The Google Pixel 8a starts at $499 for 128 GB and $559 for 256 GB (Obsidian only)
Things I like:
- Brighter screen and now upto 120 Hz
- 256 GB option, weirdly for the obsidian color only. Aloe and bay are nicer! (Also annoying how Google phones don’t have microSD card slots because they offer Google Drive. smh this company)
- Will get Gemini Nano for on-device AI
- 7 years of OS updates
Rest is pretty much the same.
Google Store, Amazon and Best Buy are offering a $100 gift card for pre-ordering. Best Buy and Google Store are accepting trade-ins - you’ll have to compare to see which one is offering the most value for your phone. Best Buy gift card will be more useful than a Google Store gift card though.
If you can wait half a year or so, it should drop to about $375 like the previous A phones have, making it a solid bang for your buck.
MKBHD says to get the 8 over the 8a but I disagree. The improvements are marginal. Unless you really need wireless power sharing, the 8a offers pretty much everything the 8 does if slightly slower.
Best Buy gift card + trade-in or waiting till a price drop make it more enticing than paying $500 for the Pixel 8.
I’m plenty happy with my 6a so I’m going to hold onto it.
I got a 6a for € 232 last week. Enjoying it quite a bit.
Got a 7a this week, its super Nice
also, if the 8 can go from 699 to 549
then why won’t 8a go from 499 to 399 or lower?It can and most likely will. Why MKBHD did not consider that puzzles me.
Does it have a headphone jack
Nope
Headphone jack was killed as of the 5a
My Pixel 4a’s battery is on the wane, so this may be my next phone.
Probably wait for a price drop though because I’m not desperate for it at the moment.
The 7a is great, no reason the 8a wouldn’t also be. Go for it!
Mine too, but the lack of headphone jack kills it for me. I may end up getting an expensive Sony as there aren’t many choices left that aren’t gigantic garbage phones.
As previously announced for the Pixel 8, the 8a will be getting on-device Gemini Nano — in a future update — as a developer option that users can enable for Recorder Summarization, better Gboard replies, and Magic Compose in Messages.
I’m guessing there is a negative in enabling this feature if it’s going to be tucked in developer settings. Likely increased app reloads and the phone running hotter.
And even more collecting of your data.
GrapheneOS removes all google garbage and sandboxes apps, along with other security and privacy enhancements.
Android sandboxes apps anyway, what GrapheneOS does is allow you to install Google Play Services in a sandbox so you can use it without granting it the admin-level permissions it usually demands.
For those coming from the 6/6a, the in display fingerprint sensor is much better now
Interesting. Did a reviewer mention this or were you able to try the device yourself?
I’m one of the few who has had zero issues with the 6a fingerprint sensor. Sure it’s a little slower but it works accurately for me.
Cuz I went from the 6a to the 8 and it’s definitely much better and rejects a lot less. The 8a has the same sensor. Still has the annoying bright backlight though, unlike the Samsung in display fingerprint sensor. But it’s not really a big deal if you’re already used to it on the 6a and it doesn’t bother you.
Currently have a 6a, the fingerprint sensor was garbage when I first got it but Google really did some work to improve it over the years. It’s not perfect but it works.
Weird. I never had a single issue with the fingerprint sensor on the 6a, it literally works every time. It’s just a little slow, it could maybe be a little bit faster. But you know what’s a bad fingerprint sensor? Touch ID on older iPhones. That shit is terrible, never works for me.
The design is really pretty
Damn Nit are up to 1000… Wasn’t the nexus 4 400?
is there any reason to update to 8a from pixel 6,or should I wait until 9 or 10?
7 years guaranteed updates. Otherwise nah- not really.
And even then you can wait til a pixel 9a or 10 comes out next year when the pixel 6 is no longer given updates.
Looks like a solid choice. I like the matte plastic back and wireless charging. This is a good recommendation for a mid price phone, although personally I am not a fan of Pixels barebones android.
This might be my next phone. I’m still rocking the Pixel 5a which has updates until August and thanks to its OtterBox it’s still in great condition. But IDK, might end up installing a custom ROM.
I’m still rocking my 4a but I’m looking to upgrade soonish. Screen is cracked, especially around the front cam making it useless. The USB-C port is in a terrible state and will barely connect with my charters anymore.
Might get this one. I looked into the new Fairphone but I just couldn’t justify the price for a device that’s barely better than what I already have
I should also take a look at previous pixel models. I don’t need better performance. The only things I would like to improve on is getting 5g, wireless charging so loose ports aren’t a problem anymore, and a better camera.
You can get your screen and USB ports replaced at a local fixit place. shop around
I considered it, but the battery life has become terrible too. I’m pretty sure the front camera lens is shattered too, nooit just the screen. I could live with just fixing the port if I wasn’t going on a big international vacation later this year. I really need a good battery for that, and at that point I’d rather just buy something new.
Well batteries are replacement items, too.
You can probably get all three done together for fairly cheap once they get working on it.
I could buy a new pixel 4a for under €200. On ifixit a new screen is €100, battery €40, usb-c port €30. After shipping costs and paying someone to do the work it would be more expensive and the front camera lens would still be broken. Fixing it really isn’t worth it, and if I’m buying new I might as well go for an upgraded model that’s gonna get updates for longer.
Also you can repurpose an old phone as a Webcam, and many other uses
Hey, it had a good, hard life and went down fighting. That’s all you can ask for.
Bruh I just got the OnePlus 12… Welp…
Pixel pricing is horrendous in my region anyway.
That is a very cute blue.
190 grams is too heavy. Phones shouldn’t be more than 165.
