I tested the new Pixel 8a and it’s Google’s best budget phone yet thanks to three blockbuster upgrades including camera
GOOGLE’S Pixel phone range has been going for well over ten years now and the company is continuing to make a budget version too.
The Pixel 8a packs a load of top notch AI features seen in the main Pixel phones, blurring the lines between them even further.
Smartphones really don’t come cheap these days so a starting price of £499 / $499 is very tempting – but there are cheaper around.
And the Pixel still has a pretty low market share compared to other Android devices.
Could the Pixel 8a be the one to win people over?
Find out in The Sun’s full review below.
Google Pixel 8a: Look and feel
There are really no surprises when it comes to the Pixel 8a’s design and you will struggle to tell it apart from the previous 7a.
This is a good thing as the Pixel’s overall design is quite simple and pleasing on the eye.
The commitment to provide seven years of updates is a massive win for anyone who doesn’t want to buy a new handset too often
We’re testing the beautiful “bay” blue colour.
It has a plastic back with a matte finish which doesn’t feel cheap and nasty, providing a nice bit of extra grip and leaving no ugly palm smears either.
The frame is a blue coloured metal, as is the bar along the back housing the camera – which fortunately isn’t too chunky or imposing.
With a 6.1-inch display, the Pixel 8a sits in the hand nice and comfortably, helped further by being pretty light weight at 193g (though this is marginally heavier than the main Pixel 8).
But the bezel – the black border bit around the display itself – is a little on the thicker side for my liking.
Pixel 8a: Performance and features
The Pixel 8a uses the exact same chip as the Pixel 8, which is Google‘s own Tensor G3.
In real terms, this results in a really smooth experience leaving apps to load up speedy and jutter-free, including games.
It uses Android 14 and as a Google operating system you get the purest version of Android there is with all the usual leading Google apps ready to go.
Google also has one of the best software update commitments around, pledging to offer a whooping seven years of updates, so your phone will be safe to use for quite a while and you’ll get loads of new features for years to come too.
Who offers free updates longest?
The longer you receive updates, the longer you can safely continue using your smartphone - with the latest features thrown in too for free.
Samsung
For the Galaxy S24 series, Samsung said it would provide at least seven generations of OS updates and seven years of security updates.
OnePlus
At the launch of the OnePlus 12, OnePlus committed to at least four years of Android updates and five years of security updates.
Nothing
Nothing only offers three years of major Android updates and four years of security updates.
Google
For Pixel 8 phones, Google said that devices would receive at least seven years of support.
The 8a packs an under screen finger print sensor which unlocks fast, with the option of facial recognition if preferred.
Now features are where Google have gone wild this year, deciding to introduce pretty much all of its top end AI perks to the 8a.
This includes things like Circle to Search, spam filtering, AI generated backgrounds and live translation.
There are some AI photography tricks too, which we dig deeper into below.
Pixel 8a: Camera
The camera on the 8a technically packs less punch compared to its older siblings but you’d have to be eagle-eyed to notice – and most people won’t be that bothered.
That’s because the 8a takes some stunning shots in just about any setting you throw at it.
The 64-megapixel main camera and 13-megapixel ultra wide practically absorb colour with a high level of detail.
Not to mention the raft of AI photography features at your fingertips.
Magic Editor allows you to remove unwanted objects in the shot or make some elements bigger (or smaller).
Then there’s Best Take, so you can instantly change awkward smiles in a group shot.
See some example photos we took further down.
Pixel 8a: Battery
The Pixel 8a has an 4492mAh battery – a tiny upgrade from last year’s 7a.
This will see you through a good day’s use with no issue.
But recharging is a bit of a slog, taking about an hour and a half to reach a full charge.
There is wireless charging support for those that prefer it.
GOOGLE PIXEL 8A: VERDICT
Verdict from tester Jamie Harris, Senior Technology and Science Reporter at The Sun
The Pixel has always excelled at photography and the 8a is no exception.
AI features like Magic Editor and Best Take are way ahead of anything currently available on a more expensive iPhone.
Samsung is the next best thing for these kinds of tools – except they may not be free forever unlike Google’s.
I also love the simple yet stylish design on the 8a.
And the commitment to provide seven years of updates is a massive win for anyone who doesn’t want to buy a new handset too often.
The only real letdown is the battery, with many similarly priced rivals going a bit further on capacity and charging times.
Still, this is Google’s best budget smartphone yet.