Google Pixel 9A in Review: The Pixel Smartphone with the Longest Battery Life 70 comments
The Pixel 9A is expected to bring the complete Google package to a lower price range. This primarily includes areas such as the camera and the software promise. In the review, the smartphone shines primarily with its particularly long battery life and slim design. The typical Google “camera” is no longer present here.
Content Directory 1 The Pixel Smartphone with the Longest Battery Life Launches on April 14th. Google keeps the price at 549 euros, the Pixel 9a’s technical specifications are clear. The Pixel 9A loses its bender eyes, the Pixel 9a increases the display from 120 Hz to the oleo. 2 Camera, Performance, and Software: The new compact dual camera from Google reduces the minimum focusing distance. Pixel 9A and Pixel 9 in the photo comparison. 120 Hz: Google has the longest battery life, slightly faster at 23 watts after 200 charge cycles, the voltage is reduced.
Market launch on April 14th
Google plans to launch the Pixel 9A on April 14th in Germany. It is already available in the US, Canada, and the UK, and Google has also lifted the embargo for testing. The smartphone was supposed to be available on March 26th, but due to an issue that wasn’t explained in detail, the announcement had to be postponed for a short time. What the new entry-level Pixel smartphone can do is explain the text later with benchmarks, camera comparison images, and battery life measurements with 60 and 120 Hz.
Google is leaving the price at 549 euros.
Google has kept the price at €549 for the 128GB model and €609 for the 256GB model, similar to last year’s Pixel 8A. Meanwhile, the predecessor has settled at €380, which is less than the Pixel 8’s regular price of €489. Also, don’t ignore the “full-featured” Pixel 9, which, at €615, is no more noticeable than the Pixel 9a. Pixel 9A technical data
Google Pixel 9a Google Pixel 3Google Pixel 3 Xlgoogle Pixel 3agoogle Pixel 3A Xlgoogle Pixel 4Google Pixel 4 9A ✔ Google Pixel 8a Google Pixel 3agle Pixel Pixel Pixel Pixel 3agoogle Pixel 3a 4google pixel 4 xlgoogle pixel 4agoogle pixel 4a 5ggoogle pixel 5google pixel 5agoogle pixel 6google pixel 6 progoogle pixel 6agoogle pixel 7google pixel 7 progoogle pixel 7agoogle pixel 8google pixel 8 ✔google Pixel 9 Progoogle Pixel 9 Pro Xlgoogle Pixel 9a ✔ Google Pixel 9 Google Pixel 3Google Pixel 3 Xlgoogle Pixel 3agoogle Pixel 3A Software: Progoogle Pixel 9 Pro Xlgoogle Pixel 9a ✔ Soft
(at release) Android 15.0 Android 14.0 Display: 6.30 inches, 1080 × 2424
421 PPI, 120 Hz
Oled, HDR, Gorilla Glass 3 6.10 Zoll, 1.080 × 2.400
431 PPI, 120 Hz
Oled, HDR, Gorilla Glass 3 6.30 Zoll, 1.080 × 2.424
421 PPI, 120 Hz
OLED, HDR, Gorilla Glass vict 2 Operation: Touch, fingerprint sensor, SOC FACE SCANNER: Google Tensor G4
1 × cortex-x4, 3.10 GHz
3 × cortex-a720, 2.60 GHz
4 × cortex-a520, 1.92 GHz
4nm, 64-bit Google Tensor G3
1 × cortex-x3, 2.91 GHz
4 × cortex-a715, 2.37 GHz
4 × cortex-a510r, 1.70 GHz
4nm, 64-bit Google Tensor G4
1 × cortex-x4, 3.11 GHz
3 × cortex-a720, 2.60 GHz
4 × cortex-a520, 1.95 GHz
4nm, 64-bit GPU: Mali-G715 MP7
940 MHz Mali-G715 MP7
890 MHz Mali-G715 MP7
940 MHz RAM: 8,192 MB
LPDDR5X 12.288 MB
LPDDR5X Memory: 128/256 GB 128/256 GB 128/256 GB 1. Camera: 48.0 MP, 2160p
LED, f/1.70, AF, OIS 64.0 MP, 2160p
LED, f/1.89, AF, OIS 50.0 MP, 2160p
LED, f/1.68, AF, OIS 2. Camera: 13.0 MP, f/2.20 48.0 MP, f/1.70, AF 3. Camera: No 4. Camera: No 5. Camera: No 1. Front Camera: 13.0 MP, 2160p
Display Flash, f/2.20 10.5 MP, 2160p
Display Flash, f/2.20, AF 2. Front Camera: No GSM: GPRS + Edge UMTS: HSPA +
↓ 42.2 ↑ 5.76 Mbps LTE: Advanced Pro 5G: NSA / SA WLAN: 802.11 A / B / G / N / AC / AX
Wi-Fi Direct 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be
Bluetooth Direct Wi-Fi: 5.3 Ortung: A-Glonass, Blue, Galileo, QZSS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BEIDOU, GALILEO, CPS, GLONASS, BEIDOU, GALILEO, QZSSS, New standard
Firmly installed and wireless charging 4,492 mAh, 18.0 W
Firmly installed and wireless charging 4,700 mAh, 27.0 W
Firmly installed wireless charging size (W × H × D): 73.3 × 154.7 × 8.90 mm 72.7 × 8.90 mm 72.0 × 152.50 mm Protection class: IP68 IP68 Weight: 186 g 188 g 198 g Price: €549 / From
Flaches Pixel 9a loses Bender’s eyes
The Pixel 9a can be clearly identified as a Pixel smartphone, but at the same time, not. The smartphone lacks the typical Google camera, reminiscent of a Bender part from Futurama. The Pixel 9a’s dual camera does without this increased bezel. The 8.90 mm build depth specified by Google actually applies here for the first time to the entire smartphone, not just the slimmer back.
Flaches Pixel 9a behind Pixel 9
With this design, the Pixel 9a can be placed almost flat on the table, but a black border around the two lens covers prevents it from being fully visible. Nevertheless, when viewed from a closer angle, the smartphone is less visible than many other models due to its lower construction.
The Pixel 9a is growing again
However, this shouldn’t hide the fact that the Pixel 9a, with 73.3 x 154.7 mm instead of 72.7 x 152.1 mm, has grown because Google opted for a larger display that was adapted to the Pixel 9 (Pro) with a size of 6.3 inches. Because the more expensive models feature narrower bezels, these devices are smaller than the Pixel 9a—with the exception of the cameras. The wide, but at least symmetrical, bezels diminish Google’s otherwise compelling design. Light colors further prevent fingerprints
With the Pixel 9A, Google uses a metal frame that wraps around the smartphone in a matte finish. This gives the device a high-quality feel, which also applies to the matte back—but here it’s made of plastic instead of glass. What was still considered fingerprint-prone by the matte finish during the hands-on experience has to be revised in the test, at least for the black (Obsidian) model. Even here, after a short time, greasy fingerprints are the order of the day. It’s therefore better to consider the lighter colors Porcelain, Iris, and Peony.
The 120 Hz display on the olive tree lights up brighter this time.
At 6.3 instead of 6.1 inches, the Pixel 9a’s display is now as large as the Pixel 9. Google is once again using an OLED display, but not an LTPO panel, so the dynamic refresh rate of 60 to 120 Hz can’t be regulated as finely as with the Pixel 9 (Pro). Since the Pixel 8A, 120 Hz has also been found in Google’s cheaper smartphones; previously, the Pixel 7A was limited to 90 Hz.
6.3-inch display on the Pixel 9a (left) and Pixel 9 (right)
6.3-inch display on the Pixel 9a (left) and Pixel 9 (right) Figure 1 of 4
Google isn’t pinning the feature on the big bell, quite the opposite. As with the Pixel 8A, “Smooth Display,” as Google calls the higher refresh rate in the settings, is disabled by default after configuring the smartphone. This measure is only understandable given that Google can achieve longer periods. The editorial team conducted battery tests with both settings.
2,675 cd/m² at the top
First, however, the display itself, which at 1,080 × 2,424 pixels (almost) takes over and continues to ensure a sharp display with a clear font at 421 ppi. Google has adjusted the brightness both to the area and to the highlights. The cheaper model has to make up for 1,800 cd/m² in full screen instead of 1,400 cd/m² instead of 2,000 cd/m² at the top of the more expensive Pixel 9 variants.
The manufacturer has also done so, as shown by the computer base measurements. In automatic mode, 1,903 cd/m² in full screen and 2,675 cd/m² were even possible. With a white balance of 20% on the otherwise black panel, 2,612 cd/m² could be achieved. This makes the smartphone suitable for outdoor use, and on the other hand, HDR highlights are evident in movies and photos (with Ultra HDR).
No ultrasonic fingerprint sensor
The Pixel 9a lacks the ultrasound fingerprint sensor of other models, which generally work faster and more reliably than the optical variants and still work well even in light moisture. In the direct comparison between the Pixel 9 and the Pixel 9a, the Pixel A model often had to try twice to get a finger in. Additionally, with ultrasound, the panel at the sensor position no longer needs to be brightened so that the optical sensor can recognize the papillary bands. Optical sensors are less expensive, which is why one of the same ones is included in the Pixel 9a.
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Sarah tracks innovations in smartphones, evaluating their performance, design, and key features.
