Pixel 8a Leak: Big Upgrades Coming to Google's Budget Phone
Looking for a great Android phone without breaking the bank? Look no further than Google's Pixel A series! These phones are known for being wallet-friendly, even if they skip some of the fancy hardware features of their pricier Pixel siblings. But what they lack in bells and whistles, they make up for in amazing software and camera quality, thanks to Google's magic touch.
And the good news keeps coming! Google's been steadily improving the A series, making them closer to the regular Pixels. The Pixel 7a is a prime example, boasting a smoother 90Hz display, better cameras, and even wireless charging (finally!).
But wait, there's more! Thanks to an inside source, we've got a sneak peek at the upcoming Pixel 8a, and it seems Google's packing in even more awesome upgrades!
A new and improved display, yet again
Gamers and anyone who loves a smooth phone experience rejoice! The biggest complaint about the Pixel 6a, its lack of a high refresh rate display, has finally been addressed. Google listened to users and bumped up the refresh rate to a buttery-smooth 120Hz for the Pixel 8a.
This isn't the only display upgrade, though. The Pixel 8a boasts a brighter screen with a peak HDR brightness of 1400 nits, matching the quality of the more expensive Pixel 8. Interestingly, the Pixel 8a keeps the same 6.1-inch screen size and resolution (2400 x 1080) as the 7a. Leaks suggest the display panels might even come from the same suppliers (BOE and Samsung) as the Pixel 8, hinting at similar performance.
Speaking of leaks, another design change spotted is a more rounded display corner for the Pixel 8a, bringing its look closer to the Pixel 8 series. Here's a quick comparison table to see how the Pixel 7a, 8a, and 8 stack up in terms of display specs:
| Pixel 7a | Pixel 8a | Pixel 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.1-inch | 6.1-inch | 6.2-inch |
| Corner radius (at native resolution) | 47px | 128px | 102px |
| Resolution | 2,400 x 1,080 | 2,400 x 1,080 | 2,400 x 1,080 |
| Refresh rate | 90 Hz | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Brightness (HDR, declared) | 1,000 nits | 1,400 nits | 1,400 nits |
DisplayPort across the lineup
Google finally delivered on a feature that power users have been craving for a long time: the ability to connect the Pixel 8 to an external monitor using DisplayPort. This feature was surprisingly absent at launch, but a recent beta update for Android 14 (QPR3) has enabled it in a limited form.
While it's not quite the full-blown desktop experience some were hoping for (think Samsung DeX), it's a positive sign that Google is committed to making this feature more useful in the future. This is further hinted at by the fact that the more budget-friendly Pixel 8a also supports DisplayPort output.
The reason Google included this feature without any software to fully utilize it remains a bit of a mystery. Regardless, it'll be exciting to see what Google has planned for this capability in the coming months.
No upgrades to the camera
The Pixel A series has always been known for its impressive cameras. Even though they use less powerful hardware than some competitors, Google's amazing image processing software makes them some of the best phones for taking pictures in their price range.
Last year, the Pixel 7a finally got a much-needed upgrade to its main camera. It ditched the old 12-megapixel Sony IMX363 sensor (which dates all the way back to the 2018 Pixel 3!) and replaced it with a more modern 64-megapixel Sony IMX787. For the Pixel 8a, Google is sticking with this same camera setup.
While the hardware might not be changing, there could still be some improvements in photo quality thanks to the new Tensor G3 processor. But Let's talk more about that next. The Tensor G3 processor is the brains of the Pixel 8a, and it's rumored to be even faster and more efficient than its predecessor. This could lead to better performance in all areas, including photography. Google's software smarts are what truly elevate the Pixel camera experience. Their algorithms can take advantage of the extra processing power to enhance photos in various ways. We might see improvements in areas like low-light photography, noise reduction, and HDR (High Dynamic Range) imaging. Overall, while the Pixel 8a might not boast the most cutting-edge camera hardware, the combination of a solid sensor and Google's computational photography expertise could still result in a phone that captures fantastic images.
| Pixel 7a | Pixel 8a | Pixel 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | Sony IMX787 (64 MP) - 1/1.73" | Sony IMX787 (64 MP) - 1/1.73" | Samsung GNV (unconfirmed; 50 MP) - 1/1.31" |
| Ultrawide | Sony IMX712 (13 MP) - ~1/3"? | Sony IMX712 (13 MP) - ~1/3"? | Sony IMX386 (12 MP) - 1/2.9" |
| Selfie | Sony IMX712 (13 MP) - ~1/3"? | Sony IMX712 (13 MP) - ~1/3"? | Samsung 3J1 (11 MP) - 1/3" |
(Almost) the same good SoC
The Pixel 8a gets a major boost under the hood with the new Google Tensor G3 chip. This is the same powerful processor that runs the fancy Pixel 8 phones. It's a much bigger jump than the last update for the A series.
The biggest difference is the improved CPU. Google ditched the older, slower cores for some brand new ones that are faster and use less battery. They also changed the layout to squeeze in an extra core for even more power. All this adds up to a phone that feels noticeably quicker.
There's more to the G3 than just the CPU though. It also has a newer graphics chip for better gaming and video, an upgraded modem for faster data speeds, and some special tech for handling high-quality video encoding and photos.
It's worth noting that the Pixel 8a uses a slightly different version of the G3 chip than its pricier siblings. It's basically the same on the inside, but the outside packaging is a bit different to save on costs. This might make the chip run a tad hotter, but the performance should still be a big improvement over the previous Pixel a-series phones.
Wider availability
Getting your hands on a Google Pixel phone can be a frustrating experience. Unlike most phone makers, Google only sells its devices in a handful of countries. For instance, you could only buy the Pixel 7a in 21 places, whereas Apple offers iPhones in over 140 countries! Thankfully, things seem to be improving.
The Pixel 8a has electronic warranty labels popping up for new regions like Czech Republic, Estonia, and Finland (to name a few). It's worth noting that this isn't an official announcement, so there's always a chance it might change. However, similar leaks for the Pixel 8 series turned out to be true, so this is a strong hint that the Pixel 8a might be coming to a lot more places this time around.
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