Google Pixel 8a was expected to arrive at Google I/O 2024, but it arrived a week earlier with features borrowed from its elder siblings, the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. These features include the new Gemini Nano-driven AI enhancements, the new actua display with higher brightness, and much more. However, is it value for money in India, which is such a price-sensitive market, or do you get better options? Let’s have a look.
Google Pixel 8a: India Price, Availability
Pixel 8a is available for pre-order in India on Flipkart since 7th May 2024, with sales commencing at 6:30 am IST on 14th May 2024. Pixel 8a will be priced at Rs 52,999 for the 128GB version and Rs 59,999 for the 256GB variant. Both of them have 8GB RAM. Colour options for the device include Aloe, Bay, Obsidian, and Porcelain.
Launch and pre-order offers for Google’s Pixel 8a in India include:
- Bank offer of Rs 4,000 and 12 months of no-cost EMI, available with select bank cards
- Exchange bonus of Rs 9,000 on select smartphone models
- Pre-order offer: Purchase Pixel Buds A-Series at Rs 999 with purchase of Pixel 8a anytime during the pre-order period.
Google Pixel 8a Vs Pixel 8: Specs Comparison
The Pixel 8a sports a 6.1-inch full-HD+ OLED display with a Resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and a 120Hz Refresh Rate. Further, the display gets a 20:9 aspect ratio, up to 2000 nits peak brightness, Gorilla Glass 3 protection and 430 ppi of pixel density. In comparison, the Pixel 8 gets a better display with narrower bezels and better brightness along with narrower bezels as well.
The phone is powered by Google’s Tensor G3 SoC, along with 8GB of LPDDR5x RAM. You will get up to 128GB or 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. It runs on Android 14 and will get 7 years of Android OS upgrades, security updates and regular Feature Drops. No major difference lies within the performance department when comparing the Pixel 8a to the Pixel 8.
Pixel 8a comes with a dual rear camera setup, consisting of a 64MP f/1.89 IMX787 sensor paired with a 13MP f/2.2 IMX712 ultra-wide-angle sensor. On the front, there is a 13MP f/2.2 sensor as well. This is where the Google Pixel 8 shines again, with bigger Sensors that allow more light to enter, which also helps in better low-light photography.
Connectivity options include 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS/ A-GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C port. For security, you get an in-display fingerprint sensor and the Titan M2 security chip.
On the battery front, there’s a 4492mAh cell that supports 18W fast wired charging and Qi-certified fast wireless charging. It also has dual stereo speakers and is IP67 certified. The Pixel 8 has a bigger battery with a higher charging speed and an IP68 rating, which protects it better against water and dust.
The Pixel 8 is currently selling for Rs 62,999, and when clubbed with a bank offer, it can be made available for Rs 54,999. While you do miss out on storage with the base model of the Pixel 8 in comparison to the 256GB trim of the 8a, the overall value you get with the Google Pixel 8, keeping storage aside, is unmatched in comparison to the 8a. Due to that, we feel that even buying the Pixel 8 128GB model would be a better deal than the 8a’s 256GB model, and the storage tradeoff is worth it.
Google Pixel 8a vs Samsung Galaxy S23
The Galaxy S23 is available for Rs 51,999 on Flipkart at the time of writing this article and that too, the 256GB model. It’s a steal at that price, especially of the 8a, considering it gets you the latest Galaxy AI features which debuted with the Galaxy S24. While you definitely won’t miss out on AI, you’d get better thermal efficiency too, with the S23 as we have heard multiple reports of Tensor G3 not holding up well during sustained workloads.
Aside from that, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a beast of a chip even more than a year later since its debut. The Galaxy S23 will also get you equally great cameras, a display that may not be as bright but still sufficient for readability under direct sunlight, and much narrower bezels, allowing for a better look and immersive viewing experience. The software is a subjective choice, but the S23 has more customisation on offer and is good for another 3 years. The 8a does offer 7 years of updates, but would you use your phone for that long?
You do compromise on the battery front as the Galaxy S23 has a smaller 3900mAh cell over the 8a’s 4492mAh cell but that should still get you through a day without any issues, a phenomenon we saw both during the initial review of the S23 and when we revisited it 6 months later.
Google Pixel 8a vs OnePlus 12R
If you want raw power, the Pixel 8a just doesn’t cut it with the Tensor G3. However, for an even lower price of Rs 45,999, you can opt for the OnePlus 12R, which not only gets you the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Processor and a curved panel with better bezels but also has a sharper resolution at 1.5K pixels. Apart from that, it has decent cameras but we doubt they’d match the quality of Pixel 8a. That’s just a speculation based on our previous experiences with the brand’s phones.
It does offer a much bigger 5500mAh cell with faster 100W wired charging that makes wireless charging look useless. It may not offer as many updates as the Pixel 8a does, but thanks to better hardware, it will still age well for the next three years.
Google Pixel 8a vs iQOO 12
If you plan to game on your smartphone a lot and again want the latest hardware, then the iQOO 12 is phenomenal value over the Pixel 8a. In fact, both of them have the same starting price. At Rs 52,999, you get more RAM and storage than 8a’s 128GB model, which sells for the same price. At Rs 57,999, which is still cheaper than 8a’s 256GB trim price, iQOO 12’s RAM doubles to 16GB while the storage more than doubles to 512GB.
If that wasn’t enough, you get the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, which is miles ahead of Tensor G3 in terms of performance, thermal efficiency, and overall efficiency. It has a better display that’s sharper and brighter. The battery size is bigger and the charging speeds are much faster at 120W. We aren’t sure about the camera performance comparison between the two as we haven’t tested the Pixel 8a but what we saw with iQOO 12 during its review, we were far too impressed than what we expected from its camera.
The only department where you compromise is the software one. The software on the iQOO 12 isn’t as neat as Pixel 8a’s, but it’s still very much usable. There are enough customisation options on offer, and it’s snappy as well.
Google Pixel 8a: Is It Worth Buying In India?
If we only consider price and specs, the Pixel 8a may struggle to stand out, not only among its competitors but also compared to its own sibling, the Pixel 8.
If you are considering buying the Google Pixel 8a, we recommend waiting for a while. Google has frequently reduced the prices of its devices in India soon after launch. Sometimes, even just a month later after the phone initially debuted.
