Google - Pixel 10a 128GB (Unlocked) - Obsidian

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• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  Unbeatable Value!

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 100 Contributor

  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.

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  This review is from Google - Pixel 10a 128GB (Unlocked) - Lavender

  lambda100 Posted 2 weeks ago

• Rated 4 out of 5 stars

  Pixel 10a compact quick capable

  • Tech Insider Network Member

  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.

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  AtrixNY Posted 2 weeks ago

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  Google never fails to impress - Google Pixel 10a

  • Tech Insider Network Member

  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.

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  Winger81 Posted 3 weeks ago