The Google Pixel 8a is one of the best camera phones you can buy on a budget. In fact, its camera capabilities rival the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S24 or the iPhone 16, even though the latter devices cost around twice as much. The Pixel 8a is essentially the same as the Google Pixel 8 but without some flagship components — hence the lower price. However, it has become even cheaper now, by $100, thanks to the Black Friday 2024 sale.
In this article, we will discuss the Google Pixel 8a and whether you should consider purchasing it.
Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and rely on the writer's opinion. Also, the price mentioned herein is subject to change.
The Google Pixel 8a is available for purchase starting at just $399
The Google Pixel 8a has received a $100 discount on Best Buy, which brought the price down to just $399.
Here's everything you need to know about the smartphone:
Design & display
The Pixel 8a has robust build quality, with an Aluminum-and-glass body that looks good and also feels quite premium in hand. The design is very similar to other smartphones in the Pixel 8 series.
The display is also equally impressive. The phone has an OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, so every animation and interaction feels much smoother. The visual clarity and color tone are also excellent; you likely won't have any complaints there.
Performance & gaming
Thanks to the use of the Tensor G3 chipset, the performance of the Pixel 8a is quite good, especially considering its price point. Apps and games launch faster and without any issues. Speaking of gaming, even the most demanding titles like Genshin Impact run quite well. Moreover, the phone is paired with decently fast LPDDR5 RAM.
However, the Pixel 8a heats up quite easily. It's not overheating by any means, but it gets warmer than other smartphones.
Battery & charging
The battery capacity of the Google Pixel 8a is quite good, so it should last a full day on a single charge. It supports both wired and wireless charging systems, which is a point in its favor.
Camera
The camera is the best part of the phone. The Pixel 8a features a 64MP dual camera setup on the rear side. The main camera features a 64MP wide sensor and captures images with a good amount of detail and color science.
The secondary camera features a 13MP ultra-wide sensor, which also captures some equally impressive shots without any distortions around the edges, which is something only the more expensive phones can do.
The selfie camera on the front is also quite capable. The selfies taken from this sensor can capture the subject's facial features and skin tone correctly, which is quite impressive. All in all, you will find the camera performance quite satisfying.
Should you buy the Google Pixel 8a at the Black Friday sale?
If you are in the market for a new budget phone, the Google Pixel 8a is certainly a good package to consider. It has almost everything one could ask from a budget smartphone, and then some. Not to mention, its camera performance is through the roof. On top of that, the $399 price tag of the Google Pixel 8a during the Black Friday 2024 sale is hard to turn down.
Also read: TCL 65-inch Class 4-Series 4K UHD TV available under $230 on this Black Friday 2024.