by Every year, the best Pixel phones get better and better. Since the launch of the Pixel 6 devices, Google’s handsets have proven to be not only the best Android phones but also some of the best phones you can buy.
Back in October 2023, Google released its Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, and to cut a long story short, these are some of our favorite phones at Digital Spy. I write about technology for a living and I liked the Pixel 8 so much that I went out and bought one for myself. That’s saying something!
But recently, there is a new smartphone on the block, offering many of the same specifications and features as Google’s flagship, but for much less money. The Google Pixel 8a costs £499 at the time of writing, but the Pixel 8 is currently on sale for £629.
Further down the line, we expect to see Pixel 8a markets that drop the price even lower. Its predecessor, the Pixel 7a, was reduced to as little as £329 during sales such as Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. But if you’re buying a phone right now, the sub-£500 price point is still pretty good considering everything you get.
Why you should buy the Google Pixel 8a
Aside from how affordable it is, here are the top 5 reasons why you should buy the Google Pixel 8a as your next smartphone.
The Google Pixel 8a looks amazing
First of all, the Pixel 8a looks very similar to the flagship Pixel 8 phone, but with a new matte plastic casing instead of the glossy glass. That has its pros and cons – while it may look a little less premium, it feels a fair amount more durable.
The Google Pixel 8a also has a very respectable 6.1-inch screen with FHD+ quality, a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 2,000 nits peak brightness. Day to day, the display is beautiful to use, it’s crystal clear, super smooth, colorful and you can easily see it on a sunny day, which is more than you can say with many smartphones other budgets.
It has one of the best budget phone cameras
One of the biggest reasons why you should buy the Google Pixel 8a is because it has the best budget phone camera I’ve seen so far in 2024.
Although it doesn’t let in as much light as its flagship counterpart, the Pixel 8a uses an almost identical version. You consistently get detailed, well-balanced photos during the day and at night.
When I was testing the Pixel 8a, I loved that I could whip out the phone, press the shutter button and get a good looking photo. Point-and-shoot snapper is completely hassle-free. The reason it is able to do so well is because there is a lot of clever software working behind the scenes to improve pictures.
In addition, there are some really useful editing tools. Magic Eraser allows you to change, move and delete objects from your photos. Best Take combines images so everyone looks their best. The blur sharpens the photos. And Portrait light enhances the lighting in shots of people, making them look more professional.
You get a flagship processor
Another major advantage is the main Tensor G3 chipset powering the operation. Granted, it’s not as fast as the processor you’d find in one of Samsung’s best phones, but for the price it’s still very impressive. It takes all of Google’s best AI features in its stride, whether you’re editing your photos using the Magic Eraser, taking notes in a meeting using Live Transcribe , or filtering spam calls using Call Filtering.
The battery lasts all day
If you want a phone with solid battery life, the Google Pixel 8a is a great choice. On days when I didn’t use it much (turning off a few messages, playing the odd song on Spotify and occasionally scrolling through social media), it would last into the evening and even into the next morning without needing to be plugged in. .
When I spent more time on the handset, like if I was watching a show on one of the better streaming services, it would still last me most of the day and wouldn’t need to be charged until later the that night. Great!
The Google Pixel 8a wins on software
Software is perhaps one of the most compelling reasons to buy the Google Pixel 8a as it promises 7 years of software updates. That means as long as you don’t break or lose it, you’ll still get new feature drops until May 2031. By comparison, the Pixel 7a only promised 3 years of OS upgrades and the Samsung Galaxy A55 only provides four year updates.
Other than that, Google devices run the purest version of Android, and I think it’s the best version. It’s easy to use, colorful without being cartoonish and has tons of customization options. It also comes packed with cool software, many of which I’ve already mentioned, but there’s a lot more to talk about including the monochrome bedtime mode, turning the phone face down to Do Not Disturb and a free VPN built into the device.
The Google Pixel 8a is now available to buy from retailers such as Amazon, Argos, John Lewis and Currys.
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