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Google Pixel 9a Review: A Mid-Range Marvel with Minor Flaws

The Google Pixel 9a has been available for purchase for over two months, and I’ve been using it as my daily driver for more than a month. Spoiler alert: I really, really like it. Is it perfect? No, but it’s one of the most compelling mid-range smartphones on the market right now. Let’s dive into the details.

Design: Premium Feel on a Budget

The Pixel 9a follows the redesign path of its flagship siblings, the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro, featuring fully flattened side rails with a matte finish. What’s remarkable is that the rear panel is also matte, making this the first Pixel since the Pixel 5 to sport both matte rails and a matte back. The result? It’s the best-feeling Pixel phone I’ve ever held.

The back is made of plastic rather than glass, but you’d hardly notice unless you weigh it—it’s lighter than its glass-backed counterparts. Google nailed the plastic implementation, making it feel nearly indistinguishable from the glass-backed Pixel 9 Pro. Durability is another win; I accidentally dropped the 9a from a decent height onto tiles, and it escaped with just a slight ding on the bottom, thanks to the plastic construction.

However, the design isn’t without controversy. Google ditched the iconic camera bar visor for a plain, flush camera unit. While this eliminates side-to-side wobble when using the phone on a flat surface, I prefer the visor’s aesthetic. The flush design is practical, but I hope Google reverts to the visor for next year’s model.

The bezels are another talking point. They’re thicker than competitors’, but the 9a is the first A-series Pixel with symmetrical bezels all around. Personally, I’ll take symmetry over slightly thinner but uneven bezels any day.

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Display: Bright, Fluid, and a Minor Bug

The Pixel 9a’s display is a standout for its price. It’s bright, vibrant, and boasts a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, matching the specs of the pricier Pixel 9. However, there’s a frustrating bug with adaptive brightness enabled: the display’s maximum brightness is limited unless you’re in direct sunlight. Manually cranking the brightness slider with adaptive brightness on shows it hitting “100%,” but disabling adaptive brightness reveals a significantly brighter output. This issue has caused the screen to feel too dim at times, and I hope Google addresses it in a software update soon.

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Software: Clean, Quirky, and Slightly Buggy

Running Android 16, the Pixel 9a offers a familiar Pixel experience: a clean, minimal UI, a restrictive home launcher, and the best third-party launcher support on Android. It also includes beloved Pixel-exclusive features. However, it’s not flawless. I’ve encountered more bugs than expected, such as the loudspeaker failing to activate during calls, missed notifications despite disabled battery optimization, and a bizarre issue where the quick settings panel was blank on setup (fixed by tweaking color contrast settings). While not dealbreakers, these quirks are noticeable.

For context, the Android 16 build here isn’t the Material You 3 expressive redesign seen in the QPR1 beta—that’s slated for later this year. I’ve also found myself missing Samsung’s One UI after using the S25 Ultra earlier this year, but the Pixel 9a’s software remains enjoyable overall.

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Haptics: Strong but Slightly Overdone

The Pixel 9a’s haptics are excellent for a mid-range phone, nearly matching the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro and far surpassing competitors like the Nothing 3a Pro. However, even at the lowest touch feedback setting, they feel a bit too strong. Oddly, the Google Keyboard app no longer allows haptic intensity adjustments—you can only turn them on or off, and the touch feedback slider doesn’t affect keyboard haptics. This is a puzzling regression.

Fingerprint Sensor: A Step Back

The 9a uses an optical fingerprint sensor, a downgrade from the ultrasonic sensors in the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro. The difference is noticeable, especially in low-light conditions where the sensor struggles. Face unlock helps in bright settings, but the fingerprint sensor’s performance is a weak point.

Battery: Solid but Not Stellar

Despite a larger battery than its flagship siblings, the 9a’s battery life is merely solid. It usually lasts a full day, but I’ve needed occasional top-ups before bedtime. Charging speeds are slow, but wireless charging is a welcome inclusion, especially after missing it on the Nothing 3a Pro.

Cameras: Reliable and Versatile

The Pixel 9a’s cameras are a mixed bag. They’re nearly identical to the Pixel 9’s in everyday use, but the main sensor is smaller, impacting low-light performance, and the ultrawide is a bigger downgrade with a lower megapixel count and no 4K 60fps support. The ultrawide also lacks autofocus, though macro shots are handled by the main lens, offering less distortion but slightly less close-up capability.

Compared to competitors, the 9a strikes a balance. The Nothing 3a Pro has a stellar 50MP 3x periscope lens but inconsistent performance. The iPhone 16 offers reliable shooting but lacks versatility with its single camera. The Pixel 9a delivers a reliable experience with the added versatility of an ultrawide lens. However, portrait mode performance is poor, with delays of 20–30 seconds when processing multiple shots back-to-back—a baffling issue, though not a dealbreaker for me since I rarely use it.

Verdict: A Strong Contender

The Pixel 9a is a fantastic mid-range phone that ticks most boxes: great design, a stellar display, reliable cameras, and a clean software experience. Its flaws—software bugs, a subpar fingerprint sensor, and slightly overdone haptics—don’t overshadow its strengths. However, with the Pixel 9 now discounted to $599, it’s a tempting alternative. The Pixel 9 offers smaller bezels, a better camera, improved haptics, a superior fingerprint sensor, and faster charging, but these aren’t game-changers for most buyers. The 9a’s newer release also means potentially longer software support.

For those in the market for a mid-range phone, the Pixel 9a is a compelling choice, especially with higher storage options. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! I’ll be comparing the Pixel 9a to the iPhone 16 and Nothing 3a Pro in a detailed video soon, so hit subscribe to catch it.

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