After launching the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, Google has come up with the Pixel 8a. The ‘A’ series smartphones have always focussed on opening the gates to the ‘Pixel Experience’ at mid-range prices. The Google Pixel 8a is a competent smartphone with interesting AI features, good camera capabilities, a Tensor G3 processor, and an upgraded display.
Google Pixel 8a
Rs 52,999
What Is Good?
- Excellent display quality, 120Hz
- Compact form factor, easy to carry
- Clean UI, long software promise
- Great camera performance, impressive portrait mode
- Useful AI tools at the disposal
- Decent battery life for a small phone
What Is Bad?
- Thick bezels on the display
- Heats up under load
- Only one RAM option
- Archaic charging speeds, no charger included
- Overpriced
It is also undoubtedly the cutest smartphone with a very comfortable form factor in the market. Moreover, the Pixel 8a is a considerable upgrade over the outgoing model and, to an extent, also bridges the gap between the slightly pricier Pixel 8. However, with this particular model, the prices have seen a significant jump. At Rs 52,999, the Pixel 8a is in a very tough spot amongst competitors. So, should you buy it over other options in this price segment? Let’s find out in my review.
Google Pixel 8a Review: Pricing and Availability in India
The Pixel 8a is available on Flipkart in two different storage variants. Sadly, it only comes in a single 8GB RAM variant, like last year. The pricing details are as follows:
| Variant | Price in India |
| 8GB RAM + 128GB | Rs 52,999 |
| 8GB RAM + 256GB | Rs 59.999 |
Google Pixel 8a Review: Design and Display
While most recent smartphones have a bigger footprint, the Pixel 8a keeps its small and cute form factor intact. I have always enjoyed using phones of this kind purely because of the comfort. It’s not a significant departure from the Pixel 7a from a design perspective. But, ergonomically, the Pixel 8a has rounded edges that help grip the phone more firmly.
The phone is quite dense and thick, weighing about 188 grams. The build quality is excellent, and the metallic frames give it a premium in-hand feel. The polycarbonate back panel is painted matte, resulting in a smooth surface that does not attract fingerprint smudges.
| Weight | 188 grams |
| Thickness | 8.9mm |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Port and button placements | Bottom: USB Type-C 3.2 port and speaker grilles
Top: Primary microphone |
The Pixel 8a is available in vibrant colours, and I am craving the Aloe colour. The Obsidian is also a very subtle shade of black that looks quite distinct. The infamous metallic ‘visor’ at the back still holds the camera module. It does not protrude, so there are no wobbles when using the phone on a flat surface. The volume rocker and power buttons on the phone’s right side are extremely tactile and clicky. However, their reversed placement took me a while to get used to.
The Pixel 8a also comes with an in-display fingerprint scanner, which works flawlessly every time. It’s placed a bit higher than usual for me, but if you come from older Pixel smartphones, this will feel right at home. While the phone has an IP67 rating for protection against water splashes and dust, an IP68 certification would have been ideal, considering its price, especially when smartphones like the Moto Edge 50 Pro and Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus provide the same at a much more affordable price.
| Display | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Size | 6.1-inch Actua display |
| Type | AMOLED |
| Pixel density | 430 PPI |
| Resolution | 1080x 2400 pixels |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz |
| Aspect ratio | 20:9 |
| Peak brightness | Claimed: 2000 nits, Tested: 1894 nits |
| Minimum brightness | 11 nits |
| Display protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Others | Always-on display with At a Glance and Now Playing, >1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, HDR support |
The 6.1-inch flat display on the front is gorgeous, vivid, and fast — but is only marred by thick bezels all around. It’s not a major distraction, but with other smartphones providing a near-bezel-less experience, the Pixel 8a looks archaic in comparison. On the other hand, it’s good to see the youngest sibling in the Pixel series also feature a 120Hz refresh rate panel.
The scrolling experience has been smooth throughout my testing period, with an immaculate touch response. Netflix supports HDR 10 content out of the box, which is good. Watching movies and TV shows like Day Shift and Young Sheldon was a fun affair on the Pixel 8a. The colours aren’t too vibrant, and the AMOLED panel ensures true blacks, making darker scenes look much better.
The stereo speaker setup on the Pixel 8a is excellent. The sound output gets quite loud with ample bass, making the content consumption experience amazing. Listening to music on these speakers is also fun.
Google Pixel 8a Review: Performance and Software
The Pixel 8a is powered by the same Google Tensor G3, which can also be found on the higher-priced Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. It also comes with LPDDR5X RAM, which is mostly in line with the competition. However, the UFS 3.1 storage falls slightly behind the similarly-priced iQOO 12, which comes with UFS 4.0. To put things in perspective, the iQOO 12 scores 185291 in the AnTuTu v10 storage test, while the Pixel 8a scores 43934. While the read speeds are decent, the write speeds are disappointing.
| Hardware | Specifications |
| Processor | Google Tensor G3 with Titan M2 security chip |
| RAM | Up to 8GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage | Up to 256GB UFS 3.1 |
| Storage Test | 43934 |
| CPU Throttling Test | 58 per cent of its max performance |
| Geekbench 6 | Multi-core – 2826, Single core – 727 |
| Software version | Android 14 |
| Connectivity details | Dual-band WiFi, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS, NFC |
In practicality, though, the Pixel 8a performs well in daily life scenarios. It had no issues with me scrolling through Instagram Reels the entire day. Switching between multiple apps or consuming content on the Pixel 8a does not bother it much. But the problem arises when the phone starts heating up. And this happens quite randomly. This is more evident when using the camera for photos or videos. In some situations, the phone started warming up when sitting idle with social media apps running in the background.
The frames get absolutely baked, so eventually, you have to keep the phone aside for it to cool down. I would’ve enjoyed using this during peak Delhi winters, but now is not a good time. Moreover, the lack of a dedicated cooling solution here is becoming more evident.
The phone’s small form factor, which has been its advantage so far, is now a disadvantage, as there’s little space for heat dissipation. This is unsurprising, considering we noticed the same in our Pixel 7a review last year. It does not cause stutters or lags when using the phone normally.
The Pixel 8a outscores the outgoing model and gets a considerable lead against its elder sibling, the Pixel 8, in AnTuTu tests. But, when pitted against fierce rivals in this price segment, the 8a bows down its head against the iQOO 12, which comes with the mighty Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It’s not a head-to-head competition between the two because the iQOO 12 is a performance and gaming-centric smartphone.
While the Pixel 8a does not flaunt gaming, the phone can decently handle BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile. With the graphics set to Smooth and frame rates set to Extreme, I got a consistent 57fps without any significant frame drops, which is good. The phone’s frames also got rather toasty during this session.
Its software makes the Pixel 8a an enjoyable experience, which is true for its entire lineup. It runs on Android 14 with the latest security patch and a bloatware-free experience. The Pixel 8a also gets its fair share of AI features such as Circle to Search, Magic Eraser, Live Translate, Audio Magic Eraser, and Best Take.
These are all fun to use, but I am still a big fan of Circle to Search because it coincides with my lazy self and makes things easier. The Pixel 8a gets full marks for user experience, and it’s tough for others to catch up in this regard. Moreover, the Pixel 8a has seven years of software and security updates, so the longevity part is covered there.
Google Pixel 8a Review: Cameras
Pixels are all about that camera experience. On paper, the Pixel 8a has a higher megapixel count than the Pixel 8, making the latter appear a bit awkward at first. But, as we have understood time and again, it’s not just about the megapixels. Heck, even the 7a had a 64-megapixel shooter.
| Cameras | Specifications |
| Primary camera | 64-megapixel, f/1.89 aperture |
| Secondary camera | 13-megapixel ultra-wide angle camera, 120-degree, f/2.2 aperture |
| Selfie camera | 13-megapixel, f/2.2 |
| Video recording capabilities | Up to 4K at 60fps |
The app interface is very easy to navigate and gives you all the necessary information and modes. Photos captured using the primary camera come out excellent, with good details and natural colours. The camera processing also handles the dynamic range in the image very well. It ensures that the highlights are not blown, with enough details in the shadow without inviting graininess. What I particularly like is the freedom to tweak things in the camera app.
The Pixel 8a allows you to tinker with the image’s white balance with just a tap before you click it. You also get a brightness and shadow slider right next to it, so you can add your taste to the image before capturing it. While there’s no telephoto camera here, you can digitally zoom to 2x without losing many details in the image, provided there’s an ample amount of light. This goes up to 8x zoom, but images captured at this zoom level have the watercolour effect due to the lack of details. The ultra-wide angle camera gives you a wider perspective with fewer details and slightly distorted edges. The dynamic range balance and colours are still similar to those of the primary camera, which is good to see.
The Pixel 8a captures excellent portrait shots with accurate edge detection in almost all scenarios. However, by default, it’s set to 1.7x zoom, which feels odd. This makes you step back and take the picture due to the zoom. While photos have a good amount of detail in daylight, portrait shots taken under ample artificial light are disappointing due to the noise, which is evident.
Selfies have great detail and accurate skin tones, which many brands are still trying to figure out. Portrait mode works well here, and edge detection properly keeps hair inside the blur bubble. Overall, the Pixel 8a still stays true to its essence by offering a good camera experience that won’t disappoint you.
Google Pixel 8a Review: Battery and Charging
The Pixel 8a has a considerably bigger battery than the Pixel 7a, but the battery life is still unreliable.
| Battery | Specifications |
| Battery Capacity | 4492mAh |
| Charging Adapter | No |
| Charging Time | 2 hours |
| PCMark Battery Test | 13 hours 10 minutes |
While the phone displayed surprising numbers in our PCMark battery test, the phone gave me a screen-on time of about four hours and 40 minutes with the highest display settings. My usage mainly consisted of taking photos using the cameras, scrolling through social media and a bit of Netflix. If you start your day early, the Pixel 8a can last until 6 PM, but after that, you will need to plug it in for juice. If your usage involves a lot of calling and other intensive workloads, you might need to top it off in the middle of the day.
You still don’t get a charger in the box. And, to make matters worse, the charging speeds are also disappointing. With a 125W PD charger, the Pixel 8a took about two hours to charge fully. The phone also supports wireless charging, which will test your patience more.
Google Pixel 8a Review: Verdict
If you are still confused with the headline of this review. Let me break it down for you. The Pixel 8a is a phone that’s small, but wants you to be happy with its little compromises. It’s charming in its own ways but has a steep price tag — just like a 2BHK in a city that never sleeps.
My relationship with the Pixel 8a is toxic, there’s no better way to put it. I absolutely enjoy using the phone because of its comfortable form factor, reliable cameras, wonderful software experience, and excellent display. But these amazing experiences are marred by its incompetence in the thermal department, average battery life, and heavy price tag.
With the fierce competition, the Pixel 8a is in a pickle against more suitable and powerful phones. The year-old Samsung Galaxy S23, with a recent juicy price drop, is a much better option with almost the same compact form factor, better battery, cameras, and performance. Moreover, the Galaxy S24 series’ AI capabilities are also available, so you are pretty much sorted.
If these things don’t matter to you, and you need a rough and tough smartphone for your rage-quit moments during gaming, the iQOO 12 is a splendid option with more value-for-money features. If money’s a little tight, the OnePlus 12R at Rs 39,999 is also a capable smartphone with excellent performance, decent cameras, and fast charging.
If you are a die-hard Pixel fan and want to upgrade, the Pixel 8a is a more sensible option than the outgoing model. In fact, with the specifications on offer, it’s also a better buy than the costlier Pixel 8.
