Since 2019, Google’s affordable smartphone series has progressed and improved in almost all areas. After four years of updates and very few failures, the Pixel 8a is the fully evolved final form. Here’s what it’s like to use over a longer period of time.
Hardware and design
I love the switch to a matte finish on every facet of the Pixel 8a. When we talk to people about the 8a, there seems to be a bit of consensus that plastic making a comeback is something we’d like to see. Google has consciously tried to find a nice balance. Honestly, I’d be pretty happy if the Pixel 8 Pro used the same material, as hand feel isn’t drastically reduced.
The big advantage is that for the first time in a while I was happy to use the Pixel 8a without a case. I’ll openly admit that the matte black model is a bit boring for my taste, so I used some cases to add some color. By comparison, the Aloe that my colleague Abner Li uses is just as refreshing and soothing as its namesake. The green almost has a neon aspect that stands out nicely.
You may not need to use a case as it can take a beating. I’m coming back to the idea of flagships with high-quality plastic finishes instead of glass or metal. I can very well see the 8a fairing in the future, just like the 3a, 4a and 6a before it.
While I dream of the pocketability of the Pixel 4a, the 8a is comfortable with a chassis that feels compact and heavy. It’s probably the most comfortable Pixel since the Pixel 5, but it’s a little chunky compared to that device. It’s actually rounder than the regular Pixel 8 – which I think helps a lot.
Chunky bezels aren’t a major sore point for me, but they are noticeably larger than those of many other affordable phones. This is more pronounced on the black model, which has a gray metal frame. It could also be the rounded sides. At least it’s completely flat.
Apart from the bezels being a bit thick, the screen is excellent. With a size of 6.1 inches, there is a lot of space to use. The huge maximum brightness jump makes the Pixel 8a easier to use in any environment. One gripe I have is how the 8a handles the brightness of the display.
The individual brightness increases are strange because they jump dramatically from around 80%. I can become very weak or very clear. The middle section varies greatly. I adjust it manually all the time as the auto brightness settings can work too. It’s a bit annoying because the screen is just a small step down from the regular Pixel 8. It’s really excellent and a joy to use for all types of content.
The 120Hz refresh rate also feels like the latest evolution of an A-series smartphone screen. Don’t forget to enable this as the Pixel 8a defaults to 60Hz. Android 14 is made for this, with smooth, crisp animations and a cohesive feel in all areas. It’s backed by speakers that have a lot more oomph than I expected. Music, podcasts and movies sound great, but I’d still use headphones if you want the best experience.
The last of the list of nice things I noticed is that the haptics have been improved again here. There is a nice thud when typing or tapping. Only OnePlus or Oppo offers better vibration-based feedback on a device in this price range.
Software and performance
The Tensor G3 is not a true blue flagship chip. It is better suited in the upper middle class. This is where the Pixel 8a has the upper hand over many would-be challengers. Sure, there are objectively more powerful mid-range phones in many regions of the world, but not many of them will be exponentially more powerful.
I haven’t noticed any outright throttling specifically, but every now and then I notice some random warm phases. During the initial installation phase the device felt hot, and when installing many applications it can become warm. Strangely enough, I didn’t notice the same thing while testing Call of Duty Mobile and recently while roaming. However, these two tasks would increase the heat on most of my Android devices.
The most important thing to know is that day to day I haven’t been able to tell the difference between the performance levels of the 8a and the 8 and 8 Pro. They’re virtually identical, which is always the biggest bonus with Pixel A series devices. You get a top-level software experience without compromise. That said, you won’t be able to hit 120fps while gaming on many titles because the Tensor G3 doesn’t have enough overhead for that.
All the AI-powered core modes make the jump down here. If I’m honest, I really only use the AI background feature. Magic Editor and Audio Magic Eraser aren’t things I’d use often, but I’m glad they’re there because it’s great to have the options on a mid-ranger like this.
Gemini Nano is also promised as part of a future Feature Drop that will enable more AI processing on the device. For now, things are kept simple. There’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to the software stack. Personally, I like to use this as a testbed for the Android 15 Beta.
The Pixel 8a even has some timed exclusive features. There is a Snapshot widget that allows you to quickly take a photo. The latest photo you took will then appear as a pinned Polaroid-style widget on your home screen. It’s fine, but it’s mostly a gimmick.
You might not realize that the 8a is the only Pixel device that has battery charge cycle information as standard. This was unceremoniously removed in the Android 14 QPR2 update, but won’t return to future Pixels until some time in the future.
Camera
My bold take on the Pixel 8a is that there’s no camera in this price range that offers this much bang for your buck. Sure, it’s identical to last year’s Pixel 7a, but that doesn’t stop the 8a’s camera system from being about as good as it gets for under $500.
The 64-megapixel main sensor is super flexible and textbook Google tuning helps improve the quality of your photos. Even if you turn on and use the digital zoom, the quality doesn’t drop drastically. The dynamic range is among the best, and contrast is handled well too. The loss of focus makes close-up photos look great, with pin-sharp detail where it matters.
For me, the Pixel camera experience is second to none, from the ease of use to the quality of images you get. The Pixel 8a is absolutely no exception, even if it doesn’t have any upgrades over last year’s handset. You get reliability and consistency, which may not seem that important on paper, but are essential when you have a few seconds to capture a lifelong memory.
The little video I captured was visually appealing, but lags behind the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. Sometimes colors look a bit off out and makes videos feel a bit synthetic. This is fine on its own, but it’s something to note as it makes 8a video stand out compared to the series’ siblings.
As a side note, one of the best things about the Pixel 8a is that anyone can use it and take great photos and videos without having to worry about overly complicated modes and settings. The results speak for themselves.
Longevity and long battery life
At no point in living with the 8a over the course of a month did I feel disappointed or frustrated with how long it lasts. Even with intensive GPS use while traveling, the battery percentage does not drop like a stone. However, I am a bit annoyed by the slow loading speed.
I have no problem with the 7.5W wireless charging, which is absolutely fine as it means less heat and battery drain. 18W just isn’t that fast for a phone of this size. Connecting it, like I do in the morning, takes far too long. Well, more than an hour and 30 minutes if your phone is dead to get back to 100%.
I can’t complain about the lifespan. Once charged, the nearly 4,500 mAh battery is enough to do almost anything you can think of. Be aware that you will have to wait a long time for a refill if the level has dropped to a low level.
Final thoughts
After using the Pixel 8a as my main device for the better part of a month, simply measuring the Pixel 8a without the Pixel 8’s looming shadow was very difficult.
Kudos to Google for continually improving the A series, but all the incremental improvements now make it a peripheral that sits on the shoulders of the regular Pixel flagship range. This is the first time the A-series has felt out of place because of those improvements.
It is far from a bad product. In fact, it’s the best A-series phone thanks to improvements in several key areas. Last year, given the existence of the regular Pixel 7, I had similar mixed thoughts about the Pixel 7a. The 8a once again takes things a step further with a better display, battery capacity, design and even improved storage options. These improvements mean the Pixel 8a is a great buy in its own right.
The most obvious sore point is that moving closer to the base model in the flagship range – as a fan of the A-series – I’m sorry to say that the 8a feels a bit pointless. It indicates to me that Google has completed the A series and wants to send it into the sunset, while unknowingly telling people to spend their money on the Pixel 8
There could be an argument that this is the perfect entry-level phone to buy, as the 8a will likely stick around for a while once the Pixel 9 arrives.
Putting that future aside for a moment, the Pixel 8a is a great phone: a good phone that came out at the wrong time. As the price drops it becomes a better buy, something that can’t always be said for Android phones in general. Since it’s been supported for a long time, it’s a better buy as it gets cheaper.
Normally I would keep my SIM card in the latest A-series phone until the next flagship release. For the first time in a few years that will not be the case. Is that an indictment against the 8a? I’m not sure, but I’m not super confident that fans should buy this version for the first time in a while unless you can get a discount off the $499 launch price.
Buy the Pixel 8a
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