Google Pixel 8a Hands-on Review

By Carlsen Martin

| Updated: Tuesday, May 14, 2024, 14:50 [IST]

The Google Pixel 8a was released in India and globally last week. The Pixel 8a price in India starts from Rs 52,999 for the base 8GB/128GB, which is a substantial hike over the Pixel 7a. Here’s a brief look at Google’s latest mid-range Pixel.

1/8

The Pixel 8a features a more rounded design compared to the vanilla Pixel 8 (review). It does feel slightly chunkier than the Pixel 8, while the screen has thicker bezels. Our Pixel 8a came in Aloe with a matte finish resistant to fingerprints.

2/8

For a smartphone upwards of Rs 50,000, the build quality here is nothing to write home about. It has Gorilla Glass 3 protection on the front, a plastic back, and an aluminum frame. The IP67 rating was the only saving grace here.

3/8

Google has upgraded the display on the Pixel 8a, now sporting a 6.1-inch FHD+ OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. The panel also boasts a peak brightness of 2,000 nits and is crystal clear under direct sunlight.

4/8

The Tensor G3 chip is accompanied by 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage on the Pixel 8a. In my brief experience with the device, I didn’t witness any performance hiccups when multitasking or gaming.

5/8

The Pixel 8a’s 64 MP camera can capture shots with high levels of detail and accurate colors. It also handles sharpness and exposure well. The 13 MP ultrawide lens is among the best in the segment, with minimal edge distortion and consistent colors.

6/8

The hole-punch cutout houses a 13 MP selfie camera. On the software side, the Pixel 8a runs stock Android 14 out of the box. Google promises seven years of OS and software updates as well as Feature Drops with the Pixel 8a.

7/8

The Pixel 8a packs a sizeable 4,492 mAh battery despite its compact size, which is sufficient for a day of moderate usage. The downside is the lack of an adapter in the box, although the phone supports 18W wired and 7.5W wireless fast charging.

8/8

I’ve only used the Pixel 8a for a brief period, although camera performance is akin to a flagship. Moreover, Google has made considerable improvements to the display, performance, battery life, and software to make it worth the extra price.