Pixel 10a Review: It's Not What I'd Call an Ambitious Upgrade
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Pros
- No unsightly camera bar
- A battery that lasts all day
- A brighter screen than the previous model
- A Satellite Antenna for making emergency calls
- Fairly light for a smartphone
Cons- The tensor chip is still underpowered for a flagship phone
- The camera is just OK in comparison to its competitors
- The promised battery update might shorten battery life with age
- No Pixelsnap, so you can't charge wirelessly
Table of Contents
Last year, I called Google’s budget Pixel, the Pixel 9a, “arguably the best Google phone yet,” and I stand by my assessment. It offered—and still offers—long battery life and a bright, smooth display, and while it might not always compete in performance with non-Google phones, it benchmarked better than the standard Pixel 9. Most importantly, it ditched the bulky camera bar that Google had insisted on putting on all of its phones since the Pixel 6.
Unfortunately, it seems like Google is content to rest on those accomplishments. Its new budget phone, the Pixel 10a, is almost a carbon copy of the Pixel 9a, inside and out. And while that means it has many of the same strengths, it also presents little reason to upgrade, especially considering it’s the first a-series Google phone in several generations to use a lesser processor than the flagship phone it’s named after.
Google Pixel 10a: Design and build
Easily the best thing about the Pixel 10a is the design, and that’s also where it stands out the most when judged against both the Pixel 9a and pretty much every other phone on the market. If you’ve gotten tired of camera bumps, not to mention the full camera bars found on Google’s non-budget Pixels, this is the phone for you.
There is no camera lip on the Pixel 10a whatsoever. Instead, for the first time since the original Pixel in 2016, the rear camera is completely flush with the body of the device. That means it feels smooth in the hands and lies perfectly flat on a desk with no issues. It’s the closest thing to a clean sci-fi slate I’ve held in a long time, slipping into a pocket or small bag like a dream. That alone is a huge selling point for me, and could even represent an improvement over alternative, non-budget models, or trypophobia-triggering competitors like Samsung’s S25 FE.
That said, it’s not like the Pixel 9a’s small camera bump was especially bulky. That phone already did a lot to slim down its profile, and the 10a’s flush camera pill definitely looks more iterative than revolutionary when the two phones are considered side by side. In short, I wouldn't upgrade just for the sleeker build, but if you’re already in the market for a new budget Pixel, you might as well get the most up-to-date option (a theme you’ll see repeated throughout this review).
Flat back aside, there are also a few new colors on this model. “Obsidian” returns to give you a basic black look, but the 9a’s white “Porcelain” model has been swapped for a mostly white but slightly green-tinted “Fog” option. Meanwhile, the pink “Peony” option is now a red color called “Berry.” My favorite of the new colors is probably “Lavender,” which is a deeper blue (with a slight purplish hue) than the “Iris” colorway my Pixel 9a came with.
Google Pixel 10a: Technical specs and performance
If the flush camera pill is the best thing about the Pixel 10a, the chip is the worst. Unlike every a-series phone Google has released since the Pixel 5a, the Pixel 10a’s processor is a generation behind the main series Pixel 10 processor. That means the new budget phone misses out on Google’s fully custom Tensor G5 chip, and is instead fitted with the same semi custom Tensor G4 that’s in the Pixel 9a.
That’s not all bad news. The Tensor G4 is still powerful enough for everyday use, so you won’t notice the lack of an upgrade if you’re just browsing the internet or streaming music or videos. The Pixel 10a can even game, though you might have to turn down the settings—the demanding game Genshin Impact ran best for me on low settings at 45 fps; anything above that tended to heat the Pixel 10a up so much it got uncomfortable to hold.
Still, a last-gen chip is not ideal, especially for future-proofing, or for those who demand a lot out of their phones. Tensor chips already sacrifice on raw performance when compared to the competition, instead prioritizing Google AI. But the 10a pales in comparison to even its fellow Pixel 10 siblings.
For instance, while the Pixel 10 scored 2,309 points in single-core CPU tasks on the synthetic benchmark Geekbench 6, the Pixel 10a only scored 1,697 points. Multi-core CPU testing didn’t fare much better, with the Pixel 10 hitting 5,642 points and the 10a coming in at 4,512 points. The trend continued when I tested the GPU, while the graphical benchmark 3DMark Wild Life Extreme ran at a near solid 20 fps on the Pixel 10, but mostly hovered around 12 to 16 fps on the Pixel 10a.
To translate those raw numbers to something more meaningful, all of that means the Pixel 10a runs about identically to the Pixel 9a (and I got a lot of the same results as when I tested that phone). To be fair, both of these phones also only come with 8GB of RAM, while the Pixel 10 comes with 12GB, but I would expect at least a slight performance boost on a newer model. The Pixel 9a, for instance, actually beat the base Pixel 9 in some of my benchmarks, so it would be great to see the Pixel 10a keep up with the Pixel 10’s already behind-the-curve general performance.
Beyond the chip, the 10a’s internals are nearly identical to the 9a’s, which doesn’t make for a compelling reason to upgrade. It also means the phone will be obsolete just a little bit sooner than it should.
Google Pixel 10a: New features and capabilities
When the Pixel 9a came out, it didn’t introduce any new AI features, and the Pixel 10a roughly follows that trend. There are only two new AI additions here, trickling down from the Pixel 10, while other Pixel 10 AI-exclusives like “100x zoom” aren’t making the jump. But there is one new, non-AI feature that could seriously justify a Pixel 10a upgrade for some users.
Satellite SOS is a great safety feature
That feature would be Satellite SOS. The Pixel 10a is the first Google a-series phone with a satellite antenna included, meaning that if you get lost and you’re not able to connect to a cellular network, you can point your phone at the sky and try to connect to emergency services using a satellite instead.
While I don’t live in a rural enough area to stress test Satellite SOS, it should be a relief to any outdoorsy Pixel 10a owners, especially because it works in over 30 countries across Europe and North America (a full list is available on Google’s website). The catch is that Satellite SOS is supposedly only free for two years after activation, although Google has yet to start charging for it on any of its phones since debuting it on the Pixel 9. That means we don’t yet know how much it’ll cost when you eventually have to pay for it, though it does strike me as odd to charge for a safety feature.
Still, Satellite SOS is definitely the most useful add to the Pixel 10a. Outside of that, the most notable new features include Auto Best Take, which uses multiple rapid shots and AI to take group shots where everyone is smiling; and Camera Coach, which will task an AI to guide you on taking the perfect picture. They’re more restrained than other AI camera features, but I wouldn’t call them system sellers.
Google Pixel 10a: Display
The screen is another area where the Pixel 10a is mostly identical to the Pixel 9a, but there have been some minor improvements. The Pixel 10a is 300 nits brighter, and Google says the bezels are about 10% thinner. The brightness definitely comes through, although I can’t really see the difference between the bezels, even placing the phones side by side.
Still, because the Pixel 9a already had such an excellent screen, I’m not too broken up about it. The Pixel 10a’s display is a 6.3-inch OLED with a 1,024 x 2,424 resolution, HDR support, 3,000 nits of peak brightness, and an up to 120Hz refresh rate. That’s really more than anyone should expect out of a budget phone, especially when the freshly announced iPhone 17e tops out at 800 nits of max brightness and a 60Hz refresh rate.
In short, photos and videos look vibrant, are easy to see even in direct sunlight, and show perfect blacks, making for excellent contrast. Scrolling is also extra smooth, but do remember that the 120Hz screen is something you’ll need to turn on manually, under Settings > Display > Smooth Display. It might make a minor dent in your battery life, but it’s worth it.
Google Pixel 10a: Camera
My chief concern with the Pixel 10a was that the new flat camera might perform worse than the Pixel 9a’s, but after some time in the field, I’ve managed to put those concerns to rest. The megapixel counts are the same as on the previous generation (a 48 MP wide camera and a 13 MP ultrawide camera, with a 13 MP selfie camera and no telephoto lens), and shots look about the same. That means they won’t be as detailed as photos taken with one of Google’s flagship phones, but they will be more than serviceable.
For comparison, here are a few side-by-side daytime shots I took with the Pixel 9a and 10a:
And a few side-by-side nighttime shots:
You’ll notice that fine details might be a little fuzzy, but if you’re going to be posting to a social media feed, your pics are going to be compressed anyway. Unless you use your phone for work like I do, you should be all set here.
The only real complaint I have is that the lack of a telephoto lens does mean that zooming does top out at 8x, which might make distant shots look a bit too grainy. I’d love to see a telephoto lens in the next a-series Pixel phone, although I’ll acknowledge that’s not a common feature on any budget phones.
Google Pixel 10a: Battery life and charging
Beyond the design, my favorite thing about the Pixel 10a is the battery life. While typical capacity is the same as the Pixel 9a’s, at 5,100 mAh, that still ends up being enough to give me all-day battery life, and charging is faster this generation, too.
In my typical battery rundown test, where I stream a video at 50% brightness with all auto-dimming and battery saver settings off, the Pixel 10a ran for 22 hours and 40 minutes, or from 9:00 PM Saturday evening to 7:40 pm Sunday evening. That’s below the 30 hour promise Google makes, but Google’s estimates usually assume lighter use, and a near 23-hour battery life is still above the 21-hours Apple’s iPhone 17e estimates for streaming video playback.
Wired charging has been bumped to 30w (from 22w) and wireless charging to 10w (from 7.5w), meaning the Pixel 10a can hit 50% battery life in a half hour via USB cable. While I haven’t had enough time with the phone to test Extreme Battery Saver mode, Google says it should now last up to 120 hours, as opposed to 100 hours on the Pixel 9a.
The catch, unfortunately, is that while this battery life is great, charging your phone isn’t as convenient as it could be. That’s because the Pixel 10a doesn’t have Pixelsnap, which debuted on the standard Pixel 10 line and is Google’s version of MagSafe. It does still charge wirelessly, which means you can hack a MagSafe-like solution using the right case, but it’s an unfortunate omission—Pixelsnap was my favorite thing about the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro, and the iPhone 17e does have MagSafe.
Should you buy the Google Pixel 9a?
The Pixel 10a is an excellent budget phone, but mostly because it copies the Pixel 9a’s homework. Aside from a few truly minor updates, this is essentially the same phone as the previous device, and yes, I did say the Pixel 9a was arguably Google’s best phone when it released, the extent of the similarities means the 10a isn’t nearly as compelling on first blush, especially a year out from the 9a’s release.
Why? Mostly because it offers little reason to upgrade. If you already have a Pixel 9a, there's not much here for you, unless you desperately want satellite messaging or a camera pill that’s a hair thinner. Even if you have a Pixel 8a, due the the reused chip, that phone is actually only one generation removed from the 10a’s core hardware, rather than two.
Using a chip that’s a year old also means the device lags behind the iPhone 17e, which uses the same A19 chip as the base iPhone 17; it will also be surpassed by the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE when that phone is released later this year.
Still, for a budget phone, raw performance isn’t everything, and there are ways in which the Pixel 10a stands out: It’s got a brighter and smoother screen than the competition, for one thing, plus a slightly longer battery life. Unfortunately, the same could be said about the Pixel 9a, but at least the Pixel 10a didn't get a price increase: at $499, it costs the same as last year's model.
So is the Pixel 10a worth it? Well, if you value looks and longevity and you don’t already have a Google budget phone, probably. While the upgrades over the 9a are minor, it costs about the same—as of this writing, aftermarket prices for the Pixel 9a aren’t that much cheaper than a new 10a purchased directly from Google.
That said, if you already have a 9a and you’re considering an upgrade, save your money. The Pixel 10a is not a bad phone, but it’s essentially a reissue, rather than a new model.
Google Pixel 10A Review FAQ
Should you upgrade to the Pixel 10a?
If you don’t already have a Pixel 9a, the Pixel 10a is the budget Google phone to get, with a bright screen, high refresh rate, long battery life, and flush camera pill. However, it also doesn’t have a new chip, making it a difficult sell to people who already have a Pixel 9a or a more up-to-date competing budget phone.
What is the best Pixel phone?
For the best camera and strongest performance, the Pixel 10 Pro is still the option to get. The base Pixel 10 isn’t far behind that, since it has the same chip, though it does sacrifice some memory and camera detail. The Pixel 10a is better for light users, and focuses on a slim body and performance that is good enough. Unfortunately, its chip is one generation behind, meaning it offers a pretty similar experience to the Pixel 9a. For the most longevity and the best middle ground, the standard Pixel 10 is a good choice for most people.
Is the Pixel 10a better than the iPhone 17e?
The Pixel 10a has a few advantages over the iPhone 17e, as it has a larger screen (6.3-inches vs 6.1-inches) that is also brighter (3,000 nits vs. 800 nits) and smoother (120hz vs. 60 hz). It also starts at $100 cheaper than the iPhone 17e, although if you upgrade the storage to 256GB to match the iPhone 17e’s, you will pay the same price for each. Battery life is a little longer, but not by much. The Pixel 10a’s camera is flush with the rear of the device, while the iPhone’s comes with a small lip. However, the iPhone also has a more up-to-date.more powerful chip. It is also a bit more compact and lighter. Which one will be best for you depends on what you care about most with a phone, but the iPhone 17e’s newer chip means it will likely stay relevant longer. Neither phone is groundbreaking enough to consider swapping operating systems for.
