Over the past few years, Google’s A series smartphones have improved in different areas.
Most people opt for the Pixel A series for the photography point of view and less for performance. Also, gamers prefer going for similar other best devices rather than A series. However, things have improved now and most products have upgraded with new features.
Google Pixel 8a, one of its recent products, has been in the news for a long time but now has finally been released. Here’s what we have got for you about the product.
Google Pixel 8a: Price in India
In India, Google Pixel 8a will be available with multiple storage variants. It is India’s first A-series smartphone starting at a price above Rs. 50000. The first version with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage will be available at Rs. 52,999 while the new version with 256GB storage variant is available in the market at Rs 59,999.
Even while, it might seem sensible to pay a little bit extra for the 256GB storage model (more storage is always preferable), after seeing what the competition has to offer at this exact price range in our verdict, you may decide otherwise.
Hardware and Design
Pixel 8a now has a matte look on all of its surfaces. When discussing the 8a with others, there appears to be a general understanding that a return to plastic is something we’d like to see. Google deliberately tried to find a good middle ground. Since it doesn’t significantly lessen the physical experience, we would actually be content if the Pixel 8 Pro employed the same material.
The biggest perk is that you do not require a case since the matte black model looks just amazing, especially in the new Aloe and Bay finishes. The phone’s design has evolved from being primarily square with rounded corners to having a more rounded appearance and a very pleasant grip. Considering its small overall size, it is also quite easy to handle with one hand.
The Bay finish we checked out had a frosted matte polycarbonate back panel divided by the recognizable camera stripe that resembles a visor. The flat camera module and the rounded frame look are great for young people. Further, despite being composed of polycarbonate, the rear panel feels really high-end and doesn’t collect dust or fingerprints.
The screen is great, despite the slightly hefty bezels. There’s plenty of space to work with at 6.1 inches. Utilizing the Pixel 8a is much simpler in any environment thanks tits enormous maximum brightness jump. My main complaint with the 8a is its handling of display brightness.
The peculiar thing about each brightness increment is that it goes up a lot from about 80%. The middle part is incredibly inconsistent. Because the auto-brightness settings can also malfunction, users might need to make continuous manual adjustments. Also, it’s a little inconvenient because the display is marginally worse than the standard Pixel 8.
Additionally, the 120Hz refresh rate seems to be the pinnacle of smartphone screen development for the A-series. Just keep in mind that the Pixel 8a comes configured by default to run at 60Hz. With its unified aesthetic and fluid, clear animations, Android 14 is geared for this. The speakers supporting it have a lot more power than anticipated. Movies, podcasts, and music all sound fantastic, but for the optimal experience, we recommend using headphones.
Software and Specifications
The Pixel 8a isn’t exactly known for its hardware specs, but it does have some fascinating features that are included while keeping its pricing in mind.
For example, the Tensor G3 SoC that comes with a wide range of AI features (some built-in, some not) – possible that are currently unfeasible with the Tensor G2 inside the Pixel 7a. For increased security, Google’s Titan M2 coprocessor is also included with the processor.
The new and safe Face Unlock feature, which made its debut with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, is also made possible by the Tensor G3. As long as there was adequate light for the selfie camera to easily see your face, it functioned flawlessly during the review time. It also comes with a fingerprint reader which functions perfectly.
In terms of communication standards, the Tensor G3 also puts the less expensive Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro on pace with the more expensive Pixel 8. In addition to Bluetooth 5.3, which should be more than sufficient for connecting to both Pixel and third-party devices, there is Wi-Fi 6 for reliable data connectivity at home or the workplace. NFC and Google Cast functionality are also incorporated, in addition to compatibility with the standard global positioning systems. Along with an eSIM that supports several 5G bands and has dual standby capabilities, you still get a regular SIM slot.
Additionally, Gemini Nano is expected to be included in a future feature drop that would enable additional on-device AI processing. For now, everything is kept straightforward. When it comes to the software stack, there are many reasons to be enthusiastic. For my part, it’s fun to use this as an Android 15 Beta testbed.
Even certain time-limited features are available only on the Pixel 8a. You can simply snap a quick picture with the Snapshot widget. That way, your most recent photo is stored as a pinned, Polaroid-style widget on your home screen. It’s not bad, but it’s definitely a ruse.
One thing you might not know is that the 8a is the only Pixel device that comes with basic battery charge cycle information. This was abruptly deleted from the Android 14 QPR2 update, and it won’t be coming back on Pixel devices going forward.
Camera
For the camera section, we would like to inform you that no camera at this price range provides as much value for the money. Even though the Pixel 8a camera technology is the same as the Pixel 7a from the previous year, it is still among the best available for less than $500.
The main 64-megapixel sensor offers incredible flexibility, and the textbook Google tuning enhances the quality of your still photos. The quality doesn’t significantly suffer when you use the digital zoom or punch in. In addition to having excellent contrast management, the dynamic range is among the greatest. Sharp details where they matter most are captured in close-up photos thanks to focus fall-off.
From the ease of use to the final image quality, we are finding that the Pixel camera experience is unrivaled. Even though the Pixel 8a is essentially the same as the phone from the previous year, it is still a great device. You’re getting stability and dependability, which may not sound like much on paper but are crucial when you only have a few seconds to capture a memory that will last a lifetime.
Putting nitpicks aside, the Pixel 8a’s ease of use and ability to produce excellent pictures and videos without requiring sophisticated modes and settings are among its strongest features. The outcomes clearly demonstrate the situation.
Battery lifespan and longevity
Throughout the course of reviewing 8a, we never got let down or annoyed by how long it lasted. The battery percentage doesn’t drop dramatically, even after using the GPS a lot when traveling. However, you might get irritated by the poor charging speed.
No concerns about the 7.5W wireless charging since it reduces heat and battery strain.
For a phone, this tiny, 18W is just not that fast.
If your phone is dead, it will take more than an hour and thirty minutes to charge to 100%.
No complaints about the Lifespan either. The over 4,500mAh battery can accomplish nearly whatever you ask of it once it is fully charged. Just be aware that when it falls to the low levels, you will have to wait a very long time to get topped off again.
Final Thoughts
On going through the Pixel 8a, we would like to applaud for its continuous efforts to improve the A-series, the A-series is now a niche product that sits atop the standard Pixel flagship lineup due to all of the small improvements. Because of those upgrades, the A-series has never felt more out of place than it does now.
It is far from all old products in terms of design, battery life, display quality, and even storage capacity. Because of these enhancements, the Pixel 8a is a fantastic purchase on its own.
The most evident issue is that, as an enthusiast of the A-series, the 8a feels a bit redundant as it approaches the flagship lineup’s base model. It seems that Google is trying to communicate that the Pixel 8 is the better option for consumers to spend their money on while simultaneously putting the finishing touches on the A-series.
One may argue that since the 8a will probably remain available when the Pixel 9 releases for a little bit longer, it will be the ideal entry-level phone to purchase.
For more product reviews, stay tuned.
