The Pixel 8a is out. If you have a 6a or a 7a already you don't need to upgrade!
Prices for Pixel phones are examined in my recent article Pixel 8a for £281, vs 7a and 6a, and seem to be all over the place for the older models. As low as £156 for a 6a on Amazon (Renewed - Refurbished - Good). Thats a lot of phone for the money.
TL:DR – The Pixel 8a is great, but it is not measurably better, so far, than the 7a. The 7a was a truly great budget phone and still is. The 7a is massively better than the 6a due to wireless charging and a miles better camera but the 6a is still a capable workhorse. All these phones are well built and have a quality feel to them. All have 5G and the Pixel vanilla Android OS is identical. If you need the latest then the 8a is lovely, but the 7a is really just as good. If you are on a budget or need a second or burner phone then the 6a is cheap now. If you have a 6a or a 7a already you don't need to upgrade.
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Comparison between the Pixel 8a, 7a and 6a
Unsurprisingly near identical look here, the same Android OS and the same display resolution. The 8a is noticably brighter, but the differences are otherwise not particuarly evident. Note that the 8a is significantly more rounded. See how the label 'High Contrast Text' on this screen is closer to the edge than on the 7a and 6a.
They are quite similar, these are the elements of note to me
You can get vastly more detail of compared specs over at gsmarena.
| 8a (May 2024) | 7a (May 2023) | 6a (May 2022) |
| 5G | ||
| Lighter | Heaviest | Lightest |
| OLED, HDR 120Hz | OLED, HDR 90Hz | OLED, HDR |
| 128GB or 256GB 8GB | 128GB 8GB | 128GB 6GB |
| 1080x2400px | ||
| Suppports Android 14 | ||
| 64 MP Camera | 12.2 MP Camera | |
| Wireless Charging | No wireless charging | |
6a
At launch the 6a touted Google Tensor, the same security architecture as Pixel 6 Pro, including a dedicated security chip Titan M2. Theres also a metal frame and camera bar, an idea borrowed from the Pixel 6 provides dual rear cameras, a main lens and an ultrawide lens. Software personalisation using Material You was a bit of a missed opportunity. Real Tone, Night Sight and Magic Eraser all aimed at making better photographers out of us. 6a also included speech recognition in Recorder, Live Caption and Translate. Pixel 6a was announced with five years of security updates which means it will recieve them until mid 2027.
7a
The 7a has one crucial improvement from the 6a, wireless charging! More than once I forgot my 6a didnt have wireless charging and ended up with a flat battery during the day. It was a real annoyance. It also gained a 90Hz Smooth Display. At launch, AI-powered Pixel Call Assist features improved phone calls by letting you see menu options through 'Direct My Call', 'Call Screen' so you know who's calling, 'Hold for Me', to wait on the line and notify you once call is picked up. 'Wait Times' give an estimated time you’ll be on hold for when calling a business. I cant say I've ever noticed or used these phone call features, but I did notice 'Clear Calling' which enhanced voice and reduced background noise.
Pixel 7a’s camera system was completely upgraded featuring a 72% larger sensor than Pixel 6a, Long Exposure and Super Res Zoom up to 8x and 44% more light. Plus, it had a 13-megapixel ultrawide lens able to capture 4K video. Night Sight was said to be twice as fast as on Pixel 6a.
It was heavier though. But a workhorse phone I really enjoyed using and relied on daily.
8a
Pixel 8a, is powered by the latest Google Tensor G3 chip, according to google "it's equipped with many of the same must-have AI features as Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro — like Gemini, Best Take, Audio Magic Eraser and more". The design is modernised with rounded edges, a matte back and an aluminum frame. The new Actua display is 40% brighter than Pixel 7a’s, and the faster 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling smooth.
There is a 256 GB option, but I ordered the same 128GB as before, given that most things are 'in the cloud'. Pixel 8a was announced with seven years of software support, including security updates and Android OS upgrades which means it will recieve them until May 14 2031.
As part of my ritual when ordering a new phone, I ordered the Spigen Rugged Armor Case, Glass Camera Lens Protector, and Glass Screen Protector. I wont use a new device until these are in place.
Cases and protection for the Pixel 6a 7a and 8a
There is only Spigen. I only use Spigen Rugged Armor cases
Spigen Rugged Armor cases protect your Pixel from damage. I have used them for years. I might as well just order black phones I suppose. I use the Spigen display protectors and lens protectors too. These are small costs compared to broken screens or dented phones. As you can see they are slightly different so be sure to order the exact fit for your particular Pixel. The 8a case is slightly more rounded.
