The Google Pixel 8a has officially been launched in India and is up for pre-orders on Flipkart. The latest mid-range smartphone from the brand brings the same Tensor G3 and AI camera chops as the flagship Pixel 8 series. However, at Rs 52,999, the new launch is Rs 10,000 more expensive than its predecessor.
Thanks to this price bump, the Pixel 8a now competes squarely with other flagships like the iQOO 12 and the Vivo V30 Pro. If you are wondering whether you should pick the latest Pixel mid-range offering or one of the flagships, let’s find out in this comparison based on specs and features.
Table of Contents
Pixel 8a vs iQOO 12 vs Vivo V30 Pro: Specs at Glance
Specifications
Pixel 8a
iQOO 12
Vivo V30 Pro
Display
6.1-inch FHD+ OLED 120Hz
6.78-inch 1.5K LTPO AMOLED 144Hz
6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED 120Hz
Processor
Tensor G3, Titan M2
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Adreno 750 GPU
MediaTek Dimensity 8200, Mali G610 GPU
RAM
8GB LPDDR5X
12GB / 16GB of LPDDR5X
8GB/12GB LPDDR5X
Storage
128GB / 256GB UFS 3.1
256GB / 512GB UFS 4.0
256GB/512GB UFS 3.1
Software
Stock Android 14
FunTouchOS 14, based on Android 14
FunTouchOS 14, based on Android 14
Camera
64MP + 13MP
50MP + 50MP + 64MP
50MP + 50MP + 50MP
Front Camera
13MP
16MP
50MP
Battery
4,492mAh battery
5,000mAh
5,000mAh
Charging
18W
120W Fast Charge
80W FlashCharge
IP Rating
IP67
–
IP54
Dimensions
152.1x 72.7×8.9mm
163.2 x 75.9 x 8.1mm
164.36 × 75.1 × 7.45mm
Weight
188g
198.5g
188g
Pixel 8a vs iQOO 12 vs Vivo V30 Pro: Price in India
Phone
Variant
Price
Pixel 8a
8GB + 128GB
Rs 52,999
8GB + 256GB
Rs 59,999
iQOO 12
12GB + 256GB
Rs 52,999
16GB + 512GB
Rs 57,999
Vivo V30 Pro
8GB + 256GB
Rs 41,999
12GB + 512GB
Rs 46,999
Pixel 8a vs iQOO 12 vs Vivo V30 Pro: Design
Pixel 8a has the same design as its flagship siblings with a plastic back panel and aluminium frame. It’s IP67 rated, which means the phone can withstand water splashes and dust. At 8.9mm, the Pixel 8a is the thickest of the three but weighs only 188g. The phone can be purchased in Aloe, Bay, Porcelain, and Obsidian colours.
The iQOO 12 is a flagship device from the brand and comes with a premium glass-sandwich construct with an aluminium frame. The smartphone comes with an IP64 rating but in China only, there’s no IP rating for the Indian variant. It’s 8.1mm thin and weighs 198.5g thanks to metal and glass build. The iQOO 12 is available in Legend, Alpha, and Desert Red colours.
The Vivo V30 Pro comes in Classic Black and nature-inspired Andaman Blue colours. The phone features a colour-changing fluorite AG glass panel and a plastic frame with a metal alloy framework. It is the slimmest of the three at 7.45mm and weighs the same as the Pixel 8a. It also comes with an IP54 rating for protection against dust and water.
The Pixel 8a features the same design as the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
The Pixel 8a is a compact phone with an attractive design, which will appeal to those who want a comfortable smartphone. On the other hand, the Vivo V30 Pro is for those who want a bigger yet lightweight phone. The iQOO 12 is a proper flagship device with a premium feel to it.
Pixel 8a vs iQOO 12 vs Vivo V30 Pro: Display
The Pixel 8a comes with a 6.71-inch Actua Display with an FHD+ OLED panel. The screen offers up to 120Hz refresh rate, up to 2,000 nits peak brightness, HDR support, and full 24-bit depth for 16 million colours.
The iQOO 12 flaunts a 6.78-inch 144 Hz LTPO AMOLED with FHD+ resolution. It offers a 144Hz refresh rate and a whopping 3,000nits of local peak brightness. Other display features include Super Touch Control, 2,160Hz PWM dimming, Anti-Fatigue Brightness Adjustment Strategy, Intelligent Screen Wakeup Speed Adjustment, and more.
The Vivo V30 Pro comes with a similar 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display. However, it offers a 120Hz refresh rate, 2,800 nits of peak brightness, an Anti-Fatigue Curve, 2,160Hz PWM dimming, Biometric Brightness Adjustment, and more.
The iQOO 12 comes with a stunning 6.78-inch AMOLED display.
The iQOO 12 is the one with the best display out of the three here coming with a dynamic LTPO AMOLED display to a whopping 3,000 nits and a dedicated Q1 display chip. Between vivo V30 Pro and Google Pixel 8a, the main differentiator is the size with refresh rate and resolution being the same.
Pixel 8a vs iQOO 12 vs Vivo V30 Pro: Performance
The Pixel 8a is powered by the Tensor G3 just like the flagship Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. While it might not be the most powerful processor in the market, it enables AI camera features like Magic Editor, Best Take, Audio Magic Eraser, and Ultra HDR. It also comes with the Titan M2 security chip for enhanced on-device security. The processor is backed by 8GB LPDDR5X RAM and up to 256GB UFS 3.1 storage.
The iQOO 12 is an e-sports-centric, powerful gaming device flaunting the latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor with Adreno 750 graphics. The 6K vapour chamber and an AI cooling Engine further improve the overall performance of the handset. The smartphone offers up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM, up to 16GB expandable RAM, and up to 512GB UFS 4 storage.
The Vivo V30 Pro is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8200 processor with up to 12GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB UFS 3.1 storage. The phone also features Ultra Large Smart Cooling System with a vapour chamber for effective thermal management.
The vivo V30 Pro comes with a colour-changing fluorite AG back panel.
The iQOO 12 is the most powerful smartphone, with the latest Snapdragon flagship processor, UFS 4 storage, and powerful thermal management. The Pixel 8a is ideal for those looking for a reliable workhorse with powerful AI chops and stock Android experience.
Pixel 8a vs iQOO 12 vs Vivo V30 Pro: Software
The Pixel 8a comes with the stock Android 14 out of the box. Google is offering 7 years of Android updates, security patches, and feature drops for the smartphone.
The iQOO 12 boots Funtouch OS 14 based on Android 14 out of the box. iQOO is promising users three years of Android updates and four years of security patches.
The vivo V30 Pro also comes with the Funtouch OS 14 with Android 14 out of the box. Users will get two years of Android updates and three years of security updates with V30 Pro.
Pixel 8a launched in India starting at Rs 52,999.
Pixel 8a wins in the software department with seven years of assured support. However, questions have been raised about hardware compatibility and sustainability of the device for that long. On the other hand, both the iQOO 12 and the Vivo V30 Pro come with the latest Android 14-based Funtouch OS 14 with up to 4 years of support, which is more than enough for most users.
Pixel 8a vs iQOO 12 vs Vivo V30 Pro: Camera
The Pixel 8a houses a 64MP Quad PD wide camera with OIS and EIS backed with a 13MP ultrawide camera on the front. On the front, the phone offers a 13MP selfie camera. The phone offers features like Magic Editor, Best Take, Magic Eraser, Ultra HDR, Super Res Zoom, and more.
The iQOO 12 is equipped with a 50MP primary camera with OIS backed by a 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 64MP telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom. There’s a 16MP camera on the front for selfies. The phone offers features like Supermoon, Long Exposure, Astro, Tilt Shift, and more.
The vivo V30 Pro comes with a 50MP Sony IMX920 main camera featuring OIS, 50MP AF Sony IMX816 portrait, and 50MP AF wide-angle lenses. On the front is another 50MP camera for selfies and video calling. The phone also has Smart Aura light for perfect lighting every time.
The vivo V30 Pro comes with four 50MP cameras and smart aura light.
With 50MP cameras all across the board, the Vivo V30 Pro comes across as the most powerful camera smartphone here. The iQOO 12 with a 50MP triple camera setup is also a versatile camera smartphone. However, Google makes up the sensor department with AI imaging prowess and features.
Pixel 8a vs iQOO 12 vs Vivo V30 Pro: Battery
The Pixel 8a is powered by a 4,492mAh battery and supports 18W charging as well as wireless charging. Google assures 24 hours of battery life on a full charge.
The iQOO 12 comes with a beefy 5,000mAh battery. The smartphone also supports 120W fast charging.
The Vivo V30 Pro is also powered by a similar 5,000mAh battery. The phone supports 80W fast charging.
The iQOO 12 comes with a beefy 5,000mAh battery and supports 120W fast charging.
If a bigger battery is your priority, the iQOO 12 and the Vivo V30 Pro are better choices here. The iQOO 12 comes ahead of the V30 Pro because of the 120W fast charging support. The Google Pixel 8a is capable of offering longer battery backup thanks to the stock Android and efficient processor but the slow charging speed is a drawback.
Pixel 8a vs iQOO 12 vs Vivo V30 Pro: Verdict
The Pixel 8a is the new shining phone from the brand with a new design, flagship proprietary processor, AI-backed features, and stock Android. However, at this price point, the iQOO 12 with its bleeding-edge specifications and premium design comes across as the more value-for-money offering. On the other hand, the Vivo V30 Pro is the cheapest of the three with a pretty good camera configuration and decent specifications.
In the end, everything boils down to the users’ preferences. Those looking for a pure Android experience with one of the best camera experiences in the market will be happier with the Pixel 8a. Heavy users who do everything from heavy gaming to creative photography on their smartphone should pick the iQOO 12. Lastly, the Vivo V30 Pro is a mobile photographers’ delight and also performs well as a bonus.
