The Google Pixel 8a could be the best budget phone of 2024. On paper, it sits in a lower position than Google’s flagship smartphones – the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro – but in many areas the experience is very close, making this a phone that’s worthy of your attention.
I’ve been reviewing phones for over a decade and I review about 20 phones a year. When it comes to more affordable phones, I often find something that could be better, sending me back to a more expensive model. But for the Pixel 8a, that isn’t the case.
What’s great about the Google Pixel 8a
One of the reasons that this mid-range phone feels like a flagship is because Google used the same hardware here as it does for the top devices. It’s fast and fluid to use. It doesn’t stutter or struggle to handle the tasks you throw at it. Many rival devices will use older or less powerful components, but not so here.
Hardware is only half of the story – software is more important these days. Google is promising seven years of system and security updates on this phone, something its rivals can’t match. That will see this phone updated until 2031.
The only brand that gets close to that sort of support is Apple, and the iPhone SE would be a natural rival. But the iPhone SE is now two years old, has a smaller display and looks a little dated by comparison, so I’d pick the Pixel 8a over it.
The Pixel 8a runs Android – Google’s mobile platform – and it’s a nice clean interface. Unlike many more affordable devices, it avoids “bloat”. This phone isn’t pre-loaded with apps you don’t want, like social apps you don’t use or games you’ll never play. In that way, Google’s “clean” Android is easy to switch to for those used to iPhones: it’s simple, fast – and as I mentioned, it’s well-supported into the future.
Design and display
The display is 6.1 inches and is nice and vibrant, with enough brightness to be visible on days without a cloud in the sky.
The phone comes in Aloe, Bay, Obsidian or Porcelain colours, or that’s green, blue, black or white if you prefer things simpler.
I’ve been testing it out on the island of Madeira for the last week and had no problem seeing the display in direct sunlight. The bezels around the screen are a little wide, but that’s about the only negative point about the phone’s design.
The size means this phone isn’t too large, so it’s easier to use one-handed and to slip into a pocket or bag. But at the same time, you can get larger screens for less money, something you might consider if you want more space to use apps or play games.
There’s an IP67 protection rating on this phone. That means it’s water-resistant, and you’ll be able to keep using it even after it’s been under a metre of water for 30 minutes. While that’s unlikely to happen, it’s great that it doesn’t matter if you get caught in a rain shower.
Camera performance
It’s the cameras that are the most exciting feature. Google has a well-earned reputation for easy-to-use cameras that deliver terrific results.
For simplicity, Pixel phones are currently the best there is. The camera app is simple and there aren’t any confusing “pro” controls. Point, press the button and you’ll get a great photo – in all conditions.
There are two cameras on the back of this phone. One is an ultrawide lens for beautiful expansive landscapes and then there’s the main camera for everything else. There’s no zoom lens here, instead, you have a digital zoom of up to 8x magnification. But it’s best to avoid that because the quality drops off. Stick to 2x digital zoom and you’ll be fine.
It’s also the camera where Google differentiates between the Pixel 8a and its Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro flagship phones. The pricier handsets have cameras with a few more capabilities. But, I’ve tested these phones side-by-side and there’s not much difference in everyday performance.
Here are a handful of sample shots that show how great of a camera the Pixel 8a is:
Google Pixel 8a camera sample photos
One of the reasons that the camera is so good is because Google isn’t relying only on the lenses and sensors. It’s again using software and “computational photography” to improve its cameras.
Put another way, Google uses artificial intelligence (AI) to boost the photos you take. But the AI here makes your photos look their best. It’s not used to make something that looks fake.
The other side of the photography package is photo editing. Google’s AI powers “Magic Editor”, a photo editing tool that is game-changing.
I don’t say that lightly: I took a photo of my family in a scenic spot which was a little crowded. I used Magic Editor to remove all the other people I didn’t want in the photo for a much better result. Now you could argue that technically the photo is fake, but it looks better as a result.
Is the Google Pixel 8a worth it?
The best part about this all is the price. While there’s a small increase over last year’s midrange Pixel 7a, this still goes for under £500. We don’t all need phones costing over £1,000 and this proves it, packing flagship features into an excellent value handset.
The battery life is good, although the charging speeds aren’t as fast as rival devices. The smaller size means a smaller battery and you can get a phone with better battery life and a larger display for less money, such as the Motorola G84.
But no smartphone in this price bracket can match the superb camera performance or the years of software support that the Pixel 8a offers. That all makes the Google Pixel 8a an easy recommendation, and quite possibly, the best budget phone this year.
Chris Hall is a freelance journalist who specialises in consumer technology, pursuing a passion that started over 20 years ago. In 2008 he took on a full-time Reviews Editor position at technology website Pocket-lint.com, before stepping up to Editor-in-Chief in 2012. Chris led coverage over a 15-year tenure, exposing him to every gadget, system and technology you’d ever want to know about.
Chris left the Editor-in-Chief position at Pocket-lint.com in 2023 having published over 4,000 articles on consumer technology. His experience covers everything from smartphones and headphones to cars and computers. Chris doesn’t just test for reviews, he lives with a lot of technology, building a smart home and looking for a simpler solution to a connected home. This is much to his family’s irritation, because everything is always changing, especially the remote controls.
As a freelance writer, Chris has contributed to The Telegraph, T3.com, TechRadar and Autocar -while launching his own technology website The Disconnekt – writing news about the latest technology, guides to help people make the best choices when shopping for technology, as well as reviewing extensively.
Chris has appeared on BBC News and Sky News, BBC Radio and The Times Radio talking technology, and even once played a part on The Apprentice. Chris has also been an expert judge at the GSMA Global Mobile Awards and the Uswitch Awards.
When not writing about technology or rearranging the technology in his home, Chris can be found on his bike, trying to get lost in the Surrey hills.