The Google Pixel 8a: Six Big Upgrades Over the Pixel 7a
The Google Pixel 8a has just launched, and it comes with many upgrades that Pixel fans have been hoping for. These include some attractive new design flourishes, beefed-up hardware, a longer-lasting battery, and a higher-end display. You also get all the software features that make the Pixel series so appealing, including seven years of OS and security updates and Gemini Nano for more AI features.
1. The Tensor G3 chip
The Tensor G3 chip is the big selling point for most Pixel fans. This is the chip that launched earlier on the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. It’s based on Samsung’s 4-nanometer (4nm) fabrication process, making it more efficient than the 5nm G2. This will pay dividends in power efficiency, heat, and battery life.
2. Longer battery life
The Pixel 8a comes with a 4,492mAh battery, up from the 4,385mAh cell on the 7a. The increase in battery capacity, combined with the more power-efficient Tensor G3 and software optimizations, should result in a 15% increase in battery life compared to the Pixel 7a.
3. Feast your eyes on this screen
We’re most excited about the improvements to the Pixel 8a screen. It comes with a 6.1-inch 2400-by-1080 OLED panel with a crisp 430 pixels per inch (ppi). The resolution is the same as the Pixel 7a, but the Pixel 8a has a 120Hz refresh rate, making it notably smoother and more responsive-feeling than the 90Hz you got with the last generation.
4. Gemini Nano for more AI features
We’ve talked a lot about hardware, but one of the things we’re most excited about is what’s going on under the hood. The Pixel 8a is the only phone under $500 that comes with Gemini Nano, Google’s on-device AI that first came to the Pixel 8 Pro and Galaxy S24 series before rolling out to the Pixel 8. In short, Gemini Nano will allow the Pixel 8a to run certain AI features entirely on-device, allowing for faster AI operations without the need for an internet/data connection.
5. 7 years of updates
Last but by no means least, we have an underrated but incredibly compelling change — the Pixel 8a now provides seven years of OS and security updates, including Feature Drop updates. This is a big jump from the three years of major Android updates and five years of software support the Pixel 7a provides.
6. A matter of taste
The Pixel 8a isn’t a dramatic departure from its predecessor in design, coming with the same visor for the camera bump made out of aluminum and overall footprint, but it does come with several design flourishes Pixel fans might like.
For one, the Pixel 8a has a more rounded shape compared to the more angular Pixel 7a, so it may be slightly easier to grip with one hand. More significantly, the high gloss plastic back is gone in favor of a matte finish and satin aluminum frame. Ideally, that should make it less of a fingerprint magnet when you’re using it without a case.
Measurements aren’t much different, though, with the 8a measuring 6.0 by 2.9 by 0.4 inches (HWD) and weighing 6.8 ounces, essentially identical to the 7a. However, there’s an eye-catching new Aloe color option that looks kind of like a vivid mint green. This is in addition to the standard Obsidian, Porcelain, and Bay colors.
