Google Pixel 9a preview: Raising (and removing) the bar

After weeks of leaks and rumours, Google has finally officially unveiled its latest mid-range phone, the Google Pixel 9a. This handset joins the lineup as the replacement for our current favourite mid-ranger, the Google Pixel 8a.

While the Pixel 8a remains a tangible threat, there are several upgrades that could help the Pixel 9a pull ahead: a new processor, a larger battery, more robust build, new main camera and deeper bench of editing features all could see the Google Pixel 9a being better value for money than its predecessor. Key to that is the fact that Google has avoided a price increase for this generation.

We’ll know for sure when it comes time for the full review but for now, the Pixel 9a has made a strong first impression on me – even if the new design feels far less iconic.

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Google Pixel 9a preview: Specifications, price and release date

• Octa-core 3.1GHz Google Tensor G4 processor
• 6.3in, 2,424 x 1,080, 120Hz pOLED display
• 8GB RAM
• 128GB or 256GB of storage
• 5,100mAh battery
• 27W wired charging, 15W wireless charging
• IP68 dust and water resistance
• Android 15; Seven years of software support
• Dimensions (WDH): 73 x 8.9 x 154mm
• Weight: 186g
• Colours: Obsidian (black); Porcelain (white); Iris (purple); Peony (pink)
• UK price: £499 (128GB); £559 (256GB)
• UK release date: On-shelf April 2025; see more at Google

Google Pixel 9a preview: Design and key new features

Right away we can see that Google has made a fairly drastic design choice and removed the full width camera bar that we last saw on the Pixel 8a. I already wasn’t a massive fan of the redesign on the rest of the Pixel 9 series but this feels even more generic. The tiny camera bump is essentially the same as the pill-shaped housing on the Pixel 8a, just with the camera bar removed, so it isn’t even any kind of engineering feat.

I have much more positive feelings about the rest of the design, at least. I found the fingerprint-attracting glossy edges of the Pixel 9 Pro and co to be a misstep, so it’s great to see the aluminium frame with a matte finish here. The new colours are eye-catching, too, with the pinky Peony and lilac-adjacent Iris joining the standard black and white. It’s a much broader choice than Apple is offering with its iPhone 16e (just black or white).

The Pixel 9a is a little taller and wider than the Pixel 8a, measuring 73 x 154mm, but it retains the same 8.9mm thickness and weighs a couple of grams less, at 186g. It’s also a little more robust than its predecessor, with the dust and water resistance rating upped from IP67 to IP68.

Accompanying that slightly larger build is a more expansive 6.3in pOLED display, with a marginally higher 1,080 x 2,424 resolution and the same 120Hz peak refresh rate as before. Once again, there are fairly thick bezels bordering the screen and Gorilla Glass 3 for scratch protection. Google claims this is the brightest display on any Pixel a-series phone to date, with a claimed peak of 2,700 nits.

Looking to the internals, we’ve got the same Google Tensor G4 chipset used by the rest of the Pixel 9 series, paired here with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage. The battery is a fair bit larger than the Pixel 8a’s (5,100mAh compared to 4,492mAh), which could be significant, and wired charging has improved slightly from 18W to 23W. Wireless charging, alas, remains at the bare minimum of 7.5W.

We’ve got a new main camera for this generation, with a 48-megapixel resolution (lower than the Pixel 8a’s 64-megapixel unit) and an f/1.7 aperture, which is wider than the Pixel 8a’s f/1.9. I was a big fan of the Pixel 8a’s main camera so we’ll have to see if this rejiggering of specifications is a move for the better or worse when it comes to the full review.

Otherwise, the cameras are the same as before, with a 13-megapixel (f/2.2) ultrawide lens sat alongside the main camera and another 13-megapixel (f/2.2) unit in a holepunch notch at the top of the display for selfie shots.

On the software front, the Google Pixel 9a runs Android 15 out of the box and is getting the same seven years of Pixel feature drops, OS updates and security patches as all of Google’s current lineup. All the Gemini features that the Pixel 8a enjoyed are returning here, as well as the generative AI Pixel Studio, auto-reframing and re-imaging for the Magic Editor and the Add Me feature, which composites the photo taker into group shots.

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Google Pixel 9a preview: Early verdict

The Google Pixel 8a has been my favourite mid-range phone since it was released and based on this first look, the Pixel 9a could well step neatly in to claim that crown. I miss the camera bar already, but that feels like a small issue when compared with how much potential the Pixel 9a has elsewhere.

I’m particularly interested to see if that much larger battery can deliver an equally substantial jump in battery life. All will become clear when I get my hands on a Pixel 9a in the near future, so be sure to check back in soon for my full review, to see if Google has produced another fantastic mid-range phone.