Key Takeaways
- Pixel 8a offers excellent value: sub-$500 price, great camera, hardware, and software. It’s a perfect choice for budget-conscious buyers now.
- Pixel 9 is rumored to have advanced AI, better specs, and design changes. Upcoming flagship option for those looking for cutting-edge features.
- Both Pixel 8a & Pixel 9 have their advantages. 8a is budget-friendly, while 9 promises top-tier performance and AI improvements.
Buying yourself a new phone is always a bit of a stressful exercise. When browsing around for the best model for you, there is always this quiet voice in the back of your head telling you that it might be a better decision to wait a little longer, because the next best thing is just around the corner. It’s in your ear saying if you buy a new phone now, you’re going to miss out on the new features the next generation is going to bring to the table.
However, it’s difficult to wait indefinitely, and you have to eventually pull the trigger. It’s especially true if the phones available right now are not only excellent, but also relatively affordable, as is the case with the brand-new Pixel 8a. Not only is it a sub-$500 phone, but it brings both excellent hardware and software to the table.
Google Pixel 8a
- Great tactile, sturdy feel in hand
- Software and experience feels close to flagship
- Simple point-and-shoot camera, great night-mode
- Precise touchscreen key response
- 7+ years of software upgrades
- Chunky side bezels and frame
- Higher price than mid-range competitors
- Display could be better at angles and certain lighting
- Battery is average
That being said, we’re also nearing the release of the next generation of Google’s flagship Pixel line. Interestingly, for the first time ever, we’re expecting not two, but three different phones (not counting the foldables) to come out, making for a very interesting future for Google. Among the upcoming smartphones, the Pixel 9 will be the most affordable, making for an interesting comparison between the mid-range Pixel 8a and the new Pixel 9.
So, if you’re interested in buying a Google-made phone, should you pull the trigger now and buy the Pixel 8a, or wait a little bit longer for the Pixel 9? Here’s all you need to know.
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Quirks and all, the Google Pixel 8a is my new favorite mid-range phone
The Pixel 8a is a bit of a conundrum, and my favorite recent mid-range phone launch.
Why would I want to wait for the Pixel 9?
There’s some features that might be worth waiting for
Sometimes you just cannot wait to get a new phone. It may be because your old one simply stopped working, and you have no other choice but to get a new device right now. However, more often than not, that’s not the case, and your current device can last you a bit longer. If that’s your situation, you might want to consider waiting for the new generation of Pixel devices.
More AI goodness
Lately, everyone and their mother are talking about AI, and it’s being implemented everywhere it can fit. Well, Google is also on that bandwagon, as shown by the latest changes to Google Search itself, as well as rumored changes to the Pixel 9.
With the Pixel 9, Google is rumored to bring this to the next level by baking its Gemini generative AI into the operating system.
When Google kicked off its Pixel renaissance with the Pixel 6, AI became one of the main selling points of the company’s devices. Specialized SoCs — advanced features utilizing machine learning — Pixels have been using these to differentiate themselves from other Android phones. With the Pixel 9, Google is rumored to bring this to the next level by baking its Gemini generative AI into the operating system.
We’re not sure exactly what that means yet, but seeing how helpful such a solution could be, it will surely be a huge step in a completely new direction.
Pixel 9: What we want to see from Google’s next Android trendsetter
Google’s next smartphone lineup might once again define what it means to be the best Android smartphone.
Better specs across the board
Speaking of AI features, most of them require quite a lot of processing power. This is already a limitation for the Pixel 8 and 8a, as some of the more advanced features right now are reserved for the Pixel 8 Pro, just because they require more than 8GB or RAM. With the next generation, we’re sure to see this limitation addressed, along with other improvements.
It’ll nevertheless bring more performance — and no doubt, an even more specialized AI engine.
The obvious one is a new chip — the Tensor G4. It won’t be a fully Google-made silicon yet, as that is supposedly coming with the Pixel 10, but it’ll nevertheless bring more performance — and no doubt, an even more specialized AI engine. Along with the new SoC and more RAM, we’re also expecting some design changes, not to mention even better camera hardware. Unfortunately, it seems that the rumors about a telephoto camera coming to the regular Pixel line were a bit too optimistic, but a new main sensor seems to still be coming to the Pixel 9.
Not only will it support faster wired charging, but it will also offer better wireless charging.
What’s more, the Pixel 9 has a distinct advantage over the Pixel 8a in the charging department. Not only will it support faster wired charging — the Pixel 8 already charges at 30W, and the upcoming generation is rumored to be even faster — but it will also offer better wireless charging. Thanks to the new Qi2 standard, you will be able to supply up to 15W of power wirelessly, which combined with magnetic attachment makes for a quick and convenient way to fill up your battery.
Google’s December Pixel Feature Drop brings new on-device AI features to the Pixel 8 Pro
In tandem with the launch of Google’s Gemini series of AI models, some Pixel owners can expect new tricks from their phones.
Why is buying the Pixel 8a now a good choice?
There’s more than a handful of advantages
With all these improvements coming to the Pixel series, you might think that holding on with the purchase might be a sensible thing to do now. Don’t rush to conclusions, though, as the Pixel 8a is not a punching bag and has a few advantages of its own over the upcoming flagship Pixel.
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Protect your new phone with these drop resistant, stylish, and budget-friendly cases.
You know what you’re getting, and you can get it now
Even though the supposed specs and improvements that the Pixel 9 is reportedly bringing to the table are looking pretty compelling, they are nothing more than rumors right now. It means that not only can they change, but also their implementation can be totally botched by Google, resulting in a phone that’s good on paper, but not that great in everyday use.
You can be sure that the whole package is working great, with a lot of reviewers.
The Pixel 8a, on the other hand, is a concrete device that you can buy right now. If you need a phone today, it’s here for you, and you can start using it almost instantly without the need to wait for a few more months. Moreover, you can be sure that the whole package is working great, with a lot of reviewers — like these — having tested the phone and concluding that it’s an amazing machine.
Google Pixel 8a arrives with Gemini AI at its core and 7 years of updates
There are still some feature cuts to keep the price in mid-range territory.
The A series represents unbeatable value
The Pixel 8a, when compared to the (rumored) specs of the Pixel 9, generally looks a bit worse across the board, but that shouldn’t be surprising. Not only is it a bit older, it’s also a mid-tier device, so there had to be some compromises.
For a sub-$500 phone, the Pixel 8a represents incredible value.
Saying that, for a sub-$500 phone, the Pixel 8a represents incredible value. It has an excellent camera, flagship-level performance and great build quality, topped off with excellent software with 7 years of support and great Pixel-specific features. What’s more, some cost-saving measures, such as using a plastic back, are not necessarily downsides, but rather stylistic choices that can have their own advantages, like higher durability of the back of the Pixel 8a.
Generally, the Pixel 8a is an excellent buy now, and Google is well known for its price reductions and discounts, so you can count on the Pixel 8a getting even cheaper with time, making it an excellent choice.
5 reasons why the Pixel 7a is a better deal than the Pixel 8a
Don’t write off last year’s model just yet.
Bottom line: Should you buy the Pixel 8a, or wait for the Pixel 9?
It’s most likely a win-win
Ultimately, one thing is pretty obvious — whether you choose to buy the Pixel 8a, or you decide to wait for the release of the Pixel 9, you shouldn’t be disappointed by either of these phones. As you can see, both choices have their distinct advantages.
The Pixel 8a is a more budget-friendly option that provides unmatched bang for your buck.
Pixel 8a is a more budget-friendly option that provides unmatched bang for your buck, with incredible specs, camera performance, and software support for years to come. Plus, it’s available right now, so if you’re strapped for time, there really is no point in torturing yourself just to get the still-unreleased Pixel 9.
On the other hand, the Pixel 9 is shaping up to be the flagship phone to beat this year, with improvements across the board coming to the smartphone, from the camera performance, to specs and design, and finally culminating in an unmatched AI performance that Google is rumored to implement into the upcoming pixel lineup.
So, both of these choices have their benefits, and the Pixel lineup is the most competitive it’s ever been. Whichever phone you end up picking, all you need is a few great apps, and you’re good to go.
11 essential apps I install first on any new Pixel phone
The Google Play Store is filled with high-quality Android apps. From Pulsar to Libby and Yuka, here are my top Google Pixel apps.
FAQ
Q: How much will the Pixel 9 cost?
With the new generation of Pixel devices still being technically just a rumor, we cannot say for sure how much the Pixel 9 will cost. That being said, we can speculate that Google shouldn’t stray far from the established pricing structure. That means the upcoming Pixel 9 should cost somewhere around the same price as the Pixel 8 — that is $699. Of course, you can expect a bit of a price hike because of inflation, but even if it happens, we’re not expecting it to exceed $749.
Q: When will the Pixel 9 be released?
Even though the Pixel 9 has not been announced yet, we can be quite certain about the release window of the upcoming smartphone. That’s thanks to the orderly fashion in which Google tends to present new generations of its Pixel line. Ever since the Pixel 6, every October we get a new Pixel release, and there are no reasons to think that anything is going to change this year. Therefore, you should expect the new Pixel 9 to be released sometime in October 2024.
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