pixel 8 Pro ($999), and less like the square-ish Pixel 7a ($499) from last year. The Pixel 8a measures 6.0 by 2.9 by 0.4 inches (HWD) and weighs 6.8 ounces, which is almost identical to the 7a (6.0 by 2.8 by 0.4 inches, 6.8 ounces) but slightly bigger than the Pixel 8 (5.9 by 2.8 by 0.4 inches, 6.6 ounces).

Despite the fresh looks, the base 128GB model still costs $499. A new 256GB model is available too for $559 and in Obsidian (black) only; the 7a was not offered with this option.

(Credit: Google)

A USB-C port (v3.2) sits on the bottom edge while a volume rocker and power button line the right edge with a fingerprint sensor under the display.

The Pixel 8a has an aluminum frame and a plastic back. Gorilla Glass 3 protects the screen. This is fairly old glass that is more prone to cracking (but less prone to scratching) than Gorilla Glass Victus, which is much newer. A 6.1-inch OLED display dominates the phone’s front. It has a resolution of 2,400 by 1,080 pixels, an adaptive refresh rate of 120Hz, and a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits (1,400 nits HDR). This is a significant step up from the Pixel 7a display, which has the same resolution but a refresh rate of up to 90Hz and a top brightness of 1,000 nits. A small cutout for the selfie camera is visible at the top of the screen.

As for durability, the Google Pixel 8a has an IP rating of IP67, just like the 7a. It can withstand most dust and sit in up to 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes. The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro have a stronger IP68 rating, which means they are a bit more impervious to water.

The Pixel 8a is available in four colors: Aloe (green), Bay (blue), Obsidian (black), and Porcelain (white/grayish). The matte aluminum rear camera bar is color-matched to the back panel for a nice, uniform look.

Tensor G3 and 5G: Latest Tech Inside

Google’s Tensor G3 processor powers the Pixel 8a. This is the same system on a chip (SoC) found in the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. Google designed the G3 with a powerful neural processing unit meant primarily to handle AI tasks more so than to burn through heavy processing and gaming tasks. It’s a solid chip but provides a different performance vector when compared to top-tier processors like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Like the Pixel 7a and 8 series, the Titan M2 security chip is on board to keep your data safe.

(Credit: Google)

As noted, the phone ships with either 128GB or 256GB of storage. There’s no expandable storage on board. In comparison, the identically priced Samsung Galaxy A35 comes with 128GB of storage and features a microSD card slot for up to 1TB of storage.

For RAM, the Pixel 8a sticks with 8GB like the 7a and the Pixel 8. For more RAM on a Pixel, you’ll have to get the Pixel 8 Pro which has 12GB.

The 8a features a 4,492mAh battery, up from the 7a’s 4,385mAh battery. It is capable of wired charging at up to 18W and Qi wireless charging at 7.5W.

As for connectivity, the 8a supports sub-6GHz 5G (including C-band) as well as the speedier (but less widespread) mmWave 5G. This means it can connect to most of the fastest 5G networks in the US. The device supports dual SIMs (physical SIM and eSIM), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC.

Cameras: Aiming to Be the Best

Google touts the Pixel 8a as, “the best smartphone camera for under $500”: A bold claim. The phone features a 64MP f/1.89 main shooter with optical image stabilization. Google says it’s the exact same sensor as last year’s 7a. The phone also has a 13MP f/2.2 ultra-wide shooter with a 120-degree field of view on the rear and a 13MP f/2.2 selfie camera like the Pixel 7a, though its field of view is slightly wider at 96.5 degrees versus 95 degrees. Video capture tops out at 4K resolution at 60 frames per second (fps).

(Credit: Google)

Of course, Google photography is not all about the hardware. The company has made great strides in computational photography and AI to produce beautiful images. The Pixel 8a brings along Best Take, Magic Editor, and Audio Magic Eraser—features that are unavailable on the Pixel 7a.

Best Take lets you modify group photos using face replacement to create a better photo; Magic Editor uses generative AI to allow you to move or resize items within an image; and Audio Magic Eraser lets you easily remix audio in your videos. These software-based features could help the Pixel 8a live up to Google’s claim.

Magic Editor in action on the Pixel 8 (Credit: Google/PCMag)

To find out more about these AI features, check out our Google Pixel 8 Pro review.

Long-Term Commitment and a Dash of AI

The Pixel 8a arrives with Android 14 on board and will get seven years of both OS and security upgrades. This is the same policy as for the Pixel 8 series, which is great for those who like using phones for a longer time. Samsung is the only other company to formally offer such a long-term commitment to its Android phones.

Left to right: Google Pixel 8, Pixel 8a, Pixel 8 Pro (Credit: Google)

AI is built into the 8a, just like the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. Google’s Gemini Nano, an AI chatbot that runs locally on a smartphone, will be available on the Pixel 8a. The company says Gemini Nano can be enabled as a developer option and is opt-in (rather than a default feature). Other AI options on board include Call Assist (which can wait on hold for you or direct your call through a phone tree), Live Translate, and Circle to Search.

Google also added new parental control options that will be available during the initial phone setup and allow parents to customize settings like screen limits and monitoring.

The Pixel 8a is available for preorder starting today (May 7) and it will reach stores May 14.

A New Way to Buy the Pixel Tablet

Google is making an adjustment to the Pixel Tablet, which debuted last year for $499. That price includes a speaker dock that helps the tablet transform into a smart display. Beginning May 14, the Pixel Tablet will be available at the lower price of $399—without the dock. Otherwise, it’s the same device Google released in 2023.

Google Pixel Tablet (Credit: Eric Zeman)

Is that enough to spur interest in Google’s slate? We labeled the speaker dock a huge plus when we reviewed the Pixel Tablet last year. It serves as a charger and unlocks a Hub mode that lets you use the Pixel Tablet as a smart display. Making the Pixel Tablet available without the dock marks a shift in strategy and re-positions the slate to some degree. Rumors suggest Google is working on keyboard and stylus accessories for the Pixel Tablet, which would make the slate a better productivity tool than before, but those reports have yet to bear out. The dock is available separately for $129.

The Google Pixel Tablet is up for preorder starting today and will be available May 14.

There is sure to be more news from Google I/O 2024, which kicks off May 14. Find out what we expect from Google’s big developers’ conference.