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Starting at $499, the Pixel 9a is the most affordable member of Google’s Pixel 9 lineup. It takes everything that’s great about the $799 Pixel 9 and subtracts some nice-to-haves like mmWave 5G, reverse wireless charging, and satellite messaging. That still leaves a bright and sharp display, a powerful Tensor G4 processor, sharp cameras, Gemini AI, and a long software support window. With these flagship-level features, the Pixel 9a easily stands out as the most well-rounded handset you can buy for less than $500, earning it our Editors’ Choice award for midrange Android phones.
Design and Features: A Cut Above the Rest
Measuring 6.1 by 2.9 by 0.4 inches (HWD) and weighing 6.6 ounces, the Pixel 9a is just a bit taller and lighter than the outgoing Pixel 8a (6.0 by 2.9 by 0.4 inches, 6.8 ounces). It’s taller and thicker than the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro (starting at $999), both of which measure 6.0 by 2.8 by 0.3 inches and 7.0 ounces. Meanwhile, Apple’s iPhone 16e (starting at $599) is smaller at 5.8 by 2.8 by 0.3 inches and 5.9 ounces.
Google has turned half a page as far as design is concerned. The 9a is distinct from the other Pixel 9s thanks to its flat back panel that nixes the camera bar. A small black bezel surrounds the dual rear camera array, which protrudes only slightly from the surface. From all other angles, the 9a closely resembles its Pixel siblings with its flat front and flat sides.
The power button and volume rocker are on the right side, while a USB-C port (v3.2), down-firing speaker, and SIM tray are on the bottom edge. The buttons are clicky with good travel. The large screen is covered in Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and surrounded by a relatively thick bezel compared with the Gorilla Glass Victus and thin bezels of the other Pixels, but it’s not distracting. The Pixel 9a doesn’t support microSD cards and has no 3.5mm headphone jack.
A fingerprint sensor is located under the display. More importantly, the front-facing camera near the top of the display powers facial recognition for biometric authentication that is secure enough for sensitive applications like banking. The fingerprint sensor and facial recognition worked without issue in testing.
The phone’s metal frame elegantly transitions into the front glass and the 81% recycled plastic back. The back panel’s sandblasted finish gives it a smooth, matte look and a good grip.
The Pixel 9a is available in Iris (lavender), Obsidian (black), Peony, or Porcelain (white). I received the Iris model for testing. Its purple shade is subtle and frequently appears as blue depending on the light. It’s a good look, and I’m happy that Google offers affordable phones in fun colors instead of just black or white.
For durability, the Pixel 9a is rated IP68, which means it can withstand water and dust, just like the other Pixel 9 models. This is an improvement over the Pixel 8a’s lesser IP67 rating.
Display: Bigger, Brighter, and Better
Spec for spec, the Pixel 9a has the same display as the Pixel 9. It’s a 6.3-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 2,424 by 1,080 pixels, a density of 422 pixels per inch, a refresh rate from 60 to 120Hz, and a maximum brightness of 1,800 nits for HDR content and 2,700 nits at its peak. It’s larger and brighter than the Pixel 8a’s 6.1-inch display, which reaches a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits.
The 9a’s bright display makes it easy to use the device outdoors, even under sunlight. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16e features a 6.1-inch screen with a resolution of 2,532 by 1,170 pixels, a fixed refresh rate of 60Hz, and a peak brightness of 1,200 nits.
Performance: A Pixel With More Pep
The Pixel 9a uses the exact same Tensor G4 processor found in the rest of the 9 series. Google says it has the same number of CPU, GPU, and NPU cores, which are all at the same clock speeds as in the pricier Pixels. It comes with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB ($499) or 256GB ($599) of storage.
In Geekbench 6, which measures raw CPU Power, the 9a earned a single-core score of 1,704 and a multi-core score of 4,425. These numbers are a moderate jump from the Pixel 8a’s 1,545 and 4,208 but essentially the same as the Pixel 9’s 1,742 and 4,573. The iPhone 16e destroyed them all with scores of 3,441 and 8,362.
On the PCMark Work 3.0 test, which measures how a phone performs general mobile tasks, the 9a scored 12,857, which is another small improvement over the 8a’s 11,982.
To assess graphics performance, we use the GFXBench Aztec Ruins test. The phone ran it at 68fps, which is well ahead of the 8a’s 55fps and the 16e’s 58.8fps.
In general, the Pixel 9a is competitive with the rest of the Pixel 9 lineup, with scores that sometimes exceed even the Pro line. It’s worth noting, however, that the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, and 9 Pro XL all have 12GB of RAM, which might help with multitasking and some AI tasks. Check out all the Pixel 9 benchmarks below:
For real-world gaming performance, we play the resource-intensive Genshin Impact. The Pixel 9a had no problem with the game, whether it was set to medium or high graphics at 60 frames per second. The gameplay and animations were smooth, with no dropped frames or slowdowns. The back of the phone becomes warm during longer gaming sessions but not hot.
Battery Life: Big and Long-Lasting
The Pixel 9 packs the largest battery in the entire 9 series at 5,100mAh (the 9 Pro XL comes close at 5,060mAh). Its maximum wired charging speed is 23W (up from 18W in the 8a), and it charges wirelessly at up to 7.5W. Reverse wireless charging is unavailable, though it is supported by the remaining Pixels (except for the 9 Pro Fold).
In our battery rundown test, in which we stream a 1080p video over Wi-Fi with the screen at full brightness, the Pixel 9a lasted 13 hours and 15 minutes, which is a 60-minute improvement over the Pixel 8a and a 90-minute improvement over the Pixel 9. It’s surprising to see the cheapest Pixel supersede its peers here. The iPhone 16e is on another level at 21 hours and 39 minutes.
Google doesn’t include a charger in the box. When connected to a compatible fast charger, the 9a reached 23% in 15 minutes, 47% in 30 minutes, and 100% in 1 hour and 35 minutes. That’s not a record, but it’s quick enough.
Connectivity: Fast and Reliable
For connectivity, the phone supports sub-6GHz 5G with C-band frequencies but not mmWave like the Pixel 8a or the rest of the 9 series, which means wireless data speeds will be limited compared with those models. Google didn’t have an answer when asked why it dropped mmWave support.
The phone also includes Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, dual-band GPS, and Wi-Fi 6E. The 9a can hold one physical SIM card and operate one eSIM.
On T-Mobile’s 5G UC network in New York City, the phone reached a maximum download speed of 384Mbps and an upload speed of 67.1Mbps. For comparison, a Pixel 9 Pro reached 412Mbps down and 44.4Mbps up in the same location.
When connected to a Wi-Fi 6 access point, the Pixel 9a reached peak speeds of 441Mbps down and 5.39Mbps up. The 9 Pro hit 392Mbps down and 4.68Mbps up in the same spot. When I took the phones to the limits of my Wi-Fi network, both performed well. The 9a reached 244Mbps down and 11.2Mbps up, while the 9 Pro reached 298Mbps down and 9.59Mbps up.
Unlike the Pixel 9a, the 9, 9 Pro, and 9 Pro XL all support emergency satellite messaging services and are better choices if you often travel far from terrestrial wireless networks.
Audio: Clear Calls
Call quality on the Pixel 9a is good. In a test recording, my voice sounded clear even over loud background noise. In such cases, you hear only the faintest amount of the noise underneath.
To test call volume, I press a decibel meter to the earpiece with the volume all the way up, where it reached 76.4dB. I conduct speakerphone tests with the same decibel meter placed six inches away from the phone’s down-firing speaker. Here, the 9a reached 77.2dB. I find volumes at or above 70dB easy to hear, and the Pixel 9a meets this threshold.
To gauge media playback, I use the same six-inch test. The 9a emits sound from the earpiece and down-firing speaker. When playing Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” the Pixel 9a put out 92.2dB. The lowest bass notes of The Knife’s “Silent Shout” weren’t easily audible. For a richer audio experience, pick up a pair of good Bluetooth headphones.
Camera Quality: First-Rate Imagery
The Google Pixel 9a has a 48MP camera at f/1.7 with optical image stabilization (OIS). This is a change from the 8a’s 64MP f/1.89 main camera, but thanks to the 9a’s larger aperture, it lets in more light than the 8a and is better at low-light photography. Google carries over the 13MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera from the 8a.
Generally, images from the main and ultra-wide cameras are pleasing and consistent. Colors are bright, though slightly oversaturated, and photos have excellent detail.
The 9a’s main camera takes 12MP images thanks to pixel binning, and the resulting shots are nearly identical to the Pixel 9 Pro’s. You cannot take full-resolution pictures with the default camera app; this is a feature Google limits to its Pro line.
Shots from the ultra-wide camera are tonally the same as the main camera, though you’ll notice some warping in the corners.
The Pixel 9a and 9 don’t have a telephoto camera, but the 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL do. The 9a and 9 support Google’s hybrid Super Zoom, but the 9 Pro and Pro XL have superior optical chops when it comes to zooming in on faraway subjects.
Like the Pixel 8a, the Pixel 9a features a 13MP f/2.2 front-facing camera. Once again, colors are a bit oversaturated and the overall image is brightened. Details are well preserved. Portrait images look good, but glasses and fine details like hair can get lost in the mix.
As for video, the 9a shoots up to 4K resolution at 60fps on the rear and up to 4K30 on the front. Both cameras capture realistic color and fine details. The rear camera’s OIS yields mostly smooth video, but there’s some slight bumpiness here and there. Meanwhile, the front-facing camera doesn’t have OIS, so be sure to steady yourself when shooting with it.
Software: AI Tricks Galore
Google ships the Pixel 9a with Android 15, and the phone will get OS updates, feature drops, and security fixes for seven years. This length of commitment is matched only by Samsung.
The Pixel 9a shares many of the same AI-enhanced photography tools as the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro. For an in-depth look at each feature, check out my Pixel 9 Pro XL review. Here, I’ll provide a general overview.
Google’s AI photography tools take care of unblurring images and face replacement, so group shots look great. The 9a supports Add Me, which allows the photographer to join a group photo. The camera app walks you through the steps to make things simple. Auto Frame lets the phone crop or expand your shot for a better-composed image, and Reimagine lets you easily change the background of a picture with a few taps.
The Pixel 9a handles all of these duties quickly; I didn’t notice any significant difference in processing time compared with the Pixel 9. These advanced features are explained in an easy-to-understand way, so you can make major edits to your photos without needing to learn much.
Google’s Gemini AI assistant continues to impress with its ability to see your screen or see the world through your camera. I used Gemini Live for tips on improving my photos, and it helpfully guided me through the menus to make the needed adjustments. It’s great to see this level of AI capability on a sub-$500 phone.
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