Everything To Know About The Google Pixel 9a
After a few leaks and a little delay, all has been revealed about the Google Pixel 9a. And this budget phone might well set a new standard. From an improved camera to the best battery of any Pixel, you’d barely guess it cost under £500.
Filled with Google’s own AI capabilities and clever software, it’s perfect for those who want to leverage tech improvements to get the best phone for the lowest price. What’s in store for the new A-series phone? Here’s a closer look.
Camera
There’s a lot to love with the camera – enough that Google claim it’s the best camera for its price range. We’ll reserve judgment about that, but indications look good. While the main camera uses a 48MP sensor compared to the 64MP sensor on the Pixel 8a, the improved aperture means it will capture more low light, which actually makes it a better all-rounder. It also has a 13MP ultrawide camera, but no telephoto lens (unlike the Nothing Pgone 3a and 3a Pro, which are in the same price range).
But these days, the quality is all in the in-build editing features – and the Pixel 9a is powered by Google’s tech smarts. You’ll find features like Add Me for putting yourself in group shots, and Best Take, which blends multiple similar photos of a group into one (so no one’s got their eyes shut!). It also has Magic Eraser, Audio Magic Eraser, and Magic Editor, and a ton more features to help create Instagram-worthy photos and videos.
Battery performance
The 9a has a 5,100mAh battery, larger than both the 8a and the iPhone 16e. This gives it over 30 hours of battery life, making it the best battery life for any Pixel. Or if you’re going off grid and up for using its Extreme Battery Saver function, you can even get it up to 100 hours – that’s 4 full days.
On the flip side, charging isn’t the speediest. At 23W, it’s quicker than the 8a at 18W, but nowhere near as fast as the Nothing 3a Pro, which is compatible with 50W power adapters.
Design and display
When it comes to looks, it’s different from the Google Pixel 9. For example, it doesn’t have the signature camera bar. Instead, the camera module is flush with the back of the phone, which we suspect users might like more, even if it does mean another camera case change.
The phone has an upgraded 6.3” Actua display, and it offers the brightest display of any A-series. In fact at 2700 nits, it’s 35% brighter than the Pixel 8a. It also offers an excellent 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate for smooth streaming, and is IP68-certified against water and dust – an upgrade from IP67 on the 8a.
In addition to Porcelain, Obsidian and Peony, it comes in a brand new colour, Iris.
Tech and features
The 9a features Google’s latest Tensor G4 SoC, with 8GB of RAM. The Tensor doesn’t offer a lot of performance muscle, so that’s where compromises are made for the price.
However, there’s plenty of top-tier AI to make up for it. The phone features Gemini, its sophisticated AI assistant that works with Maps, Calendar and YouTube. It also includes Gemini Live (so you can have natural conversations with it), plus many (but not all) of the 9’s AI features like Circle to Search (to search for things you see on your screen) and Pixel Studios, to create images.
Meanwhile, personal security features include Car Crash Detection and Theft protection, and you can use Find my Device to share your live location with friends and family (as the iPhone already does).
As it’s designed to be an entry-level phone, it’s worth noting there’s lots of smart child-friendly features, like Google Family Link (for parental controls, School Time (to limit functionality and silencing notifications during school hours). And Google Wallet for Kids is being rolled out, which means they can make safer payments in-store, as well as add passes and tickets to their Google Wallet.
Best of all, it’s a phone they want its owners to keep for years: it comes with seven years of OS and security updates. That makes it the best-supported of any phone this range, and suggests Google’s confidence in the phone.
Price and availability
The Google Pixel 9a starts at a £499, which makes it £100 cheaper than the iPhone 16e and a worthy competitor. The release has been a little delayed, but expect to get your hands on it in April.
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