Pixel 10a vs Pixel 8a: The smartest move might be to wait

The Pixel 9a was proof of how much we love Google’s A-series phones. They’ve perfected the value proposition by offering the best of performance and camera features we expect from premium Google phones in a package that costs under $500. With this year’s Pixel 10a, my expectations were high because, year after year, Google has either met them or surpassed them.

However, the Pixel 10a has turned out to be a mixed bag. It makes some choices I’m not particularly a fan of, and it’s not exactly a tempting package for anyone coming from the Pixel 8a.

The new Pixel 10a has quite a lot going for it — and in a good way. It builds on the Pixel 9a’s design to now offer a completely flat back, which is something you just cannot find on any modern phone these days. It’s almost an engineering feat. It would genuinely be refreshing to use a phone that lies flat on the table without anything protruding from the back.

Google has also worked out better charging speeds alongside a bigger battery. The Pixel 10a supports 10W wireless and 30W wired charging, which is a solid jump from previous A-series phones. And the 10a doesn’t lag on the AI front either. It now comes with some flagship AI features like Camera Coach and Add Me that were first introduced with the Pixel 9 and 10 series. It’s also borrowing the Emergency SOS tool from its flagship siblings.

It’s brimming with features, but its biggest problem is the processor choice. No, I’m not blaming Tensor for its widely discussed performance shortcomings. I’m questioning the fact that Google decided to stick with the Tensor G4 instead of using the newer Tensor G5 from the Pixel 10 series.

I’m assuming Google made this call to keep the price under $500, but it’s a departure from what we’ve seen with Pixel A-series phones so far, which have traditionally matched their premium siblings in processor choice. That’s not the case with the Pixel 10a.

The Pixel 10a also doesn’t offer Qi2-based magnetic charging like the rest of the 10-series lineup. That feature alone would have made me recommend the Pixel 10a to Pixel 8a users in a heartbeat. But sadly, that’s not the case.

Mostly because of the chipset choice Google has made, the Pixel 10a feels only marginally better than the Pixel 9a. When the 9a came out last year, we suggested holding on to the 8a because the upgrades were few and far between. And that notion hasn’t really changed this year either.

But I agree that the processor alone cannot carry the weight of this decision. That’s why I chewed over everything else the Pixel 10a improves over the Pixel 8a. Still, I’d say that if you own a Pixel 8a, you’re better off holding on to it for another year.

The Tensor G4 is identical to the G3 on the 8a. The RAM and storage options haven’t changed. The 600mAh battery increase would translate into only a little extra usage time. And while the display is now brighter at peak, 2,000 nits was already more than sufficient for outdoor use.

My reasoning is simple: the delta between the Pixel 8a and the 10a is so small that the changes would likely go unnoticed. You’d feel like you aren’t even using a new phone — except for not feeling the camera bump with your index finger anymore.

Counting them individually, there are several minor updates that could have collectively made a meaningful difference in everyday use. But Google’s decision to stick to Tensor G4 for another year is holding them back from feeling transformative.

If you purchased the Pixel 8a for $500, it tells me you care about value. And with Google’s commitment to seven years of Android updates, you likely intend to use it for a long time, too. On both those grounds, though, the Pixel 10a struggles to make a strong case.

It doesn’t feel like the leap that justifies spending half a grand again. Secondly, with five more years of Android updates remaining, the Pixel 8a still has a solid life ahead of it.

Even though Pixel phones are some of my favorite handsets, they unfortunately don’t hold trade-in value the way iPhones do. So, giving away your Pixel 8a for cheap and spending another $300 on the Pixel 10a doesn’t make practical sense to me.

I know this may sound like I’m portraying the Pixel 10a as a terrible phone, but I’m not. For someone in the market right now looking for a phone under $500, the Pixel 10a is an easy sell in the Android space — especially for its updated design, brighter display, stronger battery, and camera capabilities.

However, for someone on a Pixel 8a, this upgrade makes sense only in certain scenarios. I’d pick the Pixel 10a without a second thought if I were on a Pixel 7a or an older budget Google phone because coming from those devices would actually feel like a noticeable upgrade.

For existing Pixel 8a owners, the Pixel 10a only makes sense if your current phone is giving you major trouble or if you plan on handing the 8a down to someone in your family and want a fresh device within a $500 budget.

But if I had a slightly flexible budget, I would seriously consider spending another $100–$200 on the standard Pixel 10 instead. The extra flagship perks, like a telephoto camera and exclusive AI tricks, make that stretch worthwhile.