Google has just announced the latest update to its popular mid-range collection, the Pixel 9a. But how does it compare to the Pixel 8a?
While you might expect the regular yearly spec bump, the Pixel 9a represents a massive change to the budget-focused ‘a’ series.
Not only does it offer a completely unique design compared to the rest of the collection, but it offers a larger display, a bigger battery with faster charging and boosted camera performance – all for the same price as its predecessor.
That said, here’s how the Pixel 9a compares to the Pixel 8a on paper ahead of our in-depth comparison once we spend some time with the new mid-ranger. We’ve also compared the Pixel 9a to the Pixel 9, Pixel 7a and the iPhone 16e if you’re curious about how it stacks up.
Pricing and availability
The Google Pixel 9a starts at the same £499 as the Pixel 8a at launch last year, and it once again comes with 128GB of storage. It’s set to go on sale sometime in April, with a specific on-sale date yet to be confirmed.
The Pixel 8a, on the other hand, has dropped in price compared to its RRP, available for £334.99 at Amazon at the time of writing, and it’s likely it’ll only get more affordable once the Pixel 9a becomes more widespread.
The Google Pixel 9a has a refreshed look
The most obvious difference between the Google Pixel 9a and the Pixel 8a is the overall look and feel. While the Pixel 8a closely resembled the look of the flagship Pixel 8, complete with the signature camera bar, the Pixel 9a offers something else entirely.
Rather than basing the design off the Pixel 9, as with previous ‘a’ series launches, the Pixel 9a offers a new design without Google’s immediately recognisable camera bar. In its place, the Pixel 9a offers a near-flush dual camera setup in the top-left corner.
The Pixel 9a sports flat edges and rounded corners, like the Pixel 9 and plenty of other Android smartphones in 2025. To top it off, it also offers IP68 dust and water resistance, an upgrade over its predecessor’s IP67.
New colourful finishes complement the redesign; along with the return of Obsidian and Porcelain finishes, the Pixel 9a is available in Iris and Peony. The Pixel 8a, on the other hand, was available in Bay and Aloe.
The Google Pixel 9a has a larger screen
Aside from the redesigned chassis, the most immediately noticeable change from this year’s mid-range Pixel is the screen. The Pixel 9a’s pOLED panel has grown by 0.2 inches compared to its predecessor, now measuring in at 6.3 inches – the same size as the full-fat Pixel 9.
It’s not just a bigger display either; Google claims that it’s 35% brighter than the Pixel 8a’s screen, boating a peak brightness of 2700nits when watching HDR content and up to 1800nits in regular use.
For context, the Pixel 8a had a 6.1-inch Actua display with a peak brightness of 2000nits, representing quite the year-on-year jump.
However, other key elements like the dynamic (60-120Hz) refresh rate and Gorilla Glass 3 protection remain unchanged. Plus, with only a 24-pixel jump in resolution, the Pixel 8a is technically more pixel-dense at 430ppi compared to the Pixel 9a’s 422ppi – though this isn’t likely something you’ll notice in everyday use.
The Google Pixel 9a sports an upgraded Tensor chipset
Another key addition to the Pixel 9a’s roster is an upgraded chipset; Google’s own Tensor G4, to be precise.
This is the same Tensor G4 chipset as the flagship Pixel 9 range, though it has been slightly tweaked to be a little more budget-friendly. It won’t quite reach the same heights as the Pixel 9, then, but it should offer a meaningful upgrade over the Tensor G3 in the Pixel 8a.
That said, Google’s Tensor chipsets have a bit of a reputation for being underpowered compared to the Snapdragon and Dimensity competition, focusing instead on AI performance.
We’ve already seen the Tensor G4-powered Pixel 9 trailing behind Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 devices, let alone Snapdragon 8 Elite devices, so don’t expect true flagship power here – but it’s still a solidly powerful chipset that’ll see you through most day-to-day tasks with ease.
That’s coupled with 8GB of RAM and either 128- or 256GB of storage, matching that of the Pixel 8a.
The Google Pixel 9a has more capable camera hardware
On paper, you might assume that the Pixel 9a has had a downgrade in the camera department – and it’s easy to see why. While the Pixel 8a shipped with a high-res 64MP primary camera, the Pixel 9a ships with a lower-res 48MP alternative.
That said, you should never judge a camera by its pixel count, and that’s just as true here. While the megapixel count may be lower, the new primary camera not only has a wider f/1.7 aperture but also a larger 1/2-inch sensor compared to the Pixel 8a’s f/1.9 and 1/1.73-inch respectively.
Combined, these should allow the Pixel 9a to capture more light and detail than its predecessor and boost low-light performance – though we’ll have to confirm that once we’ve done more in-depth testing.
The secondary 13MP ultrawide and front-facing 13MP selfie camera remain unchanged compared to the Pixel 8a, however, and both support AI-powered camera features like Super Res Zoom and a slew of AI-powered photo editing features. Some features, like Add Me, are exclusive to the Pixel 9a, but not all.
The Google Pixel 9a has a bigger battery and faster charging
With the extra space in the chassis provided with a larger screen, the Pixel 9a also sees an upgrade to overall battery capacity.
The Pixel 9a boasts a 5100mAh cell, a not-insignificant upgrade from the 4492mAh cell found in the Pixel 8a. Google claims that the upgraded cell combined with the Tensor G4 can provide 30+ hours of battery life on a charge, though we’ll have to put that to the test when we review the new model.
Not only that but the Pixel 9a charges at a faster 23W than the Pixel 8a’s 18W. Even with a larger capacity battery, that should translate to slightly speedier charge times – though again, we’ll have to put that to the test in the coming days.
The only element that remains unchanged is wireless charging, with both models supporting Qi charging up to 7.5W.
Early thoughts
The Google Pixel 9a looks to be a worthwhile upgrade compared to the Pixel 8a and will likely replace the 8a in our best mid-range smartphone chart once we review it.
The redesigned look and feel, along with a larger, brighter screen, a boosted main camera, a larger battery and a faster processor, feel like a significant step forward for Pixel’s mid-range ‘a’ collection – and all for the same price as the Pixel 8a.
We’ll be reviewing the Pixel 9a in the coming days, so check back soon for our in-depth thoughts and final verdict.
