Technology moves quickly, and as a tech reviewer, I’m forced to move on from devices within a few weeks of their release. It means I don’t get to live with any one phone long-term, making it harder to find perspective. The Google Pixel 8a is only a year old, but it’s already had a successor and several other Pixels released, serving as competition. If you own a Pixel 8a, you’re most likely pleased with your experience, and there will be no reason to part with it for years.
I love finding excellent value. When the price of the Pixel 6a dropped to $300, it became one of the best deals in technology, and I recommended it to everyone. The Pixel 8a has a chance to do even better, with its premium performance and more extended software support. You don’t have to compromise as much as you think to get a fantastic smartphone at a decent price.
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Google nailed the look
A gorgeous display and a compact design
It’s not the Super Actua panel Google fitted to the more expensive Google Pixel 8 Pro, but the Pixel 8a’s 6.1-inch Actua display is a significant improvement over previous Pixel A-series screens. The Pixel 7a’s panel was drab, and I love that Google focused on improving the user experience, giving us a bright, vibrant display on the Pixel 8a. It still looks gorgeous, and I enjoy using it to watch movies and play games. You’re limited to 1080p, but that’s less of an issue on a smaller screen, and you’ll find the same Gorilla Glass 3 protection used on the newer Pixel 9a.
The Pixel 8a is also compact, and its curved frame provides comfort in the hand that its successor doesn’t have. It’s hard to find smaller form factors in 2025, so I’m glad the Pixel 8a is still a viable alternative for those who don’t want their phone to weigh a ton or have a 6.9-inch display. For Pixel purists, the Pixel 8a does have the camera visor, so if you’re someone who mourned the loss of the camera band on the Pixel 9a, there’s hope.
Still gets the job done
Smooth performance and excellent battery life
I like the Google Tensor G3. It’s a capable chipset, and Google has ironed out many issues plaguing previous generations. The Tensor G2 suffered from overheating, resulting in performance drops and poor battery life. Google figured things out for the Tensor G3, and I’ve had nothing but good experiences. It may not run as cool as the current Tensor G4, but it’ll provide smooth performance and multitasking. You can do light gaming on your Pixel 8a. I wouldn’t expect to run Genshin Impact on high settings, but that’s not the focus of the Pixel experience.
The Pixel 8a is in the first wave of devices promised 7 years of support.
The Pixel 8a’s nearly 4,500mAh cell provides fantastic battery life. With mixed use, thanks to the more efficient Tensor G3 and smaller display, I get all-day battery life. The Pixel 7a was marred by poor performance and a lackluster battery, and Google went to work correcting both of those for the Pixel 8a. Sure, I love the Pixel 9a, but Google turned the corner with the Pixel 8a, and you won’t feel left out by spending less on last year’s phone.
It’s also hard to beat the Pixel 8a’s cameras below $400. It uses the older 64MP primary sensor, but you still get Google’s computational magic, producing crisp images, even in low lighting.
Classic Pixel software experience
6 years to go
The Pixel 8a is in the first wave of devices promised 7 years of support. It’ll be interesting to see how well they age, but it means that, unlike older smartphones of years past, they will remain viable for a long time. The Pixel 8a is already running Android 15, and it’ll get another 6 Android version upgrades, along with security updates. It means your Pixel 8a will be safe for your banking and personal apps for a long time, stretching even more value from its $300 price tag.
Due to its 8 GB of RAM, the Pixel 8a may not offer a full slate of Google Gemini features, but that doesn’t bother me. Gemini Live runs well, and features like Circle to Search are available. If you’re considering a Pixel, software is a primary reason, and the Pixel experience you know and love is on the Pixel 8a. I enjoy Now Playing and using Call Assist on the device. I also can’t wait to see how Android 16 runs on it, and I look forward to experiencing Material 3 Expressive on my Pixel 8a.
Plenty more to come
I’m looking forward to seeing more devices from Google and Samsung that offer 7 years of support. It may not matter to everyone, and you may wonder who keeps their smartphone for that long, but it’s not about that. It’s about finding a usable smartphone on the secondary market or picking up a device for a reasonable price that’s still secure. Software support is essential, and Google’s done an excellent job so far, bringing optimized software to older phones. So, while there are plenty of excellent budget smartphone options, it’s becoming increasingly attractive to check out phones from a year or two ago, especially if you love finding great value.
The Pixel 8a wants you to forget the Pixel 8 ever existed. With some crucial upgrades over its predecessor, including a brighter display, faster processor, and larger battery, Google’s latest mid-range smartphone is the perfect combo of speed and AI smarts. And with seven years of OS upgrades, it’s the longest lasting $500 smartphone you can find today.
