Google's Pixel 9A: A Budget-Friendly Smartphone with Advanced AI Features

The $499 Pixel 9A Arrives Thursday. Should You Buy It?

Google's latest budget phone, the $499 Pixel 9A, is arriving early this year, fresh off the heels of Apple's "affordable" offering, the $599 iPhone 16E. Very convenient timing. The Pixel 9A will be available in stores on Thursday, starting in the US and UK. The Pixel 9A is $300 cheaper than the baseline Pixel 9 and, therefore, scales back a bit when it comes to features like cameras and RAM. However, it maintains other attributes like display size, processor and AI features -- and even touts a higher battery capacity than its pricier Pixel counterparts. So is the Pixel 9A a good fit for you? Here's everything to consider. Being able to take good photos is usually a top priority when buying a new phone since, for most people, their phone is their only camera. The Pixel 9A has two cameras on the back: a 48-megapixel wide and 13-megapixel ultrawide, along with a 13-megapixel front-facing camera. That places the 9A's rear camera specs below those on the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro, but megapixels aren't the only factor in getting quality shots. (You can check out the spec chart below to see how the cameras compare on these phones.) The Pixel 9A's camera supports Macro Focus, meaning you can get closer to your subject -- like if you're snapping a close-up of your delicious meal -- and have it be in crisp focus. With the 9A, Google uses the main camera to enable Macro Focus instead of the ultrawide camera, as with many other phones. What's perhaps most notable about the Pixel 9A is the suite of AI editing tools you'll still have access to, even with that lower price. Features like Magic Editor can help clean up your shots and alter backgrounds, Best Take creates an image where everyone in a group photo looks their best, and Add Me employs AI and augmented reality to incorporate the photographer in the final image. For people who are curious about the myriad AI features companies are bombarding us with, the Pixel 9A can be a good device for dipping your toes in those waters, hopefully without feeling inundated -- and without shelling out too much cash to see what all the buzz is about. I find photo editing tools among the best uses of AI because they eliminate the need for pricey software and let you touch up photos directly on your device, with no special skills needed. But if you would rather venture deeper into AI territory, the 9A's still got you covered. You'll have access to Gemini to help with tasks like writing, brainstorming and carrying out actions across apps. You'll also get Circle to Search so you can learn more about whatever's on your screen -- a feature upon which I've become heavily reliant. Those features are great because they feel like a natural way to ease into AI since they're so deeply integrated into your device and seamless to use. With AI being a staple of almost every new phone, tapping into those capabilities without breaking the bank can be an enticing option for someone who still isn't sure what the big deal is -- and then see if the Pixel 9A changes their mind. While carriers may expect you to upgrade your phone every two years, manufacturers like Google and Samsung have extended the window for software and security upgrades on their phones to seven years. That applies to lower-priced phones like the Pixel 9A as well, giving budget-conscious consumers even more reason to feel like they've scored a deal. Not buying a flagship device can also mean feeling less susceptible to the pressures of upgrades. It's typically more premium phones -- usually with minor tweaks -- that are aggressively pushed onto those keen to purchase the latest tech. If simply having a phone with key features is all that matters, then the Pixel 9A can be a good way to dodge all that noise. This can also make the Pixel 9A a good option for kids, who probably don't need the flashiest devices. Features like Family Link allow parents to manage privacy settings, screen time limits and location sharing, and they can also silence notifications and disable apps during school hours. The Pixel 9A packs the same Google Tensor G4 processor as the flagship Pixel 9 and 9 Pro but has 8GB of RAM instead of the 12GB and 16GB you'll get on those premium phones. That should still be more than enough for everyday use, like scrolling through social media, snapping photos and browsing the web. If you're a heavy mobile gamer, 8GB of RAM might not be ideal, but it won't be an issue for most people. The Pixel 9A's 6.3-inch OLED display matches up with what you'll get on the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, so you don't have to scale back your viewing experience -- especially with a 60Hz to 120Hz variable refresh rate that should make scrolling seamless. And with a 5,100-mAh battery, the Pixel 9A should be able to last you throughout the day. Like the iPhone 16E, the Pixel 9A actually touts a higher battery capacity than its pricier peers, which each have a 4,700-mAh battery. That can also help you feel like you're getting the most bang for your buck. What you won't get with this phone is the Pixel 9's Satellite SOS feature, which uses satellites to contact emergency services when you're out of range of a cell signal or Wi-Fi. But if you don't often find yourself in places without cell service, like on a remote hiking trail, then you hopefully shouldn't feel its absence. With all that in mind, if you have last year's Pixel 8A, there's probably not enough reason to upgrade to the 9A, as they share many of the same features, specs and AI capabilities. But if you've got a Pixel 7A and want to tap into some newer AI features, the 9A might be enticing. Similarly, if you have a Pixel 6A or older, you could see a noticeable improvement in the 9A's camera, battery life and overall performance. And if you'd rather hang tight to your phone and keep stretching your dollar, more power to you.

The $499 Pixel 9A Arrives Tomorrow. Should You Buy It?

Google's latest budget phone, the $499 Pixel 9A, is arriving early this year, fresh off the heels of Apple's "affordable" offering, the $599 iPhone 16E. Very convenient timing. The Pixel 9A will be available in stores on Thursday, starting in the US and UK. The Pixel 9A is $300 cheaper than the baseline Pixel 9 and, therefore, scales back a bit when it comes to features like cameras and RAM. However, it maintains other attributes like display size, processor and AI features -- and even touts a higher battery capacity than its pricier Pixel counterparts. So is the Pixel 9A a good fit for you? Here's everything to consider. Being able to take good photos is usually a top priority when buying a new phone since, for most people, their phone is their only camera. The Pixel 9A has two cameras on the back: a 48-megapixel wide and 13-megapixel ultrawide, along with a 13-megapixel front-facing camera. That places the 9A's rear camera specs below those on the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro, but megapixels aren't the only factor in getting quality shots. (You can check out the spec chart below to see how the cameras compare on these phones.) The Pixel 9A's camera supports Macro Focus, meaning you can get closer to your subject -- like if you're snapping a close-up of your delicious meal -- and have it be in crisp focus. With the 9A, Google uses the main camera to enable Macro Focus instead of the ultrawide camera, as with many other phones. What's perhaps most notable about the Pixel 9A is the suite of AI editing tools you'll still have access to, even with that lower price. Features like Magic Editor can help clean up your shots and alter backgrounds, Best Take creates an image where everyone in a group photo looks their best, and Add Me employs AI and augmented reality to incorporate the photographer in the final image. For people who are curious about the myriad AI features companies are bombarding us with, the Pixel 9A can be a good device for dipping your toes in those waters, hopefully without feeling inundated -- and without shelling out too much cash to see what all the buzz is about. I find photo editing tools among the best uses of AI because they eliminate the need for pricey software and let you touch up photos directly on your device, with no special skills needed. But if you would rather venture deeper into AI territory, the 9A's still got you covered. You'll have access to Gemini to help with tasks like writing, brainstorming and carrying out actions across apps. You'll also get Circle to Search so you can learn more about whatever's on your screen -- a feature upon which I've become heavily reliant. Those features are great because they feel like a natural way to ease into AI since they're so deeply integrated into your device and seamless to use. With AI being a staple of almost every new phone, tapping into those capabilities without breaking the bank can be an enticing option for someone who still isn't sure what the big deal is -- and then see if the Pixel 9A changes their mind. While carriers may expect you to upgrade your phone every two years, manufacturers like Google and Samsung have extended the window for software and security upgrades on their phones to seven years. That applies to lower-priced phones like the Pixel 9A as well, giving budget-conscious consumers even more reason to feel like they've scored a deal. Not buying a flagship device can also mean feeling less susceptible to the pressures of upgrades. It's typically more premium phones -- usually with minor tweaks -- that are aggressively pushed onto those keen to purchase the latest tech. If simply having a phone with key features is all that matters, then the Pixel 9A can be a good way to dodge all that noise. This can also make the Pixel 9A a good option for kids, who probably don't need the flashiest devices. Features like Family Link allow parents to manage privacy settings, screen time limits and location sharing, and they can also silence notifications and disable apps during school hours. The Pixel 9A packs the same Google Tensor G4 processor as the flagship Pixel 9 and 9 Pro but has 8GB of RAM instead of the 12GB and 16GB you'll get on those premium phones. That should still be more than enough for everyday use, like scrolling through social media, snapping photos and browsing the web. If you're a heavy mobile gamer, 8GB of RAM might not be ideal, but it won't be an issue for most people. The Pixel 9A's 6.3-inch OLED display matches up with what you'll get on the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, so you don't have to scale back your viewing experience -- especially with a 60Hz to 120Hz variable refresh rate that should make scrolling seamless. And with a 5,100-mAh battery, the Pixel 9A should be able to last you throughout the day. Like the iPhone 16E, the Pixel 9A actually touts a higher battery capacity than its pricier peers, which each have a 4,700-mAh battery. That can also help you feel like you're getting the most bang for your buck. What you won't get with this phone is the Pixel 9's Satellite SOS feature, which uses satellites to contact emergency services when you're out of range of a cell signal or Wi-Fi. But if you don't often find yourself in places without cell service, like on a remote hiking trail, then you hopefully shouldn't feel its absence. With all that in mind, if you have last year's Pixel 8A, there's probably not enough reason to upgrade to the 9A, as they share many of the same features, specs and AI capabilities. But if you've got a Pixel 7A and want to tap into some newer AI features, the 9A might be enticing. Similarly, if you have a Pixel 6A or older, you could see a noticeable improvement in the 9A's camera, battery life and overall performance. And if you'd rather hang tight to your phone and keep stretching your dollar, more power to you.

The $499 Pixel 9A Is Now in Stores. Should You Buy It?

Google's latest budget phone, the $499 Pixel 9A, is now available in stores, fresh off the heels of Apple's "affordable" offering, the $599 iPhone 16E. Very convenient timing. Make sure to read CNET's Pixel 9A review. The Pixel 9A is $300 cheaper than the baseline Pixel 9 and, therefore, scales back a bit when it comes to features like cameras and RAM. However, it maintains other attributes like display size, processor and AI features -- and even touts a higher battery capacity than its pricier Pixel counterparts. So is the Pixel 9A a good fit for you? Here's everything to consider. Being able to take good photos is usually a top priority when buying a new phone since, for most people, their phone is their only camera. The Pixel 9A has two cameras on the back: a 48-megapixel wide and 13-megapixel ultrawide, along with a 13-megapixel front-facing camera. That places the 9A's rear camera specs below those on the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro, but megapixels aren't the only factor in getting quality shots. (You can check out the spec chart below to see how the cameras compare on these phones.) The Pixel 9A's camera supports Macro Focus, meaning you can get closer to your subject -- like if you're snapping a close-up of your delicious meal -- and have it be in crisp focus. With the 9A, Google uses the main camera to enable Macro Focus instead of the ultrawide camera, as with many other phones. What's perhaps most notable about the Pixel 9A is the suite of AI editing tools you'll still have access to, even with that lower price. Features like Magic Editor can help clean up your shots and alter backgrounds, Best Take creates an image where everyone in a group photo looks their best, and Add Me employs AI and augmented reality to incorporate the photographer in the final image. For people who are curious about the myriad AI features companies are bombarding us with, the Pixel 9A can be a good device for dipping your toes in those waters, hopefully without feeling inundated -- and without shelling out too much cash to see what all the buzz is about. I find photo editing tools among the best uses of AI because they eliminate the need for pricey software and let you touch up photos directly on your device, with no special skills needed. But if you would rather venture deeper into AI territory, the 9A's still got you covered. You'll have access to Gemini to help with tasks like writing, brainstorming and carrying out actions across apps. You'll also get Circle to Search so you can learn more about whatever's on your screen -- a feature upon which I've become heavily reliant. Those features are great because they feel like a natural way to ease into AI since they're so deeply integrated into your device and seamless to use. With AI being a staple of almost every new phone, tapping into those capabilities without breaking the bank can be an enticing option for someone who still isn't sure what the big deal is -- and then see if the Pixel 9A changes their mind. While carriers may expect you to upgrade your phone every two years, manufacturers like Google and Samsung have extended the window for software and security upgrades on their phones to seven years. That applies to lower-priced phones like the Pixel 9A as well, giving budget-conscious consumers even more reason to feel like they've scored a deal. Not buying a flagship device can also mean feeling less susceptible to the pressures of upgrades. It's typically more premium phones -- usually with minor tweaks -- that are aggressively pushed onto those keen to purchase the latest tech. If simply having a phone with key features is all that matters, then the Pixel 9A can be a good way to dodge all that noise. This can also make the Pixel 9A a good option for kids, who probably don't need the flashiest devices. Features like Family Link allow parents to manage privacy settings, screen time limits and location sharing, and they can also silence notifications and disable apps during school hours. The Pixel 9A packs the same Google Tensor G4 processor as the flagship Pixel 9 and 9 Pro but has 8GB of RAM instead of the 12GB and 16GB you'll get on those premium phones. That should still be more than enough for everyday use, like scrolling through social media, snapping photos and browsing the web. If you're a heavy mobile gamer, 8GB of RAM might not be ideal, but it won't be an issue for most people. The Pixel 9A's 6.3-inch OLED display matches up with what you'll get on the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, so you don't have to scale back your viewing experience -- especially with a 60Hz to 120Hz variable refresh rate that should make scrolling seamless. And with a 5,100-mAh battery, the Pixel 9A should be able to last you throughout the day. Like the iPhone 16E, the Pixel 9A actually touts a higher battery capacity than its pricier peers, which each have a 4,700-mAh battery. That can also help you feel like you're getting the most bang for your buck. What you won't get with this phone is the Pixel 9's Satellite SOS feature, which uses satellites to contact emergency services when you're out of range of a cell signal or Wi-Fi. But if you don't often find yourself in places without cell service, like on a remote hiking trail, then you hopefully shouldn't feel its absence. With all that in mind, if you have last year's Pixel 8A, there's probably not enough reason to upgrade to the 9A, as they share many of the same features, specs and AI capabilities. But if you've got a Pixel 7A and want to tap into some newer AI features, the 9A might be enticing. Similarly, if you have a Pixel 6A or older, you could see a noticeable improvement in the 9A's camera, battery life and overall performance. And if you'd rather hang tight to your phone and keep stretching your dollar, more power to you.

Pixel 9A Review: A Value-Packed Phone, Just at the Right Time

During the two weeks I tested Google's Pixel 9A, a lot happened. Tariffs were unveiled, stock markets went crazy, Nintendo announced the Switch 2, and CNET moved into a new office. And it's that last one where the Pixel 9A came in handy. With boxes piled along the walls, power cables all over the place and random office supplies strewn about, I forgot where I left my cup of cold brew. I had been testing out Gemini Live's new video feature walking around the office while pointing the Pixel 9A's camera at the various piles, desks and doodads. And after a few minutes I asked, "Where is my coffee?" Gemini responded, "Your coffee is on the desk, to the left of the yellow backpack." And there it was -- obscured by my backpack, but Gemini Live saw it and, perhaps had I been more alert, I would have too. The Pixel 9A is one of the first phones to get Gemini Live video. I was able to test the feature for only a day, and it's one of the few times in the past year when I felt like AI was truly handy in a real-world scenario. More importantly, it was correct. Don't get me wrong: The Pixel 9A comes with a lot of other AI tools and features that span the gamut from being occasionally useful to downright gimmicky. I mean, do I need a phone that can generate an image of a crocodile skiing on a snow-covered moon? But AI isn't the Pixel 9A's best feature. Rather, it's the phone's value. The Pixel 9A truly feels like you're getting more bang for your buck. It comes with several significant upgrades from last year's Pixel 8A: a fresh design, new display, larger battery, slightly more powerful chip, increased durability and upgraded software features. But don't get me wrong -- it's not a perfect phone. There are places where Google had to compromise to keep the price under $500, like the lack of satellite connectivity for emergencies available on the $799 Pixel 9. Overall, though, I think the compromises Google made were smart and that the Pixel 9A is worth every penny. At $499, the Pixel 9A hits the pricing sweet spot for a smartphone in 2025. It comes with many of the best features you'd find on phones that cost twice as much. But when President Donald Trump announced his latest round of tariffs, I wondered how this could affect the Pixel 9A's price. When I asked Google whether the Pixel 9A's price might go up, the company confirmed to CNET that "there are no changes to the pricing and availability of the Pixel 9A." Obviously, Google didn't say the price would never go up, but for now, this is a nice assurance. While I think many people would be satisfied with the Pixel 9A, the reality is that many will likely opt for an even flashier phone that they can get on a discount with a trade-in through a carrier or retailer. For example, while I was writing this review, I noticed that Best Buy had the $799 Pixel 9 for $649 (or free if you trade in a "similar device"). This is Google's best-built Pixel A phone. It has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, a step up from the Pixel 8A's IP67 rating. So you should be fine if you get caught in the rain with it or accidentally spill a beverage on it. The Pixel 9A feels solid, which isn't something you can say about many phones that cost less than $500. The body echoes the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro's design with flat sides. And the flatness doesn't stop there. The 9A's camera bump is virtually flush with the back -- but I'm guessing most people will still have a case on it and literally cover up one of the phone's most unique features. The back is made of plastic, which I barely noticed while using the 9A. If you drop it, it likely won't crack like the glass back on a more expensive phone. The loaner unit I tested was the Iris color, which has a lovely soft lavender or spring purple hue to it, depending on the lighting. For years, the Pixel A series' screens were serviceable at best. The Pixel 9A's display is the same eye-catching 6.3-inch screen you'll find on the pricier baseline Pixel 9, complete with a 60 to 120Hz refresh rate. It's nice for watching movies, scrolling through news and social feeds and playing games. It's also pleasantly bright. While the screen is larger than the 6.1-inch one on the Pixel 8A, Google found a way to shrink the bezels without making the phone larger -- though it is taller than the 8A. The screen is covered in Gorilla Glass 3, and after nearly two weeks of daily use, the 9A doesn't show any signs of wear and tear. The Pixel 9A's main camera is new and has a 48-megapixel sensor. The phone combines groups of four pixels for bright 12-megapixel images with less image noise. While the Pixel 8A had a 64-megapixel sensor and also used pixel binning, I didn't notice a huge difference in photos between the two phones, especially outdoors. The 9A has macro mode for keeping your subject in focus when you're really close up. Unlike many phones, the 9A's macro mode is done with the main camera instead of the ultrawide. And the results are decent. The Pixel 9A has a 13-megapixel ultrawide, the same one as the Pixel 8A. But for some reason it takes 12-megapixel images like the one below. I also took shots with Apple's $599 iPhone 16E to see how it compares with the two Pixel A phones. While both Pixel phones took images with a cooler color temperature, the iPhone's photos had more contrast. Take a look at the photos below of a brick building in the Mission in San Francisco. Indoors, though, the Pixel 9A's dynamic range is a bit better than the Pixel 8A's, and it captured more details in the shadows, like in the photo of a black cat below. But both Pixel phones really brightened the shadows in the cat's fur. The iPhone 16E's photo of the cat didn't have as much detail and texture in the cat's fur. Somewhere in between the photos from both Pixel phones and the iPhone 16E's image is how the cat actually looked in real life. In terms of Portrait mode, all three phones lack a dedicated telephoto lens. And remember, the iPhone 16E only has a single rear camera, so it's relying solely on AI and machine learning to create that artistic out of focus background. All of the photos below were taken in Portrait mode and the first thing I notice is how different the iPhone and Pixels handled the textures in the yellow sweater and green chair. The "cutout" (from in focus to out of focus) looks pretty natural, except for the green chair in the iPhone's photo. And her complexion looks most true to life in the Pixel 9A image. The Pixel 8A adds a lot of warmth to her skin. And the iPhone 16E's photo makes her skin look muddy and muted. The Pixel 9A takes Night Sight snaps (Google's name for night mode). In the photos below of a space shuttle Lego set taken in a very dim room, none of the images are great. The iPhone 16E's photo has the least image noise, but the contrast is heavy. I prefer the Pixel 9A's photo. I also got images of a residential block at dusk where the street lights really make the iPhone's night mode photo look orange. But notice the details in the telephone wires across the top of the images. The iPhone captures them as continuous lines, whereas the Pixel 9A's image has them made up of tiny jagged line segments. Overall, all three phones have their shortcomings when it comes to photography. But I think that the Pixel 9A's camera is pretty great for a $500 phone, and it'll be sufficient for most people. The Pixel 9A's 5,100-mAh battery is the largest on any Pixel phone. But compared with the Pixel 8A, it also has a bigger screen that maxes out at 2,700-nits brightness, a more powerful processor and onboard AI processing. The result is just an OK battery life that was almost the same as last year's Pixel 8A. Typically, I got around a single day's use on a charge. In CNET's 45-minute endurance battery drain test, the Pixel 9A dropped from a full battery to 95%. That is exactly the same as the Pixel 8A, better than the OnePlus 13 and Galaxy S25, but behind the iPhone 16E and the OnePlus 13R, which dropped only 3% in the same test. In CNET's 3-hour streaming battery test, the Pixel 9A didn't fare well. The phone dropped 22% over 3 hours, which is comparable with the Nothing Phone 3A Pro and the OnePlus 13 and a step down from the Pixel 8A and Galaxy S25. The Pixel 9A supports 23-watt wired charging when using a 45-watt adapter that's not included. It recharged an empty battery to 46% in our 30-minute test. Compare that with the Pixel 8A's 18-watt wired charging, which recharged it to 30% in the same test. The 9A supports 7.5-watt Qi wireless charging, instead of the faster 15-watt Qi2 standard. In terms of performance, the Pixel 9A runs on Google's Tensor G4 chip and 8GB of RAM. In use, the phone is peppy. Android system animations look smooth. The camera opens fast from the lock screen, though I did struggle with the under-screen fingerprint reader and often had to make multiple attempts to unlock the phone. I played games like PUBG Mobile and Genshin Impact with settings maxed out and had no issues in terms of lag or frames being dropped. In a benchmark test for the CPU, the Pixel 9A scored similar to the Pixel 8A but behind the iPhone 16E and Galaxy S25. In a benchmark test for graphic performance, the Pixel 9A fared better (ever so slightly) than the Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 8A, but behind the iPhone 16E and Galaxy S25. The Pixel 9A is all about the little things, like the now-playing feature on the lock screen that shows what song is playing wherever you are. There are also a number of safety features, but sadly, the 9A doesn't support satellite connectivity for texting emergency services. Obviously, Google had to make compromises to hit that $499 price. But perhaps the biggest little thing is the AI. The Pixel 9A runs a few flavors of Gemini, including 2.0 Flash, 2.0 Flash Thinking, 2.5 Pro, Deep Research and Personalization. The Gemini Live video feature I mentioned earlier requires a Gemini Advanced subscription. With Gemini, I can start to see the potential of Google's AI, especially on phones. However, I still don't think you should buy the Pixel 9A, or any phone for that matter, just for its AI features. If you're rocking a Pixel 5 or older, I recommend looking at the Pixel 9A. It is a fantastic phone for the price, and I think it's a much better value for the dollar than the Pixel 9. Though, as I mentioned earlier, when that Pixel 9 is discounted to $549 or less, I would definitely get it instead. I also think this is a good phone for people with a very old iPhone who want to jump to team Android and Google services. The Pixel 9A could be a solid option for someone's first phone, like a teenager or older adult who doesn't care much about having the absolute best cameras or other cutting-edge tech. At the end of the day, the best budget phones are a balance of features, price and smart compromises. While the Pixel 9A is far from perfect, it does the majority of tasks that I value. And when I view the Pixel 9A through the lens of the world's recent economic turmoil, that value is what makes it stand out for me. If you're looking for a phone for $500 or less, I don't think you'll find a better one than the Pixel 9A. Every phone CNET's reviews team tested was used in the real world. We test a phone's features, play games and take photos. We examine the display to see if it's bright, sharp and vibrant. We analyze the design and build to see how it is to hold and whether it has an IP-rating for water resistance. We push the processor's performance to the extremes using standardized benchmark tools like GeekBench and 3DMark, along with our own anecdotal observations navigating the interface, recording high-resolution videos and playing graphically intense games at high refresh rates. All the cameras are tested in a variety of conditions, from bright sunlight to dark indoor scenes. We try out special features like night mode and portrait mode and compare our findings against similarly priced competing phones. We also check out the battery life by using it daily as well as running a series of battery drain tests. We take into account additional features like support for 5G, satellite connectivity, fingerprint and face sensors, stylus support, fast charging speeds and foldable displays, among others that can be useful. We balance all of this against the price to give you the verdict on whether that phone, whatever price it is, actually represents good value. While these tests may not always be reflected in CNET's initial review, we conduct follow-up and long-term testing in most circumstances.

The $499 Pixel 9A Is Now in Stores. Who Is Google's New Phone Right For?

The Pixel 9A is $300 cheaper than the baseline Pixel 9 and, therefore, scales back a bit when it comes to features like cameras and RAM. However, it maintains other attributes like display size, processor and AI features -- and even touts a higher battery capacity than its pricier Pixel counterparts. So is the Pixel 9A a good fit for you? Here's our Pixel 9A guide that has everything you should consider. Camera guide Being able to take good photos is usually a top priority when buying a new phone since, for most people, their phone is their only camera. The Pixel 9A has two cameras on the back: a 48-megapixel wide and 13-megapixel ultrawide, along with a 13-megapixel front-facing camera. That places the 9A's rear camera specs below those on the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro, but megapixels aren't the only factor in getting quality shots. (You can check out the spec chart below to see how the cameras compare on these phones.) The Pixel 9A's camera supports Macro Focus, meaning you can get closer to your subject -- like if you're snapping a close-up of your delicious meal -- and have it be in crisp focus. With the 9A, Google uses the main camera to enable Macro Focus instead of the ultrawide camera, as with many other phones. AI guide What's perhaps most notable about the Pixel 9A is the suite of AI editing tools you'll still have access to, even with that lower price. Features like Magic Editor can help clean up your shots and alter backgrounds, Best Take creates an image where everyone in a group photo looks their best, and Add Me employs AI and augmented reality to incorporate the photographer in the final image. For people who are curious about the myriad AI features companies are bombarding us with, the Pixel 9A can be a good device for dipping your toes in those waters, hopefully without feeling inundated -- and without shelling out too much cash to see what all the buzz is about. I find photo editing tools among the best uses of AI because they eliminate the need for pricey software and let you touch up photos directly on your device, with no special skills needed. But if you would rather venture deeper into AI territory, the 9A's still got you covered. You'll have access to Gemini to help with tasks like writing, brainstorming and carrying out actions across apps. You'll also get Circle to Search so you can learn more about whatever's on your screen -- a feature upon which I've become heavily reliant. Those features are great because they feel like a natural way to ease into AI since they're so deeply integrated into your device and seamless to use. With AI being a staple of almost every new phone, tapping into those capabilities without breaking the bank can be an enticing option for someone who still isn't sure what the big deal is -- and then see if the Pixel 9A changes their mind. For those who hold onto their phones While carriers may expect you to upgrade your phone every two years, manufacturers like Google and Samsung have extended the window for software and security upgrades on their phones to seven years. That applies to lower-priced phones like the Pixel 9A as well, giving budget-conscious consumers even more reason to feel like they've scored a deal. Not buying a flagship device can also mean feeling less susceptible to the pressures of upgrades. It's typically more premium phones -- usually with minor tweaks -- that are aggressively pushed onto those keen to purchase the latest tech. If simply having a phone with key features is all that matters, then the Pixel 9A can be a good way to dodge all that noise. This can also make the Pixel 9A a good option for kids, who probably don't need the flashiest devices. Features like Family Link allow parents to manage privacy settings, screen time limits and location sharing, and they can also silence notifications and disable apps during school hours. The Pixel 9A packs the same Google Tensor G4 processor as the flagship Pixel 9 and 9 Pro but has 8GB of RAM instead of the 12GB and 16GB you'll get on those premium phones. That should still be more than enough for everyday use, like scrolling through social media, snapping photos and browsing the web. If you're a heavy mobile gamer, 8GB of RAM might not be ideal, but it won't be an issue for most people. The Pixel 9A's 6.3-inch OLED display matches up with what you'll get on the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, so you don't have to scale back your viewing experience -- especially with a 60Hz to 120Hz variable refresh rate that should make scrolling seamless. And with a 5,100-mAh battery, the Pixel 9A should be able to last you throughout the day. Like the iPhone 16E, the Pixel 9A actually touts a higher battery capacity than its pricier peers, which each have a 4,700-mAh battery. That can also help you feel like you're getting the most bang for your buck. What you won't get with this phone is the Pixel 9's Satellite SOS feature, which uses satellites to contact emergency services when you're out of range of a cell signal or Wi-Fi. But if you don't often find yourself in places without cell service, like on a remote hiking trail, then you hopefully shouldn't feel its absence. With all that in mind, if you have last year's Pixel 8A, there's probably not enough reason to upgrade to the 9A, as they share many of the same features, specs and AI capabilities. But if you've got a Pixel 7A and want to tap into some newer AI features, the 9A might be enticing. Similarly, if you have a Pixel 6A or older, you could see a noticeable improvement in the 9A's camera, battery life and overall performance. And if you'd rather hang tight to your phone and keep stretching your dollar, more power to you.

Pixel 9A Is Out Now: What to Know About Google's Budget Android

Google's latest budget phone, the $499 Pixel 9A, is now available in stores, fresh off the heels of Apple's "affordable" offering, the $599 iPhone 16E. Very convenient timing. Make sure to read CNET's Pixel 9A review. The Pixel 9A is $300 cheaper than the baseline Pixel 9 and, therefore, scales back a bit when it comes to features like cameras and RAM. However, it maintains other attributes like display size, processor and AI features -- and even touts a higher battery capacity than its pricier Pixel counterparts. So is the Pixel 9A a good fit for you? Here's our Pixel 9A guide that has everything you should consider. Being able to take good photos is usually a top priority when buying a new phone since, for most people, their phone is their only camera. The Pixel 9A has two cameras on the back: a 48-megapixel wide and 13-megapixel ultrawide, along with a 13-megapixel front-facing camera. That places the 9A's rear camera specs below those on the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro, but megapixels aren't the only factor in getting quality shots. (You can check out the spec chart below to see how the cameras compare on these phones.) The Pixel 9A's camera supports Macro Focus, meaning you can get closer to your subject -- like if you're snapping a close-up of your delicious meal -- and have it be in crisp focus. With the 9A, Google uses the main camera to enable Macro Focus instead of the ultrawide camera, as with many other phones. What's perhaps most notable about the Pixel 9A is the suite of AI editing tools you'll still have access to, even with that lower price. Features like Magic Editor can help clean up your shots and alter backgrounds, Best Take creates an image where everyone in a group photo looks their best, and Add Me employs AI and augmented reality to incorporate the photographer in the final image. For people who are curious about the myriad AI features companies are bombarding us with, the Pixel 9A can be a good device for dipping your toes in those waters, hopefully without feeling inundated -- and without shelling out too much cash to see what all the buzz is about. I find photo editing tools among the best uses of AI because they eliminate the need for pricey software and let you touch up photos directly on your device, with no special skills needed. But if you would rather venture deeper into AI territory, the 9A's still got you covered. You'll have access to Gemini to help with tasks like writing, brainstorming and carrying out actions across apps. You'll also get Circle to Search so you can learn more about whatever's on your screen -- a feature upon which I've become heavily reliant. Those features are great because they feel like a natural way to ease into AI since they're so deeply integrated into your device and seamless to use. With AI being a staple of almost every new phone, tapping into those capabilities without breaking the bank can be an enticing option for someone who still isn't sure what the big deal is -- and then see if the Pixel 9A changes their mind. While carriers may expect you to upgrade your phone every two years, manufacturers like Google and Samsung have extended the window for software and security upgrades on their phones to seven years. That applies to lower-priced phones like the Pixel 9A as well, giving budget-conscious consumers even more reason to feel like they've scored a deal. Not buying a flagship device can also mean feeling less susceptible to the pressures of upgrades. It's typically more premium phones -- usually with minor tweaks -- that are aggressively pushed onto those keen to purchase the latest tech. If simply having a phone with key features is all that matters, then the Pixel 9A can be a good way to dodge all that noise. This can also make the Pixel 9A a good option for kids, who probably don't need the flashiest devices. Features like Family Link allow parents to manage privacy settings, screen time limits and location sharing, and they can also silence notifications and disable apps during school hours. The Pixel 9A packs the same Google Tensor G4 processor as the flagship Pixel 9 and 9 Pro but has 8GB of RAM instead of the 12GB and 16GB you'll get on those premium phones. That should still be more than enough for everyday use, like scrolling through social media, snapping photos and browsing the web. If you're a heavy mobile gamer, 8GB of RAM might not be ideal, but it won't be an issue for most people. The Pixel 9A's 6.3-inch OLED display matches up with what you'll get on the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, so you don't have to scale back your viewing experience -- especially with a 60Hz to 120Hz variable refresh rate that should make scrolling seamless. And with a 5,100-mAh battery, the Pixel 9A should be able to last you throughout the day. Like the iPhone 16E, the Pixel 9A actually touts a higher battery capacity than its pricier peers, which each have a 4,700-mAh battery. That can also help you feel like you're getting the most bang for your buck. What you won't get with this phone is the Pixel 9's Satellite SOS feature, which uses satellites to contact emergency services when you're out of range of a cell signal or Wi-Fi. But if you don't often find yourself in places without cell service, like on a remote hiking trail, then you hopefully shouldn't feel its absence. With all that in mind, if you have last year's Pixel 8A, there's probably not enough reason to upgrade to the 9A, as they share many of the same features, specs and AI capabilities. But if you've got a Pixel 7A and want to tap into some newer AI features, the 9A might be enticing. Similarly, if you have a Pixel 6A or older, you could see a noticeable improvement in the 9A's camera, battery life and overall performance. And if you'd rather hang tight to your phone and keep stretching your dollar, more power to you.

Google Pixel 9a review: Basic in just the right way

Starting at just $499, the Pixel 9a is also the best value Android phone around. The push for the latest, greatest and most feature-packed gadgets often results in so much pressure that buying anything else can feel like self-betrayal. And while the Pixel 9a is technically a new device, its chip is six months old. The same goes for its design, which is nearly a carbon copy of its older sibling. To make matters even worse, this phone is meant to be a more affordable entry into the Pixel phone family, which feels like a death sentence for anyone who cares about keeping up with the Joneses (or just the most up-to-date specs). But you know what? That's okay, because starting at $500, the Pixel 9a offers the best value of any Android phone today. The Pixel 9a looks so similar to the standard model -- especially from the front -- that it's hard to tell them apart until you put them side by side. Once you do, you'll notice the 9a features slightly thicker bezels. But aside from that, there aren't a ton of differences. You still get a relatively compact 6.3-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2,700 nits, just like on the regular Pixel 9. It's sharp, it's colorful and it's simply one of the best displays in this price range. If you pick both of them up, you may also notice that the 9a is also a touch lighter (6.56 ounces vs 6.98 ounces). That discrepancy is due to Google forgoing Gorilla Glass 3 for the backpanel in favor of recycled polycarbonate (aka plastic). That said, you still get a sturdy aluminum frame (also made from recycled materials) and an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. The 9a's biggest departure by far is that unlike every other Pixel dating back to the Pixel 6, it doesn't have a large bar or visor housing its cameras. Instead, you get a small teardrop-shaped protrusion that houses the main and ultra-wide shooters. The module is so shallow it practically sits flush against the phone, which makes this one of the few handsets in recent memory that actually sits flat on a table. Granted, this is a really minor design tweak, but as someone who doesn't like cases, I think it's a nice touch. Just like the rest of the Pixel 9 family, the 9a is powered by Google's Tensor G4 chip. The major change is that instead of featuring 12GB of RAM, you only get 8GB. That said, unless you're frequently switching between apps or doing more intense things like gaming or video editing, you aren't really going to notice a huge difference. In Geekbench 6, both phones posted very similar results with a multi-core score of 4,294 for the 9a and 4,360 for the standard Pixel 9. The biggest potential impact of this for most people is that you won't be able to have quite as many apps running in the background, and if you switch between them often, you may spend some extra time reloading. The Pixel 9a also supports nearly all of Google's AI-powered tools including helpful stuff like car crash detection and Call Assist. You also have access to more advanced tools like Gemini Live (including camera and screen sharing) and Pixel Studio (now with the ability to generate images of people), the latter of which can be a fun way of creating silly custom images to troll your friends. Well, at least that's what I use it for. However, software support isn't quite the same as you get on more expensive models. That's because one app that I've grown quite fond of on recent Pixels -- Google's Screenshots app -- isn't available on the Pixel 9a. This is definitely a bummer, because I found the ability to use AI to quickly search through all the screencaps I've taken is way better than doing it manually. I'm not entirely sure why it's not available considering some of the other machine learning-based features that do work. But when asked, a Google representative told me that in order to "maintain a $499 starting price, the company did have to make some trade-offs. As a result, some [of the standard Pixel 9's] features won't be available on the Pixel 9a." When it was first announced, Google claimed the 9a would have the best cameras of any phone under $500. And after considering the Pixel family's pedigree for excellent image quality, I pitted the phone's 48-MP main camera and 13-MP ultra-wide cam up against the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra to give it a real challenge. And despite costing $800 less, it acquitted itself with aplomb. In a daytime photo of a cozy coffee shop, the Pixel 9a preserved more details and produced a generally better looking image than a similar pic taken by the S25U (though part of that is due to Samsung's tendency to oversharpen). But perhaps an even better example of this was when I took photos of a croquette. Not only did the Pixel 9a's shot look more accurate, it featured better colors and was generally much more appetizing. And in low light, I got similar results with the 9a doing a great job with white balance while capturing sharp, detailed images despite the tough conditions. While the Pixel 9a doesn't have a dedicated telephoto lens, Google tries to make up for that with Super Res Zoom, which uses AI to support up to 8x digital zoom. On top of that, the phone has a macro focus mode. That said, you won't find a specific setting for it in the Camera app, because it activates automatically whenever you get really close to something. You'll know it's working when you see a tiny flower icon pop up in the corner of the screen. I found this mode gives you a way to capture a bit more detail, but nailing focus can be a bit finicky. I often had to adjust the phone a tiny bit forward or backward to find the camera's sweet spot. Equipped with a 5,100 mAh power pack, the Pixel 9a just barely beats out its biggest sibling -- the Pixel 9 Pro XL (5,060 mAh) -- for the most battery capacity among Google's phones. What's more, the company claims the 9a has the best runtime of any of its handsets, which based on my testing, isn't just hot air. On our standard local video rundown test, the Pixel 9a lasted just over 28 hours on a single charge (28:04). That's half an hour better than what I got from a regular Pixel 9. Not too shabby. The downside is that the phone's charging speeds haven't improved since last year, so you still get lackluster rates when using either wired (23 watts) or Qi wireless (7.5 watts) power adapters. That's notably slower than what you get from a standard Pixel 9 (27 watts wired and 15 watts wireless), which is probably one of the most compelling reasons you'd want to upgrade to the 9a's more expensive siblings. To better highlight the phone's lethargic charging speeds, I put it on a compatible pad at 25 percent battery and after 10 minutes, it only sucked down an extra 5 percent. On the 9a, wireless charging is definitely something you use more for convenience than speed. Look, the Pixel 9a might not be jam-packed with fancy features and its raw specs aren't super impressive. I would love to see Google add a true telephoto lens and its charging speeds (both wired and wireless) could be better. But for $500, Google's most budget-friendly phone covers all the bases and then some. The 9a's camera quality can hang with flagships twice its price and it has more than enough performance for all but the most demanding gamers or multitaskers. When you add in support for almost all of Google's software like the Recorder app, Pixel Studio and more, you get a really compelling package. Plus, the lack of a big camera bump means this thing is surprisingly sleek. If my kids were old enough to need a cell phone, this is what I would buy. For everyone who says that all they want is a simple, solid handset with a nice screen that can take high-quality photos, this thing is basic in all the best ways.

The Google Pixel 9a Is One of the Best Deals in Smartphones

With affordable phones like this, who needs flagships? The Pixel 9a is all the essentials (and AI) packed into a friendlier price point. Every year, Google's Pixel A-series reminds me that I did not have to pay all that cash for the Pro variant to live a good life. The Pixel 9a may have been delayed coming out of the gate, but it remains one of the best deals in the business. For $500, you get a bona fide Pixel device in two optional stunning colorways, the same Tensor processor as the rest of the Pixel 9 lineup, wireless charging, and access to Google's numerous AI tricks. One feature that's notably missing is a camera zoom capability. However, the absence of that on most devices at this price is a reminder that it's not an essential need for a smartphone. It's interesting to compare the Pixel 9a to Apple's iPhone 16e, which claims to offer a similar "essential" flagship experience but for the walled garden crowd. The iPhone 16e seemed modeled after Google's formula with the A-series over the last six generations, and right now both have a lot of small AI features that are meant to be big selling points. But sorry, iPhone fans: Google did with the Pixel 9a what you wish it did with the iPhone 16e. The device comes in four colorways, including white, black, a stark pink called Peony, and a subtle purple-blue called Iris, the color of our review unit. I'm trying to convince myself it's purple in the lighting in my home office, but it's blue to my naked eye. It skewed violet moreso when I was in Google's house checking the phones out, which shows that the lighting environment impacts the Pixel 9a's colorway. Regardless of the color you get, you'll see it extend beyond the backside to every side of the device, matching the aesthetics of the rest of the Pixel 9 family. That is, until you get to the backside and see the double-camera stack shoved into what I could only describe as a bean-shaped camera module. Google says it was modeled after natureâ€"water, specificallyâ€"but I will go ahead and say it looks like beans. The camera bean houses a 48-MP primary camera with OIS. The primary rear camera has Super Res Zoom capabilities, which means sharp, digital zoom up to 8x, though things look the best between 1x and 2x, which is the optical max. There's also a 13-MP ultra-wide camera for 120-degree wide-angle shots. That primary camera on the Pixel 9a is also capable of a little macro magic. Details appear surprisingly clear up close, and I was pleased at how easy it was to lock in. The Pixel 9a at 1x, 2x, 4x, and 8x. Compare this to the iPhone 16e, which only has one primary camera sans any wide-angle capabilities. Interestingly, while these devices don't produce the highest resolution photos like their Pro counterparts, they still follow in the same color temperature and style as their maker. You can see it in the examples below: the iPhone 16e is heavy on the contrast, while the Pixel 9a lights up every detail in the photo, even the terrain hidden in the shadows. A nighttime shot taken with the Pixel 9a (left) and the iPhone 16e (right). Morning dawn taken with the Pixel 9a (left) and the iPhone 16e (right). Morning landscape taken with the Pixel 9a (left) and the iPhone 16e (right). What Google wants you to focus on with the Pixel 9a is that it can do all the algorithmic camera magic that the rest of the Pixel 9 lineup can do, including features like Add Me, which lets you add yourself to a photo when you're the only one able to take it, and Best Take, which picks out the most pristine photo from a set of snaps. The Pixel 9a can also do long exposure shots and astrophotography, a nice value-add in a category that typically dials down sophisticated camera features in favor of other abilities. Magic Editor is available here too, and you even get access to Audio Magic Eraser, which works. However, it's not a miracle maker if you're trying to dial down the screams of fangirls at a concert. I tried it on both the Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 9a with some concert footage I had backed up to Google Photos, to no avail. The other central selling point of the Pixel 9a is that it runs on the same Tensor G4 CPU as the rest of the Pixel 9 family, meaning it gets Android updates alongside everyone else, seven years of software and security support, and can also handle Gemini's tastier bits. That's how Gemini Live, with the camera and screen share, is already available on the Pixel 9a, which has 8GB of RAM. Gemini is supposed to replace the Google Assistant, so you'll invoke this for smart home controls orâ€"a feature I started using quite oftenâ€"to snap a photo of a bunch of dates and have them automatically added to Google Calendar. Those abilities are helpful! Gemini Live with camera and screen share started rolling out to the Pixel devices only recently, so it's pretty nascent. I've been using it for a few days on the Pixel 9a since I can access Gemini Advanced. It works well as long as I'm not also shifting between apps. Gemini and I had a conversation with the camera. We talked about the toys on my desk, and Gemini correctly called out most of the models of various virtual pets and figurines surrounding me. I also had it attempt to identify the smartphones at my desk; it managed to figure out all the Android phones just fine, but got stumped when I started to point the camera at the iPhone 16 Pro. (Gemini thought it was an iPhone 14 Pro.) There are other elements of AI strewn throughout the Pixel device as a reminder of what you get when you join the Google ecosystem. Circle to Search remains a large part of the operating system's special abilities, and you'll have access to all the latest features already rolled out to the rest of the Pixel 9 family. The Pixel 9a also has access to all the various call screening features launched over the years, including Direct My Call, which helps you deal with the annoying automated phone menus. I haven't talked about the Pixel 9a's 6.3-inch Actua display yet, which has an impressive 120Hz refresh rate. At this price point, Samsung is typically the one to go to if you're hankering for high contrast and deep blacks. But this time around, the Pixel 9a beats it out on brightness. Though I have not yet tested the latest Galaxy A-series releases to compare them, the specs alone say the Pixel 9a's display is nearly 800 nits brighter than the similarly priced Galaxy A56. The Pixel 9a promises up to 30 hours of battery life on a single charge. I have not had a chance to put it up directly against the iPhone 16e in the battery rundown test, but both Google and Apple's "essential" phones will carry you through the day. The Pixel 9a's 5,000 mAh tends to wind down like the Pixel 9 Pro. I keep Pokémon Go open at my desk to see what sprouts up. The Pixel 9a used up about a percent of battery between every five to ten minutes the screen was on. I burned through about 18% of the battery over two hours doing those same random check-ins on the game, plus scanning Google News and checking in on social media. Then I left the phone on standby, with the screen off, for about two hours, and only 3% of the battery rolled by. Like the rest of the Pixel 9 lineup, you'll want to keep the screen off for the most enduring battery life. Charging times for the Pixel 9a aren't bad, though you're not getting fast charging speeds at this price. The maximum wired charging ability for the Pixel 9a is 23W. I tried gassing it up with the 30W Pixel charger, but it took at least an hour and a half before there was enough battery to take it off the cable. Also, while it works with Qi-compatible wireless chargers, it's limited to 7.5W. Those are the trade-offs for the comfortable price point! What you don't have to compromise on are all the helpful safety features that Google bundles in with its Pixel devices. Like the rest of its flagship family, the Pixel 9a offers car crash detection, theft detection, safety check, and live location sharing. The only thing it can't do like the other Pixels is call out to the satellites in the heavens above and send a low-bitrate message to let folks far away know you're doing okay. Satellite connectivity is a nice-to-have feature that starts at $300 more with the Pixel 9. I paid more for the Pixel 9 Pro because I wanted all that zoom capability. But you don't have to be like me; you don't have to spend all your cash to carry everything all the time if you don't think you'll be using it, especially in this economy. Google packaged the Pixel 9a with only what it considers the essential parts of its platform. That does mean Gemini and all the other AI Google is peddling as a part of the deal. Apple's doing it, too, with the iPhone 16e and Apple Intelligence. This is where we're at and what we'll be fielding as consumers. The AI is the value-add, whether we consider it or not. On the plus side, with affordable phones like these, there is no reason to consider the most expensive pro-level smartphone your go-to unless you plan to use what you pay for.

The Google Pixel 9a Proves Once and for All That Budget Phones Are Worth Buying

Last year's Pixel 8a felt like a budget phone and seemed unnecessary in Google's lineup. This year, the search giant turned things around. With near-flagship performance and a sub-$500 price, the Pixel 9a might be the best-value Android phone in 2025. Google Pixel 9a 8 / 10 The Google Pixel 9a is a budget-friendly smartphone with powerful AI features, a high-quality camera system, and clean Android software packed into a sleek, durable design. It delivers excellent performance and long battery life at an accessible price point. Pros & Cons Performance of a flagship at nearly half the cost Uniform bezels, quality build material The lack of a camera bar doesn't take away from the design Camera quality doesn't stand out, no telephoto lens No Qi2 Missing AI features, including the Screenshots app $499 at Best Buy $499 at T-Mobile $499 at Google Store See Our Process How We Test and Review Products at How-To Geek We go hands-on with every product to ensure it's worth your time and money. Posts Price and Availability The Pixel 9a comes in four colors: Iris, Peony, Porcelain, and Obsidian. I spent the last week testing out the Peony color, and oh boy is it bright! I didn't mind it, but the pink color on the frame curves around the display just a bit. No matter how you look at this phone, you'll know which color you purchased. Speaking of which, Google is selling this handset starting at $499 with 128GB of storage, and $599 with 256GB. You'll also be able to pick up the device from most carriers and third-party retailers. Specifications Display 6.3-inch, 1080 x 2424 pOLED, 60-120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 SoC Google Tensor G4, Titan M2 Security Coprocessor RAM 8GB Storage 128GB, 256GB Battery 5100mAh Ports USB-C 3.2 Dimensions 6.1 x 2.9 x 0.4in Weight 6.6oz Colors Iris, Peony, Porcelain, Obsidian Charge speed 23W wired, 7.5W Qi Wireless Charging IP Rating IP68 Micro SD card support No Security Fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock Material Composite matte back, satin metal frame Front camera 13MP, ƒ/2.2, 96.1-degree FOV Main Camera 48MP, Quad PD Dual Pixel, OIS, ƒ/1.7, 82-degree FOV Wide-Angle Camera 13MP, ƒ/2.2, 120-degree FOV Connectivity Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 Operating System Android 15, 7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates Expand The Pixel A Series Has a New Look Since the Pixel 6 series, Google's smartphones could be spotted from a mile away thanks to the camera bar that spanned across the entire phone. Love it or hate it, the design helped Pixels stand out from the crowd. Last fall, Google tweaked this formula just slightly with the Pixel 9 lineup, shortening the length of the bar, making it more of an elongated island. The phones are still clearly Pixels despite this change. With the Pixel 9a, Google seemingly discarded that design completely, flattening out the back of the phone and leaving only slight curves around the edges to prevent the handset from being sharp in the hand. Accessory Spotlight This section was created in partnership with Supcase. The product choices and opinions expressed are those of the sponsor and do not reflect those of the How-To Geek editorial staff. The Supcase UB Grip Protective Case for the Google Pixel 9a offers sleek, minimalist protection without compromising durability. Its dual-layer design -- combining a shock-absorbing TPU bumper and a rigid backing material -- safeguards your phone from drops, bumps, and scratches while maintaining a slim profile. Its precision cutouts ensure full access to the phone's USB-C port, and clicky buttons provide best-in-class haptic feedback. The built-in magnetic ring provides extra functionality, supporting Qi2 accessories such as MagSafe wallets, chargers, and other docks. It also doubles as a kickstand for propping up your device while taking a photo or watching a video. With its ergonomic grip and anti-slip texture, the UB Grip Case is ideal for daily use and long-lasting comfort. Raised bezels protect your screen and camera, while the stylish frosted black finish adds a refined look. It's a perfect balance of form and function, designed to protect your Pixel 9a without adding bulk. Supcase UB Grip Case for Pixel 9a Designed for durability and functionality, this case offers top-tier protection with a modern twist. The UB Grip has TPU bumpers, a magnetic ring kickstand, and incredibly easy installation. $26 at SUPCASE $26 at Amazon As you can see, there is no longer a camera bar -- the two rear cameras now live within their own little window. The glass and its protective frame are slightly raised compared to the matte composite back of the Pixel 9a, so the phone will still rock just slightly when laid on a flat surface, but it's basically nonexistent compared to the Samsung Galaxy S25 or the iPhone 16 Pro. Close The rest of the phone is pretty standard fare. The USB-C port is on the bottom of the satin metal frame, alongside the physical SIM card slot and speaker grill, and the power and volume buttons are on the right. You won't find any fancy Camera Control inputs on this phone. Overall, despite being so minimal, the Pixel 9a feels premium. The Peony color I'm testing isn't a fingerprint magnet, and the flat metal frame feels solid. My wife thought the phone's lack of heft was a telltale sign that the handset retails for under $500, but that's not something you'll notice after a day of using the handset. Related The Best Google Pixel 9a Cases of 2025 Going without a case is simply asking for trouble. Posts Plus, having the back made out of plastic should make the phone more durable in the long run. As someone who accidentally pushed the phone off a table and onto concrete the day it arrived, I appreciate that it's hard to damage this device. A Display With Equal Bezels Close I personally dislike talking about bezels as they honestly don't matter to me much, but what does matter is uniformity. The Pixel 8a has a thicker bezel on the bottom of the phone, which screams budget. Even though the bezel is still thicker on the Pixel 9a than most flagships, the fact that all four edges are the same thickness helps it fade away into the frame. The screen itself is also mostly the same year-over-year. The Pixel 9a did get bumped up to a 6.3-inch display over the 8a's 6.1-inch panel, but it's still a "Super Actua" 1080 x 2424 pOLED with a 60-120Hz variable refresh rate. In use, it looked good whether I was watching a video on YouTube, reading in the Kindle app, or doomscrolling on TikTok. Annoyingly, I needed to manually bump the screen brightness in poorly lit rooms. As the phone was more than bright enough to be seen clearly outdoors under the sun, I'm not sure why the auto-brightness fought so hard to lower itself at every opportunity. A Flagship Processor but Limited RAM for AI Close With most budget smartphones, a lot of the cost savings come from having an older and/or slower processor running everything under the hood. The Pixel 9a bucks that trend and is powered by Google's in-house Tensor G4, the same processor found in the flagship Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro. There's not much to say beyond the fact that the chipset is fast. It handled every task and app I threw at it, and I never experienced lag or dropped frames during my testing. I discuss this more below, but it is possible to get the processor warm. However, I have never experienced any issues. Where you will spot a difference between the Pixel 9a and its more expensive siblings is in the RAM department. The Pixel 9a comes with 8GB of RAM. The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro come with 12GB and 16GB, respectively. While I would argue that 8GB is more than enough (again, I never experienced any sluggishness with the phone), it's just not enough to run all of Google's AI features. Related Google's Pixel 9a Lacks More Features Than You Think A significant price reduction doesn't come without downsides. Posts My greatest disappointment is that the Pixel 9a does not include the AI-powered Screenshot app Google introduced with the Pixel 9 series. The app proved to be helpful in surfacing relevant and important information from what would normally be an abandoned folder of screenshots. With the limited amount of RAM and only running the Gemini Nano 1.0 XXS model, the Pixel 9a can't handle the image processing requirements. The good news is that you can still use Gemini Live (including the new screen-sharing feature that lets you chat about things on your display), Pixel Studio (Google's AI image generation studio), Circle to Search, Call Screen, and other AI camera features like Add Me. Battery Life Gets You Through the Day Google advertises a 30-hour battery life on the Pixel 9a, and I can't say it's wrong. On days when I worked from home and mostly used the phone to answer a couple of texts, delete emails, and browse social media, I had a hard time pushing the battery below 65%, even with almost 4 hours of screen time. The one day I got the phone to below 30%, I used it to power wireless Android Auto and stream music during a several-hour car ride, and I used the camera extensively. I noticed the phone got a little warm during this extended use, but not concerningly hot. The elevated temperature definitely added to the phone's battery drain that day. The Cameras Are Good Enough Close In my opinion, the best part of buying a Pixel is its amazing cameras and the quality of computational processing behind the scenes. With the Pixel 9a's cameras, we're once again seeing one of the phone's weaknesses. Google updated the primary sensor on the Pixel 9a. Instead of using the 64MP Quad PD camera found in last year's A-series smartphone, the budget handset is rocking a 48MP Quad PD Dual Pixel sensor with optical and electronic image stabilization. It also maintains a 13MP ultrawide (which is actually good for macro photography) and a 13MP front-facing selfie camera. Close With proper lighting, all three cameras work great at their set focal lengths. The colors are accurate, and the photos look rather nice. However, as this phone doesn't have a telephoto lens, zooming is done by digitally cropping in on the image. The moment you push to 2x (or beyond), the image starts to get soft and then quickly deteriorates. All in all, the cameras on the Pixel 9a get the job done. The flagship Pixel 9 Pro remains the reigning champ in terms of quality for me, but that phone is also twice the price. Should You Buy the Google Pixel 9a? Close The Pixel 9a is a great phone with strengths inherited from Google's flagship models. During my time with the phone, I quickly forgot that I was using a sub-$500 smartphone. The hardware feels premium, the performance is snappy, and the cameras capture most scenes without issue. One thing to consider, though, is the fact that the Pixel 9a does not include satellite SOS features. This is due to the phone using an older Samsung Exynos 5300 modem. While this technology is still rather new in smartphones, it is becoming more commonplace. Consider a Pixel 9 if you routinely travel to locations where the functionality is needed. Long-term, the Pixel 9a should serve you well. It is launching with Android 15 and will receive seven years of OS, Pixel Drops, and security updates. While it is already slightly behind the curve in terms of supporting all of Google's various AI features, it should be powerful enough to keep up with the flagships over the next couple of years. Google Pixel 9a 8 / 10 The Google Pixel 9a is a budget-friendly smartphone with powerful AI features, a high-quality camera system, and clean Android software packed into a sleek, durable design. It delivers excellent performance and long battery life at an accessible price point. $499 at Best Buy $499 at T-Mobile $499 at Google Store

Google Pixel 9a review: This is how you do a budget phone right

Google's been nearly untouchable when it comes to making the best cheap phones around. The company's A-series has been proof of that, but increasing competition from new devices make It increasingly difficult -- so that's why the bar is being set yet again by the Pixel 9a. Newcomers in the last few months, like the Nothing Phone 3a Pro and iPhone 16e have shown me how the gap has lessened for Google. That's why I want to show you in my Pixel 9a review how new hardware upgrades and AI features help it to keep it dominant in the field. Did I mention that in a time when phone prices continue to increase, the Pixel 9a continues to be an impressive value proposition with its same $499 cost? That's a big deal. Phone prices continually get higher, an inevitable occurrence we can't reverse. That's why I'm ecstatic that Google doesn't change the Pixel 9a's price. At $499 for the base model with 128GB of storage, it undercuts its closest rival in the $599 iPhone 16e. This $100 difference also shows how much more value you get with the Pixel 9a, which I'll get into more detail. However, I will say that the Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro make for compelling options with their $379 and $459 cost. You'll be able to snag the Pixel 9a starting April 10 through various wireless carriers and retailers in four colors: obsidian, porcelain, peony, and iris. There's also a 256GB version that will be available for $599. Call it a redesign, the Pixel 9a looks almost a bit boring in my opinion. That's because it ditches the camera bar design of past phones, replacing it with a much more flush camera housing. Don't get me wrong, I like how it makes it look and feel more uniform, but it loses the identity that has longed made the series unique from other 'budget' phones. Other changes are subjective, too, like how it now features flat edges and rounded corners. If it weren't for the bold peony color of my unit and the dual cameras on the back, the Pixel 9a looks awfully like the iPhone 16e. Despite this, it feels solidly constructed with its aluminum frame and composite matte casing. Unlike the iPhone 16e, it doesn't feel as sharp around the edges -- making it feel a lot more gentle while holding it in the hand. Even with the basic looking design, it's nice knowing that it features an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. The screen size on the Pixel 9a has grown to 6.3 inches -- up from the Pixel 8a's 6.1-inch panel. This new 6.3-inch Actua Display is a pOLED panel that looks nice, but it doesn't quite reach the same iridescence as the Pixel 9, and as a result, the colors don't pop as much. It's still a gorgeous OLED panel, much better in my opinion than the iPhone 16e because of how its adaptive 120Hz refresh rate makes animations look fluid. But what's even more impressive is how bright it gets. Budget phones don't usually get high quality panels, so they often look dim. However, the Pixel 9a sets the bar for all budget phones with its blinding peak brightness output of 2,076 nits. No other budget phone comes close to matching its brightness, including the iPhone 16e with its pitiful 1,078-nit brightness. Outside, there's a noticeable difference as the Pixel 9a is clearly brighter and more visible. Yes, the camera bar is no more, so the almost flush design of the camera cutout is a throwback. After using the iPhone 16e for a short time, it's refreshing to go back to a budget phone that actually has a dual-camera system -- and the Pixel 9a doesn't disappoint. This pair consists of a 48MP main camera with a 13MP ultrawide. You might think the main camera's a 'downgrade' due to how the previous Pixel 8a has a 64MP one, but the 9a has a wider f/1.7 aperture that should help it to deliver sharper photos, especially under low light conditions. New to the series include a new macro focus mode that supposedly leans on AI to enhance and process closeups a lot better. But I'm more excited for Night Sight -- a first for the series too -- which inherently adds a proper astrophotography mode. And since it's powered by the Tensor G4, the Pixel 9a gains many of the AI-assisted editing tools I've come to use, like Add Me, Audio Magic Eraser, Magic Editor, Best Take, and more. Luckily there's no impact to the main camera's performance, as the new 48MP holds up against the Pixel 8a. I will say, though, that the Pixel 9a has a slightly brighter picture that seems to wash things out a little, but I also notice more definition in the brickwork and sign on the building in the top right corner. Colors come out more natural in tone with the Pixel 9a versus the iPhone 16e, which I can see with the produce shots I captured above at Whole Food. The iPhone tends to oversaturate the red and orange peppers in the top right, while they're more subdued and color accurate with the Pixel. Interestingly, it's not the ultrawide camera that captures macro shots -- it's the main camera. There's a flower icon that appears when capturing closeups with the Pixel 9a. This is one of its biggest upgrades because I'm able to get closer than the Pixel 8a, while it also delivers much more sharpness and detail in the flower against the iPhone 16e above. I really like the performance of the 13MP selfie camera with the Pixel 9a, mainly because of how it produces more contrast and saturation. The iPhone 16e's selfie looks muted compared to the Pixel 9a, but I will say that they capture the same amount of definition. While the Pixel 9a offers extra utility with its 13MP ultrawide camera, the iPhone 16e does a better job at zooming. Both phones rely on their main cameras to achieve this, but Apple's image processing manages to expose a bit more of the details in the W 41st Street sign I captured from Bryant Park at 8x zoom. Panoramas come out sharper and with more detail with the Pixel 9a. When I zoom into the shot of Bryant Park above, I can make out more of the details and definition with the Pixel 9a's image. The Pixel 8a might have a wider capture, but the details are way soft. And finally, there's low light, an area where the Pixel 9a has been nearly untouchable against other budget phones. Apple undoubtedly focused heavily on this with the iPhone 16e, which you can see how it captures a little more definition of the tree in my backyard with the near pitch dark conditions. However, the Pixel 9a does brighten up more of the shadows -- resulting in a brighter, overall picture. Over on the video side, the Pixel 9a tops out at 4K 60fps recording -- while slow motion video support goes up to 1080p 240fps. Compared to the iPhone 16e, the Pixel 9a slightly overexposes the video above, but it's not too bad because its dynamic range performance manages to handle the strong light from the scene when I pan over to look at the buildings to the right. With a Tensor G4 under the hood, this effectively means it's a flagship caliber chipset. When it comes to everyday tasks, I find it almost as fluid as my Pixel 9 Pro XL -- and that's despite it having 8GB of RAM. Benchmark tests my colleagues and I ran on the Pixel 9a indicate it performs similarly to the Pixel 9, but only a modest improvement over the previous Tensor G3. GeekBench 6 scores have it averaging at 1,707 and 4,512 for single and multi-core tests respectively. These are good, but nowhere close to matching the 3,328 and 8,132 scores put up by the iPhone 16e's A18 chip. In reality, the Pixel 9a runs much smoother when it comes to basic tasks. Over on the GPU side, it also can't match the iPhone 16e's performance with its score of 9,592 with 3DMark's Wild Life Original Unlimited test -- resulting in a slightly slower average frame rate of 57.44 fps, versus the 71.27 fps rate of the iPhone 16e. Personally, I don't see a huge difference when running graphically intensive games like Modern Combat and Age of Origins. In fact, I'd argue that they look smoother on the Pixel 9a due to its 120Hz display refresh rate. Strangely though, the Pixel 9a labors through rendering a video in Adobe Premiere Rush with its time of 1:24. In contrast, the iPhone 16e takes 21 seconds to render the same clip. The Pixel 9a comes with Android 15 out of the box and also shares many of the same AI features I've come to rely on with the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL -- which I have to reiterate costs hundreds of dollars more. Meaning, it includes AI-assisted photo and editing features such as Magic Editor, Auto Frame, Reimagine, Photo Unblur, and Pixel Studio. I've actually put Pixel Studio's new ability to generate images with people against Apple's Image Playground and found that Google is way ahead in this area. For a phone that costs a fraction of what most flagship models sell for, it's hard to deny the value that the Pixel 9a offers. I'll also admit that the AI features here are much more practical than any of the Apple Intelligence features I've used with the iPhone 16e. For example, Apple has nothing remotely close to what Call Screen offers with the Pixel 9a. It's like having an assistant who can take calls for me when I'm busy, complete with contextual responses I can choose while 'screening' the call. On the downside, there are two specific AI features unavailable to the Pixel 9a -- Pixel Screenshots and Call Notes. I don't care much for Pixel Screenshots, which I've tested with the Pixel 9 Pro XL, since it requires more management on my part to constantly capture screenshots of what I'm doing in order for it to effectively work. Meanwhile, I am bummed that Call Notes isn't available because I like how it can record phone conversations and spit out a transcript of it later on. While accessing the Gemini app isn't a problem for the Pixel 9a, you'll only get a month's worth of accessing Gemini Advanced, which costs $19.99 per month. This was included for an entire year with the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL, and if you're someone like me who has leaned on the Deep Research to scour web sites for different topics or articles you're working on, you'll need to pay to use it. In the most recent Pixel Drop update, I can now access the Pixel 9a's camera with Gemini Live, as well as screen sharing capabilities. I let Gemini Live look at a hallway in my home and asked what kind of artwork I should add to the walls. One thing that stands out is how Gemini Live intelligently analyzes the hallway and detects how most of the lighting comes from a window in an adjacent room. It actually recommended installing track lights to better display the artwork. These AI features are helpful, much more in my opinion than what Apple Intelligence offers with the iPhone 16e. I can't express enough about how much value they tack on and it's certainly one of the phone's biggest selling points. And best of all, the Pixel 9a gets the same 7 years of software support. With a larger display comes a larger battery, a 5,100 mAh one to be exact that gets me through a work day without having to worry much about it tapping out. This is an increase from the Pixel 8a's 4,492 mAh battery, and as a result, delivers longer battery life in Tom's Guide's battery benchmark test. It pulls in an average of 13 hours and 8 minutes from a full charge, which is up from the Pixel 8a's time of 11 hours and 21 minutes running the same test. In fact, it also beats the iPhone 16e, which got to 12 hours and 41 minutes. The combination of a larger battery and more power efficient Tensor G4 certainly propel the Pixel 9a to rise above most of its direct rivals. Although, it trails the 14 hours and 33 minute average time of the Nothing Phone 3a Pro. Wired charging on the Pixel 9a gets a slight improvement to 23W, which is 18W speed of the Pixel 8a. After 15 and 30 minutes of charging, the battery reaches 25% and 47% respectively -- which is still faster than the Pixel 8a. Meanwhile, wireless charging is still at 7.5W. I'll say this about the Pixel 9a: it is the most well-rounded phone you can buy at under $500. Even though the Nothing Phone 3a Pro is just as compelling at a slightly lower cost, the Pixel 9a brings more value and better performance. The AI features alone of the Pixel 9a help distinguish it over many of its rivals, including the iPhone 16e. Considering how there's volatility around phone prices, Google's decision to keep the Pixel 9a firmly at $499 is a smart and reassuring move for budget-conscious consumers. It might look bland now with the redesign, but there's a lot more to it than meets the eye. Not only is it the best cheap phone, but it's also one of the best Android phones as well.

I tested the Google Pixel 9a, and it would be the perfect bargain phone if it wasn't so dang ugly

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you're buying the best. Find out more about how we test. The Google Pixel 9a is a solid Android phone that punches far above its weight in important ways, even if the new direction for A-series phone design is a letdown. I'll try not to spend this whole review dwelling on how ugly this phone is - the photos speak for themselves - but I was surprised that Google abandoned its excellent Pixel design for this phone. The Pixel 9a performs as well as the Pixel 9 in almost every way. It takes photos that look nearly as good as the pics I get from my Pixel 9 Pro. It has most of the latest AI features that make the Pixel a compelling choice for Google fans. I just wish it looked like a Pixel. Don't get me wrong; I love the color of the Peony review sample that Google sent me. Actually, TechRadar got two samples, and both were pink, so clearly Google likes this color as much as we do. The color is a perfect match with the Peony silicone case that Google supplied, and I kept the phone covered for most of my time testing it. Putting the phone in its case was like putting lipstick on a pig. For the Pixel 9a, Google took the sharp, stylish, distinctive design language it used the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro and threw it in the garbage. This phone is flat and boring. The camera bump is apologetic, rather than the bold statement the bump on the Pixel 9 makes. You would be forgiven for mistaking this phone for a cheap Motorola or Nokia, or an off-brand phone you find in the back of your carrier store. I don't get it. The best explanation I can muster is that the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro camera bar is expensive to produce, and the A-series phones are supposed to be a bargain. But Google cut plenty of other corners on this phone that should have offset the cost of a better design. For instance, the camera sensors are much, much smaller than the sensors on the Pixel 8a. The main sensor is less than half the size, and that's a massive drop for the most important spec in terms of camera quality. The Pixel 9a still manages to snap great photos, but this downgrade should have saved Google enough money to pay for a fancy new dress. The Pixel 8a also launched with the same 8GB of RAM as the Pixel 8. The Pixel 9a keeps the 8GB of memory, but the Pixel 9 now offers 12GB (and the Pixel 9 Pro packs 16GB!), which makes a difference when it comes to running all of the AI features on the phone. The Pixel 9a has a larger battery than the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, even though all three phones have a 6.3-inch display. However, in my time with the Pixel 9a, battery life was good but not extraordinary, and our Future Labs tests show that its battery life is somehow not measurably better with that larger cell inside. Is the Pixel 9a a letdown? Not at all! Google's AI features remain the most useful smartphone AI tools you'll find - I regularly use the AI phone call features to hang up on spammers, wait on hold for me, or record an especially important phone call. Google Gemini on the Pixel 9a has also gotten much better - and it even improved during my two weeks with the phone, as Google added the ability for Gemini to use the camera and discuss what it sees. For the price - $499 / £499 / AU$849 - you won't find a phone that feels so polished and capable. You may find more camera features on a phone like the Samsung Galaxy A56, but you won't get better photos than you'll take with the Pixel 9a, especially not macro shots, which is the Pixel 9a's new specialty. You might find snappier performance elsewhere, but the Pixel 9a's Tensor G4 chip is powerful enough to for Google to guarantee seven years of major Android and security updates, and that's the best promise you'll get in this price range. If you need a bargain phone and you don't want to replace it, like, ever, the Pixel 9a would be the first phone I recommend. Except for one small thing: the Pixel 8a might be just as good. The Pixel 9a isn't much faster, and it doesn't do anything the Pixel 8a can't do, other than offering the latest Google AI features. If the AI aspect of Google's phones isn't enticing, you might be just as satisfied saving even more money and getting the Pixel 8a, especially if it goes on sale again soon. Actually, if you're considering the Pixel 9a and you want the best possible bargain, you may want to wait a bit longer. The Pixel 8a went on sale in May of 2024 and the price dropped by $100 for one deal in the US in August. The current global economic uncertainty aside, Google loves to goose sales of its A-series phones with a great deal, so look out for price drops on the Pixel 9a. Or just buy the Pixel 8a - because at least that phone looks like a Pixel. The Pixel 9a is available now for $499 / £499 / AU$849, after a delay caused by a mysterious 'passive component' issue. My review sample did not seem to have any performance problems or build-quality issues, so I guess we'll never know what held back the Pixel 9a for a few weeks. The Pixel 9a costs the same as last year's Pixel 8a did at launch, but this year there's no competing iPhone SE at an even lower price to consider. Apple has effectively vacated the $500 phone market by selling the new iPhone 16e for a laughable $599 / £599 / AU$999. If you're looking for a $500 phone, the Pixel 9a is one of your best options, along with the Samsung Galaxy A56. Samsung hasn't started selling that phone in the US as I write this, but we have reviewed it, and we know it's coming to the US later this year. You might also consider the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, a quirky Android that costs $459 / £449 / AU$849, though it's only available in the US through a beta program. Of all the phones in this price range, the Pixel 9a should get software and security updates for longer than the rest. The Pixel gets a seven-year promise, while Samsung gives you six years, and the rest of the Android world promises three or fewer. The Pixel 9a uses the same Google Tensor G4 chipset as the Pixel 9 Pro and the rest of the Pixel 9 family. This is Google's biggest strength with its bargain phones, because the Tensor contains the magic sauce that lets Google promise seven years of major OS updates for its latest phones (though none of them have actually been around for seven years, yet). The Tensor G4 isn't a performance beast, but it's good enough for the Pixel 9a to get by, albeit with a bit of sluggishness. The initial setup process especially was a slog, as the phone gets bogged down when you try to download a lot of apps and then, you know, use them. The paltry 8GB of RAM inside became noticeable when I used the AI features, and the Pixel 9a inexplicably doesn't have the new Screenshots app that debuted on the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro. That app gathers all of your screenshots and runs them through the AI so you can ask questions about what it sees; I guess 8GB of RAM is not enough for that level of on-device processing. I'm very nervous about the next seven years with this phone, if we're already seeing Google omit features on day one that the rest of the Pixel 9 phones have. I suspect that whatever Android update the Pixel 9a gets in seven years will be only a portion of what the rest of the Pixel phones will receive, but at least security holes should be plugged. Let's start with a compliment: I like the colors. I like the Peony pink and the lavender Iris hues, and even the Porcelain and Obsidian look premium, not basic. I also like that the cases match perfectly with the phone, giving the handset some needed dimension and texture. Okay, that's all the nice I have in me for this phone's design. I'm only being mean to the butt-ugly Pixel 9a because I really liked the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro redesign, and I can't believe Google didn't carry the new look down to the bargain basement. The Pixel 9a is just a flat slab of plastic broken by a round camera bump. It has no personality or character - it looks like somebody punched a Pixel 9 square in the nose and flattened its whole face. The Pixel 9a has the same-size screen as the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, but the bezels are noticeably thicker. The phone is nicely rounded, like the Pixel 9, but the back is a matte-finish plastic, not shiny glass. Google says 23% of the Pixel 9a is recycled materials, by weight. To be fair, the Pixel 9a is thinner than the Pixel 9 if you count the camera bump - that bar adds 3mm to the thickness of the latter phone. If you really want a phone that is borin... er, flat, this is a good pick. Google also says the Pixel 9a is the most durable Pixel A-series phone yet. It can withstand a dunk in up to 1.5m of fresh water for 30 minutes, so feel free to drop it in the toilet and give it a flush, then rinse it in the sink. The Pixel 9a has an excellent screen that's very bright and colorful, continuing Google's dominance in this aspect of the smartphone world. This would be a great display for a phone at any price, but it's a standout feature on a bargain phone; you won't find a better or brighter screen on a phone this cheap. I was feeling a bit let down by the display for my first few days with the Pixel 9a, but then I turned off the Adaptive Display mode and things got much brighter. For some reason, Adaptive Display was keeping my phone very dark no matter where I used it, but when I took control the experience got exponentially better. The screen can refresh at up to 120Hz, but frankly I'm not sure the phone can keep up with any content moving that fast. Scrolling through the apps and settings menus felt more stuttery on the Pixel 9a than on the Pixel 9 Pro, and I can only assume that more RAM would pick things up. The phone has Gorilla Glass 3 on the front, which is durable but not as scratch-resistant as the latest Gorilla Glass Victus materials. I noticed some hairline scratches on the screen after only a week of use, although these weren't distracting. The back of the phone is plastic, not glass, so it should be more durable. The Google Pixel 9a launches with Android 15 on board, and it should get updates through Android 22 in 2032, if humanity survives that long. Google has only been making this seven-year promise for three years, so we can't be sure what those eventual updates will look like, but Google also regularly drops new features, or brings newer features to older phones, in software updates it calls Pixel Drops. Google's version of Android is the most refined you can get, with the fewest extraneous features. Where Android used to be known for its heavy customization options, now you'd have to download a whole new launcher app if you want to organize your app list into folders or tweak the interface behavior. Today's Android is simpler, and better for it. Google also has some of the most useful AI tools on its smartphones; and, where other phone makers have the same features, Google does it better. For instance, Google's Voice Recorder app is the best at transcribing what it hears into text. It will label individual speakers, and you can simply tap on a word to jump to the moment in the recording when it was spoken. Samsung and other Android phone makers have similar software, but it doesn't work as well; not even close. I especially like Google's AI calling tools. When I get a mysterious phone call, I can have Google's AI answer and screen the call; spammers always hang up at this point. If I'm on an important call that I need to remember details of, I can have the AI record and later transcribe the call. My caller will be alerted to the fact that they're being recorded, so there's no privacy concern. Google's Gemini Live conversation tool also got a nice boost on the Pixel 9a. Just before this phone launched, Gemini Live went multi-modal, so it can now talk to you conversationally while it looks through your camera. I pointed Gemini at the blank wall beneath my TV and asked for suggestions on how to decorate it. Gemini suggested that I add plants, then we switched the conversation to what plants I could buy that I wouldn't kill in a month. Of course, there are plenty of AI slop tools on the Pixel 9a as well. There's the standard image-generating tool that probably shouldn't exist, for legal and ethical reasons, and it can now create images of human beings, which was forbidden in the past. I have a big problem with these tools. They're bigoted by nature. If I ask Pixel Studio for an image of 'a successful person,' I get five images of young, able-bodied people. The selection may be racially diverse, but it still holds onto so many stereotypes that it should simply not be on a phone. If I ask Pixel Studio for an image of 'a Jewish man,' I get the most stereotypical caricature of Jewish identity: an older man with a full beard and a head covering. If I ask for 'a Palestinian man,' it refuses to create anything, which is its own harmful erasure and stereotyping, as if any image of a Palestinian man should be considered potentially harmful. Sorry, this Pixel has no business creating images of people if it resorts to stereotypes. I'm not sure when it became acceptable for a smartphone to reinforce bigotry, but it's not something I'll ever be comfortable with. Google should remove this capability from Pixel Studio immediately. I've been pleasantly surprised by the Pixel 9a's camera capabilities. This phone continues the A-series tradition of producing photos that look almost identical to the shots you'd get from the Pro-series device, albeit at a much lower resolution. The Pixel 9a has a 48MP camera, but it uses a pixel binning technique and will only produce images that are 12MP. Even the raw files it produces are 12MP or less. That's fine by me! I think 12MP is the perfect size for sharing, whether you send photos to friends or post them to your favorite social app. You won't be able to zoom in later, and you might miss the fine details, but 12MP is a good compromise for a bargain phone. To be fair, the Pixel 9 has a 50MP camera and that phone also limits its photo output to 12MP. I was expecting the Pixel 9a cameras to be much less capable, because the sensors have been reduced in size compared to the Pixel 8a, and are much smaller that the sensors you'll find on the Pixel 9 or Pixel 9 Pro. The Pixel 9a uses a half-inch sensor for the main camera, compared to the three-quarter-inch sensor on the Pixel 9. That doesn't sound like much, but that's the diagonal measurement, and the actual area of the sensor in the Pixel 9a is 57% smaller than that of the sensor the Pixel 9. That means it captures much less light, which affects every other aspect of photography. Thankfully, Google's AI photography magic has never been more powerful. Photos look great, nearly identical to Pixel 9 Pro photos, until you zoom in close. Then things get muddy, but the Pixel 9a produces images with accurate colors and good lighting. The iPhone 16e might be a little bit better, but it's also much more expensive, and it lacks some of the Pixel 9a's great features. I was blown away by the new macro photography capabilities on the Pixel 9a. I shoot macro photos often with my Nikon D750 and Tamron 100mm macro lens, so I broke out the full-frame camera for a comparison test. The results were truly shocking. Without a flash, the Pixel 9a totally outperformed my Nikon. I couldn't hold the camera still enough for the 1/4 second exposure that it required, but the Pixel 9a had no trouble grabbing a sharp shot in the same dim light. Even with a flash attached, my Nikon wasn't much more sharp than the Pixel 9a. The Pixel even managed to expose a wider swath of the subject than my Nikon at f/16. Usually, macro photography on smartphones is a gimmick performed with a pathetic 3MP camera, but on the Pixel 9a it's so good, at full resolution, that it offers a whole reason to consider this phone. If you like shooting macro, you've probably never seen a smartphone that can get this close and take photos this sharp. The Pixel 9a performs as well as the Pixel 9, for better and for worse. It was able to handle all of my favorite apps and all of Google's features with little trouble, as long as I wasn't asking the AI for anything. Except for some hiccups during my initial setup, when the interface ground to a halt while installing numerous apps and backup data, I had no trouble using the Pixel 9a as my primary work phone. It's still slow, objectively and subjectively. The menus and interface do not feel as snappy on the Pixel 9a as OneUI does on the Galaxy S25, for instance. It isn't as smooth and responsive as iOS on any recent iPhone. Some apps take a bit longer to open, and when switching between apps it takes longer for the screen to populate. I was still able to run all of my necessary apps, take video calls while browsing the web, and play my favorite games, including Call of Duty Mobile - I had to turn the settings down for better performance, but I had fun playing. The Pixel 9a sends much of its AI computing to the cloud, and this slows down whatever process you're engaged in. Pixel Studio, for instance, generated images much faster on the Pixel 9, and it was even faster on the Pixel 9 Pro. Apparently RAM does make a big difference with these AI features. One of the big advantages Google highlights with the Pixel 9a is the larger battery - a 5,100mAh cell that's bigger than the batteries in the similarly-sized Pixel 9 or Pixel 9 Pro. I didn't see any benefit, though. The phone lasted through a full day of use most of the time, except on days when I did a lot of work with the AI tools and cameras. Even then, battery life was acceptable, if not exceptional. I'm not sure why this phone isn't lasting much longer than the Pixel 9, even though its battery is 8.5% larger. Our Future Labs testing concurs. In our battery rundown test the Pixel 9a lasted at most 13 hours and eight minutes, while the Pixel 9 lasted 13 hours and 18 minutes in the same test. That's not terrible, but you can find longer-lasting phones in this price range. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro lasted more than an hour longer in Future Labs. The OnePlus 13R is only a bit more expensive, and it's our battery-life champion, with hours more battery life than the competition. The Pixel 9a does include wireless charging, which isn't common on a bargain phone. Nothing Phone and OnePlus omit wireless charging on their budget models, though they do have much faster wired charging than Google offers. The Pixel 9a can only charge up to 23W, which isn't very fast. The battery wasn't even halfway charged after 30 minutes, and it took more than an hour to get to 100% from 1%. I used the Google Pixel 9a for almost two weeks. I tested the phone on AT&T's network in the greater New York area, throughout the city and suburbs. I used the Pixel 9a as my primary work phone with all of my work accounts and apps, as well as a personal phone for photos and gaming. I tested the Pixel 9a with a Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2. I connected the phone to my car and tested Android Auto. I connected an Xbox wireless controller for gaming. I tested the Pixel 9a camera against the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, as well as the iPhone 16 and Galaxy S25. For macro photo comparisons, I compared against my Nikon D750 camera with a Tamron 100mm macro lens. Future Labs tests phones using a mix of third-party benchmark software and proprietary, real-world tests. We use Geekbench, CrossMark, JetStream, WebXPRT and Mobile XPRT, and 3DMark for performance testing. We test a phone's performance on tasks using Adobe Premiere Rush. We also measure display color output and brightness. For battery testing, we have proprietary rundown tests that are the same for every phone, and we determine how long it takes for the battery to run down.

I tested the Pixel 9a, and it would be the perfect bargain Pixel if it wasn't so dang ugly

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you're buying the best. Find out more about how we test. The Google Pixel 9a is a solid Android phone that punches far above its weight in important ways, even if the new direction for A-series phone design is a letdown. I'll try not to spend this whole review dwelling on how ugly this phone is - the photos speak for themselves - but I was surprised that Google abandoned its excellent Pixel design for this phone. The Pixel 9a performs as well as the Pixel 9 in almost every way. It takes photos that look nearly as good as the pics I get from my Pixel 9 Pro. It has most of the latest AI features that make the Pixel a compelling choice for Google fans. I just wish it looked like a Pixel. Don't get me wrong; I love the color of the Peony review sample that Google sent me. Actually, TechRadar got two samples, and both were pink, so clearly Google likes this color as much as we do. The color is a perfect match with the Peony silicone case that Google supplied, and I kept the phone covered for most of my time testing it. Putting the phone in its case was like putting lipstick on a pig. For the Pixel 9a, Google took the sharp, stylish, distinctive design language it used the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro and threw it in the garbage. This phone is flat and boring. The camera bump is apologetic, rather than the bold statement the bump on the Pixel 9 makes. You would be forgiven for mistaking this phone for a cheap Motorola or Nokia, or an off-brand phone you find in the back of your carrier store. I don't get it. The best explanation I can muster is that the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro camera bar is expensive to produce, and the A-series phones are supposed to be a bargain. But Google cut plenty of other corners on this phone that should have offset the cost of a better design. For instance, the camera sensors are much, much smaller than the sensors on the Pixel 8a. The main sensor is less than half the size, and that's a massive drop for the most important spec in terms of camera quality. The Pixel 9a still manages to snap great photos, but this downgrade should have saved Google enough money to pay for a fancy new dress. The Pixel 8a also launched with the same 8GB of RAM as the Pixel 8. The Pixel 9a keeps the 8GB of memory, but the Pixel 9 now offers 12GB (and the Pixel 9 Pro packs 16GB!), which makes a difference when it comes to running all of the AI features on the phone. The Pixel 9a has a larger battery than the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, even though all three phones have a 6.3-inch display. However, in my time with the Pixel 9a, battery life was good but not extraordinary, and our Future Labs tests show that its battery life is somehow not measurably better with that larger cell inside. Is the Pixel 9a a letdown? Not at all! Google's AI features remain the most useful smartphone AI tools you'll find - I regularly use the AI phone call features to hang up on spammers, wait on hold for me, or take notes during an important call. Google Gemini on the Pixel 9a has also gotten much better - and it even improved during my two weeks with the phone, as Google added the ability for Gemini to use the camera and discuss what it sees. For the price - $499 / £499 / AU$849 - you won't find a phone that feels so polished and capable. You may find more camera features on a phone like the Samsung Galaxy A56, but you won't get better photos than you'll take with the Pixel 9a, especially not macro shots, which is the Pixel 9a's new specialty. You might find snappier performance elsewhere, but the Pixel 9a's Tensor G4 chip is powerful enough to for Google to guarantee seven years of major Android and security updates, and that's the best promise you'll get in this price range. If you need a bargain phone and you don't want to replace it, like, ever, the Pixel 9a would be the first phone I recommend. Except for one small thing: the Pixel 8a might be just as good. The Pixel 9a isn't much faster, and it doesn't do anything the Pixel 8a can't do, other than offering the latest Google AI features. If the AI aspect of Google's phones isn't enticing, you might be just as satisfied saving even more money and getting the Pixel 8a, especially if it goes on sale again soon. Actually, if you're considering the Pixel 9a and you want the best possible bargain, you may want to wait a bit longer. The Pixel 8a went on sale in May of 2024 and the price dropped by $100 for one deal in the US in August. The current global economic uncertainty aside, Google loves to goose sales of its A-series phones with a great deal, so look out for price drops on the Pixel 9a. Or just buy the Pixel 8a - because at least that phone looks like a Pixel. The Pixel 9a is available now for $499 / £499 / AU$849, after a delay caused by a mysterious 'passive component' issue. My review sample did not seem to have any performance problems or build-quality issues, so I guess we'll never know what held back the Pixel 9a for a few weeks. The Pixel 9a costs the same as last year's Pixel 8a did at launch, but this year there's no competing iPhone SE at an even lower price to consider. Apple has effectively vacated the $500 phone market by selling the new iPhone 16e for a laughable $599 / £599 / AU$999. If you're looking for a $500 phone, the Pixel 9a is one of your best options, along with the Samsung Galaxy A56. Samsung hasn't started selling that phone in the US as I write this, but we have reviewed it, and we know it's coming to the US later this year. You might also consider the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, a quirky Android that costs $459 / £449 / AU$849, though it's only available in the US through a beta program. Of all the phones in this price range, the Pixel 9a should get software and security updates for longer than the rest. The Pixel gets a seven-year promise, while Samsung gives you six years, and the rest of the Android world promises three or fewer. The Pixel 9a uses the same Google Tensor G4 chipset as the Pixel 9 Pro and the rest of the Pixel 9 family. This is Google's biggest strength with its bargain phones, because the Tensor contains the magic sauce that lets Google promise seven years of major OS updates for its latest phones (though none of them have actually been around for seven years, yet). The Tensor G4 isn't a performance beast, but it's good enough for the Pixel 9a to get by, albeit with a bit of sluggishness. The initial setup process especially was a slog, as the phone gets bogged down when you try to download a lot of apps and then, you know, use them. The paltry 8GB of RAM inside became noticeable when I used the AI features, and the Pixel 9a inexplicably doesn't have the new Screenshots app that debuted on the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro. That app gathers all of your screenshots and runs them through the AI so you can ask questions about what it sees; I guess 8GB of RAM is not enough for that level of on-device processing. I'm very nervous about the next seven years with this phone, if we're already seeing Google omit features on day one that the rest of the Pixel 9 phones have. I suspect that whatever Android update the Pixel 9a gets in seven years will be only a portion of what the rest of the Pixel phones will receive, but at least security holes should be plugged. Let's start with a compliment: I like the colors. I like the Peony pink and the lavender Iris hues, and even the Porcelain and Obsidian look premium, not basic. I also like that the cases match perfectly with the phone, giving the handset some needed dimension and texture. Okay, that's all the nice I have in me for this phone's design. I'm only being mean to the butt-ugly Pixel 9a because I really liked the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro redesign, and I can't believe Google didn't carry the new look down to the bargain basement. The Pixel 9a is just a flat slab of plastic broken by a round camera bump. It has no personality or character - it looks like somebody punched a Pixel 9 square in the nose and flattened its whole face. The Pixel 9a has the same-size screen as the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, but the bezels are noticeably thicker. The phone is nicely rounded, like the Pixel 9, but the back is a matte-finish plastic, not shiny glass. Google says 23% of the Pixel 9a is recycled materials, by weight. To be fair, the Pixel 9a is thinner than the Pixel 9 if you count the camera bump - that bar adds 3mm to the thickness of the latter phone. If you really want a phone that is borin... er, flat, this is a good pick. Google also says the Pixel 9a is the most durable Pixel A-series phone yet. It can withstand a dunk in up to 1.5m of fresh water for 30 minutes, so feel free to drop it in the toilet and give it a flush, then rinse it in the sink. The Pixel 9a has an excellent screen that's very bright and colorful, continuing Google's dominance in this aspect of the smartphone world. This would be a great display for a phone at any price, but it's a standout feature on a bargain phone; you won't find a better or brighter screen on a phone this cheap. I was feeling a bit let down by the display for my first few days with the Pixel 9a, but then I turned off the Adaptive Display mode and things got much brighter. For some reason, Adaptive Display was keeping my phone very dark no matter where I used it, but when I took control the experience got exponentially better. The screen can refresh at up to 120Hz, but frankly I'm not sure the phone can keep up with any content moving that fast. Scrolling through the apps and settings menus felt more stuttery on the Pixel 9a than on the Pixel 9 Pro, and I can only assume that more RAM would pick things up. The phone has Gorilla Glass 3 on the front, which is durable but not as scratch-resistant as the latest Gorilla Glass Victus materials. I noticed some hairline scratches on the screen after only a week of use, although these weren't distracting. The back of the phone is plastic, not glass, so it should be more durable. The Google Pixel 9a launches with Android 15 on board, and it should get updates through Android 22 in 2032, if humanity survives that long. Google has only been making this seven-year promise for three years, so we can't be sure what those eventual updates will look like, but Google also regularly drops new features, or brings newer features to older phones, in software updates it calls Pixel Drops. Google's version of Android is the most refined you can get, with the fewest extraneous features. Where Android used to be known for its heavy customization options, now you'd have to download a whole new launcher app if you want to organize your app list into folders or tweak the interface behavior. Today's Android is simpler, and better for it. Google also has some of the most useful AI tools on its smartphones; and, where other phone makers have the same features, Google does it better. For instance, Google's Voice Recorder app is the best at transcribing what it hears into text. It will label individual speakers, and you can simply tap on a word to jump to the moment in the recording when it was spoken. Samsung and other Android phone makers have similar software, but it doesn't work as well; not even close. I especially like Google's AI calling tools. When I get a mysterious phone call, I can have Google's AI answer and screen the call; spammers always hang up at this point. If I'm on an important call that I need to remember details of, I can have the AI transcribe the call, or simply use it to take notes for later. My caller will be alerted to the fact that they're being recorded, so there's no privacy concern. Google's Gemini Live conversation tool also got a nice boost on the Pixel 9a. Just before this phone launched, Gemini Live went multi-modal, so it can now talk to you conversationally while it looks through your camera. I pointed Gemini at the blank wall beneath my TV and asked for suggestions on how to decorate it. Gemini suggested that I add plants, then we switched the conversation to what plants I could buy that I wouldn't kill in a month. Of course, there are plenty of AI slop tools on the Pixel 9a as well. There's the standard image-generating tool that probably shouldn't exist, for legal and ethical reasons, and it can now create images of human beings, which was forbidden in the past. I have a big problem with these tools. They're bigoted by nature. If I ask Pixel Studio for an image of 'a successful person,' I get five images of young, able-bodied people. The selection may be racially diverse, but it still holds onto so many stereotypes that it should simply not be on a phone. If I ask Pixel Studio for an image of 'a Jewish man,' I get the most stereotypical caricature of Jewish identity: an older man with a full beard and a head covering. If I ask for 'a Palestinian man,' it refuses to create anything, which is its own harmful erasure and stereotyping, as if any image of a Palestinian man should be considered potentially harmful. Sorry, this Pixel has no business creating images of people if it resorts to stereotypes. I'm not sure when it became acceptable for a smartphone to reinforce bigotry, but it's not something I'll ever be comfortable with. Google should remove this capability from Pixel Studio immediately. I've been pleasantly surprised by the Pixel 9a's camera capabilities. This phone continues the A-series tradition of producing photos that look almost identical to the shots you'd get from the Pro-series device, albeit at a much lower resolution. The Pixel 9a has a 48MP camera, but it uses a pixel binning technique and will only produce images that are 12MP. Even the raw files it produces are 12MP or less. That's fine by me! I think 12MP is the perfect size for sharing, whether you send photos to friends or post them to your favorite social app. You won't be able to zoom in later, and you might miss the fine details, but 12MP is a good compromise for a bargain phone. To be fair, the Pixel 9 has a 50MP camera and that phone also limits its photo output to 12MP. I was expecting the Pixel 9a cameras to be much less capable, because the sensors have been reduced in size compared to the Pixel 8a, and are much smaller that the sensors you'll find on the Pixel 9 or Pixel 9 Pro. The Pixel 9a uses a half-inch sensor for the main camera, compared to the three-quarter-inch sensor on the Pixel 9. That doesn't sound like much, but that's the diagonal measurement, and the actual area of the sensor in the Pixel 9a is 57% smaller than that of the sensor the Pixel 9. That means it captures much less light, which affects every other aspect of photography. Thankfully, Google's AI photography magic has never been more powerful. Photos look great, nearly identical to Pixel 9 Pro photos, until you zoom in close. Then things get muddy, but the Pixel 9a produces images with accurate colors and good lighting. The iPhone 16e might be a little bit better, but it's also much more expensive, and it lacks some of the Pixel 9a's great features. I was blown away by the new macro photography capabilities on the Pixel 9a. I shoot macro photos often with my Nikon D750 and Tamron 100mm macro lens, so I broke out the full-frame camera for a comparison test. The results were truly shocking. Without a flash, the Pixel 9a totally outperformed my Nikon. I couldn't hold the camera still enough for the 1/4 second exposure that it required, but the Pixel 9a had no trouble grabbing a sharp shot in the same dim light. Even with a flash attached, my Nikon wasn't much more sharp than the Pixel 9a. The Pixel even managed to expose a wider swath of the subject than my Nikon at f/16. Usually, macro photography on smartphones is a gimmick performed with a pathetic 3MP camera, but on the Pixel 9a it's so good, at full resolution, that it offers a whole reason to consider this phone. If you like shooting macro, you've probably never seen a smartphone that can get this close and take photos this sharp. The Pixel 9a performs as well as the Pixel 9, for better and for worse. It was able to handle all of my favorite apps and all of Google's features with little trouble, as long as I wasn't asking the AI for anything. Except for some hiccups during my initial setup, when the interface ground to a halt while installing numerous apps and backup data, I had no trouble using the Pixel 9a as my primary work phone. It's still slow, objectively and subjectively. The menus and interface do not feel as snappy on the Pixel 9a as OneUI does on the Galaxy S25, for instance. It isn't as smooth and responsive as iOS on any recent iPhone. Some apps take a bit longer to open, and when switching between apps it takes longer for the screen to populate. I was still able to run all of my necessary apps, take video calls while browsing the web, and play my favorite games, including Call of Duty Mobile - I had to turn the settings down for better performance, but I had fun playing. The Pixel 9a sends much of its AI computing to the cloud, and this slows down whatever process you're engaged in. Pixel Studio, for instance, generated images much faster on the Pixel 9, and it was even faster on the Pixel 9 Pro. Apparently RAM does make a big difference with these AI features. One of the big advantages Google highlights with the Pixel 9a is the larger battery - a 5,100mAh cell that's bigger than the batteries in the similarly-sized Pixel 9 or Pixel 9 Pro. I didn't see any benefit, though. The phone lasted through a full day of use most of the time, except on days when I did a lot of work with the AI tools and cameras. Even then, battery life was acceptable, if not exceptional. I'm not sure why this phone isn't lasting much longer than the Pixel 9, even though its battery is 8.5% larger. Our Future Labs testing concurs. In our battery rundown test the Pixel 9a lasted at most 13 hours and eight minutes, while the Pixel 9 lasted 13 hours and 18 minutes in the same test. That's not terrible, but you can find longer-lasting phones in this price range. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro lasted more than an hour longer in Future Labs. The OnePlus 13R is only a bit more expensive, and it's our battery-life champion, with hours more battery life than the competition. The Pixel 9a does include wireless charging, which isn't common on a bargain phone. Nothing Phone and OnePlus omit wireless charging on their budget models, though they do have much faster wired charging than Google offers. The Pixel 9a can only charge up to 23W, which isn't very fast. The battery wasn't even halfway charged after 30 minutes, and it took more than an hour to get to 100% from 1%. I used the Google Pixel 9a for almost two weeks. I tested the phone on AT&T's network in the greater New York area, throughout the city and suburbs. I used the Pixel 9a as my primary work phone with all of my work accounts and apps, as well as a personal phone for photos and gaming. I tested the Pixel 9a with a Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2. I connected the phone to my car and tested Android Auto. I connected an Xbox wireless controller for gaming. I tested the Pixel 9a camera against the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, as well as the iPhone 16 and Galaxy S25. For macro photo comparisons, I compared against my Nikon D750 camera with a Tamron 100mm macro lens. Future Labs tests phones using a mix of third-party benchmark software and proprietary, real-world tests. We use Geekbench, CrossMark, JetStream, WebXPRT and Mobile XPRT, and 3DMark for performance testing. We test a phone's performance on tasks using Adobe Premiere Rush. We also measure display color output and brightness. For battery testing, we have proprietary rundown tests that are the same for every phone, and we determine how long it takes for the battery to run down.

Get the new Google Pixel 9a for as low as $2.99/month

In the back half of 2024, Google debuted its line of Pixel 9 Android smartphones. Starting at $799, the Google Pixel 9 brought its Gemini AI to the forefront. While we aren't quite taken with all the AI gimmicks it offers, the Google Pixel remains one of the best Android phones. Now, Google is expanding the Pixel 9 line-up to include the 9a, an entry-level option for those on a budget. Starting at $499, the Google Pixel 9a costs $300 less than the Pixel 9. It features the Google Tensor G4 processor, the same as in the Pixel 9, a proprietary design used to power up Gemini AI. It features two storage options, 128 or 256GB, and four color options, Iris, Peony, Porcelain, and Obsidian. It promises 30 hours of battery life and will support seven years of Pixel updates, assuring you won't have to exchange your smartphone after just a couple of years. The most unique design feature on the Google Pixel 9a is the back camera. It doesn't come with the same camera bar you'll find on the Google Pixel 9. Instead, it has a completely flat back, so the camera sits flush with the chassis. The camera itself features a 48 MP main camera and 13 MP ultrawide camera. The Google Pixel 9a is now available to order. It starts at $499 from The Google Store, but other retailers are offering enticing deals on the new device. At AT&T, get the Pixel 9a for just $2.99/month when purchased with an unlimited plan. Shop now for an affordable AI smartphone.

The Google Pixel 9a is available now: How to buy

It's been just over six months since Google launched the new Pixel 9 generation of Android smartphones. On February 25, Google announced the Pixel 9a. Now, the wait is finally over. You can snag one of the newest Pixel devices for yourself by way of the Google Store. The Pixel 9a fits in as the most affordable of the Pixel 9 devices, which sets it up as an entry-level phone below the base Pixel 9 model. The Pixel 9a retails at $499, which makes it $300 less than the Pixel 9, the previous lowest cost current generation Pixel device. Don't let the price difference between the Pixel 9a and the Pixel 9 fool you. Google has packed the Pixel 9a with plenty of power. In fact, the Pixel 9a is powered by the same Google Tensor G4 processor that you'll find inside the Pixel 9. This is the same processor that was created specifically for Google's intensive AI capabilities, so you'll find all of the Pixel 9's AI features in the Pixel 9a, including Magic Edit and Gemini AI Assistant. The Pixel 9a has a 6.3-inch scratch-resistant Actua display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 cover glass. When it comes to memory, the Pixel 9a has 8GB of RAM and provides two different storage options, 128 GB or 256 GB. Storage size isn't the only option you'll have to choose from when buying a Pixel 9a. The Pixel 9a comes in 4 different colors: Iris, Peony, Porcelain, and Obsidian. With over 30 hours of battery life and 7 years of guaranteed Pixel updates, the Pixel 9a is built to last. When it comes to the rear cameras, the Pixel 9a has a 48 MP main camera and 13 MP ultrawide camera. But, there's even more that sets Pixel 9a's cameras apart from the rest. One of the most interesting features of the Google Pixel 9a isn't what it has, but what it doesn't. The Pixel 9a has a flat back design, meaning no camera bump. The Pixel 9a is the only Pixel phone to sport a flat back profile. In fact, the Pixel 9a doesn't have the now-classic Pixel camera bar either. Instead, the back of the device is flat with the cameras found within a rounded water droplet-like design on the upper left hand side of the Pixel 9a. Without the camera bump, the Pixel 9a is unique not only among other Pixel phones but other smartphones as well.

Pixel 9a verdicts are in: Here's why reviewers say it's worth $500

The Google Pixel 9a appears to be, once again, the best bang for your buck if your bucks total up to $500. Google's affordable smartphone launched on April 10, and so far, it looks to be another hit for Google. Tech sites have posted their reviews of the latest phone from Google, and they're all loving it. If you've been waiting for a sign to get a new phone that won't break the bank, the Google Pixel 9a seems to be the best bet. Here are some of the best features that the tech press have been crowing about with the Google Pixel 9a, making it one of the best phones released so far in 2025. One of the big surprises mentioned in the reviews is how fast the Google Pixel 9a is. For the Pixel 9a, Google added a Tensor G4 processor to the phone, the same chip used in the Pixel 9 series. Ars Technica says there was no feeling of slowdown or the phone heating up when using mutiple apps. According to 9to5Google: "In day-to-day usage, app launches and loading speeds feel on par with the Pixel 9 Pro." Tom's Guide says it runs much smoother than Apple's affordable phone, the iPhone 16e, on basic tasks, but it can't compare to the lower-priced iPhone on more advanced tasks like gaming and video editing. Another big improvement with the Pixel 9a is the battery life. The affordable phone comes with a 5,100-mAh battery, which is a jump from the Pixel 8a's 4,492-mAh capacity. Wired's review of the Pixel 9a noted that while you're not going to get two days of use out of the battery, regular users will still have a chunk of battery leftover, in the 30-40% range. PCMag's test of the Pixel 9a showed it lasting just over 13 hours streaming 1080p video over Wi-Fi with full brightness on, which was an hour longer than the Pixel 8a and 90 minutes longer than the Pixel 9. One cool new feature the Pixel 9a has is out-of-the-box AI. Gemini comes on the Pixel 9a, replacing Google Assistant, and CNET noted the phone runs 2.0 Flash, 2.0 Flash Thinking, 2.5 Pro, Deep Research and Personalization. The phone also makes use of Gemini Live where the AI can see your surroundings via the camera and tell you about them. The reviewer for CNET mentioned how he was using the feature around his office, and when looking for his coffee, he asked Gemini, which told him where his coffee was hiding. One thing to note is that the Gemini Live requires a Gemini Advanced subscription, which costs $19.99 a month, although Google gives Pixel 9a buyers a month free. All the reviewers mentioned how good the Pixel 9a camera was for the price. The 48MP camera at f/1.7 is a bit of a downgrade from the 64MP at f/1.89 camera found on the Pixel 8a, but the PCMag review mentioned the new phone's camera has a larger aperture to let in more light. It's a good camera, but just not great. The Verge's review said the 9a produced "most intensely flat and over-processed photos of high-contrast scenes," and pictures lose information when exported from the phone. One con about the phone agreed on was how the 9a didn't look special. The Tom's Guide review mentions how the redesign of the phone makes it "more uniform" and doesn't give it much of a unique look from other budget phones. Wired called the phone's design "stale." The screen for the 9a does have the same bright 6.3-inch display found on the Pixel 9 series, which was a welcome improvement to the budget phone. The Pixel 9a is hard to beat for a $500 phone. It does everything most users will want from their phone and looks good while doing it. But don't get it twisted, it is very clear that this phone is a budget phone when comparing it to other flagship phones.

The Google Pixel 9a is my perfect entry-level phone | Stuff

Google's Pixel A-series has long been the benchmark for brilliant mid-range phones. These phones pack loads of premium Pixel features - like clever AI tricks and best-in-class cameras - while quietly trimming away the bits you won't miss. The Pixel 9a keeps that winning formula, but adds more than ever before. This time, Google's taken the best bits from the Pixel 9 and squeezed them into a cheaper body, without making it feel like a cut-price option. You get a sleek redesign, upgraded camera tech, and a healthy dose of Google AI -- all powered by the new Tensor G4 chip. There's a brighter, smoother 120Hz display, IP68 water resistance, a larger battery, and a raft of clever tools like Magic Editor, Circle to Search, and even Gemini Live voice chat. And yes, it costs just $499 / £499. So is the Pixel 9a the only phone you actually need? Let's find out... The Pixel 9a is flatter, sharper and feels more premium than any A-series Pixel before it. The curved back and camera bar are gone, replaced with clean lines and a svelte silhouette that slips into your pocket more easily. It's very grown up. The biggest design change is the new streamlined camera bump. It's subtle, now less than a millimetre thick, and contains two lenses (more on those later). The camera bar of previous Pixel devices was an instantly recognisable feature, so I think by losing it, the Pixel 9a looks more generic. The edges are noticeably sharper, with a metal frame that gives the whole phone a much more high-end feel. Let's not beat around the bush, it looks a lot like a modern iPhone (which is no bad thing). It's still lightweight at 186g - much lighter than my Pixel 9 Pro - but in the hand, it feels anything but cheap. The matte back adds grip, and the whole design feels tight, confident and grown-up. At just 0.4in / 8.9mm, it feels impressively thin, as well. This is also the toughest A-series Pixel yet, with IP68 water and dust resistance and a scratch-resistant Actua display up front. It's built using recycled aluminium, plastic and glass - and it doesn't just sound good on paper, it actually feels great to use day-to-day. It's some of the least plastic-feeling plastic I've ever felt. I'm testing the Pixel 9a in Obsidian (Black), but it also comes in Porcelain (White), Peony (a bright pink) and Iris, a fresh lilac blue exclusive to the 9a. Face and fingerprint unlock both work quickly and reliably, though only your fingerprint can authorise payments and sensitive stuff. The Pixel 9a steps up with a 6.3-inch Actua display, offering a stunning 2700 nits peak brightness - that's slightly larger and significantly brighter than its predecessor. You don't have to worry about the size - thanks to slimmer bezels, I found the 9a remains comfortable and easy to use with just one hand. Small phone fans can breathe easy for another year. The 2700 nits peak brightness is especially impressive, making it properly visible in direct sunlight. The 9a feels every bit as premium as its pricier siblings. The 60-120Hz adaptive refresh rate is perfect for smooth scrolling and fluid animations, and it dynamically adjusts depending on what's on-screen to save battery. You'll need to head into Settings to switch it on - it's still off by default - and like before, you can't lock it to 120Hz permanently. Still, once it's on, the improvement is obvious. The Gorilla Glass 3 cover glass adds durability while keeping things scratch-resistant. Whether I'm browsing, gaming, or watching videos, I find the screen offers sharp details, vibrant colours, and deep blacks thanks to its OLED tech. By default, things lean a bit too vibrant for my taste, but you can switch to the Natural profile for a more balanced look. Audio-wise, the Pixel 9a's stereo speakers do the job. Dialogue comes through clearly, which is fine for podcasts or YouTube. There's not much in the way of bass, and at louder volumes, things can sound a little thin - but for casual listening, it's more than passable. No headphone jack here, of course, so a decent pair of Bluetooth headphones are a must. The camera has always been a highlight of the Pixel range, and the budget-friendly Pixel 9a is no exception. Having tested it extensively, I'm honestly impressed. While the Pixel 9a is priced under $500 / £500, the performance of its camera system suggests it could easily hold its own against more expensive rivals. With a 48MP main camera and a 13MP ultrawide camera, this phone packs serious photo-taking power, and it's clear that Google has made some smart upgrades to its A-series offering. First off, the 48MP main sensor delivers crisp, detailed images with vibrant colours. I took it for a spin during a country walk, snapping shots of everything from sunlit trees to shadowy hedgerows, and I was consistently impressed by the clarity. The dynamic range, especially in challenging lighting conditions, is excellent - shadows are well preserved without overexposing the highlights. The colours feel natural without leaning too heavily on oversaturation, something that's often a problem with mid-range devices. Just like the Pixel 8a, there is no dedicated telephoto lens, but Google's Super Res zoom adds up to 8x magnification using software tricks. While these images don't fare as well under close scrutiny, they remain perfectly usable between 2x and 4x zoom. In low light, Night Sight works wonders, as expected from a Pixel. It picks up a surprising amount of detail, and the results are clean without a lot of noise creeping in. For instance, I took some photos in near darkness and found the Pixel 9a's low-light performance rivalled that of flagship devices. There's even the new Panorama with Night Sight, which is a game-changer for sweeping cityscape shots after dark. One feature that I loved testing out for the first time on an A-series phone is Macro Focus. Previously, I'd only seen this on higher-end models, so I was keen to see how it held up. It did not disappoint. The level of detail captured in close-up shots is stunning. I took several close-up shots of flowers, textures, and even food, and the images were incredibly sharp, capturing minute details and fine textures, which are usually reserved for higher-tier phones. For anyone into macro photography, this is a huge bonus, especially considering the price. The 13MP ultrawide camera deserves mention, too. In most mid-range devices, ultrawide sensors can feel like an afterthought, but the 9a delivers impressive performance. It's sharp and does a great job of capturing wide landscapes, architecture, and group photos. In most situations, I did notice a little bit of distortion around the edges, but it's not something that ruins the overall image. The quality still holds up compared to pricier phones in this range. Then there's the AI-driven features that Pixel phones are known for. Best Take and Add Me are both incredibly useful, especially when you're trying to get that perfect group photo. Best Take is almost like magic, blending together the best facial expressions from multiple shots. Add Me is an awesome feature as well, allowing me to put myself into the group photo by swapping in the photographer from another shot. These features work almost seamlessly, although sometimes you'll probably notice a bit of artifacting if you zoom in. Finally, Magic Editor is something that really sets the Pixel 9a apart. I've never seen anything like it on a budget phone. The ability to reframe an image, add elements, and even use AI to suggest better crops is straight out of a photo-editing app. It's all very impressive. The Pixel 9a's camera is an absolute winner for the price. It consistently delivers high-quality photos, with excellent low-light performance, impressive detail, and advanced AI features that make capturing great images fun and easy. The Pixel 9a continues the tradition of delivering a flagship-like software experience on a mid-range device, thanks to the Tensor G3 chip. This processor, shared with Google's more expensive Pixel models, ensures smooth performance across apps, multitasking, and even demanding tasks. I found the device to be snappy and responsive in everyday use, from opening apps to browsing the web. Even with multiple apps open, the 8GB of RAM ensures there's little to no lag or stutter when switching between tasks. Google's custom Titan M2 security chip adds a level of hardware security that's typically reserved for premium devices, ensuring that your personal data stays safe without compromising on performance. While the benchmarks of the Pixel 9a may not stack up to flagship phones powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, I didn't notice any significant slowdowns or performance dips in real-world usage. Unless you're a power user or gaming enthusiast, the Pixel 9a handles everything with ease. The Pixel 9a comes with 128GB of storage, which should be enough for most users. And for those who need more space, there's a 256GB option available, addressing a past issue with the A-series range's storage limitations. Plus, Google offers discounted cloud storage through Google One, which adds even more flexibility for those who need extra room for photos, videos, and apps. The software experience is topped off by Android 15 out of the box, meaning the Pixel 9a will be among the first devices to receive future updates. With Google's commitment to at least seven years of security patches, this phone is a solid investment if you plan to keep it long-term. As with previous Pixels, the Pixel 9a comes free from any bloatware - just a clean, simple interface with all of Google's core apps, which is something I really appreciate. Where the Pixel 9a truly shines is in its AI-powered features, which are becoming a signature of the Pixel experience. The At a Glance widget, Circle, and smart assistants like Google Assistant continue to enhance the phone's usability. I also find the Call Assist features like Call Screen, Direct My Call, and Hold for Me to be especially useful. Audio Emojis, which add a fun audio element to your phone calls, are quirky but, ultimately, gimmicky. In addition, Google has introduced the Gemini AI chatbot, a really powerful tool that is impressive at this price range. Pixel phones aren't really known for their battery endurance, but Google has changed that with the Pixel 9a with a 5100 mAh cell. It actually stands out with a very impressive battery life, boasting over 30 hours of usage on a full charge, which is a significant improvement over its predecessors. Google claims it has the best battery life of any Pixel available today. If you're looking to stretch your battery even further, the Extreme Battery Saver mode can push the phone to up to 100 hours, making it the best-performing Pixel in terms of endurance. I found this estimate to be pretty accurate - you can easily hit around 30 hours if you're at home or in the office with light use. However, if you're streaming music, navigating with Google Maps, and scrolling through social media on a train, you'll likely get around 24 hours between charges. While the 9a doesn't offer ultra-fast charging, it supports 23W wired charging with a compatible Google charger, and 7.5W wireless charging, which is decent for daily use but slower compared to many competitors. A full charge will take a couple of hours, so while it's not groundbreaking, it's sufficient for most users. The Google Pixel 9a brings impressive performance to the mid-range phone market with a more premium design, improved battery life, and an upgraded screen. With a 6.3-inch Actua display, peak brightness of 2700 nits, and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, it stands out against its competition, and its design is sleeker, with sharper metal edges and a lighter, more pocketable than ever before. Of course, the 9a camera delivers the signature high-quality Pixel photos we've come to expect from Google phones. Software-wise, the Pixel 9a benefits from Android 14, AI features like Pixel Call Assist, and seven years of security updates. And, while Google's Tensor G3 chip isn't the last word in performance, the phone feels plenty fast enough. The biggest win here is the battery, which offers up to 30 hours of use, or 100 hours with Extreme Battery Saver. Charging is somewhat slow, but the battery life makes up for it, making the 9a an excellent choice for a budget-friendly, premium-feeling phone.

Pixel 9a Unboxed! Does Google Still Own the Budget Throne?

The Google Pixel 9a strikes a thoughtful balance between affordability, performance, and sustainability, making it an appealing choice for users seeking a capable smartphone without the premium price tag. Starting at $499 for the 128GB model and $599 for the 256GB variant, the Pixel 9a delivers essential features such as advanced AI tools, a robust camera system, and an eco-conscious design. While it doesn't aim to compete directly with flagship devices, it offers a compelling package for budget-conscious buyers who value functionality and innovation. We get to find out more details about the new Google Pixel 9a in a new video from Zollotech The Pixel 9a emphasizes sustainability with its recycled aluminum frame and matte composite back, making sure durability while reducing environmental impact. Its compact design, minimal camera bump, and IP68 water and dust resistance make it a practical and reliable choice for everyday use. Available in four distinct colors -- Obsidian, Iris, Pie, and Porcelain -- the phone combines functionality with a modern aesthetic that appeals to a wide range of users. Google further reinforces its eco-friendly approach by using fully recyclable packaging, aligning with its broader commitment to sustainability. The device's lightweight build and ergonomic design make it comfortable to hold, even during extended use. These thoughtful design choices ensure that the Pixel 9a is not only environmentally responsible but also user-friendly. The Pixel 9a features a 6.3-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1080×2424 pixels, delivering sharp visuals and vibrant colors. Its adaptive refresh rate, ranging from 60Hz to 120Hz, ensures smooth scrolling and an immersive experience, whether you're gaming, streaming, or browsing. Protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, the display resists scratches and minor impacts, enhancing its durability for everyday use. With a peak brightness of 2700 nits, the screen remains highly visible even under direct sunlight, making it ideal for outdoor use. However, the slightly noticeable bezels around the display serve as a subtle reminder of its mid-range positioning. Despite this, the overall visual experience is polished and satisfying, catering to users who prioritize clarity and responsiveness. Powered by the Google Tensor G4 chip and 8GB of RAM, the Pixel 9a delivers reliable performance for multitasking, gaming, and running demanding applications. The device runs on Android 15, benefiting from regular updates that ensure security, stability, and access to the latest features. This combination of hardware and software creates a seamless user experience, even for those who rely on their smartphones for productivity. The 5100mAh battery provides over 30 hours of use on a single charge, making it suitable for users with busy schedules. Charging options include 23W fast charging and 7.5W wireless charging, offering flexibility and convenience. Connectivity features such as Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 ensure fast and stable connections, whether you're streaming, gaming, or pairing with other devices. The Pixel 9a's camera system is a standout feature, designed to cater to both casual users and photography enthusiasts. It includes a 48MP wide lens and a 13MP ultra-wide lens on the rear, complemented by a 13MP front-facing camera for selfies and video calls. Google's advanced AI tools, such as Magic Editor and Magic Eraser, make photo editing intuitive and accessible, allowing users to enhance their images with minimal effort. Additional features like super-res zoom (up to 8x) and 10-bit HDR enhance image quality, capturing detailed and vibrant photos in various lighting conditions. The device also supports 4K video recording, making it a versatile tool for content creators who value both quality and ease of use. Whether you're capturing landscapes, portraits, or everyday moments, the Pixel 9a's camera system delivers impressive results. Google integrates its Gemini AI tools into the Pixel 9a, offering a range of advanced features designed to enhance user interactions. These tools include live interactions, personalized settings, and AI-generated wallpapers, all of which adapt to your preferences over time. This level of customization creates a tailored user experience that feels intuitive and responsive. Safety features such as car crash detection and crisis alerts add an extra layer of security, making sure that the device is as practical as it is smart. These features highlight Google's commitment to creating a smartphone that not only meets your everyday needs but also prioritizes your well-being. The Pixel 9a is equipped with dual speakers that deliver clear audio for calls, videos, and casual media consumption. While the sound quality is adequate for everyday use, it lacks the depth and richness found in premium devices, particularly in bass-heavy audio. For audiophiles or users who prioritize high-quality sound, this may be a limitation. However, for most users, the audio performance is functional and meets the needs of typical smartphone usage. Positioned between the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, the Pixel 9a offers a more affordable alternative while retaining many of the core features that define the Pixel lineup. Compared to competitors like the iPhone 16e, the Pixel 9a provides a broader range of software capabilities at a lower price point, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious buyers. However, it lacks premium features such as telephoto lenses and higher RAM configurations, which may appeal to users seeking top-tier performance. Despite these limitations, the Pixel 9a's focus on sustainability, AI integration, and camera capabilities sets it apart from other mid-range devices. It strikes a balance that appeals to users who value functionality and innovation without the premium price tag. In line with its sustainability goals, the Pixel 9a comes in fully recyclable packaging, reflecting Google's commitment to reducing electronic waste. Inside the box, you'll find a USB-C to USB-C cable and a SIM ejector tool, but no charging adapter. This approach, now common among modern smartphones, encourages users to reuse existing chargers, further minimizing waste. While this may require some users to purchase a charger separately, it aligns with broader efforts to promote environmental responsibility. The packaging design is compact and efficient, making sure that it protects the device while minimizing material use. This thoughtful approach underscores Google's dedication to creating a product that is both user-friendly and environmentally conscious. Here are additional guides from our expansive article library that you may find useful on Google Pixel 9a.