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Price hikes could prove to be the biggest story of 2026 — memory and storage shortages are adding to rising component prices that could inevitably reach consumers. That context is crucial to understanding the Google Pixel 10a, which I’ve been using for the past two weeks. The past four generations of A-series Pixel phones came with complete redesigns and performance upgrades, but the Pixel 10a is different. It’s using a design that’s almost identical to the Pixel 9a, and it is powered by the same Tensor G4 processor.
With that in mind, you might be wondering why you should bother paying for the Google Pixel 10a if it has more similarities than differences with its predecessor. After living with the Pixel 10a and comparing it with the Pixel 9a, the answer is more obvious than it seems. Google made just enough hardware changes while adding Android 16 and a few Pixel 10-exclusive software features to the Pixel 10a without raising the price. That last part is crucial.
|
Category |
Google Pixel 10a |
|---|---|
|
Processor |
Google Tensor G4 |
|
Display |
6.3-inch Actua pOLED display, 1080 x 2424 resolution, 60-120Hz, 3000 nits peak brightness |
|
Operating System |
Android 16 |
|
Updates |
Until Android 23 (2033) |
|
Memory |
8GB |
|
Storage |
128GB, 256GB |
|
Battery |
5,100 mAh |
|
Charging |
23W wired, 10W Qi wireless charging |
|
Rear cameras |
48 MP wide camera with OIS, 13MP ultrawide camera with OIS |
|
Front camera |
13MP front camera |
|
Durability |
IP68, Gorilla Glass 7i |
|
Colors |
Lavender, Berry, Fog, Obsidian |
|
Weight |
183g |
|
Dimensions |
153.9mm x 73mm x 9mm |
Google announced the Pixel 10a on Feb. 18, 2026 and pre-orders opened that day. The phone officially launches March 5, 2026 starting at $499 for the 128GB model. The upgraded 256GB configuration is available for $599, and there are a handful of promotions and trade-in offers that can help sweeten the deal.
It’s hard to notice unless you have the two phones side-by-side, but arguably the most impactful Pixel 10a upgrade is the refreshed camera bump. It looks just like the Pixel 9a’s slight “waterdrop” camera housing from afar, but the Pixel 10a version is completely flush. To be specific, the glass covering the rear camera system is actually recessed behind the composite plastic back panel. If you’re worried about the plastic back, don’t be. The Google Pixel 10a rear casing is comfortable, and one less thing for you to crack.
The smartphone is technically thicker than its predecessor, measuring 9mm thick compared to the Pixel 9a’s 8.9mm figure. However, the amazing thing about having a flush camera system is that Google’s advertised 9mm thickness is truly 9mm. You can rest the Pixel 10a on a flat surface, like a table or desk, without it rocking around unbalanced. I have noticed that the lack of a raised edge makes the lens cover more prone to collecting fingerprints, but otherwise, the completely flat back is a huge perk of using the Pixel 10a.
There are a few other design changes you might not pick up on. The physical SIM card tray is still here, even for U.S. buyers, but it has been relocated to the top-left side of the device. Taking its place on the bottom left of the smartphone is a matching speaker grill to add symmetry to the Pixel 10a. There’s just one thing to note — it’s not a working speaker. The stereo speaker system only uses the earpiece and the right bottom speaker, while the left grille is strictly for visual effect (and a microphone).
Image 1 of 2
The top of the Google Pixel 10a has one cellular antenna band instead of two on the Pixel 9a. This could be related to a modem change — the Pixel 10a uses the newer Exynos 5400 modem for connectivity. Crucially, this modem supports satellite connectivity. You get Satellite SOS on the Google Pixel 10a as a result, whereas the Pixel 9a missed out on that feature. These are tiny differences, but this was a tiny annual update from Google.
You also have a USB-C port on the bottom for charging, and speeds are faster this year. A fast charger support 45W speeds and the PPS standard can get the Pixel 10a up to 50% battery in 30 minutes, which is impressive. There’s wireless charging, which is also faster at 10W. However, the new phone didn’t get Qi2’s speed increases or magnetic Pixelsnap compatibility. This is a shame, and I wish Qi2 support became standard on all Android phones, but it appears to be another cost-cutting measure.
Image 1 of 3
Google upgraded the display glass from Gorilla Glass 3 to Gorilla Glass 7i, which is a notable durability improvement. It won’t hold up against Corning’s best glass, like Ceramic Shield 2 or Gorilla Armor 2, though. In just a few weeks of use, I picked up a few gnarly scratches on my Pixel 10a, so you’ll probably want to use a screen protector with yours. In terms of build quality, the Pixel 10a is once again IP68 certified.
The display is another holdover from the Pixel 9a, with one minor tweak: the screen now gets 200 nits brighter in HDR mode and 300 nits brighter in peak conditions. Otherwise, the Pixel 10a has the same 6.3-inch pOLED screen with a 1080×2424 resolution as its predecessor. The bezels are on the larger side, but this is something you forget about within a few minutes of using the device.
Out of the box, the Pixel 10a screen felt a little lackluster. It wasn’t very responsive and the colors seemed off, especially with a dim look around the display edges. This is easily fixed by changing two settings, but you’ll want to make these changes. You need to manually enable 120Hz refresh rates (60Hz is the out-of-box default) and you might want to change the Adaptive color profile to Natural. To me, switching this setting significantly improved the Pixel 10a’s display, evening out the color vibrancy and brightness across the entire screen.
The camera hardware is unchanged compared to the Pixel 9a, but I don’t think this is much of an issue. Google revamped the Pixel 9a camera system, and the changes were for the better. Colors weren’t oversaturated and photos turned out more lifelike due to new color science and processing differences. I’m seeing the same with photos captured with the Pixel 10a — the 48MP wide-angle lens and 13MP ultrawide camera still take excellent shots for the price.
You can see the results for yourself in the Google Pixel 10a camera samples below:
Image 1 of 8
As is tradition, the Google Pixel 10a received a few new software-based camera features. It now supports Camera Coach, a Pixel 10 series feature that uses specialized Gemini models to give you photography tips. This is great for beginners, or anyone looking to hone in their photography skills. Auto Best Take, which automatically captures multiple photos in group shots and merges them together so that everyone looks their best, is also on the A-series Pixel for the first time.
The Google Pixel 10a doesn’t have enough RAM — the 8GB memory paired with the Tensor G4 processor was too little last year, and it’s even worse this time around. It can’t run mainline Gemini Nano models as a result, and that rules out on-device AI features like notification summaries, Pixel Screenshots, and Call Notes. Google tries to make up for this by supplementing the offerings with cloud-based features, like the aforementioned Camera Coach and others such as Gemini Live. But if you even remotely care about private, on-device AI processing, you shouldn’t get the Pixel 10a.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Geekbench 6 (single-core / multi-core) |
Geekbench AI (CPU, quantized) |
3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited (score / fps) |
|
Google Pixel 10a |
1,694 / 4,501 |
3,109 |
2,667 / 15.97 |
|
Google Pixel 9a |
1,707 / 4,512 |
2,160 |
2,634 / 15.77 |
Unsurprisingly, the Google Pixel 10a and Pixel 9a perform about the same in benchmark tests due to having the same processor, memory, and storage configuration. The idea of buying a new phone with an old chip stings, but it’s not unprecedented. Apple did the same with prior iPhone models, and at the end of the day, few of us need the latest chip. I switched from pricey flagships to the Pixel 10a and didn’t notice a difference in what I could do with my smartphone due to a lack of performance.
In my experience, the low amount of memory compared to the Pixel 10 (12GB) and Pixel 10 Pro/XL (16GB) is a much bigger pitfall than the Tensor G4 chip.
Battery life has been downright impressive on the Pixel 10a. It has a 5,100 mAh capacity that will last you all day and then some. I’m covering MWC 2026, which means long days and a lot of travel, and the Pixel 10a has given me roughly six hours of screen on time in exchange for 50% of battery usage.
The Pixel 10a’s biggest competition is the Pixel 9a, which is now cheaper and will see even more discounts as it ages. I’m just not so sure the older model is a better deal. By choosing the Pixel 9a, you’re missing out on the minor hardware changes, exclusive features, and longer software support window. It might be worth getting the Pixel 10a just so you start with Android 16 and have the full seven years of Android OS upgrade support.
That said, there’s a bigger case to be made for jumping up to the base model Pixel 10 than ever. If you upgrade, the Pixel 10 gives you a new processor, more memory, and a telephoto camera, among many other changes.
There’s a lot to like about the Google Pixel 10a, despite it being a mostly recycled version of the Pixel 9a. The identical price point, at just $500, is chief among them. However, it’s admittedly hard to justify getting a new phone without a new chip.
Affordable, but repetitive
It’s true that much about the Google Pixel 10a is completely carried over from the Pixel 9a, but the good news is the latest model still costs just $500 and comes with seven years of Android OS upgrades.