Google Pixel 8a review
The Google Pixel 8A is the latest installment in the pixel series, offering a more affordable option without compromising on features. This phone boasts a compact design with a plastic back and aluminum frame, making it feel comfortable to hold. It also features IP67 water resistance, which is slightly less than the flagship Pixel 8. The display is a 6.1-inch OLED screen with a 1080p resolution and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. The refresh rate has been upgraded to 120Hz, providing smoother performance and improved brightness. We measured a maximum brightness of 750 nits manually and over 1500 nits with auto-brightness enabled. The phone runs on Google's latest Tensor G3 chip, which provides decent performance for everyday use and some gaming. However, thermal management is an issue, causing the phone to throttle heavily during prolonged stress tests. The battery life is around 11 hours and 25 minutes, with an active score of 4500mAh. The camera setup features a dual-camera system with a 64MP main sensor and a 13MP ultra-wide lens. Photos from the main camera are excellent, with good detail, natural colors, and balanced sharpness. The ultra-wide camera produces detailed and sharp photos with realistic colors and dynamic range. Night mode processing is also effective, producing well-exposed photos. The phone's software experience is clean and stock Android-like, with AI-based features such as real-time translation of conversations. It comes with the latest Android 14 installed and promises 7 years of software updates. Overall, the Google Pixel 8A offers a compact design, excellent cameras, and a clean software experience at an affordable price point. While it may have some downsides, such as slow charging and heavy thermal throttling, it's still worth considering if you're in the market for a phone with great camera capabilities and software features.
Build Quality and Design
The Google Pixel 8A is the latest addition to the Pixel series, designed to offer a more affordable alternative to the flagship model while still packing in impressive features. One of the first things that strike you about this phone is its build quality and design. Google has opted for a similar design language as before, with the large bar-shaped camera bump on the back of the phone being the main accent. The plastic back feels sturdy, and the edges curve into the aluminum frame to create a comfortable and compact feel in the hand. Despite being plastic, the phone doesn't feel cheap or flimsy, and the IP67 rating ensures that it's protected against water submersion. The 6.1-inch OLED display is one of the highlights of this phone, offering vibrant colors and great contrast. While the thick bezels may give the phone a less premium mid-range appearance, they don't detract from the overall user experience. The screen is smooth to navigate, thanks to the upgraded 120Hz refresh rate, which makes scrolling and swiping a joy. The weight distribution of the phone feels balanced, making it easy to hold and use for extended periods. However, the addition of the camera bump does make the phone slightly thicker than some other compact phones on the market. In terms of design, the Pixel 8A is a solid effort from Google. While it may not look like a premium flagship at first glance, it's clear that attention has been paid to creating a comfortable and functional phone. The addition of a fingerprint scanner under the display adds an extra layer of convenience, making this phone feel more like a high-end device. Overall, the build quality and design of the Google Pixel 8A are commendable. While it may not be the most premium-looking phone on the market, it feels solid and functional in the hand.
Battery Life
One of the most anticipated features of any smartphone is its battery life, and the Google Pixel 8A does deliver in this department. However, it's not without some caveats. The phone packs a 4500mAh battery, which is comparable to last year's model. In our testing, we found that the Pixel 8A can easily last a day with moderate use, but its performance starts to wane as you push the phone harder. In our active use test, where we simulated real-world usage by playing games, browsing the web, and taking photos, the Pixel 8A managed an impressive 11 hours and 25 minutes. However, this result was achieved with a relatively modest screen brightness setting. Unfortunately, charging times are another story altogether. With a proper adapter, it took us around 2 hours and 9 minutes to fully charge the phone from empty to full. Wireless charging is also supported, but we didn't find any significant difference in charging speed compared to wired charging. While the Pixel 8A's battery life is decent, it's not quite up to par with some of its competitors. If you're someone who's always on-the-go and needs a phone that can keep up, you might want to look elsewhere. However, for average users who don't need to juice their phone all day, the Pixel 8A should still provide sufficient power to get through the day.
Display
The Google Pixel 8A boasts a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 1080p resolution and Gorilla Glass 3 protection, making it a significant upgrade over last year's model. The biggest change is the introduction of a faster 120Hz refresh rate, which provides smoother scrolling and swiping experiences compared to the 90Hz panel on the Pixel 7A. In our testing, we found that the display's brightness has also been improved significantly, with maximum levels reaching around 750 nits when controlled manually. With auto-brightness enabled, it can boost up to over 1,500 nits, making it an excellent result for a mid-range device. While the bezels may appear thick and give the phone a less premium look, the contrast on the display is great, and you get support for HDR1 video playback. The screen's performance is further enhanced by its ability to dial down the refresh rate to 60Hz when not in use, saving energy consumption. One minor drawback of the display is the lack of a higher resolution or improved pixel density, which may be disappointing for some users who are accustomed to more premium displays on flagships. Nonetheless, the Google Pixel 8A's display is still an excellent offering in its price bracket and provides a seamless viewing experience, making it perfect for everyday use and entertainment. Overall, the Pixel 8A's display is a strong point of the device, but one that could be improved with future iterations.
Camera
The Google Pixel 8A boasts an impressive camera system, making it a standout feature in this compact device. The dual-camera setup consists of a 64MP main camera and a 13MP ultra-wide camera. Photos from the main camera are exceptional, with abundant detail and a natural look. The colors are vibrant and true to life, while the dynamic range is pretty wide. Pixel binning results in excellent images at 16MP, with no noise or digital artifacts. Portraits mode could be improved, as edge detection is far from ideal and there's no way to control the amount of blur. The ultra-wide camera takes 13MP photos that are among the best in this category. They're detailed and sharp, with a natural look and realistic colors. The dynamic range is wide, and corners are well-processed. Nighttime shots from the ultra-wide camera are impressive, with enough detail and accurate colors. The main camera's low-light performance is commendable, with photos that have enough detail, realistic exposure, and natural colors. Footage is a bit underexposed, but dynamic range could be improved. Selfies are excellent, with good detail, natural rendition, low noise, accurate colors, and wide dynamic range. The 1.4x time zoom selfies are a crop and upscale over the wide ones. Both main and ultra-wide cameras produce superb 4K videos, with rich detail, adequate dynamic range, no noise, and accurate colors. The Google Pixel 8A's camera system is a significant strength in this compact device. While there are some areas for improvement, such as portraits mode and low-light video quality, the overall performance is exceptional. The ultra-wide camera takes excellent photos, and both main and ultra-wide cameras produce great 4K videos. If you're looking for a compact phone with impressive cameras, the Pixel 8A is definitely worth considering.
Price and Value
The Google Pixel 8A is the latest installment in the pixel A series, designed to be more affordable than its flagship counterpart while still packing impressive features. But does it deliver value for money? In this review, we'll delve into the price and value proposition of the Pixel 8A. The Pixel 8A's pricing is a crucial factor in determining its value. While it's expected to be more affordable than the regular Pixel 8, the actual price tag might come as a surprise. The Pixel 8A costs around the same as the Pixel 8 at launch, which might raise some eyebrows. However, if we consider the features and upgrades over last year's model, the price starts to make sense. So, what does the Pixel 8A offer that justifies its price? The answer lies in its compact design, bright OLED screen, clean software experience with AI-based features, and excellent camera capabilities. The phone's IP67 rating, stereo speakers, and support for wireless charging are also notable features. When compared to other mid-range flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S24 or iPhone 15, the Pixel 8A holds its ground in terms of value. While it may not have the most powerful processor, its performance is decent enough for everyday use and some gaming. The camera experience, however, is where the Pixel 8A shines, with excellent photos and videos. In conclusion, the Google Pixel 8A offers a compelling package of features at a competitive price point. While it may not be the cheapest new pixel on the market, its value proposition lies in its compact design, impressive camera capabilities, and clean software experience. If you're looking for a mid-range phone with great cameras and software features, the Pixel 8A is definitely worth considering.
Performance
The Google Pixel 8A is designed to be an affordable alternative to the full-fledged Pixel flagships, and it certainly delivers in terms of features. However, when it comes to performance, the phone falls slightly short. Powering the Pixel 8A is Google's latest Tensor G3 chip, which also powers the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. While it provides a decent everyday performance, it doesn't quite match up to the standards set by modern flagships. Gaming benchmark scores are not impressive, with the phone struggling to deliver smooth performance in demanding titles. One of the major drawbacks of the Pixel 8A's performance is its thermal management. In our prolonged stress tests, the phone exhibited heavy thermal throttling, which means it can get quite hot under load. This could be a concern for users who plan to use their phone extensively, such as gamers or those who like to watch videos on the go. In terms of raw performance, the Pixel 8A's Tensor G3 chip provides enough power for everyday tasks, but it doesn't quite break any records. If you're looking for a compact phone with nice cameras and software features, the Pixel 8A is still worth considering. However, if you're in the market for a phone that can handle demanding tasks, such as gaming or video editing, you may want to look elsewhere. The Google Pixel 8A's performance is decent but not exceptional. While it provides enough power for everyday tasks, its thermal management and gaming performance leave something to be desired. Overall, the phone's performance is a mixed bag, and users should temper their expectations accordingly.
Pros
1. Compact and comfortable design
2. Bright OLED screen
3. Long software support
4. Excellent camera performance
5. Wireless charging support
Cons
1. Thermal throttling issues
2. Slow charging speeds
3. Pricey