Google has launched the Pixel 9a, its latest mid-range smartphone that continues the successful legacy of its predecessors. As the most budget-friendly model in the Pixel 9 lineup, the 9a particularly appeals to photography enthusiasts. This year’s version features a notable design departure from the rounded Pixel 8a, adopting flat sides and a camera bar that now sits flush against the back of the device.
In addition to its refreshed aesthetic, the Pixel 9a boasts a brighter, slightly larger display, an upgraded chipset, enhanced camera capabilities, quicker charging, and features the largest battery ever in a Pixel phone at 5,100mAh.
The matte finish rear panel shows fingerprints easily.
In India, the Pixel 9a is available with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for ₹49,999. It comes in three color options, with the Obsidian variant provided for review. For those contemplating a purchase but needing further insights, we offer an in-depth review.
Google Pixel 9a Design: A Flat Evolution
- Dimensions: 154.7×73.3×8.9mm
- Weight: 186g
- Colors: Iris, Porcelain, Obsidian
- Ingress rating: IP68
The Pixel 9a showcases a flatter design compared to earlier models, which is a welcome change. Drawing design elements from the higher-end Pixel 9 series, the phone features a flat frame, softly rounded corners, and a completely flat front display that includes thick, uniform bezels surrounding a centered camera cutout along with an under-display optical fingerprint sensor.
The Pixel 9a flaunts a modern flat frame design.
The phone’s power button and volume controls are located on the right edge, while the SIM tray has been repositioned at the bottom alongside the loudspeaker grille. A USB Type-C port and a microphone are also located at the bottom, with another microphone positioned at the top.
The body features an aluminum frame, complemented by a plastic back panel with a matte finish, which can be mistaken for glass. While this gives the device a premium look, it is prone to attracting fingerprints, especially the Obsidian variant. The front glass is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, which is a letdown compared to rivals in the same price range, although the Pixel 9a does hold an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.
The bezels on the front are noticeably thick.
Turning the phone over reveals another significant design change. Google has replaced its traditional camera visor with a pill-shaped module that is flush with the back panel. Although it maintains a recognizable Pixel design, it lacks the distinctiveness of previous iterations.
Overall, the 9a feels comfortable to hold, allowing for one-handed use, though it is slightly larger than the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro while being lighter.
Google Pixel 9a Display: Spacious and Vivid
- Size and resolution: 6.3-inch POLED, full-HD+, 20.2:9 aspect ratio
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Screen protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 3
This year’s Pixel 9a features a larger screen compared to the previous model, boasting a 6.3-inch POLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and full-HD+ resolution (1080 x 2424 pixels), offering a pixel density of 422ppi. The display’s peak brightness reaches up to 2,700 nits and roughly 1,800 nits in high-brightness mode, allowing for excellent visibility in various lighting conditions.
Pixel 9a offers two distinct color modes.
The device’s 120Hz refresh rate is initially disabled, requiring users to enable the “Smooth display” setting found in the display options. The interface offers two color profiles – Adaptive and Natural, with the former presenting slightly saturated colors. The display provides excellent viewing angles and supports HDR10+ and HLG, enabling hassle-free high-resolution content streaming thanks to its L1 Google Widevine DRM certification.
The under-display fingerprint scanner is not as fast as its ultrasonic counterpart on the Pixel 9.
The Pixel 9a is equipped with a conveniently placed under-display optical fingerprint scanner that performed well during testing, although it struggled with wet fingers at times.
Google Pixel 9a Software: Innovative and Intuitive
- OS Version: Android 15
- Latest security patch: July 5, 2025
- AI features: Pixel Studio, Add Me, Gemini AI
As with all Pixel smartphones, the 9a comes pre-installed with the most recent version of Android. Although it initially shipped without Android 16, the update was available immediately after its public release. Pixel devices consistently receive early access to new Android updates, ensuring users experience the latest software from Google. With a guaranteed seven years of software updates and security patches, the Pixel 9a remains future-proof.
Enjoy seven years of Android updates with the Pixel 9a.
The user interface offers a clean stock Android experience while still allowing for customization through AI-generated wallpapers, various accent colors, and widgets. Unique features like Now Playing and At a Glance add to its appeal, with Google providing additional enhancements through regular Pixel Drops.
New AI functionalities enrich the photography experience, including the innovative Add Me and Pixel Studio, which enables users to create images based on their ideas. The Gemini AI has supplanted the Assistant as the primary search utility, enhancing the overall functionality, even though the screenshot capability found on other Pixel 9 models is absent.
Pixel Studio offers a fun and creative outlet for users.
All implemented AI features, such as Add Me and Pixel Studio, function effectively and enhance the user experience. The Pixel 9a also retains AI-supported capabilities in its camera applications, such as Best Take and Magic Editor, which are not commonly found in rivals at this price point. While customization options might be less extensive than some Android skins, the sleek and minimalistic interface remains one of the defining aspects of the Pixel experience, and the absence of bloatware is a significant advantage over competitors.
Google Pixel 9a Performance: Satisfactory
- Chipset: Google Tensor G4 (4nm)
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 256GB UFS 3.1
Powered by the same Tensor G4 processor featured in other Pixel 9 series devices, the Pixel 9a’s performance is consistent. Limited to 8GB of RAM, heavy multitasking may be slightly hindered, especially when using demanding AI features. In India, users have access to a single storage option of 256GB without the option for expansion. While the Tensor G4 appears slower on paper when compared to competing processors, it does not translate into noticeable performance issues during regular use. Navigation through the interface was generally smooth, with minimal lag.
| Benchmark | Google Pixel 9a | OnePlus 13R | Oppo Reno 13 Pro | iPhone 16e | Poco X7 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AnTuTu v10 | 9,97,063 | 19,14,550 | 13,73,029 | 13,86,440 | 16,02,933 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 | 12,713 | 15,043 | 12,032 | N/A | 14,628 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,661 | 2,112 | 1,372 | 3,229 | 1,549 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 3,797 | 4,943 | 4,163 | 7,888 | 6,216 |
| GFXB T-rex | 120 | 60 | 93 | 59 | 120 |
| GFXB Manhattan 3.1 | 118 | 60 | 120 | 59 | 118 |
| GFXB Car Chase | 83 | 60 | 120 | 59 | 89 |
| 3DM Slingshot Extreme OpenGL | Maxed Out | Maxed Out | Maxed Out | N/A | Maxed Out |
| 3DM Slingshot | Maxed Out | Maxed Out | Maxed Out | N/A | Maxed Out |
| 3DM Wild Life | Maxed Out | Maxed Out | Maxed Out | Maxed Out | Maxed Out |
| 3DM Wild Life Unlimited | 9,425 | 19,178 | 11,518 | 13,146 | 13,102 |
Gaming performance on the Pixel 9a is satisfactory, with popular titles like BGMI and Asphalt Legends running smoothly. The device remains relatively cool during gaming sessions and camera usage, although it does warm up when charging, performing better in thermal management than its predecessor, the Pixel 9.
The Pixel 9a efficiently handles gaming tasks.
The audio experience on the Pixel 9a comes from dual hybrid speakers, with one located at the bottom and the earpiece serving as the second source. The sound quality is decent, providing clear output, although it lacks bass. The device supports Bluetooth 5.3 with LE, NFC, tri-band Wi-Fi 6E, and is equipped for 5G Sub 6GHz and eSIM use. During our assessment, there were no connectivity problems, and call quality was clear.
Google Pixel 9a Cameras: Competitive Performance
- Main rear camera: 48-megapixel wide, f/1.7, OIS
- Secondary rear camera: 13-megapixel ultrawide, f/2.2, 120-degree FoV
- Front camera: 13-megapixel ultrawide, f/2.2
While Google has not introduced major changes to the camera setup on this year’s A-series release, the primary rear sensor has been upgraded with a wider aperture for improved light capture. The ultra-wide and front-facing cameras remain unchanged from the previous year. Notably, HDR video capture has been omitted, although Ultra HDR support for photos and RAW image capture remains available.
The main rear camera in the 9a is newly designed.
The camera app features a user-friendly interface with easy access to modes and settings. Swapping between photo and video modes is seamless through a simple toggle.
Photographs taken with the main rear camera during daylight are impressive, featuring rich details, natural colors, and balanced exposure. Users will find overwhelming satisfaction with roughly 80% of images captured.
Daylight photos captured with the primary camera at 1x [Tap to expand]
The ultra-wide camera also performs well during the day, delivering detailed, color-accurate images. Despite matching colors with the primary camera, edge detail suffers somewhat.
Daylight shots from the ultrawide camera [Tap to expand]
The portrait mode on the Pixel 9a performs admirably, allowing selections between 1.5x and 2x. The resulting shots display clear facial details, accurate skin tones, and realistic depth blur.
Portrait photos: Top 1.5x, bottom 2x [Tap to expand]
The Pixel 9a also includes a Macro focus mode for capturing close-up shots, automatically activated when the user approaches a subject. These macro images present excellent detail and depth of field in well-lit conditions.
During low-light situations, the primary camera continues to impress, yielding clear images even with or without Night Sight mode enabled. Photos captured exhibit ample detail with minimal noise and accurate color representation. Night Sight mode activates automatically in dim lighting and can be manually switched on, leading to sharper images with greater detail.
Low-light images taken with the primary camera [Tap to expand]
While the primary rear camera excels in low-light scenarios, the ultra-wide camera tends to underperform, often producing softer and more noisy images.
Samples taken by the ultra-wide camera in low-light scenarios [Tap to expand]
The Pixel 9a is capable of 2x digital zoom, which yields decent results in bright conditions. However, using zoom in low-light settings may deliver images with noticeable noise and reduction in clarity.
Selfies captured on the Pixel 9a shine in well-lit conditions, despite the absence of autofocus. They deliver impressive detail, accurate skin tones, and vibrant colors. Low-light selfies hold up reasonably well under adequate lighting but can turn out slightly blurry and lack fine details.
Video recording capabilities on the main rear camera are commendable but not extraordinary. Capable of capturing 4K video at 60fps, as well as 30fps from both the ultra-wide and front cameras, the stabilization options—Standard, Locked, and Active—are effective. Low-light video is good, though the ultrawide camera’s performance suffers in similar conditions, resulting in soft and noisy footage.
Google Pixel 9a Battery: Impressive Longevity
- Capacity: 5,100mAh
- Charging: 23W wired, 7.5W wireless, Bypass
Featuring the highest battery capacity seen in a Pixel phone, the 9a easily lasts a day or more with standard usage, providing around 5 to 6 hours of screen-on time during tasks that include texting, browsing, and watching videos. In the PC Mark Work 3.0 battery life benchmark, it lasted nearly 18 hours.
The Pixel 9a supports wireless charging.
While it supports 23W wired charging, the speed may not impress users used to faster technology, taking about 1 hour and 40 minutes to reach a full charge from zero. A 30-minute charge provides around 45% battery. Users will need to purchase a charger separately, as it does not come with the phone.
Google Pixel 9a Verdict
In the competitive smartphone market, particularly against the iPhone 16e, the Pixel 9a stands out, making it a solid choice for those seeking a versatile camera, a superior display with a higher refresh rate, and who are less concerned with ecosystem preferences. On the Android front, noteworthy contenders like the Poco X7 Pro, Oppo Reno 13R, Nothing Phone 3a Pro, and OnePlus 13R also vie for attention.
While the Pixel 9a may not be the most value-driven smartphone, it does deliver a polished Android experience, timely updates, a commendable display, impressive camera quality, robust battery life, and a reliable IP68 rating. For those prioritizing these features, the Pixel 9a certainly proves to be a worthy investment.
