Pros:
– Looks premium regardless of the plastic again
– Compact design with IP67 ingress safety
– Excellent primary digital camera, good ultra-wide and selfie cameras
– Sharp and vibrant 120 Hz OLED show
– Smooth and clear Android expertise
– 7 years of software program updates promised
– Good general efficiency for the section
Cons:
– Very sluggish charging; no bundled charger
– Unnecessarily thick bezels across the show
Price: Rs 34,999 onwards
Rating: 4/5
A Pixel smartphone with an ‘a’ suffix after the quantity was at all times meant to be a comparatively reasonably priced choice from Google. I say relative as a result of the corporate virtually at all times will get the pricing flawed at launch, and it was no totally different with the Google Pixel 8a both. The ‘a’ suffix additionally offers the corporate the licence to chop corners so as to preserve the worth down. We have been keenly following the final three generations of Pixel telephones launched in India, and I can safely say that fewer corners had been being reduce with each passing era.
Going by that logic, the Pixel 8a will get a whole lot of bells and whistles of the Pixel 8, barring a pair, which makes it a extremely profitable choice. But let’s not overlook that the ‘a’ telephones are sometimes launched six to seven months after the principle sequence, when the upper variant additionally sees a value drop, and the earlier era Pixel telephones might be noticed for much more enticing costs. So so as to give the Pixel 8a a good run, we waited a little bit further for the costs to normalise and some updates to reach to shine off its tough edges.
Before we let you know what’s good in regards to the telephone and what’s not, let’s examine the Pixel 8a to the Pixel 8 in addition to its predecessor to offer you a fast thought about the place this telephone actually suits into the Google portfolio. By the time you learn this, the Pixel 9 sequence will already be out, however that shouldn’t have any bearing on this Google Pixel 8a long-term overview.
Google Pixel 8a vs Google Pixel 8: What corners did they reduce?
The excellent news is – not many; in truth, only a few that matter. Couple of issues of notice could be the absence of auto-focus on the ultra-wide digital camera of the Pixel 8a and even slower charging. The former could appear to be a trivial factor but it surely takes away the macro capabilities of the telephone. So you can’t get too near the topic you wish to seize. As for the latter, the charging velocity of the Pixel 8 wasn’t nice to start with and it’s even slower right here. We will talk about it at size in a bit.
As for aesthetics, the glass again on the 8 is changed by a plastic one on the 8a, like all different Pixel ‘a’ telephones. It truly might not be a foul factor if you’re susceptible to dropping the telephone typically, and a non-issue for those who use a case anyway. The good half is many of the key options of the Pixel 8 from the processing {hardware} to show high quality to battery life to digital camera high quality have been retained on the Pixel 8a making it a stable midrange system.
Google Pixel 8a vs Google Pixel 7/7a: What’s new?
For starters, the Pixel 8a will get the newer and extra highly effective Google Tensor G3 chip with one further core and enhanced AI capabilities. The show is way brighter and now gives a correct 120 Hz refresh price versus 90 Hz earlier. The digital camera division has just about been copy-pasted from the Pixel 7a, and the enhancements are largely software-based. The battery capability sees a tiny leap of 107 mAh however the battery life appears higher on the 8a.
One of the most important features is the large dedication on the software program updates entrance. While you continue to get the purest type of Android on all of the Pixel telephones, the Pixel 8a will obtain way more updates than the Pixel 7 or 7a. While one can safely count on no less than 3 main Android updates on the Pixel 7 sequence since launch, Google has promised a whopping 7 years of OS and safety updates for the Pixel 8a and different telephones within the Pixel 8 sequence. That will preserve the telephone related and safe for lots longer.
Time to get to know the Google Pixel 8a a little bit higher.
What we favored in regards to the Google Pixel 8a
The design feels premium regardless of being a price range telephone
The Google Pixel 8a is an effective trying telephone, and doubtless appears to be like a tad higher than the Pixel 8 too, due to its matte-finish again (although it’s plastic) and shallower digital camera band. The digital camera band in the back of Pixel telephones has been a signature design ingredient however has typically polarised opinions. The one on the Pixel 8a protrudes rather a lot much less as in comparison with the 8 or 8 Pro and feels rather a lot much less obtrusive. The aluminium body provides to the durability in addition to premiumness, and this compact telephone with IP67 ingress safety feels nice in hand.
Sharp and pretty colour-accurate 120 Hz OLED show
Yes, Google has graced this telephone with a 120 Hz show too. Though the refresh price isn’t as dynamic (one which adjusts to totally different apps or content material being displayed on the display) as on a number of telephones on this section, 120 Hz is a welcome change. And that’s not all, the OLED display is vivid (2000 nits peak) and nicely calibrated for color accuracy. Barring the standard two modes – Adaptive and Natural, you don’t get many display changes right here, however most customers received’t want them.
The display is protected in opposition to scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3; nicely, not precisely Victus however one thing is rather a lot higher than nothing. The placement of the in-display optical fingerprint scanner is spot on as you don’t have to stretch your thumb to achieve it, and it’s responsive too. One factor we didn’t like are the thick bezels across the display, which we’ll discuss later.
Camera efficiency that transcends the section
Just just like the Google Pixel 7a, this telephone too has a 64MP major digital camera with optical picture stabilisation (OIS) and a 13MP ultra-wide digital camera with mounted focus and 120 levels FOV. You get a 13MP ultra-wide selfie digital camera too that does an excellent job with its broad FOV and correct pores and skin tones. Interestingly, the megapixel numbers for every digital camera are larger than that of the Pixel 8’s. But previous expertise has taught us that the variety of pixels don’t essentially translate into higher picture high quality. Having stated that, the images division on the Pixel 8a delivers spectacular outcomes.
The primary digital camera captures some wonderful photographs in vivid situations in addition to low gentle with pretty correct colors, ample element and wonderful dynamic vary. The distinction is kind of spectacular too; it’s a Pixel telephone afterall. When the sunshine drops beneath a degree, the telephone robotically switches to Night Sight mode that brightens up the picture simply sufficient with out going overboard or compromising on the element. You can swap to it manually too. The Pixel 8a’s low gentle efficiency is among the many greatest on this section.
There is not any devoted telephoto digital camera right here however the digital camera app does offer you a 2X zoom toggle, which is just about hybrid/digital. While the captured pictures aren’t lossless, the 2X zoomed photographs come out fairly good and are completely usable even in low gentle. You can preserve zooming in until 8X, however you begin shedding element quick past 5X.
The 13MP ultra-wide digital camera does a fairly good job and the outcomes are as spectacular as that of the principle digital camera in good gentle. While it’s greater than first rate in low gentle too, it might be greatest to stay to the principle digital camera. Void of autofocus, one can’t use it as a macro digital camera just like the one on the Pixel 8. Having stated that, when you can’t seize pictures from too shut, taking pictures from a little bit additional away and cropping the picture does yield good outcomes.
All cameras can report movies at 4K decision, nonetheless, the principle digital camera can accomplish that at 60 fps whereas the opposite two are restricted to 30 fps. You get OIS in movies when utilizing the principle digital camera and the captured footage is crisp and well-stabilised. You can report 1080p slow-motion movies at as much as 240 fps. The general digital camera efficiency is kind of spectacular, and provided that the telephone now retails at 35K, one can safely time period it as arguably the most effective on this value vary.
You can verify among the unedited digital camera
samples shot on the Google Pixel 8a here.
The Tensor G3 chip is a good choice on this price range
The Pixel 8a is powered by the identical Google Tensor G3 chip discovered within the Pixel 8 and eight Pro. While it doesn’t have the muscle energy of competing Qualcomm chips just like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and even Gen 2, and likewise throttles underneath load, it is a superb choice for a telephone priced underneath Rs 40,000. And let’s not overlook its AI capabilities which may simply get higher with time.
Coupled with 8 GB RAM and both 128 GB or 256 GB UFS 3.1 storage, it delivers a sturdy efficiency in day-to-day actions in addition to demanding duties like photograph modifying or gaming. You can play many of the present video games on it however could must decrease the graphics settings in some instances for higher body charges.
Fluid Android expertise, 7 years of main updates
You get the cleanest and the most effective Android UI on this telephone. You get the pure Android expertise with none bloatware or adverts and with the Material You design language. The consumer interface is fluid, completely lag free and now void of any main bugs on Android 14. The Android 15 replace for the Pixel 8a is anticipated any day now. Speaking of updates, Google has promised 7 years of OS and safety updates for this telephone, which is a big plus as it should preserve the telephone safe and related for a very long time.
You get a bunch of helpful AI instruments on this telephone to mess around with, together with the favored Google apps and providers which might be seamlessly built-in and digital camera tips like Magic Eraser and Camouflage to edit or improve your pictures. We don’t count on full blown Gemini integration on this telephone as on the Pixel 9 sequence, however received’t be stunned to see some extra AI goodness trickling down right here over time.
What we didn’t like in regards to the Google Pixel 8a
Horribly sluggish charging velocity for 2024
If you will have learn any of our Pixel telephone opinions, one fixed criticism has been of the charging speeds. While the opposite Pixel 8 telephones have taken a child step ahead on this division, the 8a has taken two big ones backwards. To examine, the Pixel 8 takes about 88 minutes to cost from 1 to 100%. The Pixel 8a will get there in nicely over two hours, regardless of having a barely decrease capability battery, and even when utilizing among the quickest USB-PD chargers accessible. The primary offender being the drop of assist for 27W quick charging in favour of a lot slower 18W.
This wasn’t precisely a nook accessible to be reduce within the first place to create a differentiator between the 2 telephones. To put issues into perspective, a whole lot of telephones today handle to cost their larger capability batteries totally in about 45 minutes or much less. An hour could be acceptable too. Over two hours makes the Pixel 8a one of many slowest charging telephones round. However, the battery life is ok with the Pixel 8a lasting a shade over a full day of average use. It helps wi-fi charging too.
Hard to unsee the thick bezels across the show
While one can stay with them, it looks as if a deliberate ploy from the designers to make the Pixel 8a look inferior to the Pixel 8. Let’s make the bezels rather a lot thicker even when we don’t have to as the remainder of the telephone appears to be like nearly as good. Who would shell out a premium in any other case for the 8, proper? Yes, the bezels across the display are a bit too distinguished for our liking and never simply the one beneath. Several extra reasonably priced telephones from a yr in the past have leaner bezels than that, and Google might have simply finished a greater job in the event that they needed to.
Google Pixel 8a: Price and verdict
The Google Pixel 8a debuted at Rs 52,999 in India for the 128 GB variant, and like most Pixel telephones at launch, it wasn’t probably the most profitable deal. Just months later, it might probably now be bought for Rs 34,999, which is a good value for what it gives. In addition to a powerful digital camera efficiency for the section, you get highly effective processing {hardware} within the Tensor G3, probably the most fluid and clear Android expertise round and seven years of updates to comply with. All this makes the Pixel 8a a compelling purchase at its present value if quick charging just isn’t a requirement.
Pro tip: In case you’re in search of a telephone with 256 GB storage, don’t purchase the Pixel 8a for Rs 41,999. For simply Rs 3,000 extra (Rs 44,999 at the moment on Flipkart), you may get the 256 GB variant of the Pixel 8 with extra versatile cameras, slimmer bezels and sooner charging.
