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Everybody loves a discount, and it’s onerous to argue that the Google Pixel 8a is something however. With a flagship processor and one in every of the best phone cameras round, the $499 smartphone has the specs to make it a steal. However Google hasn’t simply crammed nice {hardware} into the telephone, because it additionally has one of many cleanest implementations of Android 14, all of Google’s current AI roster, and an unimaginable seven years of software program updates as well. It’s an affordable telephone that may go the space, and one we’re more than pleased to suggest.
Nevertheless it’s not good. The battery is a bit of weak, as is its charging potential — and the much less mentioned in regards to the cheap-feeling plastic physique, the higher. So despite the fact that it’s a powerful telephone, there are a selection of alternate options that would pull your eyes away from Google’s newest midrange telephone.
Listed here are 5 telephones you should purchase as an alternative of the Google Pixel 8a.
Google Pixel 8
To your first different, it’s essential to look no additional than Google’s personal steady. The Google Pixel 8 is $200 greater than the Pixel 8a, which implies it’s not a large soar up in price in comparison with Google’s midrange telephone. However that solely issues if it affords extra of what you like. So does it? Whereas the Pixel 8 has some weaknesses and similarities to the Pixel 8a, there are some areas the place it’s considerably stronger, and people could also be sufficient so that you can spend the additional money.
It’s honest to say the 2 units share quite a bit in widespread. They’re comparable in dimension, with the Pixel 8a being barely bigger with a smaller show. The Pixel 8 has slimmer bezels, nevertheless it’s not an enormous distinction. Each even have the Tensor G3 processor below the hood, and each have 8GB of RAM and both 128GB or 256GB of storage.
However the telephones begin to diverge in different areas of the design. The Pixel 8’s metallic and glass physique places the cheap-feeling plastic on the Pixel 8a to disgrace, and that makes an enormous distinction while you’re dealing with a telephone day by day. The Pixel 8’s battery can also be a lot stronger than the Pixel 8a’s. The costlier telephone will final two days on a single cost, whereas the midrange telephone will make it only a single day. The Pixel 8a’s 18-watt quick charging pales in comparison with the Pixel 8’s 27W charging charge.
Digicam energy is a trademark of the Pixel vary, so how does the Pixel 8a maintain up on this regard? Fairly nicely, because it seems. The 2 telephones are sporting completely different specs for his or her lenses, however they each have a essential lens and an ultrawide lens, and so they appear to supply comparable efficiency throughout the board. The Pixel 8a struggles a bit of extra with sturdy mild, however the Pixel 8’s ultrawide lens is a bit of disappointing, so it evens out.
The place does this go away us? With a really sturdy different. The Pixel 8 shares a whole lot of what makes the Pixel 8a so sturdy, together with glorious software program, AI magic, seven years of updates, and flagship specs and cameras. Nevertheless it additionally provides a a lot stronger battery, a sleeker design, and a a lot, a lot nicer physique. Should you can stretch to $200 extra, then the Pixel 8 is value contemplating — and even when you can’t afford it, preserve an eye fixed out for deep reductions throughout gross sales.
OnePlus 12R
The Google Pixel 8a is notable within the midrange area due to its flagship specs, nevertheless it’s not the one such smartphone on this area. The OnePlus 12R lives as much as the model’s flagship killer repute by providing {hardware} that rivals that of the highest flagships whereas additionally conserving the worth right down to $500. Because of this, it’s one of many strongest alternate options to the Pixel 8a.
The specs are the large motive to purchase this telephone, and so they’re as spectacular as you’d count on. On the high of the record is a flagship processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. It’s final 12 months’s chip, sure, nevertheless it’s nonetheless extremely sturdy — quicker than the Tensor G3 and with out the overheating points Google’s chips are beset with. Becoming a member of that is as much as 16GB of RAM and as much as 256GB of storage, that are actually flagship numbers by anybody’s requirements. It has a stunning show, too. It’s deep and vibrant, and it matches the Pixel 8a’s 120Hz refresh charge. It’s a lot bigger at 6.78 inches, although, which could possibly be an issue if in case you have smaller arms.
The battery is one other large benefit over the Pixel 8a. It’s a two-day affair more often than not, with even onerous use popping out at a day-and-a-half. Even higher, recharging is blisteringly quick. The U.S. mannequin doesn’t get the 100W recharging, nevertheless it nonetheless will get 80W, which leaves the Pixel 8a’s 18W within the mud.
The 12R’s triple lens setup doesn’t rival the Pixel 8a’s digicam, and whereas the 50MP essential lens is OK more often than not, it struggles with motion. And the ultrawide-angle and macro lenses are fairly horrible. Additionally take into account that OnePlus is thought largely for pushing large spec numbers, and which means there’s little room within the price range for anything. Because of this, you gained’t discover something significantly particular, just like the Pixel’s AI options.
The OnePlus 12R is a really sturdy different to the Pixel 8a, nevertheless it’s very a lot the selection of a selected sort of particular person. If you’d like an enormous and highly effective smartphone, maybe for enjoying video games, then the OnePlus 12R is a wonderful technique to get simply that for $500. However when you love a very good digicam and are keen on the way forward for AI and what it could possibly do for smartphones, then the Google Pixel 8a is the way in which to go.
Samsung Galaxy A35
In some ways, the Samsung Galaxy A35 is the closest match to the Pixel 8a in terms of alternate options. Love the Pixel’s worth, mild construct, and lovely show? The Galaxy A35 has these components, too, and at first look, it makes the 2 units fairly robust to choose between. Nevertheless, there are some key variations, and central to these is a horny value.
We gained’t dive into the worth but, although, as it’s essential to know what the variations are earlier than the worth is impactful. We’ll begin with the specs, and right here, the Pixel has an edge. The Galaxy A35 makes use of the Exynos 1380 processor, Samsung’s personal midrange chip, and it’s a very good performer. Does it equal a flagship chip just like the Tensor G3? Completely not, nevertheless it holds up nicely regardless. Should you’re keen to place up with a really barely slower response you then’ll be effective.
The A35 has a plastic physique, just like the Pixel 8a, however not like the Pixel, it feels nice within the hand. It seems like metallic from a distance, and the flat edges give it a contemporary model, which we actually like. The show can also be attractive. It’s a 6.6-inch Tremendous AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh charge, and it seems superb. It tops out at 1,000 nits of brightness, although, half of the Pixel’s 2,000 nits, however that’s straightforward to forgive.
The digicam is a triple-lens affair —a essential digicam, an ultrawide digicam, and a macro digicam — and it’s fairly good. It’s not the match for the Pixel 8a, nevertheless it takes handsome and enjoyable images, and also you’ll not often be disenchanted by its outcomes. The battery is a bit of disappointing, although, topping out at only a day after we’ve seen earlier A-series telephones hit two days on a single cost. The charging can also be on the weaker aspect. Nonetheless, 30W is quicker than the Pixel’s 18W.
The Samsung Galaxy A35 is kind of just like the Pixel 8a in some ways, and the 2 telephones share weaknesses, in addition to strengths, however they diverge in a single key space: the worth. The Galaxy A35 begins at $400, a full $100 lower than the Pixel 8a. That’s a very good quantity much less, particularly at this finish of the market, and contemplating how comparable the 2 are, the A35 is a powerful candidate in your pocket.
Moto G Stylus 5G (2024)
There aren’t many telephones sporting what this Motorola telephone has: a built-in stylus. However that’s not the one motive to purchase the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024). No, Motorola’s $400 telephone is a fairly nice smartphone regardless, and a stable competitor for the Google Pixel 8a — when you’re keen to simply accept some drawbacks, in fact.
We’ll begin with probably the most outstanding of these weaknesses — the digicam. Motorola has usually struggled with cameras on cheaper telephones, and though the Stylus isn’t a whole failure, it’s a step down from the Pixel 8a. The 50MP essential lens takes very stable images through the day, nevertheless it struggles to supply something good exterior of optimum lighting situations. Put it towards the Pixel 8a, and it’s clear Google nonetheless has the higher hand.
Nonetheless right here? Alright, let’s discuss what the Moto G Stylus does nicely. Regardless of being a $400 smartphone, it doesn’t skimp on a stable show. It’s a 6.7-inch OLED panel full with a 120Hz refresh charge, 1080p decision, and a hole-punch for the selfie digicam. Efficiency can also be good, and whereas the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 can’t maintain as much as the Tensor G3 when it comes to uncooked energy, it nonetheless delivers a powerful and clean expertise. Oh, and it has a stylus. It doesn’t have any fancy options just like the Samsung S Pen or Apple Pencil, nevertheless it works nicely sufficient in terms of sketching, drawing, and writing notes.
The battery will simply final two days, one other big bonus. And with 30W cost speeds, it fuels up quicker than the Pixel 8a. There may be one other draw back, although, and this can be a large one: it solely will get one software program replace. Sure, one. Whereas the Pixel 8a will get seven updates, the Moto G Stylus will get one replace to Android 15 and nothing else. That’s one other large motive to not purchase this telephone, and it’s an ongoing challenge with Motorola as an entire.
Nonetheless, if software program updates aren’t an enormous factor for you, then the Moto G Stylus is an effective way to save lots of $100 over the Pixel 8a. The mediocre digicam does imply it’s a much less attractive bundle than another telephones, but when a stylus is an enormous draw for you, then it’s value contemplating.
Nothing Telephone 2
It’s straightforward to overlook that Nothing exists, however you actually shouldn’t. The Nothing Phone 2 is an excellent smartphone, and at $599, it’s a really stable competitor within the Pixel 8a’s area. It’s a powerful all-rounder with just a few small weaknesses and one very cool gimmick within the Glyph lighting system on the again.
We known as the Glyph lighting a gimmick, and it’s, however don’t take that to imply that it’s not additionally a genuinely helpful addition to the telephone. The separate components of the Glyph will mild as much as match timers, present how distant your Uber experience is, or carry out various different features. It may be used as a digicam flash or flashlight, and it’s a helpful manner of figuring out if in case you have a notification whereas your telephone is positioned face down. Don’t write it off as a meaningless gimmick as a result of it completely isn’t.
Efficiency is snappy due to the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, which remains to be very quick regardless of being a couple of years previous now. The show is a 1080p 6.7-inch OLED panel with a 120Hz dynamic refresh charge, and it seems beautiful. Count on to get a day-and-a-half out of a single cost, with two days being potential with very mild use. There’s not a lot likelihood you’ll be working this battery down in a single day until you’re actually attempting. Charging sits at a good 45W, which is significantly better than the Pixel 8a.
What’s the catch? The digicam isn’t pretty much as good as the remainder of the telephone and struggles with low mild photographs. Put it towards the Pixel 8a, and it’s no contest. The Nothing Telephone 2 additionally solely has an IP54 score for mud and water resistance, which isn’t significantly good, particularly when in comparison with the Pixel 8a’s IP67 score.
However these are some comparatively minor factors, so long as you’re not an excessive amount of of a digicam fan. The Nothing Telephone 2 prices simply $100 greater than the Pixel 8a, and it affords the Glyph lighting system, a quick flagship processor, and a very good battery and charging charge. Should you can reside with a little bit of a garbage lowlight digicam (and bear in mind, you might have the mom of all flash models on the again of your telephone anyway), then the Nothing Telephone 2 is a really tempting competitor.
