Phone Comparisons: Google Pixel 9a vs Google Pixel 8a specs

The Google Pixel 9a has been made official quite recently. It makes most sense to compare it to its predecessor first, so that’s exactly what we’re doing in this article. We’ll be comparing the Google Pixel 9a vs Google Pixel 8a specs here. Google did make some changes compared to last year’s model, so this should be fairly interesting. As per usual, we’ll kick things off by listing the specs, and will then move to other categories.

We will be comparing the designs of these two phones, along with their displays. The performance section is also included here, and the same goes for battery, cameras, and audio sections. Some of you who already own the Pixel 8a are probably thinking of upgrading, so this article will hopefully help you make that decision. Let’s get to it.

Specs

Google Pixel 9a vs Google Pixel 8a, respectively

– Screen size:
6.3-inch pOLED display (120Hz, HDR, 2,700 nits)
6.1-inch OLED display (120Hz, HDR, 2,000 nits)
– Display resolution:
2424 x 1080
2400 x 1080
– SoC:
Google Tensor G4
Google Tensor G3
– RAM:
8GB
8GB (LPDDR5)
– Storage:
128GB/256GB (UFS 3.1)
128GB/256GB (UFS 3.1)
– Rear cameras:
48MP (wide, f/1.7 aperture, 1/2.0-inch sensor size, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS), 13MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV, 1/3.1-inch sensor size)
64MP (wide, f/1.9 aperture, 0.8um pixel size, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS), 13MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV, 1.12um pixel size)
– Front cameras:
13MP (f/2.2 aperture, 96.1-inch sensor size)
13MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.12um pixel size)
– Battery:
5,100mAh
4,492mAh
– Charging:
23W wired, 7.5W wireless (charger not included)
18W wired, 7.5W wireless (charger not included)
– Dimensions:
154.7 x 73.3 x 8.9mm
152.1 x 72.7 x 8.9mm
– Weight:
185.9 grams
188 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
Under-display fingerprint scanner (optical)
Under-display fingerprint scanner (optical)
– OS:
Android 15
Android 14
– Price:
$499+
$499+
– Buy:
Google Pixel 9a (Google)
Pixel 8a (Best Buy)

Google Pixel 9a vs Google Pixel 8a: Design

Google did change the design of its budget phone this time around. Let’s take things one step at a time, though. You’ll notice that both phones have flat displays and a centered display camera hole. Even the corner curvature between them is quite similar. They both have noticeably thicker bezels than some higher-end phones. In fact, they’re noticeably thicker than many mid-range phones out there offer.

The bezels on the Pixel 9a are uniform, but they’re thick

The bezels on the Pixel 9a are uniform, at least, while the same cannot be said for the Pixel 8a. Though, granted, at least the Pixel 8a has thinner bezels on the sides. Both smartphones include power/lock and volume rocker buttons on the right-hand side. On both of them, the power/lock key sits above the volume up and down keys, which is the opposite of basically every other phone out there.

The Pixel 9a has a flat frame all around, which is not something we can say for the Pixel 8a. On the Pixel 8a, it’s rounded. That does make for a noticeably different in-hand feel. The same goes for the back side, as it’s flat on the Pixel 9a, but not so flat on the Pixel 8a. Speaking of the back side, the Pixel 8a has a camera bar up top, which spans from the right side of the frame to the left. The Pixel 9a does not. It simply has two vertically-aligned cameras in the top-left corner, without a camera bump.

The rear camera setup is notably different from the design perspective

So, on the Pixel 8a, that entire camera bar/visor is a bump, essentially, while the Pixel 9a doesn’t have one. Well, the trim around the cameras does protrude a bit, but the camera bar itself does not. Both smartphones have a plastic back cover, while their frame is made out of aluminum. The Pixel 9a offers an IP68 certification, while the Pixel 8a comes with an IP67 certification for water and dust resistance.

The Google Pixel 9a is a bit taller and wider than the Pixel 8a, which is to be expected considering it has a larger display. The two phones are identical in terms of thickness, though. The Pixel 8a is a couple of grams heavier.

Google Pixel 9a vs Google Pixel 8a: Display

The Google Pixel 9a includes a 6.3-inch Actua display with a 120Hz refresh rate (60-120Hz). It’s a pOLED display and it comes with HDR supports. This display is also flat, and it has the peak brightness of 2,700 nits. The display aspect ratio here is 20:9, while the display resolution you’re getting is 2424 x 1080. The Gorilla Glass 3 from corning protects the display.

The Google Pixel 8a, on the other hand, has a 6.1-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) OLED panel. It supports HDR content too, and it has a 120Hz refresh rate (60-120Hz). The display aspect ratio is also 20:9, while the peak brightness is 2,000 nits. This display is also flat, and it is protected by the Gorilla Glass 3 as well.

Neither of these two panels will win awards, but they’re more than good enough. They are vivid, have good viewing angles, and they’re more than sharp enough. The touch response is good as well. Both of them do get bright enough, though the Pixel 9a has the advantage in that regard. Neither display offers advanced features such as high-frequency PWM dimming, though. That was to be expected. Most people will be happy with either one of these two displays, though.

Google Pixel 9a vs Google Pixel 8a: Performance

The Google Pixel 9a is fueled by the Google Tensor G4 processor. That is Google’s latest chip, a 4nm processor. That chip is paired with 8GB of RAM here, and UFS 3.1 flash storage is used. The Google Pixel 8a comes with the Google Tensor G3 processor, which is also a 4nm chip. That smartphone also includes 8GB of RAM and utilizes UFS 3.1 flash storage. Neither phone supports storage expansion, however.

We did not have much time with the Pixel 9a thus far. Based on some initial impressions, however, the performance between the two will be rather similar in day-to-day tasks. They’re both quite snappy, just don’t expect the response time of Snapdragon 8 Elite phones. These Tensor chips are made for Pixels, and they do a great job of keeping the phones free of lag. They perform just fine.

The Pixel 8a even did fine in the gaming department. Sure, high-end games were an obstacle, but do remember this is just a budget phone. You can still play them, but the experience won’t be the same as it would be on a flagship. We expect something similar from the Pixel 9a, to be quite honest, but we did not review the phone yet and did not have a chance to test out its gaming aspect at all. You’ll have to wait for our full review for that.

Google Pixel 9a vs Google Pixel 8a: Battery

The Google Pixel 9a comes with a 5,100mAh battery on the inside. The Pixel 8a has a 4,492mAh battery. That’s a notable battery capacity difference, but it’s there for a good reason. The Pixel 9a includes a larger 6.3-inch display, compared to a 6.1-inch panel on the Pixel 8a. Even if we note that difference, however, this is quite a jump, and the Pixel 8a already offered good battery life.

We do expect to see higher endurance numbers from the Pixel 9a, though. As already mentioned, we did not review the phone yet so we cannot really talk about that, but it does look good on paper. You’ll have to wait for our review in order to find out more, but considering that the Pixel 8a was able to last throughout the entire day for most people, we have a good feeling about the Pixel 9a. Also, it has a bigger battery than the Pixel 9 which includes the same display size, so… things are looking promising.

The Google Pixel 9a supports wired charging up to 23W, and wireless charging at 7.5W. The Pixel 8a, on the flip side, supports 18W wired charging, and 7.5W wireless charging. So, we are getting a small wired charging bump here. Still, that’s quite slow compared to the competition. Do note that neither of these two smartphones are coming with a charger in the retail box.

Google Pixel 9a vs Google Pixel 8a: Cameras

The Google Pixel 9a does seem to offer an inferior camera setup than its predecessor, at least on paper. A 48-megapixel main camera (f/1.7 aperture, 1/2.0-inch camrea sensor, OIS, EIS) is included, along with a 13-megapixel ultrwide camera (f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV, 1/3.1-inch sensor size).

The Google Pixel 8a, on the other hand, features a 64-megapixel main camera (f/1.9 aperture, 1/1.73-inch sensor size, OIS), and a 13-megapixel ultrawide unit (f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FOV). While the ultrawide camera remains pretty much the same, Google opted for a slighlty smaller main camera sensor. From a 1/1.73-inch sensor, it went to a 1/2.0-inch one. Sure, this one has some advantages, but… it remains to be seen how well will it perform.

We managed to get a couple of snaps from the Pixel 9a thus far, but not nearly enough to judge anything. We will make sure to test it thoroughly, to see if there are some cutbacks, as it seems on paper. The Pixel 8a did offer really good camera performance, and that’s something that is always expected from Pixel phones. Let’s hope that the Pixel 9a will not disappoint in that regard.

Audio

Both of these smartphones have stereo speakers. While we did not get to test the Pixel 9a speakers yet, chances are it will be on a similar level to is predecessor. It’s even possible Google used the same setup.

The Pixel 8a speakers are quite good, though not on the same level as some offerings on flagship smartphones. They are loud enough, however, and the sound output quality is good, we did not have major complaints. Neither phone has an audio jack, but both do support Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless connectivity.

The post Phone Comparisons: Google Pixel 9a vs Google Pixel 8a specs appeared first on Android Headlines.