Google Pixel 9a Review in Five Minutes: A Bold New Identity!

Google has long followed the tradition of carrying over the same design language from its premium flagship smartphones to its more affordable 'a' series models. However, that changed with the introduction of the Google Pixel 9a last month.

While the Pixel 9a has been unveiled for several weeks now, it is still unavailable for purchase in India. But we managed to get our hands on the Pixel 9a to give you a quick rundown of its specifications, features, and the overall experience. So you can decide if the latest Pixel 9a is worth considering, despite its substantial Rs 49,999 price tag.

Design and Build

The Pixel 9a boasts a flat design with rounded corners, even the cameras don't protrude as Google have done away with the camera bar. Only the power and volume buttons slightly protrude from the side, the rest of the phone looks like all-screen. This also makes the Pixel 9a extremely comfortable to use.

Google's latest Pixel smartphone is offered in Obsidian, Porcelain, Iris, and Peony shades. Our Porcelain model featured an elegant matte white finish, although it was prone to some smudging. While Google does use dated Gorilla Glass 3 protection on the display, the phone opts for a plastic back, which was a shame at this price range.

On the flip side, you do get an aluminium frame and an IP68 rating for added durability. The phone weighs 186 grams and measures 8.9mm thick. It does have fairly thick bezels, which has become a theme for 'a' series Pixels, but it didn't bother me too much thanks to this new design. Overall, I was surprised and elated to see Google break tradition and give the Pixel 9a its own identity with this new design.

Display

For the display, the Pixel 9a doesn't stray too far from the original Pixel 9 (Review). The phone has a 6.3-inch FHD+ (1080 x 2424 pixels) P-OLED display with a comfortable 20:9 aspect ratio and support for the Always-on display feature. The screen gets plenty bright outdoors with a high brightness (HBM) of 1,800 nits and a peak brightness of 2,700 nits.

The display features a 120Hz refresh rate, which can be set to 120Hz by default in the settings, although it does consume more power. Overall, the Pixel 9a's display gets plenty bright, while reproducing vibrant colours and excellent details.

Performance

The Pixel 9a is powered by the same Tensor G4 chipset from the top-end Pixel 9 Pro XL (Review). The chip is paired with 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. While the Tensor G4 chip is not known for its flagship performance, Google has added a vapour chamber on the Pixel 9a to improve thermals.

I couldn't test out the performance of the Pixel 9a, although it is closer to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip based on our Geekbench 6 testing. While the chip is powerful enough to run most multitasking workloads with ease, long gaming sessions or video recording in the heat of day could prove more of a challenge.

Cameras

In terms of optics, the Pixel 9a features a 48MP primary sensor with an f/1.7 aperture, OIS, and PDAF as well as a 13MP ultrawide lens with an f/2.2 aperture and a 120˚ FOV. The main camera is slightly smaller than the sensor used on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, so it isn't the same as the flagship sensor on the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro/Pro XL. The Pixel 9a uses the same 13MP ultrawide sensor for selfies.

I was only able to briefly test the cameras on the Pixel 9a, although overall results were good in daylight, capturing a ton of detail and accurate colours with a touch of vibrancy. The Pixel 9a delivers sharper images than the 8a thanks to an enhanced sensor and superior highlight control.

The ultrawide lens mirrors the main camera's detail and color fidelity, and while the 9a may fall short in zoom versatility, its exceptional quality more than makes up for it. Night Sight also works wonders maintaining a more realistic looking scene, while bumping up the detail.

Macro Focus now automatically activates when within 5 cm-indicated by a sunflower icon-providing delightful, detailed close-ups. Gemini Live's real-time video feature lets you point your camera at an object and engage in an interactive conversation with Gemini about what you see. The Pixel 9a impressed with its cameras, despite my brief experience with the device.

Battery

Surprisingly, the Pixel 9a features the largest battery ever in a Pixel device-even bigger than the one in the Pixel 9 Pro XL. It houses a massive 5,100 mAh cell, which comfortably powered me through an entire day of moderate use. I haven't pushed it to its limits just yet, but given the battery's size relative to the handset, my expectations are quite high.

The Pixel 9a supports 23W wired and 7.5W wireless charging, which is the slowest in the segment. Quite disappointing considering the numbers Chinese phones are putting out. Moreover, you don't get an adapter in the box, another letdown.

Software

The Pixel 9a runs stock Android 15 out of the box, with Google seven years of Android OS and security updates. Android 15 on the Pixel 9a offers a smooth and clean interface. It integrates many smart AI tools like Magic Editor, Pixel Studio, and Gemini-powered call screening. However, compared to higher-end models, some software enhancements are missing.

For instance, certain QPR2 UI tweaks (like the customizable Modes redesign, detailed battery visuals, and extra AI features such as Pixel Screenshots and Call Notes) haven't arrived yet. These omissions reflect hardware compromises to keep the 9a affordable while still delivering a refined Android 15 experience. Although this is still the strongest software experience in the segment.

Our First Impressions of the Pixel 9a

Overall, our first impressions of the Pixel 9a reveal a device that pushes the envelope for affordable Pixel phones. With its refreshed design, upgraded hardware, and impressive AI integrations, the 9a offers significant advancements at a lower price compared to the Pixel 8a. However, it still has many facets to prove as it matures. Stay tuned for our full review, where we'll explore the intricacies of its software performance and camera capabilities in greater depth, and determine whether the Pixel 9a lives up to its high expectations.