Google Pixel 9a
What is The BEST Smartphone to Buy in 2025?
Pros
- Very good camera system
- Fantastic battery life
- Flagship Tensor chip for strong performance
- Bright 120Hz display
- Excellent value for its price
Cons
- Lacks a telephoto lens
- Display has chunky bezels
The Google Pixel 9a is a strong recommendation for those seeking a mid-range phone under $500. It boasts a very good camera system typical of Pixel phones, a bright 6.3-inch 120Hz display, and fantastic one-and-a-half-day battery life, all powered by Google's flagship Tensor chip.
The reviewer highlights its excellent value, suggesting most users would be highly satisfied and wouldn't feel the need for a more expensive flagship. While it lacks a telephoto lens and has slightly chunky bezels, these are minor drawbacks for an otherwise impressive device.
“my recommendation here is the Google Pixel 9a. It's $499. There's always sales and discounts, though.”
“This phone, again, very, very good camera. This is Pixel, so they do a great job with less hardware. [...] it also has a 6.3 in actual display with up to 120 hertz. Very bright, almost 30,000 nits peak brightness. Honestly, fantastic battery life.”
“I used this every day for two months and I personally didn't feel like I actually missed flagships. Like I think most people would be fine with a $500 phone and would actually really love this phone.”
Google Pixel 9a vs Pixel 9: Which one to get?
Pros
- Offers a significantly lower price point
- Delivers a similar overall user experience to the Pixel 9
- Provides good battery life with a larger battery capacity
- Features a bright OLED display with good sharpness and HDR10+ support
- Both phones have excellent selfie camera quality
Cons
- Main camera is less sharp with less vibrant colors in daylight compared to the Pixel 9
- Wired and wireless charging speeds are slower than the Pixel 9
- Has less RAM (8GB) which might affect memory-heavy tasks compared to the Pixel 9
- Thicker display bezels contribute to a less premium look
- Features a lower peak display brightness and unspecified Gorilla Glass compared to the Pixel 9
The Google Pixel 9a offers a compelling package as a more affordable alternative to the Pixel 9, providing a largely similar overall user experience. It boasts a bright OLED display, good battery life, the same Tensor G4 chipset, and Google's AI features with long software support.
While there are minor downgrades in camera performance, charging speeds, screen aesthetics, and peak brightness compared to its more expensive sibling, these are generally not considered major. For users looking to save money without significant compromises, the Pixel 9a presents a strong value proposition.
“The Pixel 9a does have a couple of advantages. Its speakers sound better, and it's able to provide a similar overall experience at a lower price.”
“With either phone, you have good ingress protection and a bright OLED display. There's the same UI with Google's AI features and long software support, and the battery life is about the same, too.”
“If you don't mind the slight downgrades, it could be worth it to go for the Pixel 9a and save some cash.”
FIRST LOOK: Always-On Display wallpapers for Pixel coming to Android 16!
Pros
- The Ambient Always-On Display is a welcome, long-missing feature for Pixel phones.
- The Ambient Always-On Display offers an option to disable the wallpaper, addressing battery concerns.
Cons
- The Ambient Always-On Display feature is currently very buggy on the Pixel 9a, with flashes and jumping.
- There is uncertainty if the Pixel 9a will fully support the Ambient Always-On Display wallpaper feature.
- The Ambient Always-On Display wallpaper feature may require specific display hardware, limiting its availability.
The Google Pixel 9a introduces the Ambient Always-On Display wallpaper feature, which is considered a long-awaited and exciting addition to Pixel devices. This feature also provides a user-friendly option to toggle off the wallpaper, mitigating concerns about battery drain.
However, the current implementation on the Pixel 9a is notably buggy, experiencing visual glitches like flashes and jumping. There's also speculation that this feature might not be fully supported on current Pixel phones and could be a Pixel 10 exclusive due to specific display requirements. Despite these limitations and early issues, the reviewer remains positive about its potential and future development.
“this is one feature that I think Pixel devices have been missing.”
“I'm excited by it because I think it's something that it's missing and I love the Galaxy S25 Ultra because it already has that feature. So this coming to Pixel I think is only good news.”
TOP 10 MOST COST-EFFECTIVE SMARTPHONES | Q2 2025
Pros
- Very good video recording quality.
- Significantly larger 5100 mAh battery.
- Impressive seven years of update support.
- Very good screen.
- Attractive price compared to the competition.
Cons
- Thick screen bezel.
The reviewer fully recommends the Google Pixel 9A, considering it perceptibly better than competitors like the iPhone 16e, at a significantly more attractive price of around 2200 PLN. The phone boasts an impressive, much larger 5100 mAh battery, 8 GB of RAM, and exceptional seven-year update support.
Additionally, it offers very good video recording quality and a great 6.3-inch screen. The only notable drawback of the device is the thick bezel around the display.
“Google released its Pixel 9a, which is currently nearly 1000 PLN cheaper, priced at around 2200 PLN. In my opinion, it's a perceptibly better smartphone in many aspects. [...] However, considering the competitor in the form of the iPhone 16e and Pixel 9A, I am able to recommend it.”
The BEST phone you can buy for $500 | Google Pixel 9a Review
Pros
- Offers exceptional value as a mid-range phone at $499.
- Features the largest battery in any Pixel, significantly improving battery life.
- Provides smooth day-to-day performance and handles AI tasks effectively.
- Boasts a smooth 120Hz display with high peak brightness.
- Comes with Google's 7 years of software updates.
Cons
- Lacks satellite SOS due to a slightly downgraded modem.
- Features noticeably large bezels around the display.
- Uses an optical fingerprint reader, which is slower than ultrasonic alternatives.
- The display is covered with older Gorilla Glass 3.
- Does not include a 5x telephoto camera lens.
The Google Pixel 9a is highlighted as an excellent mid-range phone, offering exceptional value at $499 and delivering smooth day-to-day performance with effective AI task handling. It features the largest battery in any Pixel and a vibrant 120Hz display, making it a strong contender even against higher-end models.
Despite some compromises like large bezels, an optical fingerprint reader, and the lack of satellite SOS or a telephoto lens, the reviewer finds it highly capable. With 7 years of software updates, it stands out as one of the best new mid-range options available.
“First off, this is probably the best mid-range phone that most people can buy.”
“Google have done a really good job with the Pixel 9a. And it's left me thinking that I could actually ditch my Pixel 9 Pro XL and easily live with the Pixel 9a.”
“But as a brand new mid-range phone, I really don't think you can get anything better than this.”
Google Pixel 9a full review
Pros
- Excellent main camera quality with sharp details and natural colors.
- Improved battery life, lasting 12 hours and 30 minutes of active use.
- Smooth everyday performance and excellent thermal management.
- Very bright OLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate.
- Strong value proposition as the best mid-range Pixel phone yet.
Cons
- Ultrawide camera performance declines in low-light conditions.
- Charging at 23W is still relatively slow for a full charge.
- Tensor G4 chipset trails high-end Snapdragon chips in raw benchmarks.
The Google Pixel 9a is a very solid mid-range phone, offering significant improvements over its predecessor. It boasts a bright screen, impressive camera quality, and extensive software support, addressing previous shortcomings like ingress protection and thermal management.
Powered by the Tensor G4 chipset, it delivers a fast and snappy user experience with excellent thermal management, although its raw benchmark performance is not top-tier. With an improved 5100 mAh battery offering better life, and a strong value proposition, the Pixel 9a is presented as the best mid-range Pixel yet.
“So, there you have it. The Google Pixel 9a. It's quite solid overall with a bright screen, great camera quality, and plenty of software support.”
“If you're after a mid-range Pixel phone, the Pixel 9a is the best one yet.”
Google Pixel 9a: About Unfair Prices | REVIEW
Pros
- Very good pOLED screen.
- Very long battery life.
- Solid camera and video quality.
- Long update support (7 years).
- Attractive price compared to the competition.
Cons
- Thicker screen bezels.
- Performance drops under heavy load.
- Slow charging.
“On the plus side, very good build quality, a brilliant level of haptics that is unattainable on any Android smartphone. For the Android market, compact dimensions. Good fingerprint scanner, decent speakers, very good screen, PLS [likely referring to a display technology, possibly an error and meant to be OLED], 7 years of support, very good battery life, solid camera and video, lots of AI functions and Gemini, such as photo editing or intelligent replies, and a noticeably lower price compared to the iPhone 16e. And what's on the minus side: thicker bezels, performance drops under heavier load to maintain appropriate temperature, and slow charging in the style of the iPhone 16e.”
“So personally, I think that if you're deciding between iOS and Android, the Pixel 9A is simply the better device. Not better looking subjectively at the device, but better looking objectively at the facts and what it offers us. Thanks to an additional lens, thanks to very good photo and video quality, a significantly better screen, and it's 600 to 800 PLN cheaper.”
“If for around PLN 2000 you don't want to look for ex-flagships or you don't entirely like Xiaomi phones which are large, don't offer you as many years of updates, and the system is cluttered, then I can definitely recommend the Pixel 9A.”