Google Pixel 9a vs Pixel 8a
67
out of 100
VS
66
out of 100
Here we compared two mid-range smartphones: the 6.3-inch Google Pixel 9a (with Google Tensor G4) that was released on March 19, 2025, against the Google Pixel 8a, which is powered by Google Tensor G3 and came out 10 months before. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.
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Key differences
Reasons to consider the Google Pixel 9a
- Delivers 28% higher peak brightness (1942 against 1513 nits)
- Waterproof body (IP68 classification)
- 12% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 1677 and 1491 points
- The phone is 10 months newer
Reasons to consider the Google Pixel 8a
- Better camera quality (According to DxOMark rating)
- CPU with a higher amount of cores (+1)
Review
Display
Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness
Camera
Photo and video recording quality
Performance
CPU and memory performance (apps, system)
Gaming
Capabilities for playing modern games
Battery
Battery life, charging type and speed
Connectivity
Networks, ports, data transmission
Select your primary usage scenario to get a more accurate NanoReview Score
Value for money (Beta)
Tests and specifications
Comparison table of technical specifications and testsDisplay
| Type | POLED | OLED |
| Size | 6.3 inches | 6.1 inches |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2424 pixels | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
| Aspect ratio | 20:9 | 20:9 |
| PPI | 422 ppi | 430 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Adaptive refresh rate | Yes (60-120 Hz) | Yes (60-120 Hz) |
| Max rated brightness | 2700 nits | 2000 nits |
| Max rated brightness in HDR | 1800 nits | 1400 nits |
| HDR support | Yes, HDR10+ | Yes, HDR10 |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Screen-to-body ratio | 84.5% | 81.3% |
| Display features | - DCI-P3 - Always-On Display |
- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display |
| RGB color space | 98.2% | 99.1% |
| PWM | 240 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Response time | 1 ms | 2 ms |
| Contrast | ∞ Infinity | ∞ Infinity |
Peak brightness test (auto)
Design and build
| Height | 154.7 mm (6.09 inches) | 152.1 mm (5.99 inches) |
| Width | 73.3 mm (2.89 inches) | 72.7 mm (2.86 inches) |
| Thickness | 8.9 mm (0.35 inches) | 8.9 mm (0.35 inches) |
| Weight | 186 g (6.56 oz) | 188 g (6.63 oz) |
| Waterproof | IP68 | IP67 |
| Advanced cooling | Vapor chamber | - |
| Rear material | Plastic | Plastic |
| Frame material | Metal | Metal |
| Colors | White, Black, Red, Purple | White, Black, Blue, Green |
| Fingerprint scanner | Yes, in-display | Yes, in-display |
| Repairability | Good (3.53/5) | Good (3.52/5) |
| Drop resistance | Excellent (A) · 270 drops | Excellent (A) · 270 drops |
Screen-to-body ratio
Performance
| Chipset | Google Tensor G4 | Google Tensor G3 |
| Max clock | 3100 MHz | 3000 MHz |
| CPU cores | 8 (1 + 3 + 4) | 9 (1 + 4 + 4) |
| Architecture | - 4 cores at 1.92 GHz: Cortex-A520 - 3 cores at 2.6 GHz: Cortex-A720 - 1 core at 3.1 GHz: Cortex-X4 |
- 4 cores at 1.7 GHz: Cortex-A510 - 4 cores at 2.37 GHz: Cortex-A715 - 1 core at 2.91 GHz: Cortex-X3 |
| Manufacturing | Samsung | Samsung |
| Lithography process | 4 nanometers | 4 nanometers |
| Neural processor (NPU) | Yes | Yes |
| Graphics | Mali-G715 MP7 | Immortalis-G715s MC10 |
| GPU shading units | 896 | 896 |
| GPU clock | 940 MHz | 890 MHz |
| FLOPS | ~1684.4 GFLOPS | ~1594.8 GFLOPS |
Benchmarks
Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)
Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)
Compute Score (GPU)
| Compute Score (GPU) | 7784 | 8490 |
| Single-core score | 1677 | 1491 |
| Multi-core score | 4067 | 3584 |
AnTuTu Benchmark 11
| CPU | 445318 | 546093 |
| GPU | 410687 | 391230 |
| Memory | 175537 | 195569 |
| UX | 289527 | 300801 |
| Total score | 1321069 | 1433693 |
| Samples | [7 tests] | [6 tests] |
3DMark Steel Nomad Light
| Stability | 81% | 67% |
| Graphics test | 8 FPS | 7 FPS |
| Graphics score | 1060 | 990 |
PCMark 3.0
| Web score | 10570 | - |
| Video editing | 7547 | - |
| Photo editing | 21264 | - |
| Data manipulation | 12988 | - |
| Writing score | 16308 | - |
Recent User Tests
Google Pixel 9a
| Date | Benchmark | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 📘 2026-08-21 (Leif) | AnTuTu 11 | 1590049 |
| 📘 2026-05-13 (kiriguap) | AnTuTu 11 | 1182042 |
| 📘 2026-03-09 (d1ldo) | AnTuTu 11 | 943849 |
| 📘 2026-01-03 (Joy) | AnTuTu 11 | 1487240 |
| 📘 2025-11-11 (VLAD) | AnTuTu 11 | 1507185 |
Google Pixel 8a
| Date | Benchmark | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 📘 2025-12-28 (adismsha) | AnTuTu 11 | 1471866 |
| 📘 2025-12-22 -> jpara_dise | Geekbench 6 GPU | 8490 |
| 📘 2025-12-22 -> jpara_dise | Geekbench 6 CPU | 1491 / 3584 |
| 📘 2025-12-22 -> jpara_dise | AnTuTu 11 | 1397797 |
| 📘 2025-12-17 (jpara_dise) | AnTuTu 11 | 1397797 |
Memory
| RAM size | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory type | LPDDR5X | LPDDR5 |
| Memory clock | 4200 MHz | 3200 MHz |
| Channels | 4 | 4 |
| Storage size | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| Storage type | UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 |
| Memory card | No | No |
Software
| Operating system | Android 15 (Can be upgraded to Android 17) | Android 14 (Can be upgraded to Android 17) |
| ROM | Stock Android | Stock Android |
| OS size | 14 GB | 18.4 GB |
| OS updates | 7 years | 7 years |
| Security updates | 7 years | 7 years |
Battery
| Capacity | 5100 mAh | 4492 mAh |
| Max charge power | 23 W | 18 W |
| Battery type | Li-Po | Li-Po |
| Replaceable | No | No |
| Wireless charging | Yes (7.5 W) | Yes (7.5 W) |
| Reverse charging | No | No |
| Bypass charging | No | - |
| Fast charging | Yes (47% in 30 min) | Yes (33% in 30 min) |
| Full charging time | 1:41 hr | 2:09 hr |
| Battery cycles | 1000 cycles | 1000 cycles |
| Web browsing | 08:20 hr | 08:15 hr |
| Watching video | 12:40 hr | 13:00 hr |
| Gaming | 06:06 hr | 04:54 hr |
| Standby | 91 hr | 86 hr |
General battery life
Main camera
| Matrix | 48 megapixels | 64 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 8000 x 6000 | 9000 x 7000 |
| Zoom | Digital | Digital |
| Flash | Dual LED | Dual LED |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
| 8K video recording | No | No |
| 4K video recording | Up to 60FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| 1080p video recording | Up to 60FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| Slow motion | 240 FPS (1080p) | 240 FPS (1080p) |
| Angle of widest lens | 120° | 120° |
| Lenses | 1) Standard: 48 MP 2) Ultrawide: 13 MP |
1) Standard: 64 MP 2) Ultrawide: 13 MP |
| Camera features | - Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support |
- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support |
| Image resolution | 48 MP | 64 MP |
| Aperture | f/1.7 | f/1.9 |
| Focal length | 25 mm | 26 mm |
| Sensor | Samsung GN8 | Sony IMX787 |
| Sensor size | 1/2" (≈ 0.5 inch) | 1/1.73" (≈ 0.58 inch) |
| Pixel size | 0.8 micron | 0.8 micron |
| Autofocus | Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) | Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
| Image resolution | 13 MP | 13 MP |
| Aperture | f/2.2 | f/2.2 |
| Focal length | 16 mm | - |
| Sensor | Sony IMX712 | Sony IMX712 |
| Sensor size | 1/3.06" (≈ 0.33 inch) | 1/3.06" (≈ 0.33 inch) |
| Pixel size | 1.12 micron | 1.12 micron |
| Stabilization | Digital | Digital |
DxOMark main camera tests
Photo quality
Video quality
Generic main camera score
| Bokeh | 145 | 60 |
| Preview | - | 71 |
| Zoom | 99 | 126 |
| Samples | Photo samples of Google Pixel 9a from DxOMark | Photo samples of Google Pixel 8a from DxOMark |
Selfie camera
| Megapixels | 13 megapixels | 13 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 4032 x 3024 | 4032 x 3024 |
| Aperture | f/2.2 | - |
| Focal length | 20 mm | - |
| Sensor | CMOS | - |
| Sensor size | 1/3.1" (≈ 0.32 inch) | - |
| Pixel size | 1.12 micron | - |
| Autofocus | No | - |
| Stabilization | Digital | - |
| Video resolution | 2160p (4K) at 30 FPS | 2160p (4K) at 30 FPS |
| Depth sensor (TOF 3D) | No | No |
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax) | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax) |
| Wi-Fi features | - Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display |
- Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display |
| Bluetooth version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth features | LE | LE |
| USB type | USB Type-C | USB Type-C |
| USB version | 3.2 | 3.2 |
| USB features | - Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG |
- Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG |
| DisplayPort | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS |
| NFC* | Yes | Yes |
| Infrared port | No | No |
| Number of SIM* | 1 | 1 |
| Type of SIM card | Nano | Nano |
| Multi SIM mode | Standby | - |
| eSIM support* | Yes | Yes |
| Hybrid slot | No | No |
| LTE Cat* | - | 20 |
| 5G support | Yes | Yes |
Sound
| Speakers | Stereo | Stereo |
| Headphone audio jack | No | No |
| FM radio | No | No |
| Dolby Atmos | No | No |
Speakers test
Max loudness
Other
| Category | Mid-range | Mid-range |
| Announced | March 2025 | May 2024 |
| Release date | April 2025 | May 2024 |
| Launch price (MSRP) | $499 | $499 |
| Successor | - Google Pixel 10a | - Google Pixel 10a |
| SAR (head) | 0.99 W/kg | - |
| SAR (body) | 1.39 W/kg | - |
| Sensors | - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint |
- Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint |
| Bundled charger | Not included | Not included |
*Disclaimer! NFC, GSM network support, and some other specs can be different depending on the country.
Conclusion
If the battery life and design are more important to you, then choose the Google Pixel 9a. But if the camera is more of a priority – go for the Google Pixel 8a.
Cast your vote
Total votes: 274