Google’s Pixel 8A is a midrange phone that might actually go the distance

The Pixel 8A is officially here, pinch very small successful nan measurement of surprises since it leaked to each heck complete nan past fewer weeks — arsenic Google hardware ever does. The 8A gets Google’s latest processor, adds a bunch of caller AI features, and still starts astatine $499 successful nan US. But nan very champion news is that nan 8A adopts nan Pixel 8 and 8 Pro’s 7 years of package support, which is conscionable unheard of successful a midrange phone.

The 8A retains nan aforesaid wide style and size arsenic its predecessor. But its 6.1-inch surface gets a mates of important updates: nan apical refresh complaint is now 120Hz, up from 90Hz, and nan sheet gets up to 40 percent brighter, up to 2,000 nits successful highest brightness mode. They’re important upgrades, particularly since nan 8A’s main title successful nan US, the OnePlus 12R, comes pinch an fantabulous display.

This is nan twelvemonth of AI On Things, and nan Pixel 8A is nary exception. It comes pinch nan aforesaid generative AI photograph and video features that made a scatter connected nan Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, including Best Take, Magic Editor, and Audio Magic Eraser. Circle to Search is besides available, and nan 8A will beryllium capable to tally Google’s mobile-optimized on-device AI model, Gemini Nano. As connected nan Pixel 8, it’ll beryllium a developer action delivered via characteristic drop.

Other specs are either unchanged aliases somewhat boosted compared to nan past generation. There’s still 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, though there’s now a 256GB option. Camera hardware is unchanged from nan 7A, including a stabilized 64-megapixel main sensor. There’s an IP67 rating, accordant pinch nan 7A, and artillery capacity is simply a small higher astatine 4,492mAh compared to 4,385mAh. Wireless charging is disposable via Qi 1.3 astatine up to 7.5W — nary Qi2 here.

The Pixel 8A is successful an overseas position this year, wherever its biggest title whitethorn travel from Google itself. As of now, Samsung’s midrange Galaxy A55 5G appears to beryllium skipping nan US, giving nan Pixel 8A an unfastened lane. The aforementioned OnePlus 12R is besides an option, but it isn’t sold done nan awesome wireless carriers, and that’s really astir group successful nan US bargain their phones. That conscionable puts it against nan modular Pixel 8, which is often connected sale. We’ve moreover seen it match nan 8A’s $499 price.

Google will surely beryllium observant pinch its pricing strategy astir its 3 8-series phones, but pinch nan 7A sticking astir successful nan lineup for now and perchance four new Pixel phones coming later this year, that’ll beryllium rather nan strategy. In nan meantime, nan Pixel 8A is disposable for preorder starting today; it ships connected May 14th.