Pixel 8 vs Pixel A: Which Google Phone Gives You the Best Value for Your Money

Pixel 8 vs Pixel A: Which Google Phone Gives You the Best Value for Your Money

Pixel 8 vs Pixel A: Which One Offers Better Value?

I got to be honest with you guys. I absolutely love the Pixel, but with the holidays coming up and deals popping up everywhere, a lot of you might be considering the Pixel A. I know it’s Google’s most affordable model in this tech season, but after the release of the Pixel 8, I’m not so sure the A is the stellar deal it used to be. So, before you buy anything, watch this video because I strongly believe the Pixel 8 is a better value for your dollar in every way. And of course, if you find videos like these helpful, consider subscribing to the Google YouTube channel as we have a lot more Android and Pixel content coming your way.

Quick Refresher

Now, to understand why I want to steer people towards the Pixel 8, I think we need to set the stage a bit. The Pixel A came out in May 2023, about six months ago at this point, and honestly, it did, and still does, have a lot going for it. It’s a strong mid-range device with an affordable price, especially on sale, where we saw it as low as $349 during an Amazon sale. And with that, you got the classic Pixel software experience with years of updates, smooth performance, and a few feature drops. Plus, the camera system was pretty respectable for its price range. I can’t stress it enough: the Pixel A is a good phone, but I think a lot of those benefits are overshadowed by the Pixel 8. Let’s look at the design.

Design

Pixel A Design

For example, the Pixel A has that last-generation Pixel design with the bubbly, rounded corners and the classic camera bar style that everyone loves. No doubt, this phone has a ton of personality. It feels cozy in the hand, and the matte side rails and matte plastic back give it a super soft touch. Some even described it as being pebble-like in the hand, which I totally agree with. For some reason, it feels much smaller than it actually is, even though it’s almost the same exact size as the base Pixel 8.

Pixel 8 Design

Then, you take a look at the new design language, and it’s clear Google has gone for a much more modern look. You’ve heard it a million times at this point, I’m sure—with the flat side rails, the boxy shape, and the island-style camera module. It’s a whole new look and feel compared to previous Pixels. Of course, the design preference is subjective, and to be fair, the Pixel A’s design is great, especially for a more affordable model. But there’s no denying the Pixel 8 has a more refined and mature aesthetic.

Display

Pixel A Display

The display is another area where the Pixel A holds up well too. It’s a 6.1-inch 60Hz OLED display that maxes out at 1,000 nits peak brightness, which is awesome for outdoor visibility, and there’s also HDR support. Honestly, I have zero complaints on the display as it’s sharp, colorful, smooth, and pretty close in quality to the Pixel 8, if we’re being real here. Sure, the bezels are a bit unsightly, and yes, the Gorilla Glass 3 display on mine has picked up some pretty big scratches, but for a more affordable device, this is somewhat expected.

Software

Pixel A Software Features

And the software, well, there’s a lot to like here too. The Pixel A nails the core Pixel experience with all the staples, like Now Playing, call screening, spam detection for texts (which has helped so much during the election cycle, by the way), plus Circle to Search, and much, much more. Android 13, as small of an update as it was, brought more features too, like theft detection, remote lock, private space, and adaptive vibration.

Plus, we got the updated Pixel Weather app, although it’s missing the AI overview for the time being. Speaking of Pixel apps, I’m sad to say we haven’t gotten any of the other new ones released alongside the Pixel 8 series, like Pixel Studio for image generation and Pixel Screenshot that uses AI to make those more manageable. We’re not sure when or if those will ever make their way to the Pixel A, which is another benefit the Pixel 8 has over it.

Camera

Pixel A Camera Performance

Alright, let’s talk about cameras. Here is where the Pixel A uses the same sensor as the Pixel 6A, which, let’s face it, is getting a bit tired at this point. It’s still good, mind you, but it doesn’t reach those top-tier levels of performance like the Pixel 8 does. That said, Google’s computational photography algorithms work their magic here, squeezing every bit of quality out of that aging sensor. But if you’re planning on doing a lot of digital zoom past 5x or 10x, let’s say, or want to take high-quality low-light shots, the Pixel 8 will give you significantly better results.

Pixel 8 Camera Improvements

On the plus side, the Pixel A can still take advantage of Google’s signature camera features like Magic Editor, Audio Magic Eraser (which was newly added in a feature drop), and Face Unblur. But it’s still missing some of the newer additions like Reimagine with Magic Editor, AD Me, and Super Res Zoom video. Either way, for the average everyday shooter, I think the Pixel A cameras will be a solid performer. But again, this is where the Pixel 8 pulls ahead, as it uses a newer computational photography algorithm and has a significantly better ultra-wide lens, which should serve you well for many years to come.

Common Pixel A Issues

On the surface, the Pixel A seems like a competitive device, but you do need to know that this phone does carry some of the core issues from the last generation that, thankfully, Google fixed with the Pixel 8. For one, thermals and heat management are significantly better on the Pixel 8. The A’s Tensor G2 chip, while decent performance-wise, still has that last-gen tendency to get warm and be inefficient. Cellular performance is another area where we see last-gen issues, as the A can experience more heat and battery drain while on data—something largely resolved in the Pixel 8 series.

Fingerprint Sensor and Charging Speeds

And let’s not forget the older, less reliable optical fingerprint scanner on the A compared to the ultrasonic one on the Pixel 8. To be clear, it is a notable difference in speed and accuracy, with significantly fewer unlock failures—probably one of my favorite additions of the Pixel 8. I almost forgot, though, the charging speeds are also a big pain point for me regarding the Pixel A. I realize not everyone cares about this, as most people just charge their devices overnight. But if, for some reason, you need to top up in the middle of the day, good luck. Wired speeds are fine at 18W, getting from 0% to 50% in maybe an hour and 15 minutes, while the wireless speeds are absolutely abysmal at 5W, which can get from 0% to 50% in maybe 2 to 3 hours. It’s not a huge deal, but another metric that will be massively inconvenient over the Pixel 8 if you care about that kind of stuff.

Pixel 8 Offers More Value

To keep it simple, the Pixel 8 offers so much more value for your dollar. And if you want to look at it price-wise, the cheapest we’ve seen the Pixel 8 is $599 on sale, which is only $100 more than the regular A at normal price. And with a trade-in promotion, you could probably get it a lot cheaper. Of course, the same could definitely be said about the Pixel 7A. The lowest price we’ve seen that phone at is $349, which is a stellar deal for that price. But if you’re asking for advice, just treat yourself and get the better device at a discount.

Final Thoughts

The Pixel A is a fine phone, don’t get me wrong, and if you’re upgrading from the Pixel 6 or even Pixel 5A series, it is a good buy. Or if you’re in a country where Pixels in general are overpriced, the A is good there as well. On the other hand, if my family members asked me what phone to get and they only had $600, I would tell them to save up the difference and catch the Pixel 8 on sale, assuming you can get it for $500. We’re talking about a price difference of $100-$150, which is well worth it to me for the benefits you receive. And as a side note, I would not wait or even consider the Pixel A because it’s reported to use the older modem, which is the number one most glaring issue of Pixels of the past, in my opinion.

Either way, I know that was a lot, but let me know your thoughts. Do you agree the Pixel 8 is worth a few extra bucks during a good sale, or is the savings on the Pixel A worth the sacrifices? Leave a comment and let us know. But in the meantime, I’m getting out of here before I do. Huge shoutout to our channel members on screen right now—simply put, we appreciate every one of you guys for supporting the channel as we work super hard to make the best Android content on the platform. Until next time, this has been Jordan Floyd with Google. Thank you so much for watching, and I’ll see you in the next one.

 

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