Customer Ratings & Reviews

I've been using the Google Pixel 9a for almost a week now and even though this phone is pretty "basic" when it comes to included hardware. This phone provides everything you need in a smartphone now a days. This phone shares some of the same hardware that its bigger brothers the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL have. Such as the Google Tensor G4 processor and Titan M2 security coprocessor. The pixel 9a has 8gb of ram. I have to admit that I was expecting this phone to have some hiccups but I was wrong. This phone has run pretty flawlessly. Google Gemini and the editing features that come included with the camera app and google photos with this phone have all run pretty good. My favorite mobile games all play without issues. Google is promising 7 years of software support and updates for this phone. If google keeps that promise, then this phone will theoretically get updates for the life of its hardware. The camera on this phone is pretty amazing! It has a 48mp 1/2" image sensor! That is quite large for a camera phone. The lens is f1.7 aperture and has optical and electronic stabilization. All that means that you will be able to capture great photos and videos in most situations. Google also has the best "computational" photography on a smart phone. It is pretty amazing at setting a pleasant exposure. Skin tones are amongst the best I've seen on any smart phone. My favorite thing about this phone is the camera, and the magic editor in google photos. It makes taking photos and videos fun. This phone has a very bright 6.3 inch display, they advertise 2700 nits of peak brightness. It also has a variable refresh rate of 60-120hz. Amazing screen for this price point. I honestly do not know if you can find a better screen and camera on any other phone at this price. The battery is large, 5100mah. Google claims up to 100 hours when put in extreme battery saver mode. I haven't tested that mode, but I will tell you that I didn't charge this phone for almost two days once and the phone didn't fall below 80% This phone has very impressive standby battery life. The ai features included in this phone are so helpful, Google Gemini is the name of the new ai assistant and sometimes I feel like I am speaking to a live person. It listens and understands you so well, and provides very helpful information. Once in a while it has been incorrect (I think) about certain topics and questions I asked but I imagine it will only get better as google updates it over the years. I could ramble all night about all the software features this phone has, but to keep things short.. I'll say that software on this phone is the ultimate assistant. It is so great and helpful for editing photos and videos, making plans, finding directions, reminders, studying. It's kind of scary how quickly and easily you can get things done with google's new assistant. Even after a week, I feel like I haven't seen all the things this assistant can do. The Google Pixel 9a is hands down, the best "budget" phone on the Market right now.I might even argue that it is probably the best phone released so far this year. Most people don't need all the bells and whistles that expensive "flagships" have. This phone has everything you could need, it is classy, feels great in the hand and is water resistant. If you don't want to spend a small fortune on a phone, I highly recommend this phone. I Love it, and I think you will also.

In the era of unlocked phones and carrier freedom reigning supreme, the retail price of flagship phones has been steadily climbing to match the feature set and unsubsidized costs. As the highest-end phones continue to push well beyond the thousand dollar mark, a new market segment of “affordable flagship” phones appeals to a much wider range of buyers, eschewing top-tier performance and specs for a device that still delivers a premium experience. Google introduced the Pixel a-series as midrange counterparts to the high-end Pixel phones starting with the 3a, and since then a new Pixel a series phone comes annually about six months following the flagship. Featuring the same custom processor as the highest end Pixel 9 Pro phones, the 9a packs nearly all the top features into a half-price device that makes more than acceptable concessions to get there. - Unboxing & Setup Mimicking other smartphones, Google’s unboxing experience is spartan but organized. A charger, USB-C cable, SIM tool, and a USB-C cable are included alongside a very short quickstart guide. My first impressions were mixed. The a-series phone of this generation feels like a step down in materials quality - although the Pixel 8a had a more obvious and sizable camera bar, the phone also had a much nicer feel in the hand. The 9a feels noticeably lighter and thinner than the last-generation phone, but the plastic back feels lower quality than I was expecting and gives the impression of being thin, cheap plastic. If you use a case you’ll never notice this, but it was an early (and mercifully, one of very few, if not the only) disappointment . Initial setup is a breeze, especially, if you’re coming from another Android phone. You’ll be prompted to power-on your old phone and connect to the Pixel 9a to transfer your data over either wirelessly or wired - the latter is definitely better for large transfers as the wireless option slowed down significantly after just a couple gigabytes of data. Otherwise this worked flawlessly transferring data from a fairly recent Android phone. The remainder of the initial setup sets your Google device and account preferences, including how you want to configure your Google assistant, Wallet, any smart watches, face unlock, and more preferences. Once setup is complete, apps identified during the data transfer (and any other apps you had downloaded previously) are downloaded from Google Play to update them to the latest version. - Screen & Sound Coming from a Pixel 9 Pro, it was difficult to discern any difference in screen quality between it and the 9a unless I put them side-by-side. The only significant difference between them is that the 9a doesn’t use a special backing for fully variable refresh rates and backlighting - which makes little difference for most people. The 9a’s OLED screen is bright, vibrant, and fills nearly the entire front of the phone for a wonderful viewing experience. The bezel is slightly more noticeable than on the 9 Pro, but again this is really only noticeable with the phones side-by-side. The 9a does lose out slightly on peak brightness, but at 2700 nits it’s still plenty viewable in bright daylight. By default, the Pixel 9a runs at a 60Hz refresh rate to preserve battery life. You can enable 120Hz in settings if preferred, and I would recommend this - the high refresh rate makes a difference in just how fast and fluid the phone feels in use, making the most of Google’s latest Tensor processor, albeit at the expense of some battery life. The front-facing earpiece speaker and a bottom-facing speaker offer stereo sound, and these speakers get pretty loud with little distortion at high volume. Though the EQ seems tuned for speech, bass reproduction is good when listening to music. There’s no headphone jack, as expected, so you’ll need to use a USB-C headphone adapter (not included) or a Bluetooth device if you want to listen privately. - Performance Sharing Google’s homegrown Tensor G4 chip with the high-end Pixel 9 range, the Pixel 9a doesn’t sacrifice much in the way of computing power. The only notable difference from the higher-end phones is that Google equips the 9a with 8GB of RAM - half as much as the Pro model and a quarter less than the standard 9. This cutback does impact the availability of Google’s ‘Gemini’ artificial intelligence model, which in the Pixel 9a runs on-demand and only in limited capacities. In real-world use, unless you’re completely on-board with Gemini and deeply embedded in the Google ecosystem (at which point you’re likely considering a Pixel 9 or 9 Pro), 8GB of RAM is plenty for the Pixel 9a. The Tensor G4 is still doing the heavy lifting under the hood and overall performance is excellent. I never once experienced any hitching or lockups switching between applications, multitasking with media on in the background, or editing photos directly on the phone. The fact that Pixel phones are devoid of bloatware and OEM-specific add-on apps is a major plus that helps bolster the phone’s smooth performance. - Camera One of the most notable changes between the higher-end Pixel 9 phones and the 9a is the camera array. Stepping down to two rear cameras (one 48 megapixel wide sensor and one 13 megapixel ultrawide sensor) sounds like it may be asking the Google Camera app to pick up a lot of slack, but the fact is that both these sensors are high-quality and on par with flagships of years prior. In any case, Google’s work with AI has been integrated into the Camera app on the Pixel 9 range, and the AI-enabled post-processing makes this phone’s pictures stand out just as well as any modern flagship phone. The most noticeable loss moving down to the 9a is the lack of optical zoom - all zooming is now done in-software for up to 8x digital “Super Res” zoom, which performs well enough with the AI enhancements but doesn’t quite make up the loss of optical zoom. Still, this won’t be a problem for most casual users. The front-facing camera isn’t as impressive as it is on the higher-end Pixel 9 models, but it still delivers good shots and the AI enhancement picks up the slack to balance out the image. - Battery and Charging The major focus for Google’s in-house Tensor processors is improving power efficiency. The Tensor G4 chip already made substantial improvements for the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro series phones, and these improvements carry down to the Pixel 9a with some further design choices (such as a marginally lower resolution screen) to make the slightly smaller battery last just as long as, if not longer than, the larger-capacity phones. Indeed, starting from a full charge and using the 9a an above-average amount (including a couple hours streaming music and at least one Maps trip with navigation), I usually end my day between 40% and 50% charge. With Battery Saver enabled I could likely go two full days off-charger with this usage pattern. Starting from the Pixel 7a, the a-series phones support wireless charging which is a welcome addition to the midrange smartphone market. Using the older Qi charging standard means wireless charging is limited to 7.5 watts, with wired USB-C Power Delivery charging able to deliver 23 watts for a rapid charge - 0 to 75% in about 40 minutes. In addition, Google enables “adaptive charging” by default, which will automatically reduce charging speed as the battery nears a full charge to reduce wear on the battery cells and extend the phone’s life - quite welcome for a phone with a 7-year support cycle. This feature is seamless if you have a regular alarm in the morning as the phone will trickle charge so it reaches 100% just minutes before your day starts. Clever stuff! - Bottom Line Every new Pixel a-series generation brings steady improvement, and this year’s Pixel 9a continues refining the affordable experience while keeping to Google’s incredibly long support window for every new device. Unless you’re a power user, the Pixel 9a doesn’t sacrifice much versus even the Pixel 9 Pro I daily-drive, and I could realistically grab either in the morning and not really notice which one I took with me. Quite impressive praise for a device with half the MSRP of the flagship. Ultimately the Pixel 9a, just like the 8a before it, is a great all-round phone that’s priced right and seemingly set to last. If Google Gemini and similar generative AI features aren’t the topline feature you’re searching for in a phone, the 9a delivers all you could want at a much more palatable price. Highly recommended!

This phone is indeed an almost perfect phone. Size: It is just right. It fits very nicely in hands and in pockets. There is no annoying (unnecessary) camera bump in the back. Which is really annoying. It has a 6.3" flat screen: very bright and smooth, refreshing. Very well made phone and very solid! The Pixel 9a has round corners. It is a bit thicker than usual, but that difference in thickness is providing the phone with good handling and allowing a long-life battery to be installed. And again, no camera bump. I never asked for slimmer phone with huge camera bump... The power, and volume buttons on the right side of the phone. For some reason, the power button is above the volume buttons. It is a bit confusing (to me)... Google maybe has some reasons for that set-up. The pixel 9a starts up very quickly. Easy to set up (first run). It gets up and running in no time. It supports eSIM without any issues. The pure Android experience is guaranteed to Pixel Phone users. No bloatware. Having a Google phone means you will always have your phone up-to-date with the latest security patches. Also, Google promises 7 years of updates. It is indeed better than other smartphone brands. On spec sheets, the phone looks just fine. Some benchmarks software might show some lower indicators. I've been using the phone for a while now and can't be bothered by any lag or shortcoming. The Tensor G4 processor is doing a great job running all the apps just fine. Connecting to WiFi is fast and has an adequate range (distance from router). It connects great to my WiFi 7 router. As I mentioned above, I am using an eSIM, so the network radio is just fine. Getting 5G without issues (almost everywhere). The same to say about Bluetooth connectivity: Working very well. Talking AI, this phone is packed with Google AI nice features... I like how simple Gemini works. It is fully integrated in the OS and always available when needed. Out of the box, Pixel 9a is loaded with useful features and some interesting photo manipulation apps. It gets beyond that to AI audio manipulation. Very useful. The phone is capable of deleting unwanted noises from recorded videos without issues. While Pixel 9a has only 2 cameras (on the back side), they are very good at making nice pictures. Recording 4K is possible, but you may get a larger storage if you are planning on recording long videos. Battery life is amazing. The Pixel 9a gets me through the whole day’s activities. That includes: Web browsing, videos watching, taking photos, reading and responding to emails, and listening to music (through the car BT). Very essential phone that is capable of doing all that you need. What is always amazing with Google Pixel phones is the close-capturing camera. The Pixel 9a camera can capture very minor details at almost all lighting and distances. Most of that is also controlled by the Google AI. Still, this is not a flagship phone but indeed a very capable one. Out of the box, the Pixel 9a comes with a USB-C cable. I charge it using my 66W adapter. It charges very fast. No complaint. Wireless charging is also available. That's a big plus indeed. I'd recommend this phone to almost anybody who is looking for a: nice-looking, capable phone with a long-lasting battery, advanced AI, long-term OS updates support, just the right size phone, and for a good price.

I've been using the Pixel 9a for about a week now, and overall, I’m really happy with it. My wife has the regular Pixel 9 and honestly, after using it daily, I feel like the 9a is a great value. Right away, the build quality impressed me. The Pixel 9a feels really solid in my hand, not cheap or plasticky at all. It has a metal frame (which I read is made from recycled materials), and the back is flat with with only a small lip around the camera just barely sticking out. Performance has been great. The Tensor G4 chip inside is the same one in the Pixel 9, and it shows. Apps open quickly, multitasking feels smooth, and even heavier games are playable, though you might need to tweak the settings a little for the best experience. For my day to day stuff like social media, emails, calls, browsing, streaming, it's more than fast enough. I honestly can’t tell much of a difference between the 9a and the regular Pixel 9 when it comes to speed. The screen is also really nice. It’s a 6.3-inch OLED with a 120Hz refresh rate, and yes, you can tell the difference. Scrolling feels smooth, animations are nice and fluid, and everything just feels quicker and polished. The colors are nice and vibrant, and the screen gets plenty bright outdoors. They say it's the brightest of any "budget" version phones. Battery life has been excellent too. The Pixel 9a has a slightly larger battery than the regular Pixel 9, and it makes a real difference. I can easily get through a full day of heavy use and still have 20–30% left at bedtime. If I’m just casually using it, I can push it into a second day without charging. The cameras have been fantastic, especially for a phone in this price range. The photos come out sharp, colorful, and balanced pretty much every time without me having to fiddle with settings. Night Sight is still the best night mode I’ve used, making dark photos look natural instead of fake or over-processed. The ultrawide camera is decent too — it’s not as wide as some others I’ve seen, but it’s good for landscapes and big group shots. The telephoto lens on the Pro version is really nice to have, but you'll have to decide if it's worth the price difference. I've included some pictures. 1. Two of a flower pot on a table (one original and one retouched with the editing tools in Google Photos and one) 2. A pot in a window taken from about 15' away using about a 4x digital zoom 3. 3 of my dog, all of which are from one single photo snap of the camera. The phone senses movement when you're framing a picture and takes some basically records some frames before and after you actually take the photo. 4. 2 of a tree line taken from about 50 yards away using the 2x optical zoom. One of them is the original and the other is edited using the "Reimagine" feature in Google Photos editing tools. The editing features on Google Photos really are pretty impressive for free tools. This particular feature uses AI where you type what you want to change and it changes it. I'll let you guess which is the original... 5. 2 pictures of a pink flower. The close up was taken from about 6" or less away. While the 9a doesn't have a dedicated macro-lens, it can take some fairy decent, fairy close-up shots. 6. Picture of " Delete" key showing close-up abilities. One thing I really appreciate is that Google didn't cut out the AI features on the 9a, as mentioned above. You still get Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, Circle to Search, and a bunch of the useful "helpful" features like Call Screen, Hold for Me, and the Recorder app that can transcribe voice notes automatically. Some of the newer Gemini AI features do ask you to subscribe for more advanced stuff (like longer summaries and personalized assistance), which I think is the wrong way to do that, but the basics that come included are actually useful. Compared to the regular Pixel 9, you're getting almost all the same core experience for a lot less money. Overall, the Pixel 9a feels like the smart choice for most people who want a reliable, fast, great-looking phone without spending a fortune. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything major by not getting the regular Pixel 9, and if you’re someone who mostly uses their phone for photos, social media, and everyday tasks, I think you’ll be really happy with it too. P.s. The photo of the tree line without the mountains is the original.

My family has owned Pixel phones since the 6a series, and they continue to get better and better with each iteration. There are several meaningful advancements in the Pixel 9a over the Pixel 8a, which include the newer Tensor G4 processor, integration of photo AI features, better camera macro focus for detailed close-up photos, a longer lasting battery, and a brighter OLED screen, at 2700 nits. Coming from the Pixel 6a, transitioning to the Pixel 9a was a breeze. I signed in with my Google Account credentials, and the phone allowed a transfer of everything seamlessly through a phone-to-phone cable connection. I did notice there were also options to transfer from other Android devices and even an iPhone. Verizon did the rest of the work to activate the phone and port over my number. The new Tesor processor is quite peppy for all the tasks I perform on a regular basis--e-mail, web browsing, short how-to videos on YouTube, and app performance. Everything was flawlessy smooth and without lag. I also noticed that the 9a does not run nearly as hot (this is also true when using the wireless charging in my truck). The 9a connected to SYNC 4 in my Ford Ranger without issue, and the integration of Android Auto has some wonderful features. Some of the new camera features were quite impressive for me. As an engineer, I often need to take very detailed close-up photos. I included a few in this review. My work phone is an Apple product, and I will confidently tell you I will always be using the Google Pixel 9a to take detailed pictures from now on. Macro focus works very well and focuses quickly. There are some other photo and camera AI features on the 9a that are pretty neat, such as "Add Me" and "Best Take." I used the Best Take feature a few times and it was quite cool how the feature was able to combine multiple pictures into one. I was able to use the phone for an entire day without charging it. This included phone calls, messaging, web browsing, e-mail, app usage, and photo taking. As mentioned earlier, the wireless charging works well in my Ford Ranger and does not require precise positioning of the phone on the charging pad like my work iPhone does--it also does not get nearly as hot as my iPhone does while charging. Charging by cable from a nearly depleted phone to full takes a few hours, and I can usually get a pretty good charge even in about 30 minutes to get me by for several hours. Some other small things. Google Gemini is so far superior to Siri it isn't even funny. The results are much more complete and accurate. Sound from the built-in speaker is pretty reasonable, and volume controls for each function are separate. I found the OLED display to be vibrant and bright--even in the mid-day sun, and the graphics / text is crisp and sharp. Seven years of OS support is included with the Pixel 9a. The Google Pixel 9a continues the Pixel delivery of value and performance in the "a" series. Transition from an earlier Pixel model was a breeze, and the improvement in display, camera and overall performance are amazing.

Though not one of Google’s flagship phones, the Pixel 9a’s overall experience feels like one in my opinion. One of the Pixel 9a’s greatest strengths is its main camera which delivers results better than expected for a mid-range device. Pros -Main camera: photos taken in natural light look fantastic and colors feel balanced overall. Close-ups of objects have a bokeh/defocusing effect that isn’t too distracting and the blur strength can be adjusted later. -Camera focus: after tapping on a subject the white focus circle will follow and lock on the subject even if the phone is being moved around. -Battery life is good. -Phone feels snappy and smooth; content loads quickly in social media apps and graphic-intense games like Delta Force and Call of Duty run well. -120hz pOLED screen looks great and can get very bright. -Microphone and speaker sound great for calls. -No camera bump Cons -Speakers sound a little hollow for media content as there seems to be a heavy emphasis on speech and vocal clarity - to me, the sibilance comes through a bit harshly at times. -The back of the phone feels a little plastic-y and can be a bit of a fingerprint magnet without a case. -Using the volume buttons as a shutter while taking landscape photos feels awkward since the volume buttons are located on the middle edge of the phone. -Front camera photos appear as if there was a software filter on, even with face retouching off - for example, details on face (mustache stubble, eye bags, some variance of shadow and lighting) appear erased or smoothed out. -When the phone is resting flat on a table, the fingerprint sensor takes me two or more tries to unlock (with face recognition unlock disabled). The fingerprint unlock works well when the phone is being held or on a stand. That being said, these small issues feel overshadowed by the Pixel 9a’s overall smooth experience and its standout main camera - to me it feels almost like a flagship device that handles everyday use with ease.

The Google Pixel 9a is a superb mid-grade, no-nonsense cellular phone. I have an Obsidian black unlocked version using AT&T cell service. The overall design is simple, smooth, and flat with rounded corners. It comes equipped with three cameras, two rear and one front. I like that the rear cameras are nearly flat; therefore, I do not have to worry about scratching the lens when lying flat on my side table or when connected to Android Auto in my car. The Google Pixel 9a has an excellent battery life lasting over 30 hours. It is fast charging and wireless charging using Qi. It works great with my MagSafe-compatible cover case. The display is 6.3" and fits nicely in my hand, purse, or pocket. Like the other Pixel phones, it has Gorilla Glass and is dust and water resistant for protection. The Pixel 9a supports Gemini AI, which replaced the Google Assistant. It is voice-activated, meaning you can ask Gemini specific questions, or you can go live and carry on a full conversation. With Gemini, you can also insert images, files, and videos for information or discussion. As for set-up, the Google Pixel 9a will scan to connect to your old phone. Pixel 9a will then connect to the same WiFi as the old phone to begin transferring. I entered my Google email account to begin the transfer. You can decide what files you would like to transfer. If you select all files, it will take about 35 minutes to transfer all apps, pictures, and texts. I used the cable option, which t cut the transfer time down to about 22 minutes. After all my apps, texts, and pictures were transferred, I inserted my sim card and set up fingerprint unlock, car crash detection, and SOS personal safety. The Personal safety app that will list your emergency contacts, medical information, and an SOS alarm. The Pixel 9a camera has all of the nice new features of the big brother Pixel phones. Add Me, which allows me to add myself to a group picture, and Best Take for the best group photos. Long exposure, Night Sight, and Panorama are some of the main camera options. The edit options- Gemini suggestions, crop, tools, adjust, filters, and markup. Auto Magic Eraser, Reimagine, and Auto Frame are some other features. I can share my pictures with my installed apps such as LightRoom, OneDrive, Snapseed, or Collage Maker. The Pixel 9a is compatible with my Galaxy Watch 5, using the Google Wearable app. Overall, this is a very nice, affordable mid-grade phone that performs like a premium phone. The battery life is very impressive, along with the camera's extra features. Highly recommend.

As a longtime Google Pixel user, I’m always excited to get my hands on a new model. The Google Pixel 9a is a great addition to the Google smartphone line up. Even at a budget friendly price, it doesn’t disappoint. No different than the last Pixel “A” model, the 9a is again one of the best value smart phones available. This time around the Pixel 9a has a more classic design. Visually, I find it reminiscent of a certain fruit based phone. The P-OLED display and 120Hz refresh rate are exactly what a modern smart phone should using. The smooth scrolling and bright colors are fantastic. Awesome build quality with Gorilla Glass front, aluminum frame, and plastic back. The flat black and no longer present camera bump are a welcomed design choice. The plastic back may not feel as premium as glass, but it helps keep the phone lightweight. Battery life is another strong point. The 5100mAh battery is one of the largest I’ve seen in a Pixel. Easily lasts a full day, even with heavy usage. Charging speeds are great, with a reported 23W wired charging and 7.5W wireless charging. The Pixel 9a is an outstanding phone – at a midrange price, it really delivers flagship performance. The excellent cameras, AI features, and fantastic battery life, all at $499! For anyone looking for a reliable, AI-enhanced smartphone with great cameras, smooth performance, and a bright display, the Pixel 9a is the one to beat! Google continues to set the bar, and this device is no exception.

I have been a fan of Google Pixel phones for several years now, having owned several. The Google Pixel 9a is the latest offering and is aimed at the more budget minded buyer but without sacrificing much of anything. I like everything about this phone. The screen is bright in all lighting conditions. I had no trouble seeing the display in bright sunlight. The adaptive display brightness works pretty well, although at times I had to manually adjust it a little brighter in low light conditions. Battery life is amazingly awesome. The Pixel 9a boasts a 5100mah battery and the specs say up to 30 hours of battery life with normal use and 100 hours in "extreme battery saver" mode. As a test, I streamed a 4k video at full screen brightness and the phone lasted 16 hours before reaching 10% battery. That's incredible in my opinion. I have no doubt that for my normal usage I could reach the 30 hour threshold. The camera is also a highlight of the Pixel 9a, especially the macro function. All of the AI functions are present (Add Me, Best Take, Reimagine in Magic Editor, Audio Magic Eraser). The macro focus is especially clear and bright. The flower photos are a 100% crop (unaltered). The Tensor 4 processor is an upgrade, and everything feels smooth and snappy. The IP68 waterproof protection is also an upgrade.

What changes did you want in the A series from Pixel? I had my 8A for comparison when the 9A arrived. The things I like the most: 1. The camera bar is gone. The phone now lays perfectly flat on its matte back cover on a horizontal surface. 2. The battery is bigger, now 5100 mAh. 3. The Tensor G4 chip is more powerful than the G3, as seen in the attached Geekbench results. 4. Water and dust resistance rose from IP67 to IP68. 5. The display is noticeably brighter. 6. The price is exactly the same and a treasure trove of new AI features have been added. I liked the look and feel of the 8A. The 9A is even more impressive to me because I love its clean lines with absolutely no bump in the back. As expected, the camera performance is excellent for both stills and 4K video. The new macro focus ability for extreme close ups is a welcome feature. The low light abilities of the Pixel software never ceases to amaze me. I had great fun playing with the Add Me feature. I snapped a picture of my wife standing in the living room and then gave her the phone to take a picture of me. The software showed my wife the position of the first photograph to allow me to step into the proper position to add me next to her. She snapped the picture, and the two photos were combined into one of us together in our living room. Then Magic Editor allowed me to replace the background. I typed “Grand Canyon” and the results were amazing. The possibilities with AI are endless. If you are taking group photos, the Best Take feature allows you to make multiple exposures of the group shot and use the best take of each individual head shot to compose the result. The AI magic is not confined to stills. A feature called Audio Magic Eraser allows you manipulate the audio portion of your videos to turn up or turn down the relative volume of specific people in the video. Gemini Live was available with my 8A, but I had never used the feature. You can ask whatever complex question that you have, and Gemini will have an answer, and perhaps not a short one! I asked the assistant to research the best aviation band antennas for a recently- purchased radio, and was amazed to see the results in seconds, which was like an instant precis of all the work I had done in the past week. The suggestions were spot on and the suggested approaches to selecting the best antennas showed insight far beyond what I expected. I will be trying out the deep research abilities of Gemini shortly. Every user’s smartphone needs and expectations vary to some extent. I love the size, features and utility of the Pixel 9A. It offers every feature that I could want or need now with the pure and unadulterated Android OS with seven years of updates. For the price, it cannot be bettered by any other phone that I am aware of, and for my needs and expected uses it is a perfect fit, even if price is not factored in. Highly recommended.

I’ve been using the Pixel 9a for a couple of days now, and I’ve gotta say, I’m pretty impressed—especially considering this is supposed to be the more “budget-friendly” model in the Pixel line. What I really appreciated is that this felt more like a mini version of a Pixel instead of a frankenphone made up of old parts from previous year’s Pixels. First off, the build quality is excellent. I know it might be an unpopular opinion, but I actually prefer the brushed aluminum frame over the shiny stainless steel you see on higher-end phones. The Pixel 9a feels light in the hand, comfortable to hold, and the slight curve to the edges gives it a natural grip, and while the back glass is clean and understated, I do wish the “G” logo stood out a little more. Still, it’s a well-balanced phone that feels great in my hand. Now let’s talk about the camera—which is the real reason you’re reading this. I tested the 9a alongside an iPhone 16 Pro Max and the Pixel 9 Pro XL, and while each phone had its strengths, I kept coming back to the 9a photos. Even compared to the Pro XL, which was shooting RAW at double the resolution, some of my 9a shots actually looked better to me. The colors on the Pixel line do lean a bit cool and bluish, but I kind of liked that. And while the iPhone might win in sharpness, especially with macro shots, I’d have zero hesitation using the 9a as my main camera. As for performance, it’s been smooth sailing so far. I haven’t loaded up all my apps yet, but even with what I’ve got on there, everything has been snappy and responsive. Still early days, but I expect decent battery life thanks to the smaller screen. Now, Gemini Live is where things get really interesting. On one hand, launching it with “Hey Google, let’s talk” is super fast—seriously impressive. But I ran into a few snags trying to map the power button to launch it directly. Gemini gave me some roundabout advice that didn’t work, and when I called it out, it gave the ol’ apology and admitted it couldn’t be done. So... a little frustrating there. That said, the speed and potential of this assistant are something else. I had a fun little back-and-forth with it about baseball—Byron Buxton specifically—and while it got the basics right, it fell apart a bit when I started asking more analytical stuff. It made a few incorrect assumptions, and when I pushed it for sources, it gave another polite apology. It’s not perfect, but man... it’s close. And when it does work, it feels like you’re just about having a real conversation. Overall, I think the Pixel 9a is a heck of a deal. You’re not giving up nearly as much as you might think by going with the value model. Between the excellent build, better-than-expected camera, solid performance, and the exciting (if still a bit buggy) Gemini AI features, this phone really holds its own. If you're on the fence, I’d say it’s worth a shot.

I seldom give 5-star ratings to products. That rating is reserved for products that are best in class. The new Google Pixel 9A is in that category. I have owned and used 5 other Pixel models. This model surpassed my expectations. In the early days of Pixel phones, they were best known for providing an excellent experience at a comparatively modest price. Over the years, Google upped their game and began building “flagship” phones to compete with Apple and Samsung. Within 6 months or so of a new model release they would bring out more the modest and less expensive “A” version … sort of a Pixel light. They were solid phones, but you never got the full Pixel power and experience. The Pixel 9A has gone back to its roots. A great, full featured experience at a modest price. The build quality is top notch, and it’s water resistant 3 feet if submersed. The screen is a thing of beauty. The battery life is the best in the Pixel line. So how did they manage? What do you give up compared to its big brother? There are obviously going to be a few downgrades. That big battery charges at a lower rate. Gone is the camera bar across the back, and the camera specs are slightly less, but you’ll probably never notice, and it still has all the AI editing features Pixels are famous for. It has the same great Tensor processor as the Pixel 9, but only 8GB of RAM instead of the 12GB previously needed for Gemini AI. However, Google provided a new version of the Gemini AI app which works with less memory, and it gives nearly the same experience. It does lack a few of the “live” features. There may be a speed hit, but again, you’ll probably never notice. The screen bezels are a little wider and they use the older Gorilla Glass 3 rather than Victus. It’s still beautiful, top of class, and incredibly bright with adaptive refresh up the 120hz. If you’re into big screens, there is no XL version. You’ll have to be happy with a 6.3” screen. That said, the smaller form factor feels great in the hand. The bottom line is that I doubt there’s a better choice for a $500 phone. Compared to the flagship phones, you give up very little. If a bigger screen size and the fastest AI are your must haves, then buy at the top and spend at least twice the money. If you want a solid, high-function phone with a great screen and an IP68 water and dust rating, this for you

There's lots to love here, but with some compromises at this price range. The pros of the Pixel 9a start right away at phone setup. The option to do a full detailed data rip from your previous phone, or to do a quicker rip of the basics, is given very early in the simple setup process. I decided to do the basic rip and was pleasantly surprised to see that even with the basic rip, my wall papers, email account and vast majority of my settings were taken from my primary device. The wall paper was particularly impressive since it is from within another app, but the rip still grabbed that data and applied it to the Pixel exactly as it was on the other device, across different screens. Photos are another highlight, as I had fun testing out the AI features that allowed me to be creative with my photos. The Pixel led me through my initial experimentation, and then I was off to the races. Charging speed on the Pixel 9a is about the same as most other devices, and like those other devices, it is a bit behind the times when it comes to charging. With the existence of 80 to 100+ watt charging tech. in some phones (very few at the moment), it is a sad state of affairs when meager 25 watt charging is still the standard speed for most devices. Putting the charging gap aside, if you have not experienced ultra-fast or warp speed charging, you will simply experience charging speeds that you are already accustomed to. The phone design is nice and sleek, and also a bit slippery. I would suggest getting a clear, non- yellowing case to show it off, but a case of some kind to keep it in hand. The size is perfect for one- handed use, while still giving excellent phone real estate to show off the display. With the exception of lacking slightly in peak brightness, the display is very nice and color accurate. On the down side, as nice as the camera is, it will not capture the fine details when zooming in. Even in moderate light with the flash on, a picture that looks excellent at first sight blurs if you zoom in the slightest. It will point and shoot with the best of them, but dont expect to zoom in and read something, or to zoom in for fine details in other parts of the photo for identification purposes, and don't expect the AI deblur feature to help either. Most average camera users will not do more than take a standard photo, which they can do successfully in even poor lighting conditions with this phone's camera, but those that are looking for more digital details may want to look at other devices in this flooded camera phone market. At this price point, it's batting over its range, but there are other next-level phone cameras out there. It's clear that there was intention in leveling the camera out from the other more expensive versions of this phone, but you still get a great camera that works perfectly for standard usage. Some customization options that are common on other phones (and probably included on the other models of this phone) are noticeably missing, or well-hidden away from standard menus. I like my search bar to be at the top of the phone screen, I love having dedicated app folders or drawers at the bottom of the screen underneath any other homepage apps, and I like the ability to choose the shape of the app or file folders on the home screen, but none of these options appear to be available on the Pixel 9a, or none that I could find. I was also taken a bit off guard by just how many AI device sharing options were activated without my knowledge, until a tool tip or instructional would pop up to assist me with using the feature or with trying to give those apps even more permissions in my phone. Bottom line is that the phone is stacked with features and powerful software and AI integration. It does make some sacrifices to keep the cost affordable, but aside from certain limited aspects of home screen customization, and your comfort level with heavy AI integration options, there's no major issues that would prevent this from becoming a daily driver for work and/or home. There are other options if you are looking for battery optimization and faster charging speeds, or even for more advanced camera tech., but this device is extremely capable and may be leading the pack if you are leaning into AI integration and an overall solid software package. I'd recommend that this phone be on anybody's list of phone considerations, especially as a more budget friendly but powerful phone option (as if a budget friendly phone exist these days).

TLDR - a perfect amount of phone for probably 80-90% of the world. Stellar battery life, bright screen, great cameras, good storage, fast enough Tensor chip, 120hz refresh. All in a phone that costs half or even more than some flagship phones. (there's even fancy colors available if that's your prerogative!) Screen - almost seems like they stole the screen from the big brother Pixel 9 for the 9a. They both have 120hz, near the same peak brightness from what my eyes are seeing. Stellar screen for a mid range phone. CPU - Google has made the tensor faster each generation, but it's still a large “meh” in the smartphone world. It’s “good enough” but will lag behind the competition. Good enough for phone games and such, still not slow, but not winning any benchmarks or computing speed tests. (ran a 1668 single and 3921 multi thread score on Geekbench 6) AI - Gemini works fine. Once I let it connect to my Google account deeper, using it as my everyday assistant works fine. I’ve asked it a few questions that I felt were decently involved and it came back with some long winded bulleted lists that actually did answer my questions. It even had a long answer why Gemini might work better on a device with more RAM Storage - 128GB has become the standard which is good. Not a ton of space these days, but enough for most users. Seems decently snappy. Battery/charging - Charges much faster vs my last pixel “a” from a couple generations back. It also has useful wireless charging as well. The battery life is STELLAR vs my old “a”, as it was my only real valid gripe I had with that device. This 9a has easily a day+ of my use, and my last “a” would be on the charger at least once during a day to get me to bedtime. Camera - the camera is extra solid with the 9a. Google has really got the handle on good photos without doing too much to them. I don’t notice any oversaturation or over the top HDR, but I am not a photography person. For the average user, it takes great photos! Overall, I can’t recommend the 9a enough. Value, features, looks all rock. Google hit a homerun with its mid ranger!

The Google Pixel 9a marks a significant step forward for the Pixel a-series, offering noticeable enhancements over its predecessors. Immediately coming from the Pixel 8a, the upgrades are noticeable. The in-hand feel is the first indicator of this premium shift. Gone is the somewhat plasticky sensation of the 8a, replaced by a more substantial, squarer design featuring an aluminum frame. This immediately lends a more solid and premium feel. The display is another area where the Pixel 9a is brighter. The increased brightness makes outdoor visibility significantly better, a welcome addition for folks living under predominantly sunny skies. Performance also sees a tangible boost. Google's claim of a 30% speed increase with the Tensor G4 chip over the G3 in the 8a feels accurate in daily use. Apps launch more quickly, scrolling is smoother, and the overall experience is remarkably absent of lag. The camera system has also undergone a visual and potentially practical redesign. Moving away from the full-width bar of previous a-series phones, the 9a adopts a smaller camera housing. While the aesthetics might be divisive, Google thankfully hasn't compromised on its renowned camera performance. A welcome side effect of this new design is that the phone now sits flat on the surface. Battery life appears to be another area of improvement. While it's difficult to definitively say if this is solely due to the reported 14% increase in battery size or general newness, the battery percentage noticeably drains more slowly. Perhaps the most low-key improvement is in the AI features. Building upon the impressive foundation of features like Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, and Best Shot, the Pixel 9a introduces a bunch of new AI tools. 'Add Me' allows a seamless inclusion into group photos, 'Best Take' leverages AI to select the best shot from a series of pictures, 'Reimagine' offers creative background editing possibilities, and the integration of Gemini 2.0 provides instant access to a powerful AI assistant without needing to navigate separate apps. Finally, the Pixel 9a future-proofs itself with an impressive 7 years of guaranteed software updates, ensuring security and feature enhancements well into the next decade. Astonishingly, Google has maintained the MSRP despite these significant upgrades, positioning the Pixel 9a as an exceptional value in today's smartphone market for anyone seeking a capable and long-lasting device in the world of $1000+ phones in the market.

The new Pixel 9a is just about the same size as the Pixel 6a, considerably smaller than it's slightly older bigger brothers, the Pixel 9 or 9XL Pro. At about half or a third the price of the larger models, there is still a lot to love about the 9a. It shipped in the normal stripped-down packaging these phones all seem to come in--plain small boxes with a very small startup booklet, pin tool for the SIM card slot, and a USB-C charge/transfer cable. The phone was nearly fulled charged out of the box, so I took right off with the startup routine. Within a few minutes, it asked for the SIM card for a current account and it immediately had service from my carrier. No tech support or customer service needed. The usual Google app install and data transfer then took place, with the phone connected to another Android phone on my account and the wifi at the same time. More than a hundred apps and data installed within the span of 30 minutes. This little phone is fast, no doubt. No hiccups, all instructions right on the phone. Awesome. It is a thin, sleek device. Being a clumsy cave-man kind of guy, I had a suitable case for it here the next day. The sleeker and thinner they are, the more these phones need a protective case. The cameras are a highlight of this phone. I was amazed at the detail in the close-ups (no need to switch to macro mode, it happens automatically.) The display looks good, the same quality and resolution as the Pixel 9. The audio is also decent, with the speakers at the lower right bottom and lower right corner of the phone. It's fun to watch video on it when you have the bandwidth since the phone's able to keep up with it. The mobile versions of all the sites I visit on the computer open flawlessly on this phone, the processor has no problem handling it. I was a long-time fan of another popular android phone but this makes 3 Pixels now and I love the quality of the display and the cameras. This 9a is a great phone at this price.

The Pixel 9a was gotten to upgrade from an old Pixel 4a 5g. I like the price point since so called flagship phones prices are a bit much these days. First thing is compared to the old 4a the 9a has premium feel to it. I like that it is a little thicker and the screen is a little bigger without the phone feeling unwieldy. The screen is nice and bright and good visibility outdoors. One of the things I like about the Pixel series is that I can have separate user accounts for different emails. The camera is really good. I was impressed with the 4a's camera for a budget friendly phone and the 9a is even more impressive. The added features like add me look like fun although I haven't had the opportunity to try it myself yet. The pictures I have taken were clear and colors look good. Even 8x zoom pictures came out good. A moving cat close up shows pretty good details. If your in the market for a new phone bit don't want to spend flagship prices the Pixel 9a is a great option. It builds upon the Pixel A series and makes a great argument for a budget friendly phone.

My wife has had a Pixel 3 since they came out and hasn't wanted to switch even though it doesn't get any more updates. She doesn't want to learn a new phone interface. Lately, she's been charging her Pixel 3 more often and some of her apps have required her to clear the memory and just generally the phone was just showing its age. I would quickly suggest a Pixel 9A phone for anyone looking for a mid-range budget phone that punches above its weight class. You can't expect a flagship phone from this Pixel 9A. For instance, a person might notice that the Pixel 9A doesn't have an edge to edge display. Quite frankly once you have it for a few days you don't even notice it. You get a really decent camera but more importantly, you don't have any camera bump to deal with. I've got a Pixel 9, that camera bar is ridiculous and I'm thankful I have a case that hides it well. Some people also complain that the Pixel 9A back isn't glass, but if you've got it in a case, no one is ever going to miss it. Under the hood, you're getting the same Tensor G4 chip as the Pixel 9. You get 8 GB of RAM, which is plenty for most people. The screen is 6.3" with 2700 nits which is the brightest screen of the A series paired with a 120 Hz refresh rate. The battery is now a whopping 5100 mAh which gives my wife 2 days of mixed usage without charge and she gets wireless charging which was missing on my Pixel 6A. Setting up her Pixel 9A was easy. She was able to connect her Pixel 3 to the 9A via USB-C to USB-C cable and it transferred everything over in about 5 minutes. She was thrilled that even her wallpaper and her application drawers all transferred and she didn't have to hunt down her apps. She's still getting used to the fingerprint reader being under the front glass instead of being a sensor on the back. It isn't as accurate as the back sensor. She's had to trigger it 3 times pretty consistently, but her family strangely all seem to have a problem with touchscreens. However, when paired with face recognition, it unlocks perfectly and quickly. She's been having some fun with the camera features as well. The Add Me feature may have a few more steps, but it really gets the photographer into the group photo. She's been playing around with the AI assisted editor and it has been so easy to get the best take when one of our kids blinks during a set of group photos. Best of all, I won't have to hound my wife to upgrade her phone after two years because it won't take on any more updates. The Pixel 9A will get 7 years of Software Support. I'll be suggesting the Pixel 9A whenever my parents get tired of dealing with their Moto G Power phones and its 1 year of software updates. The Pixel 9A gives you a lot of bang for your buck.

I'm quite impressed with this phone, I like it more than what I thought I would. 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 15. The phone is thin, reasonably lightweight and the cameras on the back don't protrude too much. A slim case will make the back of the phone flat. The cameras are great. Granted not the best, but fantastic for all I will use them for. 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. Screen is a bright OLED with a fast refresh rate, that when enabled makes scrolling and overall interaction very smooth. I immediately noticed how much smoother this was compared to my old phone. The CPU is a Google Tensor G4 with 8 GB RAM. This of course incorporate AI processing and Google shows it by adding a few retouch tools in the camera app, like adding oneself to a picture., and fast image searches. Since the Tensor G4 supports AI, Gemini comes pre-installed. 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. 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. The phone is of course, 5G. WIFI is 6E and includes a 6Ghz radio. I get about 250 Mb/s download over WiFi with some distance from the access point. Charging is fast via USB-C and also supports wireless charging. Note that it doesn't come with magnets for MagSafe/Qi2 chargers, however this makes sense considering that I wanted to add a case. 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. When connecting the phone to my laptop dock for charging, I noticed that it also mirrors video, although it's mirroring of the screen not as an additional screen, so watching videos it appears as the phone screen in landscape mode. 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. 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.

The Pixel 9a is the latest addition to the Pixel 9 smart phone series. It also comes with the lowest price tag ($499), but don’t let that fool you. The 9a is loaded with lots of bang for a comparatively few bucks. For the shutterbug, you might think of it as buying an excellent camera that comes with a genuinely nice phone. The 9a comes with many excellent features, including: *Processing: Google Tensor G4 with Titan M2 security coprocessor *8GB RAM Memory and a choice of 128GB or 256GB Storage *The OS is Android 15 and is supported with 7 years of security and system upgrades. *Battery: Capacity is 5,100 mAh, providing 30+ hours with full charge per Google. I haven’t confirmed 30, but I can attest to 24 hours, and there was still power available. Wired charging is fast, and the 9a is compatible with Qi wireless charging. *Cameras: The Main Wide lens is 48 megapixels with 82-degree field of view, optical and image stabilization, and 8x zoom. The Ultrawide lens is 13 megapixels with 120-degree field of view. Photo and video quality are excellent. Also, if you want to tweak a photo or “Reimagine,” as Pixel calls it, there are several options to work with. For photos, you clear up blurs, add a person to a photo, and more. If you are shooting video and there’s annoying background noise, no worries, you can erase it. There’s a learning curve to “Reimagining,” but it is worth the effort to learn how to improve and/or personalize your photography. * AI Gemini 2.0: I love to hear a woman speaking with a “proper” British accent, and Gemini does it exceptionally well. If you want her to speak with you in other languages, just let her know. Conversing with her can be fun; but it’s not without occasional bumps. First time trying, I asked her to talk to me about dinosaurs. I got an on-screen message that she wasn’t yet able to do that. Next, I asked her to show me a picture of a Tyrannosaurus Rex and got the same message. So, I am thinking Googling for help would have been better. However, the next day, I repeated the same requests, and Gemini quickly responded properly and promptly in both cases. Then, we were able to converse about that topic and others. I don’t know what happened overnight, but it greatly improved my impression of Gemini’s abilities. The 9a’s case design has a notable difference than the others in the “9 series.” The camera lenses on the rear of the phone do not stick out above the surface, like many other phones. It is almost flat, providing a sleeker look. Also, the case's finish is slick. Thus, I highly recommend you put a snug (not slick) case on the phone. Otherwise, unless you have a very tight grip or rough hands, the phone could easily slip through your fingers and drop to whatever type surface you are on. Having had the opportunity to test drive the Pixel 9a, I can highly recommend it as an outstanding camera (with an excellent phone attached). Plus, you can have it all for a comparatively bargain price. Graduations are coming soon, and the 9a would be a great gift!