Google Pixel 9a

1. Zooming in on the desig

Google ditched the camera bar for this oval thing that just melts into the back. It’s less wobbly, which is nice, but also, it’s kinda boring. The matte, recycled plastic doesn’t pick up fingerprints, but if you’re hoping to flex your phone, this ain’t it. At least it’s got an aluminum frame, and the IP68 rating means you can drop it in the sink and not cry. Color options? Iris (a sort of chill purple), Obsidian, Peony, and Porcelain. Iris is the wildest, and it’s still pretty subtle.

1. Display’s a win.

It’s sharp, bright (2700 nits!), and the 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling feel buttery. Is it as bright as the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra? Nope. But it spanks the iPhone 16e, so Google can brag about that. One thing—bezels are kinda chunky, which gives off budget phone vibes. Not a dealbreaker, but c’mon Google, it’s 2025.

1. Camera time.

The 48MP main and 13MP ultrawide are classic Pixel: detailed, vibrant, nails it in low light. Night Sight, Astrophotography, Macro Focus—Google’s throwing everything in but the kitchen sink. Selfies look good, and you can shoot 4K video. AI features like Magic Eraser and Photo Unblur are neat, but sometimes you wait a few seconds for processing. Just enough time to question your life choices.

1. Charging and battery?

Here’s the thing: the 5100 mAh battery is a beast. I literally went a day and a half between charges, and that’s with heavy use. But, and this is a big but, charging is slow. Like, I’d start charging and forget about it. No charger in the box, too, which is just classic 2020s phone nonsense.

1. Performance:

Tensor G4 chip, same as the Pixel 9. It’s fast. Opens apps quick, no lag for normal stuff, games like Genshin Impact run decently (medium settings though, don’t get cocky). It gets a bit warm if you push it, but nothing scary. Not as beastly as the iPhone 16e, but honestly, you probably won’t notice unless you’re a benchmark nerd.