Google Pixel 8a vs. Pixel 8
Google has the habit of dropping an 'a' model some time later than the regular flagship duo and such is the case now with the Pixel 8a. Sure, if you already have the Pixel 8, you don't need to be contemplating much around this time, but if you're in the market for a new Pixel, things get more complicated. So we figured we'd put together a summary of how the 8a is similar to its more esteemed stablemate and how the two differ, possibly helping you decide for yourself.
Table of Contents:
For starters, you can compare the complete specs sheets or directly continue with our editor's assessment in the following video or in the following text.
Size comparison
You'd be forgiven if you thought that the Pixel 8a is the more compact device of the two - after all, its display has a 0.1-inch smaller diagonal. In fact, however, the oversized black bezel around its panel makes it the larger device - the 1.6mm of extra height are negligible, but almost 2mm of extra width are easier to feel. It's still a reasonably compact smartphone, one of the more compact handsets you can get in 2024, but the Pixel 8 proper will still save you a few cubic mm of pocket space. The two weigh essentially the same, so that's not a consideration.
From the rear, the two phones look very much alike, but the resemblance is skin deep. The Pixel 8 has a Gorilla Glass Victus panel, while the 8a's back is plastic. The 8a is finished to a frosted effect, a lot like the Pixel 8 Pro, while the Pixel 8 is glossy.
On the front, the 8 gets another sheet of Victus, while the 8a is using Gorilla Glass 3, which isn't exactly cutting edge when it comes to shatter resistance, though it should be plenty good enough against scratches.
The frame is made of aluminum on both handsets, and it's finished to a satin sheen - no difference there.
Both phones are rated for dust and water resistance, and both should be able to survive a dunk in a (clean) puddle. That said, the puddle can be deeper for the Pixel 8 - it's got an IP68 rating (30mins, 1.5m), while the Pixel 8a gets an IP67 badge (30mins, 1.0m). Again, we are splitting hairs here.
Display comparison
The two displays are in many ways similar, though the one on the 8a is marginally smaller as we already pointed out, with a 6.1" diagonal, compared to the 8's 6.2" panel. Both have a 1080p resolution and a 120Hz maximum refresh rate with rudimentary adaptive behavior that lets them downswitch to 60Hz when idling. HDR10 and HDR10+ is supported on both, but not Dolby Vision. So not a whole lot to differentiate them so far unless you count the bezels. The black strip around the Pixel 8's display is notably slimmer adding for a more modern look.
The Pixel 8 has somewhat of an advantage in maximum brightness when operating the slider manually - you can go as high as 1001nits on it, though the 755nits we measured on the 8a aren't half bad either. In adaptive brightness mode, both get a boost to roughly the same level - the 8a even has a small advantage (1508nits vs. 1446nits).
Battery life
The Pixel 8a is powered by a marginally smaller battery than the Pixel 8 (4,492mAh vs. 4,575mAh) and it has an ever so slightly smaller display to light up (6.1" vs. 6.2"). With the same chipset inside both phones, it's no surprise then that both the 8a and the 8 return similar numbers in our endurance testing. So it won't be the battery life that will help you choose between the two.