The Pixel 8a is definitely one of many extra fascinating smartphones that Google has launched in latest instances – whereas its present retail value has brought about a little bit of commotion and comparability with the flagship Pixel 8, there’s little doubt that the Pixel 8a presents among the finest upgrades that we’ve seen on Google’s A-series telephones.
READ: The Official Google Case for the Pixel 8a is Really Good
After all that doesn’t imply that you need to improve to the Pixel 8a instantly, particularly for folk who personal latest pretty latest Pixel sequence telephones. Nevertheless, customers on an older gadget such because the Pixel 6a is likely to be considering of upgrading, by which case the Pixel 8a is a perfect selection. What precisely does it provide over the Pixel 6a although? Let’s have a look.
A Higher Show
One of many greatest enhancements you’ll see going from the Pixel 6a to the 8a is the display high quality. Whereas the Pixel 8a’s display is just like the 6a being that it comes at 6.1 inches with significantly thick bezels, Google has upgraded the 8a’s show within the areas the place it issues extra.
For one, the Pixel 8a comes with a brighter display at as much as 2,000 nits of peak brightness, which is across the identical degree as you’d discover on the Pixel 8 and iPhone 15 – which means that you gained’t have any bother viewing your show outside beneath direct daylight, a standard limitation seen on earlier Pixel A-series units. It’s additionally quite a bit smoother now because of the 120Hz refresh fee onboard, which supplies extra visually-pleasing expertise versus the decrease 60Hz show on the Pixel 6a.
Improved Efficiency
One other key power of the Pixel 8a over its predecessor is with efficiency. That is made doable because of the newer Tensor G3 chip contained in the 8a, which is backed by 8GB of RAM. By way of benchmarks, it simply outperforms the first-generation Tensor chip contained in the Pixel 6a with regards to general efficiency, gaming, and battery effectivity.
Moreover, the Pixel 6a comes with barely much less RAM at 6GB. Whereas this doesn’t make the 6a a really sluggish cellphone to make use of, I’ve observed much less stuttering and app restarts whereas utilizing the Pixel 8a, which does make for a typically extra seamless expertise for day-to-day utilization, in comparison with that of the older mannequin.
Digital camera High quality
Pixel telephones are typically recognized for his or her distinctive digital camera efficiency, which is true even for finances telephones just like the Pixel 6a – this is because of Google’s spectacular implementation of computational images, permitting the Pixel 6a to seize great-looking photos usually.
Nevertheless, the Pixel 6a does fall quick in some facets. For instance, it makes use of a a lot older 12MP sensor for its major digital camera, versus the newer high-resolution 64MP sensor on the Pixel 8a. Whereas megapixels aren’t all the pieces, a better decision sensor does permit the Pixel 8a to seize extra element in images, leading to better-quality photos, no less than in comparison with the 6a. The Pixel 8a additionally permits for higher selfie video high quality, as its 13MP entrance digital camera helps 4K video seize, versus the 1080p restrict on the Pixel 6a’s 8MP entrance digital camera.
Biometric Upgrades
One seemingly minor improve – however actually provides a ton of usefulness – to the Pixel 8a is inclusion of safe face unlock, one thing that’s lacking on the 6a. Whereas most Android telephones these days include face unlock choices, the Pixel 8 sequence is among the many only a few that permits face unlock for use with banking apps and transactions, as most different units will nonetheless require you to manually use the fingerprint unlock to make safe transactions in your cellphone.
Whereas most Android telephones these days include face unlock choices, the Pixel 8 sequence is among the many only a few that permits face unlock for use with banking apps and transactions…
Talking of fingerprint unlock, the Pixel 8a sadly nonetheless lacks ultrasonic {hardware} for its fingerprint scanner, though it appears to have improved from the spotty efficiency of the scanner contained in the Pixel 6a’s show, each by way of accuracy and response time. Whereas it pales compared to what you get on manufacturers like Samsung, it’s a much-welcome improve nonetheless.
Software program Help
In case you’ve held onto the Pixel 6a for this lengthy, then congratulations – Google often presents a good quantity of years of software program help for its smartphones, however it ought to be famous that the Pixel 6a is considerably on its final legs. Customers can anticipate OS upgrades till July 2025, that means that the cellphone’s final main software program replace will likely be Android 15 later this Fall, as Google sometimes launches its newest Android model each October.
In case you’re not eager on getting the most recent Android model in your cellphone although, Google will nonetheless present safety patches for the Pixel 6a till 2027. Which means that you’ll haven’t any downside utilizing the Pixel 6a till then, though in the event you actually will need to have the most recent model of Android with you always, you need to know that the Pixel 8a is scheduled to obtain as much as seven years of each Android model and safety updates.
Must you Improve?
Given all the brand new {hardware} options of the Pixel 8a, it’s definitely a fantastic choice for Pixel followers who’re coming from a a lot older cellphone and are on the lookout for a worthwhile improve, or for newcomers who wish to check out what Google has to supply with its midrange smartphone line.
With that being mentioned although, the Pixel 8a doesn’t exist in a vacuum – of us who need a cheaper smartphone from the get-go might additionally go for the Pixel 7a which likewise comes with some new upgrades over the Pixel 6a, or add a bit extra and get the Pixel 8 as an alternative, which often goes on sale for not far more than the Pixel 8a and lacks the compromises of the latter.
Extra on the Pixel 8a:
Be aware: this text might comprise affiliate hyperlinks that assist help our authors and preserve the Phandroid servers operating.