Pixel 9a is here: 5,100mAh of battery, new camera, and the brightest screen ever

Be it as it may, Pixel's next take on the mid-range genre is here and once again, it's going to be supported for seven years by Google with Android, security and Pixel Drop updates. That's the standard now.

The camera

Smartphones are getting crazy good on the camera front, and there's no need to get a thousand-dollar (or more) device to get amazing results. Pixel's "a"-series are the living proof, and the new Pixel 9a might up the ante once again.

• Main camera: 48 MP (down from 64 MP)
• Ultra-wide camera: 13 MP (same)
• Selfie camera: 13 MP (same)

Yes, you've read that correctly. While the megapixel count on the ultra-wide and front cameras stays the same at 13 MP, the main camera is down to 48 MP from the 64 MP that the Pixel 8a offered.

That, however, doesn't automatically mean its camera is somehow "worse". Total pixel count on a camera's sensor is just one part of the equation. As Google Pixel phones have shown in recent years, it's what your sensor (paired with software enhancements) can do that counts in the end. The secret is in Google's camera sauce.

The main camera here packs a 1/2-inch sensor behind a f/1.7 aperture lens, which means lots of light should enter (and that's good for cleaner photos) and hit the light-gathering pixels on the sensor.

That's almost the same camera from the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but Google said there are some "differences", without highlighting them.

There isn't a stand-alone zoom camera, but there's Super Res Zoom up to 8x: a fancy Google software technology that enhances photos when you want that extra reach.

Speaking of functionalities, there's a notable feature on the Pixel 9a's main camera: Macro Focus, which should allow you to get closer to objects.

Finally, we've got the ultra-wide camera: it comes with optical and electronic image stabilization. The selfie camera is a 13 MP; it seems that both of these come from its predecessor.

Camera modes and editing

For the first time, there's the option for a short astrophotography time lapse preview (in the Astrophotography mode).

Of course, Pixel 9a owners can take advantage of Google's whistles and bells when it comes to camera-related features

The phone is equipped with advanced AI-powered photography features designed to enhance images with minimal effort. The Add Me feature ensures that the photographer is included in group shots by capturing multiple frames and seamlessly blending them together.

Night Sight, a long-standing favorite, continues to deliver impressive low-light photography, making it easier to capture clear and detailed images in the dark. Face Unblur sharpens blurry faces by merging data from multiple exposures, ensuring that portraits remain crisp and well-defined.

Beyond capturing great shots, the Pixel 9a offers a suite of powerful editing tools. Magic Editor allows users to make advanced adjustments, such as repositioning subjects, resizing objects, and modifying backgrounds with simple taps.

Magic Eraser helps remove unwanted distractions, creating cleaner and more polished images. For group photos, Best Take blends multiple shots to ensure everyone looks their best, while Photo Unblur restores clarity to blurry images. Portrait Light further enhances portrait shots by improving lighting, adjusting brightness, and refining shadows, giving photos a more professional appearance.

There's Pixel Studio generator as well, so one can create their own sticker, memes, images, and whatnot: all in different styles.

Design and durability

You can tell things are different with the Pixel 9a just by looking at it: the trademark camera bar on its back is now gone. If you're in the group of people who detested the Pixel design from recent years, maybe this flat-back Pixel 9a will be like a tonic for tired eyes.

It's got rounded corners, and Google says it's the most durable "a"-series phone yet: it comes with a metal frame, an improved IP68 water and dust protection, a scratch-resistant Actua display, and it's made with recycled materials.

As far as colors go, you can have it in any color you like, as long as it is one of the following:

• Obsidian
• Porcelain
• Iris
• Peony

The Aloe and Bay shades are being replaced by two new colors: Peony (a pink-like bubblegum color), which is similar to the hue available on the Pixel 9, and Iris, a subtle bluish-purple shade. Obsidian and Porcelain translate to black and white, respectively.

The hardware side of things

The Pixel 9a packs the Tensor G4 chipset that's found across the rest of the Pixel 9 lineup, and it's impressive how Google refuses to discriminate between mid-range and high-end models. Other brands gladly install inferior chips in their cheaper phones, and the mighty silicon is reserved for their flagships.

That being said, the Tensor chipsets – including the Tensor G4 – have never been some sort of powerhouse champions; they're trailing behind silicon found in Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo (yeah, you get the picture) devices.

Another "that being said" moment: a Tensor chipset is by no means inadequate and unacceptable. It's all up to you and your needs. Yours truly, for example, got by with a Pixel 3a in his pocket for many years. I just knew that it was pointless to make it do stuff that it couldn't handle. But for an everyday, general-use phone? It was perfect. Until its battery seriously dwindled.

Speaking of the Pixel 3a, that makes me want to address the battery on the Pixel 9a.

This time around, Google is pushing the envelope with a 5,100 mAh capacity cell; that's a substantial upgrade over the 4,492 mAh one in the Pixel 8a.

Let's not jump ahead of us, but should be a truly whole-day phone, if it's optimized and tuned correctly.

The Pixel 9a is now slightly bigger at 6.3 inches (vs the 6.1 inches of the Pixel 8a), but not so big to drive away compact phone aficionados.

The display panel comes with a 20:9 aspect ratio, a resolution of 1080 x 2424, and a 120Hz refresh rate support for smoothness. There's Gorilla Glass 3 by Corning for the cover glass.

Google claims this is "the brightest display" on an "a"-series phone yet: it goes up to 1,800 nits of brightness (HDR) and up to 2,700 nits (peak brightness). For reference, Google claims it's 35% brighter than Pixel 8a! This means it'll be easier using it on a sunny day outside.

It comes with 8 GB of RAM on board and in two storage options: 128 or 256 GB.

However, there's a hardware concern with the Pixel 9a that we told you about: it seems that the phone uses an inferior modem that we told you about recently.

Software features, security and freebies

Those who act fast and get the Pixel 9a can enjoy three months of Google One, three months of YouTube Premium, six months of Fitbit Premium, but terms and conditions apply, so do check the fine print.

As any other recent Pixel, the Pixel 9a is also all about AI – Gemini pops up right away after holding the power button: then, it's up to you to decide if you want to use it for learning, planning, writing, and whatnot. There's the Circle to Search feature, of course.

It's noteworthy that the phone includes Google VPN at no extra cost, though availability varies by region. It prioritizes security with built-in anti-malware, anti-phishing, and spam protection in Google Phone and Messages. The device also offers a variety of accessibility features, including Hearing Aid compatibility, Guided Frame, Magnifier, Live Caption, TalkBack, and Voice Access, ensuring an inclusive experience for all users.

Comparisons

• Google Pixel 9a vs Pixel 9 preview: Why would you go with the flagship anyway?
• Google Pixel 9a vs Pixel 8a preliminary comparison: Google might be turning things up to eleven!
• iPhone 16e vs Pixel 9a preview: which mini flagship to care about?
• Pixel 9a vs Galaxy S24 FE: The battle for the affordable flagship crown
• Pixel 9a vs Pixel 7a preliminary comparison: Just two years, but the evolution is massive
• Pixel 9a vs Pixel 8: Does the old flagship stand a chance?
• Pixel 9a vs Nothing Phone (3a) Pro: Nothing can stop the Pixel 9a
• Samsung Galaxy A56 5G vs Google Pixel 9a: Google might have a winner on its hands

Price and availability

The US and Canada, as well as most European countries – plus Australia, Japan, India, Singapore, Taiwan and Malaysia – are getting the Pixel 9a officially.

Despite officially announcing the Pixel 9a on March 19, pre-orders were not available at launch. Google stated that the device would hit the Google Store and retail partners in April 2025.

Stay tuned for the PhoneArena in-depth review!