Pixel 10a vs Pixel 8a: Main differences
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Google Pixel 10a vs Pixel 8a | Image by PhoneArena
There's a new Pixel in town, and it's none other than the Pixel 10a. This new and most affordable Pixel phone isn't a terribly unique phone. In fact, it's pretty much a carbon copy of the Pixel 9a, except for a few key differences that I love seeing.
The faster charger and the brighter screen, for example, are both two key features that kind of offset the lackluster hardware changes to the camera package or the chipset on board, at least for me.
What does this mean for the older Pixel 8a? Has the time come to finally upgrade to the newer Pixel that's coming, or does that peculiar Google release mean that you could hold onto that Pixel 8a for a couple of years more?
Pixel 10a vs Pixel 8a differences:
| Pixel 10a | Pixel 8a |
|---|---|
| A bit larger, but uses the same flat design language as the Pixel 9/10 | Also compact, but with a rear-curved design language |
| Flush camera bump | Protruding 3D Camera Visor bump |
| Google's older Tensor G4 chip | The previous-gen Google Tensor G3 chip |
| Slightly larger 6.3-inch 60/120Hz OLED screen | More compact 6.1-inch 60/120Hz OLED panel |
| Brighter display (3,000 nits of peak brightness) | Lower peak brightness (2,000 nits) |
| 48 MP F1.7 main camera with a 1/2" sensor | 64 MP F1.9 main camera with a 1/1.73" sensor |
| Larger 5,100mAh battery | A smaller 4,492mAh battery |
| Satellite SOS | No Satellite SOS |
| 45 W wired charging, 10 W wireless charging | 18W wired, 7.5W wireless charging |
| IP68 water/dust resistance | IP67 water/dust resistance |
| Obsidian, Berry, Fog, and Lavender colors | Came in Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay, and Aloe colors |
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Design and Size
Two years' worth of differences
The Pixel 10a follows the exact same design language as the Pixel 9a, with flat aluminum sides, a plastic back, and rounded corners. Google has upgraded the glass up front from Gorilla Glass 3 to Gorilla Glass 7i, which should boost the durability of the phone.
The Pixel 8a is different. Not only is it more compact, but it also has some slight curves that evoke memories of a bygone design era. This makes the phone a bit more ergonomic to hold and use, which is a nice addition.
| Pixel 10a | Pixel 8a |
|---|---|
| Thickness 9.0 mm | Thickness 8.9 mm |
| Dimensions 153.9 x 73 mm | Dimensions 152.1 x 72.2 mm |
| Weight 183 g | Weight 188 g |
One major difference between the Pixel 10a and the Pixel 8a is the water and dust resistance. The Pixel 10a is an IP68-rated device, while the Pixel 8a is just IP67-compliant. One thing is certain: the newer phone is slightly more durable against the elements.
Another big difference between the Pixel 10a and the Pixel 9a is the colors, with the new phone coming in Obsidian, Berry, Fog, and Lavender colors. At the same time, the Pixel 8a came in Aloe (green), Bay (blue), Porcelain (white), and Obsidian (black) colors.
All Google Pixel 10a colors | Image by Google
Display Differences
The Pixel 10a comes with a 6.3-inch FHD+ OLED screen with a very high peak brightness of nearly 3,000 nits. As mentioned, it also comes with Gorilla Glass 7i.
Meanwhile, the Pixel 8a came with a slightly smaller 6.1-inch FHD+ OLED display that's only capable of hitting around 2,000 nits. Otherwise, it's also HDR-compliant and has Gorilla Glass 3 on top.
So, essentially, no that many differences between the two screens.
| Pixel 10a | Pixel 8a |
|---|---|
| Size 6.3" | Size 6.1" |
| Brightness 3,000 nits (peak) | Brightness 2,000 nits (peak) |
Both use optical fingerprint scanners embedded in the screen, and these are a tad slower than the superior ultrasonic ones on pricier phones.
New here is the fact that Google has found a way to make sure the face unlock on its newer devices can be considered as secure as hardware-based facial unlock. Therefore, you can use the newer Pixels' facial unlock to authenticate banking and sensitive apps. The older Pixel 8a doesn't support this feature.
Performance and Software
Tensor-o-rama
The Pixel 10a arrives with the older generation of Google's own Tensor chip, the Tensor G4. Built on a 4 nm node, this one is just a tad slower than the newer Tensor G5 that ticks inside the Pixel 10 series, for example.
Still, I doubt anyone would find a massive difference in the real-life performance between the Tensor G5 and the G4-equipped Pixels.
The Pixel 8a relies on an even older Tensor chip, the Tensor G3, but… we once again doubt there would be a palpable difference between that and the Tensor G4 inside the Pixel 10a.
It's important to remember that Tensors usually disappoint in raw performance and synthetic benchmarks; these are tailored for machine learning and AI.
| Pixel 10a | Pixel 8a |
|---|---|
| Chip Google Tensor G4 | Chip Google Tensor G3 |
| Process 4nm | Process 4nm |
| RAM, Storage 8/128 GB 8/256 GB | RAM, Storage 8/128 GB 8/256 GB |
Both the Pixel 10a and Pixel 8a will come with the same 8 GB of RAM and 128/256 GB storage options.
Both phones enjoy Google's seven-year software update policy.
Camera
Some changes inbound
The Pixel 10a comes with a 48 MP main and a 13 MP ultrawide camera, along with a 13 MP selfie snapper at the front. An okay setup, albeit not very versatile, but mostly comparable to what you get on a Pixel 10, for example.
The Pixel 8a comes with a 64 MP camera with a slightly larger sensor. However, due to Google's reliance on software optimization and image processing, hardware doesn't play such a major role, especially in the camera department. Moreover, a higher megapixel count doesn't necessarily mean a better camera, as we've seen numerous times in the past.
| Pixel 10a | Pixel 8a |
|---|---|
| Main 48 MP, f/1.7 | Main 64 MP, f/1.9 |
| Ultrawide 13 MP, f/2.2 | Ultrawide 13 MP, f/2.2 |
Battery Life and Charging
Proper upgrade if we've ever seen one
The Pixel 10a arrives with a massive 5,100 mAh battery, which marks a massive upgrade over the Pixel 8a's 4,492 mAh battery.
No two ways about it: the larger battery paired with the slightly more efficient Tensor G4 essentially means that the Pixel 10a will certainly have better battery life than its predecessor. That's mostly natural to expect with every generation, but our experience with the Pixel 9a is that it has a vastly better battery life than the Pixel 8a.
Now, if only Google shipped higher-quality batteries in its phones, ones that don't need to be artificially capped after just 200 recharge cycles and don't randomly catch on fire, that'd be great.
Charging-wise, the Pixel 10a delivers a much faster 45 W wired charging in comparison with the 18 W wired one on the Pixel 8a. The difference is big, so I'd expect a major charging speed difference. There's 10 W wireless charging on the Pixel 10a versus 7.5 W on the Pixel 9a.
Specs Comparison
|
|
| Google Pixel 10a | Google Pixel 8a |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 152.1 x 72.2 x 8.9 mm | |
| Weight | |
| 188.0 g | |
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 6.3-inch | 6.1-inch |
| Type | |
| P-OLED, 120Hz | OLED, 120Hz |
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Google Tensor G4 (4 nm) | Google Tensor G3 (4 nm) |
| Memory | |
| 8GB (LPDDR5X)/128GB (UFS 3.1) 8GB/256GB | 8GB (LPDDR5X)/128GB (UFS 3.1) 8GB/256GB |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 5100 mAh | 4492 mAh |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 30.0W Wireless: 10.0W |
Wired: 18.0W Wireless: 7.5W |
| Main camera | |
|---|---|
| 48 MP (OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.7 Focal length: 25 mm Sensor size: 1/2" Pixel size: 0.8 μm | 64 MP (OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.9 Focal length: 26 mm Sensor size: 1/1.73" Pixel size: 0.8 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 13 MP (Ultra-wide) Aperture size: F2.2 Sensor size: 1/3.1" Pixel size: 1.12 μm | 13 MP (Ultra-wide) Aperture size: F2.2 Pixel size: 1.12 μm |
| Front | |
| 13 MP | 13 MP |
See the full
Google Pixel 10a vs Google Pixel 8a specs comparison
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Summary
The Pixel 8a is already a bit aged in terms of design, performance, battery life, and likely camera quality. So, even though the Pixel 10a won't offer much new in terms of hardware, it might still be a very decent upgrade for Pixel 8a users.
Should they consider the Pixel 10a, though?
This question remains hanging, but so far the Pixel 10a doesn't shape itself as a groundbreaking new release.
It definitely has much better value already, though. It will get supported for longer and has some of those quality-of-life upgrades Pixel 8a users might only dream of.
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