Compare Pixel 8 and 8a: Which Google Phone Should You Buy?

The Google Pixel family is known for blending smart software with capable hardware, and two of its most compelling offerings are the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8a. While the Pixel 8 stands as Google’s flagship, the Pixel 8a emerges as the budget-friendly alternative, inheriting many of the premium features at a more accessible price point. This comparison dives deep into the nuances of both devices to help you determine which Pixel phone best suits your needs and budget. Are the savings with the Pixel 8a worth the compromises, or does the Pixel 8 justify its higher price tag with a superior overall experience? Let’s break down the key differences and similarities between the Pixel 8 and 8a to guide your decision.

Google Pixel 8a vs Google Pixel 8: Price and Availability

The Google Pixel 8 made its debut on October 4, 2023, setting the standard for Google’s flagship line that year. The Pixel 8a followed several months later, launching on May 14, 2024, as the latest entrant in Google’s more budget-conscious ‘a’ series.

Initially, the Pixel 8 was priced starting at $699 / £699 / AU$1,199 for the base 128GB model, with a bump to $759 / £759 / AU$1,299 for the 256GB variant. The Pixel 8a enters the market at a significantly lower starting price of $499 / £499 / AU$849 for the 128GB configuration, and $559 / £559 / AU$949 to double the storage to 256GB.

This initial $200 / £200 price gap clearly positions the Pixel 8a as the more affordable option. However, the landscape shifts when considering that the Pixel 8 has been on the market for longer and is now frequently subject to promotions and discounts from various retailers, including Google itself. It’s not uncommon to find the Pixel 8 selling at prices much closer to, or even overlapping with, the Pixel 8a, especially during sales events. This fluctuating pricing dynamic makes the comparison between these two phones even more compelling, as the value proposition can change depending on current deals and your timing.

Google Pixel 8a vs Google Pixel 8: Design and Display

In terms of design, the Pixel 8a represents an evolution from its predecessors, bridging the gap between the Pixel 7a and the Pixel 8. While it retains the Pixel ‘a’ series tradition of a plastic back, unlike the Pixel 8’s glass rear, the Pixel 8a introduces a new matte finish that many users might find appealing for its softer, warmer feel in hand.

The Pixel 8a also adopts the more rounded corner aesthetic introduced with the Pixel 8, though it pushes this rounding even further. However, the Pixel 8 distinguishes itself as the more premium device through its noticeably slimmer and more uniform display bezels. The Pixel 8a, conversely, features a more pronounced chin bezel at the bottom of the screen.

Weight-wise, the two phones are remarkably similar, with the Pixel 8a at 188g and the Pixel 8 at 187g. They also share an identical thickness of 8.9mm. The Pixel 8 is slightly more compact overall, with a marginally smaller footprint in length and width.

Holding both phones, the Pixel 8’s flagship status is evident. Beyond the premium feel of its glass back and slimmer bezels, the Pixel 8 features a more refined camera visor that seamlessly merges into the aluminum frame. In contrast, the Pixel 8a’s camera visor, while similar in style, has visible seams where it meets the phone’s aluminum frame.

The Pixel 8 also boasts superior durability specifications, featuring IP68-rated water and dust resistance compared to the Pixel 8a’s IP67 rating. Additionally, the Pixel 8’s display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, offering enhanced scratch and shatter resistance over the Pixel 8a’s Gorilla Glass 3.

Despite being slightly smaller in physical dimensions, the Pixel 8 actually offers a marginally larger display at 6.2 inches compared to the Pixel 8a’s 6.1 inches. Both phones utilize vibrant FHD+ OLED panels with a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth visuals. While both displays are advertised to reach a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, the Pixel 8 achieves significantly higher brightness levels in manual mode. Testing shows the Pixel 8 reaching 1,000 nits compared to the Pixel 8a’s 655 nits in non-auto brightness settings. However, in everyday use with auto-brightness enabled, both displays offer comparable viewing experiences.

Google Pixel 8a vs Google Pixel 8: Cameras

While both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a are equipped with dual-camera systems, the similarities largely end there. The Pixel 8 holds a notable advantage in camera hardware.

The flagship Pixel 8 features a larger 50MP 1/1.31“ main sensor with a wide f/1.68 aperture. In contrast, the Pixel 8a adopts a 64MP 1/1.73” main sensor with a narrower f/1.89 aperture, similar to the Pixel 7a. The Pixel 8’s larger sensor and wider aperture allow it to capture significantly more light, resulting in superior image quality, especially in low-light conditions. This difference is crucial for nighttime photography and capturing sharper images, including those using the 2x zoom feature.

The secondary cameras also differ. The Pixel 8 boasts a 12MP 126-degree ultra-wide lens with autofocus capabilities, whereas the Pixel 8a uses a 13MP 120-degree ultra-wide lens with a fixed focus. The autofocus on the Pixel 8’s ultra-wide camera enables it to function as a macro camera, a feature absent in the Pixel 8a.

Despite these hardware differences, the Pixel 8a benefits from Google’s renowned computational photography and shares the same AI-powered camera features as the Pixel 8. Features like Best Take, which allows users to swap faces in group photos to ensure everyone looks their best, and Audio Magic Eraser, for removing unwanted background noise from videos, are available on both devices.

For selfies, the Pixel 8 features a 10.5MP front camera with larger pixels, while the Pixel 8a has a 13MP front camera. Although the megapixel count is lower on the Pixel 8, the larger pixel size can contribute to better low-light selfie performance.

In real-world use, while the Pixel 8a camera is highly capable and delivers excellent results for its price point, the Pixel 8 consistently produces superior images thanks to its higher-quality hardware. Google’s image processing prowess bridges some of the gap, ensuring both phones offer impressive photography experiences, especially since they both run on the identical Tensor G3 chip. However, for outright camera quality, the Pixel 8 is the clear winner.

Google Pixel 8a vs Google Pixel 8: Performance and Software

Performance and software are areas where the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a are virtually indistinguishable. Both phones are powered by the same Google Tensor G3 4nm chipset that debuted in the Pixel 8. While there might be subtle differences in chip packaging that could theoretically lead to slightly different thermal performance, as was speculated with previous models, real-world benchmarks and user experience show negligible performance variation.

In benchmark tests like Geekbench 6 (CPU-focused) and 3DMark (GPU-focused), both phones achieve almost identical scores, indicating similar processing power. Both devices also come with 8GB of RAM and offer identical storage options of 128GB or 256GB.

Day-to-day usage confirms this performance parity. Both the Pixel 8 and 8a feel incredibly fluid and responsive when navigating the UI, switching between apps, and handling demanding tasks. They are equally capable of running graphically intensive games smoothly at high settings.

On the software front, both phones launch with Android 14, showcasing Google’s clean and intuitive user interface. Both are free from bloatware and feature a suite of smart AI-driven features. Additionally, both are slated to receive Google’s advanced Gemini AI assistant, enabling users to interact with their phones in new and versatile ways through text, voice, and image inputs.

Google’s commitment to long-term software support is also identical for both models, offering an impressive seven years of updates. This includes both major Android version upgrades and ongoing security patches, ensuring both phones remain current and secure for years to come.

Google Pixel 8a vs Google Pixel 8: Battery Life and Charging

The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a feature batteries of very similar capacity. The Pixel 8 has a 4,575mAh battery, while the Pixel 8a packs a 4,492mAh battery. This slight difference is unlikely to translate to a significant real-world battery life gap.

Both phones, equipped with the power-efficient Tensor G3 chip and similar display technology, offer comparable battery stamina. Real-world testing indicates that both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a can comfortably last through a full day of typical usage, achieving around 6 hours of screen-on time even with fairly intensive use. This represents a notable improvement in battery performance compared to earlier Pixel ‘a’ series models like the Pixel 7a.

However, the Pixel 8 does have an edge in charging speeds. It supports faster 27W wired charging and 12W wireless charging, while the Pixel 8a is limited to 18W wired and 7.5W wireless charging. While neither phone leads the industry in charging speed, the Pixel 8 will recharge noticeably quicker than the Pixel 8a, especially when using wired charging.

Google Pixel 8a vs Google Pixel 8: Verdict

The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a share a remarkable degree of overlap, especially in core areas like performance, software, and display quality. This makes the Pixel 8a a compelling alternative, as it delivers a very similar core experience to the flagship Pixel 8 at a lower price.

However, the Pixel 8 retains its position as the more premium device. It boasts a more refined design with superior build materials, including a glass back and slimmer bezels, along with enhanced durability features like IP68 water resistance and Gorilla Glass Victus. Crucially, the Pixel 8 offers a demonstrably better camera system, capturing higher-quality images, particularly in challenging lighting conditions.

If you can find the Pixel 8 at a significant discount, bringing its price closer to the Pixel 8a, it represents the unequivocally better purchase due to its superior build and camera. However, at their standard retail prices, the Pixel 8a emerges as the value champion. It provides the core Pixel experience, including flagship-level performance and software, with only minor compromises in build quality and camera hardware.

Ultimately, the best choice between the Pixel 8 and 8a hinges on your budget and priorities. If camera quality and a truly premium feel are paramount and budget is less of a constraint, the Pixel 8 is the superior choice. But for users seeking exceptional value, who are willing to accept minor tradeoffs in build and camera for significant cost savings, the Pixel 8a is an outstanding option that delivers an overwhelmingly flagship-like experience for a mid-range price.