Google launched the Pixel 9a smartphone in India last month, as the successor to last year’s Pixel 8a. This packs several improvements such as a bigger and brighter display, Tensor G4, the same chip that powers the Pixel 9, 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL, and this also has the biggest 5100mAh battery. Here we have the first impressions of the phone.
Box Contents
- Pixel 9a in Obsidian colour
- USB-C to USB-C Cable (USB 2.0)
- Quick Start Guide
- SIM Ejector Tool
The phone has a 6.3-inch FHD+ OLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate, compared to a 6.1-inch screen in the Pixel 8a. The screen is bright since this has 2700 nits peak brightness 35% brighter than Pixel 8a, and the viewing angles are good. It still has Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection.
You can also see a slightly large bottom bezel compared to the Pixel 9, but this is smaller than the Pixel 8a. However, the side bezels have become thicker to match the bottom bezel. It runs Android 15, and the company has promised 7 years of Pixel feature drop and security updates, same as other models in the Pixel 9 series.
The phone has an in-display fingerprint scanner, which is the same as the Pixel 8a. It has the Google Tensor G4 SoC along with Titan M2 security chip. The performance is good, but it might heat up quickly on intensive gaming just like the Pixel 9.
There are Add Me, Best Take, Magic Editor and more features as well as Magic Eraser, Audio Magic Eraser, Night Sight, Astrophotography and the new Panorama with Night Sight. However, this lacks a Pixel Screenshots feature that is present in other Pixel 9 series phones. This organizes and recalls screenshots by analyzing content, including links and summaries, for easy retrieval.
Call Notes feature is also not available in the Pixel 9a. This is due to 8GB of RAM in the Pixel 9a, since it needs at least 12GB of RAM to provide Gemini Nano with reserved memory without impeding performance.
There is a centre punch-hole display retains the 13MP camera that supports 4K video recording. Since this is small, it doesn’t disturb when watching videos. The earpiece on the top doubles up as the secondary speaker, but the top bezel is large.
The phone has a flat metal frame compared to a curved design in the Pixel 8a, and you can see the antenna bands. The power button and volume rockers are present on the right side. The single SIM slot is present on the bottom, and the phone has eSIM support for the second SIM. The USB Type-C port, microphone and speaker grill are also present on the bottom. The secondary microphone is present on the top.
The phone removes the metal camera bar from the previous models, and the camera is now flush. This has a new 48MP rear camera with f/1.7 aperture, and OIS. This also supports macro shots. There is a secondary 13MP 120° Ultra-wide camera with f/2.2 aperture. It has up to 4K 60 fps video recording for the rear camera.
Check out some camera samples.
The phone also has IP68 ratings for water resistance, up from IP67 in the predecessor. The Porcelain colour variant doesn’t show fingerprints. The phone also comes in new Iris colour, and Porcelain. The phone packs a huge, 5100mAh battery with support for 23W fast charging and also supports 7.5W wireless charging.
The Pixel 9a will be available from Flipkart at Rs. 49,999 (MRP) for the single 256GB model from April 16, making it Rs. 10,000 cheaper than the launch price for the same 256GB model for Pixel 8a. There is Rs. 3,000 bank offer.