Customer Ratings & Reviews

Useful!! Gemini, Call Screen, and the camera tools make everyday things so much easier. The camera quality is amazing for the price, battery lasts all day, and the lavender color looks even better in person. Got it for 450$. Definitely one of the best phones I’ve used so far.

I purchased this phone after looking for one with a good camera and nice display to replace my broken OnePlus 8; I would have gotten the 9a but for some reason the 10a was cheaper. The camera is very clear wonderful! Works well in low light, and I like how as adjustable it is (you can set timers, video fps and resolution, and the video stabilization is really nice). Resolution is very nice and display is smooth, but I only set it at 60hz (more on that later). I like the UI, especially with the Gemini built in to launch when holding power button---it's really useful for quick searches. I also dropped it in the bath into a few inches of water; it was completely fine! It senses when the charging port is wet, but after I shook the phone a bit it said good to charge! Downsides: - the battery life is why it doesn't get 5 stars. I charge it to 80% in the mornings and it usually runs down to 30-40 by the end of the day, with only around 4-5 hours of screen time on 60hz and kinda low brightness. Check the images for more details. It looks like mobile connection takes a lot of battery, so it would last significantly longer in a place with stable wifi. - there aren't preset camera filters (like cinematic, black and white, vibrant, etc...) that my OnePlus had but not big problem, since the image processing is already really good - can't set a caurosel wallpaper, but my old phone couldn't do that so I'm not complaining Overall great phone, buy it if you want a good camera and display, but probably look for something like iPhone if you want battery life. Great value for the price though!

Bought this as a birthday gift for my wife and she loves it. The camera quality is genuinely impressive for the price. photos come out sharp and clear. It runs pure Android with no bloatware, so it feels fast and clean right out of the box. A couple heads up if you are considering this phone, the power and volume buttons are swapped from the usual layout, so it takes a little getting used to. Also, no charger is included in the box :( but it charges with a standard USB-C, so you might have one lying around. Overall, I would recommend. Good camera, clean software, just a small learning curve with the buttons.

This phone has given me zero issues. I absolutely love the weight and size of this phone. The instructions and updates are amazing. The phone is customizable as for color and functions. Google sends recommendations thru email and then gives directions as to how to operate. So far this phone is one of the best phones I've ever owned. Would recommend for someone constantly on their devise for work or even play. No lag no kick outs no overloading. Just amazing.

Great phone with a sleek, modern feel. The design looks really nice, and the hardware feels solid and high-quality in your hand. The photos have great color and look vibrant without feeling overly processed. I was a little wary about getting a Google phone at first, but it grew on me really quickly. Everything feels smooth and easy to use. Overall, it’s a great phone and I’m really happy with my choice.

this phone achieved my goal for a second line dedicated to my rideshare duties. battery life and software stability are key features where the pixel excels.

So far I have no complains for the phone, light weight and sturdy

This product is amazing! The camera quality is outstanding! I've had pixels before and this is the best one by far. The color is so vibrant and fun! I love it.

Combining capable hardware with excellent artificial intelligence and a pure android experience, the Google Pixel 10a is nothing short of a superb, feature rich, all-around phone at a great value. I typically use the phone to stream programming, listen to music, take photos, play games casually, and view social media content, things that I think 99% of us phone users do on a daily basis. The Pixel 10a does all these things effortlessly. The phone responds instantaneously to swiping and tapping. Apps load and run without hesitation. The phone is well-balanced, and light, which is perfect when using it with one hand. The back of the phone is flat, no more raised back camera. This is a welcome physical change to the pixel A phones. I love that the display brightness can go up 3,000 nits which makes it easier to see outdoors against bright sunlight. The 6.3” display produces vibrant punchy colors, without being too oversaturated. This is considered a budget friendly phone, but the Pixel 10a’s camera borders on flagship quality and features. The Pixel 10a makes taking photos so easy. Just point and shoot and the Google software will process the photo to create images that appear natural as our eyes see it. The camera has no trouble with scenes with varying bright and dark areas (dynamic range). I enjoy taking photos, but I usually just snap shots without much thought of improving myself. I don’t have an excuse for taking poorly framed and composed images now. The Pixel 10a is equipped with an AI feature called Camera Coach by providing guidance on framing and composition to help folks like myself improve our picture taking skills. I also love the automatic close up Macro focus of the camera. I was wowed by the rich detail captured by the Macro focusing. I took photos of flowers up close and could see the little furry ends inside the flower. Just amazing that the phone can do this without needing to purchase fancy and expensive camera equipment. Another feature I enjoy using is the Magic Eraser. It’s not exclusive to the Pixel 10a, but it’s such a fun and useful feature to make unwanted objects disappear. There are so many other camera features packed into this little phone that it’s hard to cover everything. With Auto Best Take, group shots become easier as the camera will work its computational magic to create a merged photo from a series of photos to try to get it so that everyone in the group is looking their best. Add Me is another photo merge feature for group photo where the individual holding the camera for the first group photo can also put themself into the finished photo by having someone else take the second photo while the first person positions themself into the second frame. Another feature is Reimagine, where the AI editor will help you reimagine your photographs. Besides the camera, the battery life is also amazing. There’s plenty of battery to last a full day. I have been using the phone heavily doing various activities like streaming videos and using apps, and still have 30% battery after using it for 10 hours. When it is time to recharge, the phone charges up fast with 30 watts of fast wired charging or 10 watts using wireless charging. I started dabbling with Gemini Live, the new AI Google assistant. It works well. The Gemini assistant is fluid, conversations are natural as if I’m having a conversation with a real person, and the results produced by Gemini are informative and relevant. Also, beginning with the Pixel 10a, Google has now equipped the phone with a safety feature called Satellite SOS where you can connect with emergency responders even while out of range of wifi or cellular coverage. One of the things I like about the Pixel series phones is that you get a pure android experience and without the pre-installed bloatware that comes from other phone manufacturers. You receive the full unadulterated versions of the operating systems, and Google will provide 7 years of software operating system and security updates. (But this is all assuming that your phone battery can last that long. In my experience, a phone’s weakest link is the battery recharge life. After hundreds of recharge cycles, the battery deteriorates to such an extent that it becomes unusable, or it begins swelling up and emitting noxious smells.) Do I recommend the Pixel 10a? The Pixel 10a is more than capable of running the apps and performing the tasks that most consumers need. It is competitively priced, comes with an excellent camera, has a battery that can run the whole day between recharge, is equipped with a plethora of security and safety features, has a bright and responsive display, and has seven years of updates, I would say the Pixel 10a is a an excellent value and a good buy for anyone in the market looking for a new phone.

TLDR: Google branded phone Android 16 OS; 7 year updates, 48 Mpixel & 13 Mpixel main cameras, 4K or 1080p video, 13 Mpixel front 4K camera video, stereo recording, speech enhancement on videos, wind noise reduction on video, stereo speakers, many Gemini AI features, fast charging, wireless Qi charging, Google Tensor G4 CPU, 30 hours per charge, unlocked for all USA networks, 128GB storage, 8GB RAM, 6.3” OLED 120Hz refresh screen, satellite SOS, 3.3 ft water resistance, 5G/LTE/GSM/UMTS/HSPA+/HSDPA networks, 1 meter USB-C cable, no charger supplied. So this phone feels good in the hand, is very bright on the screen and produces very clear phone calls with everyone I contacted. I paired it with several good quality headphones such as Sony, JVC, Philips, and some ear buds and the music quality from both Google Music, Spotify and some streaming websites is very good also. The fingerprint sensor works every time and very fast for my left thumb. I am used to using the left thumb from my previous phone and it works. Maybe a bigger finger works better, I dont know. The built in AI is prompted often and in using it I appreciate the capabilities in retrieving information, comparing things, and also offering choices or history for what I am asking about and wondering about. Try it and embrace AI in whatever device you are using to stay current with the changing world. It is being taught in the schools now to students because it is the current state of computing. I charge this Pixel 10A using a variety of AC chargers I have had for years. Phone chargers, laptop chargers, and battery power banks. Using both the supplied USB-C cord and my own, it charges quickly of course determined by the watts the charger is capable of providing. I am annoyed it does not include a old style analog 3.5 mm headphone port which means if I wish to use a wired headphone I will need to locate a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter as Apple and other Android users have been doing for years now. Silly IMO. The camera sensor is very good for a $500 phone and I have no complaints other than the phone itself has no microSD card slot which every phone I have had to date included going back to Motorola, Sony, Nokia, Microsoft, LG, and Samsung. Oh well. It has 128 GB of onboard storage and my 128GB micro SD card I was previously using was never filled with my prudent deletion of bad and duplicate images and videos I made. So I don't see the lack of micro SD as being an issue for me. I also realize that the Pixel10a latest version of my messages app (Google Messages) has features that enable sharing higher quality and longer pictures and videos with anyone so I realized I had not updated it on my previous phone to my own detriment. This Pixel has the newest capabilities in that regard. It is compact in my hand and functions smoothly and quickly for my favorite apps. I don't fill up my smartphones with every app; I am selective and that is why I get over 5 years of good battery life from my phones before the battery needs to be replaced by replacing the complete phone. Like most phones, the Pixel 10a battery is not user replaceable. I am glad to have and use this new Google phone.

The Pixel 10a is fantastic and reasonably priced; I recommend everyone buy it from Best Buy.

Battery life is good, camera is way bad, performance wise 3/5

I had the opportunity to upgrade from a 9a to the new Pixel 10a, and while it's in some ways a small upgrade, the upgrades are noticeable. One of the biggest draws for me is that Pixel phones get updates earlier and will be supported for far longer than third-party phones. It ships with Android 16. The phone is thin, lightweight and the cameras on the back are flush. No more camera bump if you plan on using it without a case. I'm definitely adding a case though. This is a change from previous models that had a small camera bump. The cameras are great. Fantastic for daily use. The main camera is 48 MP, with good night settings. Keep in mind that more megapixels usually means more packed sensors and image quality can suffer specially at night. This takes great pictures day and night. The second camera is an ultrawide 13MP. The standard camera app takes great pictures with natural colors, not over-saturated. Being a Pixel phone, all the photo-related Gemini features are enabled, including the 'Add Me' feature to superimpose pictures, ability to choose the best picture when taking multiple shots and short videos embedded in the picture (Similar to what iOS had for years) Screen is a bright OLED with a fast refresh rate, that when enabled makes scrolling and overall interaction very smooth. I immediately noticed how smooth this. It's a 6.3" size diagonal and it's slightly brighter then the previous model. The CPU is a Google Tensor G4 with 8 GB RAM. This remains the same as in the 9a and AI processing improved with Android 16. The nice thing about Tensor CPUs is that Google can optimize Android and Gemini to this CPU unlike on other phones. Battery is great. I didn't charge it for almost two days after the initial setup and updates, and battery had over 40% charge. Granted that I didn't use it much at first. Although the battery size remains the same as in 9a, it lasts longer due to other hardware and Android optimizations. It charges faster than previous models with 30W wired and 10W wireless. Note that it doesn't come with magnets for MagSafe/Qi2 chargers, however the case itself needs to have magnets to work with these chargers so it's really not an issue. I use a Magsafe charger on my car using vent clips and the phone stays in place while charging. There is one physical SIM card slot and can support multiple eSIMs. This is nice when traveling, I can add virtual eSIMs for little money and avoid roaming charges. When I first migrated from my old phone, it offered to migrate from the physical SIM card on my old phone no an eSIM, which meant I didn't have to actually swap the SIM card, but I'm not ready to part from my physical SIM yet, so keep ion mind what you choose to do. It also incorporates emergency calling via satellite. This is new and I'm sure I'd really appreciate it if needed. I'm glad I don't need to get a top of the like phone to get a safety feature like this. Also of note, moving from a Pixel to another is very easy. Signing in with a google account and the phones next to each other makes the migration very simple. Note that it can also use the USB-C cable to connect both phones to make the migration quicker. WIFI is 6E and includes a 6Ghz radio. I get around 450 Mb/s download and 380 Mb/s upload over WiFi with some distance from the access point. Bluetooth has been upgraded to Bluetooth 6. When connecting the phone to my laptop dock for charging, I noticed that it can either mirror the screen or work in Desktop mode. In Desktop mode, Chrome and other apps are windowed, similar to a Chromebook. It also supports keyboard, mouse and Ethernet through the dock. Mine has a 2.5g Ethernet and worked fine. Movies/YouTube appear in full screen. Ideal for 1080p monitors. Connecting it to a 4K TV also works (With the USB-C cable) however it's scaled down to 1080p resolution. It also has NFC so it works with payments with Google Wallet. Unlock is via face detection and also has a fingerprint sensor built into the screen. I like the option of setting up both biometric methods in addition to the PIN. Face and fingerprint unlocking works very well and it's quick. Overall it's a fantastic phone. It does everything I want from it with no frills. Great screen, very fast and smooth, all the connectivity options I need, nice cameras and backed by Google with many years of support and Android upgrades. I also have to remark that Gemini is inconspicuously everywhere in this phone. Very much every google app has some level of Gemini integrated on it, and it disappears in the background and can be very helpful, like looking at the whole phone screen when invoking it for search, and camera/photos integrations are useful.

Google never fails to impress me. Even with their newest opening price-point device, the Google Pixel 10a, Google offers a lot of functionality and features for the $499 price point. PROS: 1. I love the refreshed design of the cameras on the back of the phone. They are flat which means the phone can sit on a table without being at an awkward angle. 2. The 6.3-inch OLED display matches the vivid, fluid look and feel of much higher priced devices. The screen is a delight to look at providing 3000 nits of peak brightness and a 120Hz ultra responsive refresh rate -- something I would have not expected on an entry-level phone. 3. Even with the glass screen protector installed, the fingerprint recognition is OUTSTANDING in comparison to early Pixel models. Very rarely have I found the device unable to read my fingerprint. (Note, while available, I did NOT set up the facial recognition). 4. Even though it's the same G4 chip from the 9-series Pixel devices, the performance meets or exceeds what I would expect from a phone at this price point. 5. Camera quality is good -- not the best, but surely adequate if you aren't a professional photographer looking for the quality from a DSLR camera. 6. Battery life is acceptable. There are a lot of various settings you can change to maximize the battery performance, but in my experience, it's no better than the 9-series Pixel devices. Still, very good. I do not use wireless charging anywhere but in my vehicle and the 10a seems to charge quickly via USB-C. 7. SOS support is now available via satellite -- something I don't think the 9-series offered. 8. Integration of Google Gemini is at least as good as other smart AI tools/features. 9. Google's version of Android Auto is an absolute delight to use. It can be set up to do myriad functions with the simple announcement of "Hey Google." A much more seamless design and user experience than other "Automotive" connectivity. CONS: 1. Not much of an upgrade from the equivalent 9-series as far as battery and performance. 2. Qi2 magnetic charging is not supported. 3. I would have probably gone with the larger screen model for both the screen size and performance enhancements. 4. All my phones are dual-SIM. The dual eSIM experience on Google's Pixel 10a (and other Android devices) is subpar to competitors' offerings. The other non-Android large-scale manufacturer of phones, tablets, computers, etc. offer a much more seamless end-to-end fully synchronized across all of that "brands'" devices. FINAL THOUGHTS: The Google Pixel 10a is a great value for an entry-level Android device. The size is a little smaller than I would have liked, but the performance, screen, cameras, and display feel premium and well-constructed. I love the fact that the rear cameras are recessed making the phone able to sit flatly on a desk. Google Gemini is without a doubt the best AI assistant/tool I have ever used. So, if you are looking for a budget-friendly, feature packed device with an excellent display, decent cameras, an outstanding AI assistant, and willing to use a smaller display device - this is a strong contender. I would recommend this device.

Google is still knocking it out of the park with their "a" series. The Pixel 10a gives you the power and features of a pricey flagship phone for half the cost. Design & Screen: The phone feels incredibly solid and sturdy in your hand. I personally love the flat design. It looks way better than the competitors that have those huge, bulky camera bumps. Navigation is super smooth since the screen uses a 60-120Hz variable refresh rate, so everything you do looks and feels fluid. Plus, the display gets bright enough that I can actually see what I’m doing even when I’m outside in the sun. Battery & Security: The battery life is excellent; it charges up fast and easily lasts a full day, even when using it heavily. I’ve also had zero issues with the fingerprint or face unlock features. On other Android phones, those can be hit or miss, but they work perfectly every time on this device. BEST Parental Controls: When it comes to keeping my kids safe with tech, Google is easily the best. We have a pixel tablet so I was already familiar with these features. I set up the Pixel 5a for my son and using the Family Link app, I can monitor his usage, block certain games or apps, and even manage which contacts he can talk to. My favorite part is the "School Time" setting, which keeps the phone from being used while he's in class, and I can even track his location to make sure he's safe. It’s a huge relief to have all these tools in one place and completely free. Cool Camera Tricks: Google is still the leader when it comes to fun and innovative camera features. The new "Add Me" setting is amazing for family photos. If you're the one taking the picture, you usually get left out. With this, the phone adds you into the shot later as if you were standing there the whole time. It works surprisingly well! Bottom Line: If you want a top-tier phone without the top-tier price, this is the one to get.

I was a little apprehensive about picked up the Pixel 10a, not because of the Pixel name but because I've had issues with entry level phones in the past. Typical issues I've had were slow, unresponsive devices because they were underpowered for the bloat that was being put on them. But, I decided to give this a chance because I've been a fan of the Pixel and before that, Nexus program for a long time. The Pixel 10a didn't disappoint. While this isn't a high end flagship phone, it does check most of the boxes to make you not miss having a flagship phone. Pros - Beautiful clean UI - Great Camera - 120hz - Battery life Cons - Can occasionally have hiccups, making the phones animations not perfectly smooth - Flimsy back case feels non premium Overall the build quality of the Pixel 10a is great. While showing the phone off it was often confused with an iPhone. Its got a minimalistic design, while running android. The camera sits flush with the back of the phone so there is no bulge to worry about. The buttons are nice and clicky. They feel sturdy enough. The built in fingerprint reader is a little odd. Its fast and I never had a problem with it unlocking the phone, but it lights up extremely bright which was new to me. The only issue I had with the build quality was the back of the phone is extremely thin and you can bend it slightly just by touching it. In a case you'd never notice, but it was one of the first things I noticed. As always, the software with the Pixels (and Nexus before) is the best part. I love the minimal Android install on these, lacking tons of bloat and just looking extremely clean. The Pixel sports the cleanest UI you can find on an Android device, while not outright copying other devices. The menus and everything are extremely easy to navigate, the home page looks very clean, and swiping right brings you to a nice summary page that displays pertinent information like the weather. Just a very clean setup. The Camera is another area where the device shines. It takes extremely good photos which is impressive given this is more of an entry level device. On the spec front it matches or exceeds the Pixel 9 from just a year ago. In addition to that, there is a bunch of built in features that you might not find on other phones, like the Add Me or Perfect Shot that will either add you to a photo, or piece together multiple photos to make the best picture possible from the same scene. I haven't had it long enough to play with every feature, but so far I'm impressed. As for performance, Google and their Tensor processors aren't known for being very performant. They lack behind their competitors in raw performance, but thats ok. Im not a mobile gamer, and I don't use my phone for processor intense tasks (and I can't say that I know anyone who does). So the lower benchmark scores don't really bother me. As long as the phone feels responsive and smooth then I have no complaints. The battery life is another area where this device shines. I haven't measured full to powered off time, but I can make it through 2 full days on a single charge with this, whereas my other phone barely does a day. This was a breath of fresh air. Storage on this device leaves a little to be desired. I know this is an entry level device, and I know the market for memory isn't great right now, but 128GB doesn't go very far anymore, especially with a camera like this. I wish the entry level device was 256GB, but this is a minor issue with Cloud storage. Overall this is a very good device that I wouldn't have a problem recommending to anyone.

I also own the Pixel 8a as a reference for this review, and will be comparing the two. Starting off, the A series hardware of Pixel phones is very impressive. The quality to me is the same as any flagship phone, not cheap, no corners cut, just a quality phone in your hands. Comparing the cost of other phones, I truly think Pixel sets the bar for premium-feeling budget-friendly phones. When I got the 8a, I was shocked at how well it performed, felt, and functioned compared to those other high end phones. I do value Pixel phones over other Androids as the bloat-ware is minimal and the priority of updates they receive. The phone changed from rounded edges to more squared edges, bigger screen, and the camera visor (bump) no longer exists. They mostly removed it in the 9a, but now its completely flat. My setup between the two phones was seamless, during setup it asked me a few questions and I put the phones side by side and let it wirelessly copy the data over, amazing! The overall design is similar to prior ‘a’ models which is a nice familiar placement of buttons and general usage. While it does still have the slightly older Tensor G4 chip in it, its blazing fast for my needs. I love how you have options for unlocking your phone with both Face ID and fingerprints, both of which are very responsive. This is preferred because the face unlock doesn’t work great in low lighting, and having a backup option is great. A few other things I really like is the toggle for the 120hz screen and improved phone durability. Here is a brief list of the upgrades compared to the 8a: - SOS Satellite for emergencies and optional carrier features - Bigger battery and screen - Improved camera, screen brightness, durability (Gorilla Glass), and wireless charging speeds As far as the camera goes, I’m a pretty basic user. My goal is to go from pocket to camera and quickly take a photo without making any setting changes. No lag or delay, automatic lighting detection and adjustment, and easy cropping and editing. While this camera offers so much more than that, especially when it comes to AI-related features, it hits the mark for those basic important things. Very snappy and responsive, no blurry photos (yet) or weird lighting issues, just quick simple quality photos. However, I did test out some of the camera features that were new to me. o Camera Coach – Nice feature for people who want to learn how to take better shots, but it’s a slow process and requires a good internet signal. o Auto Best Take – Was not able to get this to work with a couple of tries, doesn’t really seem necessary though. o Macro Focus – Works well, I can def use this to help read tiny print on items such as serial numbers or use it for small objects, it did its thing automatically which I really like. I tried to use the feature that lets you edit photos just by talking to it, but its not allowed to work in Texas or Illinois, so I was not able to try it out yet. Gemini assistant has been a homerun from prior models and is only getting better. There is also some improved spam detection technology for calls built-into the latest version of Android which I am looking forward to, I currently use an app called Spam Fortress and hoping between the two it really will help reduce the annoying calls I’ve been getting. I will say I am disappointed that there is no Pixel Snap, aka magnetic option for the phone. I bought a case that provides it, but its nice when the phone itself has it as well. I’ve seen that this model phone is a small jump up from the 9a, but a much bigger from the 8a. So if you do have an 8a or older, its worth considering. I took some photos with camera to reference, the zoom is 8x which is decent but limiting if you want something further. I tried to get a photo of an eagle by its nest near our house, probably about 80 yards away or so, you can see the photo below. Can’t really see the Eagle clearly behind the branch, but I circled it to help. In a nutshell, if you’re okay missing a few (and usually unnecessary) bells and whistles that come with those expensive flagship devices, this phone is hands down the one to get. I think for your average user and kids it’s a great price while its expected to last a long time between the improved screen glass, IP68 rating, and the 7 years worth of updates.

The back camera glass spontaneously cracked within a week of receiving it. According to Reddit, this is common for Googel Pixel 10a.

So far I’ve been really impressed with the Pixel 10a. The size is just about perfect for me, and the screen is gorgeous. From the front, it honestly looks like a much more expensive phone. The build quality has also been excellent. The aluminum feels great, the colors are fun, and the buttons have that solid, premium feel you want in a phone. I was a little worried the simpler rear camera setup would feel like a compromise, but that really hasn’t been the case. Pictures have looked great, even in low light, and I’ve been especially impressed with how well it can focus on a moving toddler. That alone has made a big difference for me. Camera Coach is cool in theory, but with kids it just takes too long to set up, so it’s not something I see myself using much. Where this phone has really stood out for me is the software. Call Assist has been fantastic. I get a ton of junk calls, and now instead of stopping what I’m doing to check every one, I just use Call Screen and make them prove they’re worth answering. Hold for Me also ended up being way more useful than I expected. I had a call with my internet company that took nearly two hours, and instead of being stuck listening to hold music the whole time, I just let the phone handle it and went on with my day. I was a little nervous I’d miss the pickup, but it worked out great. Even the audio emojis, which sounded goofy at first, have actually been fun. Quick Share has also been a big deal for me because moving photos to my computer is a regular part of my workflow, and it worked exactly like I hoped it would. Gemini has probably been the biggest surprise. I use it constantly now, both for work and at home. It’s one of those features I thought I’d try here and there, but it’s turned into something I use every day. One example was just recently when my wife and I were watching a show and saw a game we wanted to identify. I asked Gemini about it, and it figured out what it was and pulled up where to get it. Stuff like that has made the phone feel genuinely helpful, not just packed with features for the sake of it. Battery life has been good so far, although I’ll admit I haven’t fully tested it since I usually keep it topped off on a wireless charger at work. My only real disappointment is the missing Pixel Snap support. That really would have been the icing on the cake. Overall, the Pixel 10a feels like one of those phones that nails the stuff that matters most. It looks and feels premium, the display is beautiful, the camera has been better than expected, and the software features actually work!

For a phone priced at $499, the Pixel 10a is a great value. Build quality is solid with an aluminum frame and plastic back that remains IP68 dust and water resistant. This year’s design was tweaked ever so slightly to eliminate the small camera bump, making the back completely flat. This is great for those who use their phone without a case. No annoying rock when you set the phone on the table or other flat surface. Spec-wise, the Pixel 10a is almost identical to last year’s 9a. The 6.3” Actua display is solid and has a 60-120 Hz variable refresh rate to keep everything nice and smooth. The display is covered with Gorilla Class 7i (the 9a had Gorilla Glass 3) and peaks at 3000 nits brightness, up from 2700 nits last year. The Tensor G4 chip keeps up well with any tasks that the average user will throw at it. It remains great for calling, emailing, shopping, social media scrolling, etc. The main 48 MP camera continues to perform well and the 13 MP ultrawide lens also remains unchanged. One thing that is different with the 10a is that it launches with Camera Coach and Auto Best Take, which are helpful AI tools for folks who need assistance with taking photos and choosing which to keep and share. The 5100 mAh battery is unchanged, but now charges up to 30W wired and 10W wirelessly. Unfortunately PixelSnap is not included. Magnetic attachment to chargers, holders, etc will require a case. RAM remains unchanged at 8 GB and starting memory is still 128 GB. Where Pixel devices shine is their software. It’s intuitive and easy to use. With the way this phone is spec’ed, I really think it’s perfect for the budget conscious, for teenagers, and older adults that don’t need all of a flagship’s bells and whistles. With a guaranteed 7 years of software support, it’s good now and will remain functional and secure for years to come.