By
Stephen Radochia
Published 18 minutes ago
When Mitsubishi made your first cellphone, you know you’ve been around a while. Steve has carried the latest and greatest around in his pocket for nearly 30 years, with everything from Motorola StarTACs to Samsung Galaxys crossing his path. Early appearances on TechTV fueled his love of media, and when he isn’t writing, you’ll find him ranting on YouTube as StevealiciousTech.
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It’s almost boring talking about the Google Pixel 9a. It’s a phone that was so down the middle of the runway when it was released, that it was hard to find disqualifying flaws for $500.
It’s not a perfect phone, but pound-for-pound, it’s the best smartphone value this year. And, as with its predecessors, I was hoping for an attractive Black Friday sale.
Thankfully, that’s precisely what’s happened. The Pixel 9a is available for only $400.
I respect people who disagree with me that Pixels are a solid value, but I’m less willing to entertain that argument when the price dips sub-$400.
If you’re looking for the ideal gift for a loved one or giving yourself a treat for the holidays, the Pixel 9a is worth considering. Here’s why.
Software experience and support
$400 doesn’t usually get you something this good
The Google Pixel 9a experience starts with the software. Material 3 Expressive is the perfect fit for the device, and Android 16 runs smoothly.
I often tout the Pixel 10 as an ideal landing spot for disgruntled iPhone users, but that also extends to the Pixel 9a.
It’s a fantastic way for you to finally break free from iOS and do something you never could with buying Apple products — save some money.
Google’s software is friendly and full of useful extras, like Now Playing. It’s rare to get such a full-bodied user experience on a midrange device, and it’s the best software package I’ve seen on a phone under $400.
In addition, the Pixel 9a will receive the same seven years of support as its more expensive siblings. Sure, there’s been some time taken off the clock, but you’ll still receive over six years of OS upgrades and security patches.
Material 3 Expressive feels like it was designed by people who use the devices, which is a far cry from what you usually get.
If you loved the value of the Pixel 6 or 6a, the Pixel 9a is an excellent upgrade.
Snappy performance and a gorgeous display
It’s not a Super Actua panel, but it’s still vibrant
If you enjoy compact phones, the Pixel 9a keeps the smaller feel of its predecessors despite a larger display. When Google moved to a 6.3-inch Actua panel for the Pixel 9a, I worried the A-series would lose some of its charm.
Thankfully, that’s not the case, and the Pixel 9a still fits the bill for people who want a relatively powerful smartphone that doesn’t take up their entire pocket.
It’s not the Super Actua display you’ll find on Google’s Pro Pixels, but the Actua panel on the Pixel 9a is still vibrant and saturated.
It’s a far cry from what we had on the Pixel 6a and 7a, and I’m glad Google corrected a weak point of previous phones.
Tensor chipsets get plenty of hate from around the internet, and while some of the criticism is valid, the shortcomings melt away for $400.
The Tensor G4 is a capable and powerful chipset, and I’m never frustrated by the performance of my Pixel 9a. Paired with 8GB of RAM and well-optimized software, my device is smooth.
Battery life is excellent, and the cameras are best-in-class
I can easily get two days on a single charge
I wish Google would increase charging speeds, even for its midrange phones, but that’s not the case this year.
23W wired charging is pathetic in 2025, and the Pixel 9a isn’t a phone you can forget to plug in overnight. Thankfully, you won’t need to do it often, since I get phenomenal battery life from the phone’s 5,100mAh cell.
I get two days of use on a single charge. The Pixel 8a had solid battery life, but I was especially impressed by what I experienced on the Pixel 9a.
The main reason you’d buy a Pixel 9a for $400 is the cameras.
If you’re a shutterbug who is tired of spending $1,000 on a smartphone just to get decent photos, the Pixel 9a will do the job.
Night Sight offers the best low-light photography on any device I’ve tested under $500, and while I wish the Pixel 9a featured more than two lenses, the 48MP primary sensor produces crisp, detailed images.
There are drawbacks, but I don’t care for $400
The Pixel 9a is far from perfect, and it has many of the compromises you’ll find on midrange phones. However, I can only judge a device by the price you pay.
If it were $600, I’d tell you to look elsewhere. But for $400 on a Black Friday deal, the Pixel 9a is the ideal smartphone for more people than you’d think.
We grossly overestimate the power and performance we need from our devices, and the Pixel 9a is a capable, well-supported smartphone that you will enjoy.
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Google Pixel 9a
$400
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9/10
SoC
Google Tensor G4
RAM
8GB
Storage
128GB, 256GB
Google's Pixel 9a takes everything that was great about the Pixel 8a and looks to modernize it. With an all-new Pixel 9-inspired look and no camera bump, this might be the best $500 smartphone we've seen yet.
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Google Pixel 9a
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