I thought the budget phone market was in shambles – then I held Google's latest Pixel

We’ve reached the point in the mobile industry where every new upgrade is a game of “Find the differences.” Whether it’s the iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, or Google Pixel, consumers need to dig a little deeper to uncover what’s actually new among buzzwords that have existed for years. 

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This is especially true with the new Google Pixel 9a, which sells for the same $499 starting price as last year’s Pixel 8a. The display size is now different, but the quality of it is the same. The battery size is now different, but the charging speeds are the same. 

Even the new Iris color, which dances between blue and purple, is different, but its pastel hues are the same as any other Googlified finish. But that’s always been the appeal of these midrange handsets, right? As our sister site CNET’s Patrick Holland writes, “The Pixel 9A’s design might raise eyebrows, but the price is right.”

It would be an understatement to say that Google is playing it safe this year, at least with the A-series of Pixel devices. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Pixel 9a feels as comfortable to hold as its predecessors, with a 6.3-inch display that’s easy to manage and swipe around, and welcome upgrades in general. 

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That 120Hz OLED screen is slightly larger than the Pixel 8a’s 6.1-inch frame, but it aligns with the rest of the Pixel 9 family, including the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro Fold. It’s all about consistency here.

The display is also much brighter this time around, with a peak of 2,700 nits (up from 2,000), making the Pixel 9a a little more readable under direct light. Just don’t stare at the screen too closely, as the bezels are thicker than ever, with a black border that makes it very clear what price tier the phone falls in. This is mostly me nitpicking, as all the futuristic-looking phones I saw at MWC are still in mind.

This year, there are four color options: Obsidian (Black), Porcelain (White), Peony (Pink), and Iris, the latter of which Google says is the hero color, with purplish-blue hues. I don’t have strong feelings for any of the finishes, but seeing them in person did make me admire the Pixel launcher’s consistent application of color-matching icons. 

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The themed aesthetics across the wallpapers, icons, and phone colors is something I’ve yet to see other Android makers, including Samsung and OnePlus, do as well as Google does.

Keeping the phone in line with the rest of the Pixel 9 series, Google upgraded the Pixel 9a processor to the Tensor G4, boosting overall performance, power efficiency, and AI workflows. Thanks to the new chip and just enough RAM (8GB) to squeeze by, the mid-range Pixel now supports imaging tools like Add Me, Astrophotography, Pixel Studio, and more. Google says users who want more RAM should opt for its more premium Pixel 9 Pro models.

The photo-editing tools should play well with the 48-megapixel main camera, which, while seemingly inferior to the 64MP sensor on the Pixel 8a, is expected to capture greater detail and depth thanks to the f/1.7 aperture. It’s a similar main camera as the $1,799 Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and is paired with the same 13MP ultra-wide lens as the Pixel 8a. I’ll have to see how it fares in real-world testing, but the sensor is promising.

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Rounding out the changes this year is an upgraded IP68 rating to withstand deeper water and dust ingress, a larger 5,100mAh battery (up from 4,492mAh), and a more flush camera module on the back. Notably, that’s the largest battery capacity on any Google Pixel phone, including the Pro Fold and XL.

The rest of the Pixel 9a is about the same as the Pixel 8a, including the wired and wireless charging speeds, seven-year promise of software and security updates, storage options, and price. Altogether, you’re looking at a package that undercuts Apple’s recent iPhone 16e ($600) while offering a more competitive set of features and capabilities. The Pixel 9a will be available in April at Google and major retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.