Google’s latest budget rival entered the market quietly in the spring, but it is already establishing a name for itself in people’s pockets. The Pixel 9a is available for $349, which is a great deal, especially since it was $499 just a few months ago and comes with a big 128GB storage.
Nonetheless, the phone’s basic software allows it to supply reliable hardware. The Pixel 9a weighs 188 grams and is 6.1 by 2.9 by 0.4 inches, making it easy to carry for extended periods of time. And don’t worry if you buy it today and still have some money left over; Google has promised to keep it updated with the latest software for a whopping seven years, or maintenance until 2032, to put it another way, prolonging its life much beyond the initial cost.
Sale
Google Pixel 9a with Gemini - Unlocked Android Smartphone with Incredible Camera and AI Photo Editing,...
- Google Pixel 9a is engineered by Google with more than you expect, for less than you think; like Gemini, your built-in AI assistant[1], the incredible...
- Take amazing photos and videos with the Pixel Camera, and make them better than you can imagine with Google AI; get great group photos with Add Me and...
- Google Pixel’s Adaptive Battery can last over 30 hours[2]; turn on Extreme Battery Saver and it can last up to 100 hours, so your phone has power...
The display quality of a phone determines whether it feels special or simply practical. The Pixel 9a features a 6.3-inch OLED screen that refreshes at 120Hz, ensuring a silky smooth scrolling experience over feeds or maps. And the maximum brightness of 2,700 nits is more than adequate to read menus and emails without squinting, even on a bright day. The colors sparkle with a great natural brilliance thanks to factory calibration that prioritizes realistic over exaggerated colors. The bezels give it a somewhat more retro feel than the pricier models, but you won’t notice once the phone is turned on.
Google’s own Tensor G4 CPU and 8GB of RAM combine in the Pixel 9a to provide the power required to accomplish common tasks such as online surfing, streaming, and multitasking. The Tensor also easily handles AI tasks, such as summarizing web pages and generating responses to communications. In benchmarks, it sits firmly in the high mid-range, giving some of its competitors a run for their money, particularly with its ability to zoom through photo processing.
The Pixel 9a’s battery life is undoubtedly its most astounding feature; a whopping 5,100mAh cell powers on for 24 hours of mixed use, which includes calls, texts, some movie watching, and casual gaming. If you’re really in need, extreme saver mode will give you a 100-hour buffer, which is really reassuring on vacation. Wired charging provides you 23W max output, filling the 5100mah battery in roughly 90 minutes with the regular cable; but, if you prefer wireless charging, you can get up to 7.5W (that’s overnight ready charging).
Its 48-megapixel main sensor does an excellent job of capturing sharp details in acceptable lighting and colors that look nearly identical to what the human eye would see; let’s be honest, this level of performance is far beyond what you’d expect from a phone at this price. The 13-megapixel wide-angle lens also performs an excellent job of widening up your view, making it simple to capture landscapes or group photographs without having to worry about locating a location with a truly wide angle of view. Software features include the Best Take switch for group photographs, which allows you to swap out multiple faces in the same shot to obtain the best expression, and Add Me, which makes it simple to include yourself in a photo even if you’re not a natural in front of the camera. The video is 4K at 60 frames per second, and the stabilization works well even when you’re just holding the phone in your hand. And low-light shots appear to preserve a reasonable level of detail without being grainy or noisy. The front 10.5-megapixel camera takes fantastic selfies, with even skin tones and all.
This phone is also IP68 rated, which means it can be submerged in a meter and a half of water for 30 minutes and still function normally. Dust has no chance of getting in there and causing difficulties. The back has a lovely matte finish that will leave less fingerprints. The metal edges provide a secure grip, and the Gorilla Glass 3 on the front can survive minor bumps and scrapes. And then there’s the battery health feature, which monitors how long the battery has been in use and helps keep its capacity full, which is a great touch for future-proofing. It also performs well in drop tests, as it can be dropped from waist height onto a hard floor and bounce back unharmed, which is reassuring for all those times you drop your phone.
