- Google just revealed Pixel 9A and it is launched in April
- It comes with a number of new upgrades, including the Tensor G4 chip and a new screen
- Google Pixel 9A starts at $ 499 / £ 499 / AU $ 849 that is underburged iPhone 16E
Google Pixel 9A is official and brings a mix of nice upgrades to keep the budget phone of firing on all cylinders.
From $ 499 / £ 499 / AU $ 849, Pixel 9A is not as affordable as some Pixel A-Series models of the past but spur with last year’s Pixel 8A, and it undermines the iPhone 16e in particular.
Like recent Pixel A-Series models, with a quick look you do not see a huge difference in Pixel 9A over Google Pixel 9 or actually the outgoing Pixel 8A. But digging deeper There is a package of changes here that can make it a new competitor for our best cheap phone list.
For starters, Pixel 9A comes with a new design. The rear exciting camera beam in Pixel 8 and the pill-shaped module on Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro models have been ditched for a smaller, narrower module, which in my eyes has made 9A appear more compact.
Help with it are new pages that are less rounded than the Pixel 8A, but still curved at the top; This should make the Pixel 9A feel a little more comfortable with grabbing for extended periods. The phone’s dust and water resistance has also received a lift where the Pixel 9A gets an IP68 assessment. Just don’t expect a glass back as Google has stayed with a plastic composite, which is basically a signature of the Pixel A series.
However, you get a nice choice of colors for Pixel 9a; There is Lavender-Esque ‘Iris’, a Lyserosa ‘Peony’, Standard ‘Porcelain’ White and the always present ‘Obsidian’ black.
A neat, but not immediately obvious upgrade is the new “Actua Display” that comes in on a larger 6.3 inch and can now hit a maximum brightness of 2,700 nits; It is a decent jump from the Pixel 8as 2,000-nit pointed brightness.
A variable update speed of 60Hz to 120Hz remains present, but Google noted that the new screen is more scratch -resistant than the Pixel 8A, which should help make 9A more durable than the older phone.
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New Tensorchip, a fresh camera and a lot of AI
In the heart of the Pixel 9A is Google’s latest Tensor G4 chip, which is paired with 8 GB of RAM. Don’t expect to scream raw performance on taking on the latest Snapdragon or Apple A-Series chips, but expect a skilled performance of the kind we’ve seen in the Main Pixel 9 models, as well as responsive AI features.
The smart Tensor G4 chip treatment cutter should also help get the most out of the new 48-megapixel main camera on the Pixel 9A. What may seem like a pure resolution of pixel 8as 64MP main camera does not appear to be too consequence, as the new camera has a wider aperture to deliver lighter photos, especially in low light quotes.
A 13MP ultra-camera remains, but it now has a macrofocus mode, a first for the Pixel A series to help deliver crispy dense photos.
Around the front you will find a 13MP f/2.2 camera, which is business as usual for pixel phones, although the bigger display should help make it easier to snap selfies than ever.
The big upgrade for the cameras is likely to come from improvements in the sensor and the aforementioned treatment effect of the Tensor G4 chip.
But the right photography cuts come in the form of the AI features, where the Pixel 9A gets the same package of tools that its predecessor came with, but also those introduced with the Pixel 9 phone last year. These include Add Me, which lets users combine two shots in one along with upgrades to tools such as Magic Editor and Native Access to the Pixel Studio, which allows you to create images with text recordings.
Google Pixel 9a Specs
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
Google Pixel 9A |
|---|---|
|
Dimensions |
154.7 x 73.3 x 8.9 mm |
|
Weight |
185.9 g |
|
Us |
Android 15 |
|
Show |
6.3-inch OLED, 120Hz |
|
The chipset |
Google Tensor G4 |
|
RAM |
8 GB |
|
Storage |
128 GB / 256GB |
|
Battery |
5,100mAh |
|
Rear cameras |
48MP head, 13MP ultra |
|
Front camera |
13MP |
|
Charging |
23W cable, 7.5W wireless |
Other AI features in the heart of Pixel 9A include Google Gemini and Gemini Live, the latter of which allows you to have a natural conversation with the generative AI-driven virtual assistant.
There is also theft -detection that uses AI to identify potential theft attempts and lock the phone if needed, and crash detection, which also uses AI to detect when you may have had a crash and warn the relief.
Rounding all this is a larger battery that comes in at 5,100mAh, which is a solid jump from 4,492mAh on Pixel 8A, plus seven years of software support.
Could this be the best pixel phone for everyone?
Now I and the phone team need a closer look at Google Pixel 9A before we draw any conclusions. And I would advise you to wait for our full review before buying the phone when it is released in April.
But Google rarely misses the Pixel A series, and 9A seems to bring a decent mix of upgrades to make it a compelling phone at a tasty price. If the 48MP camera delivers photography items, the package of AI features, neat design and new display all must be the icing on the cake.
Considering all this into consideration and contrast it to the more expensive, less well -equipped iPhone 16E, and I would argue that Google has some bothered Apple on the affordable phones in front. Pixel 9A offers much more for part of change less.
I think we could look at a new budget telephone master here when all things are considered, and maybe an Android phone that I would recommend to most people. Keep an eye on Techradar for more and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
