What do you think of this phone? Let me know down below 👇 You can buy any of the products in this video using the links below (note: these are Amazon affiliate links and I may earn a small commission on any purchase you make): Google Pixel 8a: geni.us/BFyyR Pixel 8a Official Case: geni.us/1EEZdMA Google Pixel 8: geni.us/cn8ArA Pixel 8 Official Case: geni.us/Jwve
Complaints about poor battery life and signal reception as well as very slow speeds for updates seem to be the the issues i keep seeing listed for the 8a...the slow charging is a "feature" for all pixels .
Yeah, I've not had too many issues with the signal reception, but the modem certainly affects the battery life! And yes, way faster charging is certainly available on other phones!
I like android but not pixel phones. Samsung and OneUI works for me. Once I had 3a.. its resell value after 2 yrs was... £0.. Tried selling on ebay, no one bought it.
Fair enough - I definitely prefer the Pixels to Samsung phones (I previously had an S22), mainly because of the software experience on the Pixels, but I didn't dislike the experience on Samsung - I just prefer the stock Android on Pixel!
At 5G the phone gets very hot, and battery drains quickly. My daughter often tells me its hard to hear me in the phone, never said anything like that on any other phone I have had. Camera is bad, no macro functionality. The USB-C port on mine is already bad. If I accidently touch the cable while connected to data like android auto, it disconnects. same with 3 other cables I have tried. I will go back to Samsung when my contract runs out. Had have different Samsungs since I bought a Note 2.. not one single problem. 5G on my samsung used as much battery as 4G.. like the other day on my Pixel, it was at 100% battery. My internet went down, so I put it on share data as a acces point. later at the evening, 27% battery left lol. Software is way worse on Pixel than Samsung. Many of the apps renders the text the wrong way, or behind menus etc, so you can not click on things etc. For example happens in Duolingo, the bank app (which is a pain when it happens) and many others. Never seen that on Samsung.
I was thinking of getting Pixel 9, but after seeing it being 949 € today I decided that I might as well save 400 € and get 8a instead. It looks like an excellent phone for its price range.
Yup, the Pixel 9 has gone up on price and it just makes the Pixel 8a look like an even better deal considering the relative parity of features, especially if you can get it for less than the RRP! Thanks for watching and commenting - I hope you enjoy the 8a!
From a IPhone 6s to an Pixel 8a i really noticed a difference in performance such as the 120hz oled screen. For a significantly less price of an iphone 13-14 i feel like the pixel is better when it comes to practicality. Good review!
Yeah, the 120Hz screen is really nice! It's especially going to be a big jump going from an iPhone 6S. Glad you're enjoying your experience and thanks for the kind comments 😁
I've just got the 8a and wow first full day of using I was using 7hr.46 min with 36% left this is great for me definitely think it's a charge at night with adaptive battery thanks for the review as I made my decision on your video
Excellent superior review. You kept to the basics understanding that the average person who buys a light version of a phone doesn't need or use some of the more specialized features that more expensive phones offer.
I have been using 8 a since 2 momths and i admit it is a very unique phone with its unique aura to hold and to look at . Functionally its a very comfy phone in the pocket with a right heft. Software wise this phone works like butter and all the features works like its intended to. Such a sophisticated phone ❤ Class 👌
I'm glad to hear you're enjoying your experience with the Pixel 8 - it's a great phone, especially if you can get it on a discount! I agree with all the points you made there! Thanks for watching and commenting! 😁
The phone gets warm when you are doing intense tasks like gaming, but it hasn't overheated on me. Your experience may be different if you live in a warmer climate though! Charging speeds are particularly slow on this phone, which is one of the main downsides.
Thanks for the honest review. I got mine for free today when I switched cell providers - I actually got the better deal for doing so (57 GB more per month but the same price monthly as my old provider, plus a $50 grocery card). I'll have to check out your other video about the differences between the 8 and 8a. I want good quality pictures and videos more than anything, but I don't need a top quality (ie expensive) phone. I like the 7 yr support, as that's how long I had my previous phone. I debated between this and the Galaxy S23, and still don't know if I made the right choice. A friend got the S23, so we'll compare at some point. She's already complained of slow charging speeds and a short battery life with that one.
No worries. That's good that you got it free! I love the pictures that you can get with the 8a to be honest - I think it produces excellent results, considering the low price. The battery life isn't the best, but it should last you a day as long as you aren't using it for heavy tasks. Hopefully you like it! Thanks for watching and commenting 😁
Firstly regarding your review, I have seen plenty of Pixel 8a reviews before buying it last month and don't think anyone precisely explained as you did. Great work! I switched from iOS after 7 years to Android in Oct 2024 - bought the Pixel 8A under exchange offer in my region by just paying $180 by exchanging my 3 year old iPhone 12 64gb. Loving every bit of Pixel software and hardware has to offer for the price and away from the 'walled garden' of Apple. I wonder how I spent 7 years with that!
Thanks so much for your kind comments - I appreciate it! I try to go in detail on these reviews, so I appreciate you picking up on that. Super interesting to hear your experience and that you're happy with your decision to switch 😁 I'm probably going to buy the new iPhone SE when that's announced, to test and review for the channel, so I'm interested to see what iPhone is like, having not used it for a LONG time at this point. But yes, I agree, their walled garden is frustrating, especially for someone who likes to be able to choose the tech they use and not be limited! Thanks for adding to the conversation 😁
@@arranpbrown thanks! looking forward for iPhone SE review.. being an ex-iPhone SE 2 user. But honestly I have no expectations from Apple now-adays when it comes to evolution. They have saturated and quite honestly it is no longer exciting. They are quite big to fall though [Nokia smiling in the corner ;-) ] Side note: No one mentioned it in their review but the form factor of Pixel 8A reminded me (somewhat not entirely) of iPhone 6/6s. I love the form factor, it just hit the sweet spot for me as my hands are small.
@PankajN1702 great! Yes, agreed, the smartphone market as a whole is less exciting these days as there is only so much they can do to improve things, I guess! Very good point about the size - that was something I mentioned in my Pixel 8 review actually, and it's equally true about the 8a. I much prefer smaller phones as they are actually usable with one hand!
Currently having to decide between getting the Iphone 14 or a Pixel 8a so this video is just what i was looking for! I appreciate your approach to this review as well. A lot of tech channels are becoming a bit out of touch with how normal people use their phone and it shows in their absurd nitpicking in reviews that arent $1600 flagships
Good review. The first thing I do to a Pixel device is put GrapheneOS on it. Biggest (albeit very underrated) selling point of the Pixel lineup IMHO. My next Pixel will probably be the 10 though, as the Tensor G5 will be made at TSMC.
Yeah, I've heard quite a few people who do that and it's great to have the option, particularly if you're very privacy conscious! And yes, looking forward to seeing what Google do with the Pixel 10 series!
Good timing. As of yesterday Google India tweeted that Pixel 8 series has entered the production line in India. Earlier it was not made in India. Which means, Pixel 8 will get more price cuts and I can grab it in upcoming sale next month. Right now I can grab it with 600$. I will wait for the price drop of 100 to 150$ in sale. Then Its extremely good value.
Basically just to test it out and compare it directly to the Pixel 8 as most people probably aren't in a position to do that, so I thought it would be helpful for anyone who is unsure of which phone to buy based on their budget! 🙂 Hopefully this comes in useful to anyone in that position! Thanks for continuing to show up on the channel - I appreciate you!
Yes, face unlock is nice and quick to be fair and is a good alternative to the fingerprint, especially when you are in front of the phone looking at it!
Great review! I currently have the Pixel 7 and the major issue I have with the phone is self dimming screen when the phone gets warm. When out in the sun on summer day the phone is basically useless b/c it dims the screen so much, and there is no way to retain brightness, even disabling adaptive brightness. I understand that this process is built into the operating system to help preserve the life of the phone, but it makes the phone unusable at times. Any feedback on the 8a and its use on hot, sunny days?
Thank you! I’m afraid being based in Scotland hasn’t really given me much experience of warm sunny days, even though I was using the 8a during some of our warmest months 😅 but I don’t remember encountering any issues with the screen dimming! It’s likely Google still does the same with the 8a to preserve the long-term health of the phone, but I imagine your experience will really depend on how hot your climate is. The hottest it really got here this year was about 25ºC, so it’s not really comparable to warmer climates!
Hey, some people complain about the display showing sort of a purple banding if you tilt the screen or you're not looking at it straight, like on an angle. Did you notice this at all with your pixel 8a?
Thank you! Yes, the A series is great because it brings the best of the Pixel phones without the fluff of the extra features that people don't use that often! Hopefully the 9a delivers again. I heard there was talks of the Pixel 8a being the last A phone from Google, but that was just rumoured and could be incorrect!
Fair point - I'm not sure how many people would realistically make use of that, but it's good to know for anyone who it does affect! Thanks for the comment 👌
Speaking of vibrations, Android 15 is coming with Adaptive Vibration which means depending on which medium your phone is placed on, your phone will adjust the vibration. Maybe that will help. I understand your 5G -> 4G switch. I work from home and have WiFi. so does not make sense to use 5G if 4G LTE gets all my job done, when I go out.
Ahh nice - I wasn't aware of that. That could make a big difference in the vibration quality then! And yes, 4G is probably fast enough for most people, but there are some people who might benefit from the faster 5G speeds 🙂
Very good point! Just checked and mine is already on the minimum vibration setting for notifications though... So I imagine it sounds even worse on maximum!
I've just upgraded my trusty 6a to an 8 pro as I got a great deal. It's a great phone but bloody huge so I'm thinking I've made the wrong decision. Wondering if to swap to the 8a while I'm still in my cooling off period...
Thanks for the comment! I think it might be worth considering the Pixel 8 too? It's a better phone than the 8a and you can get it on some great deals now too!
Hey Arran, great review. I want to upgrade from my iphone 7plus and leave apple now. I live in Europe and so have heard that pixel doesn’t have a lot of features out of the USA, would you still recommend 8A or any other pixel ? Thank you
Hey! I would recommend going for the Pixel 8 as you can likely get it for a price fairly close to the 8a and it is slightly better than the 8a in a few areas. I'm currently working on a video comparing the 8a, 8 and 9 which should be released before Christmas which could be helpful for you, but you also may be able to get a good deal on the Pixel 8 just now with the Black Friday sales, so you may want to get it sooner rather than later! Hope this helps 👌
@ thank you for your quick reply Arran. Theres a 150 euro difference between both. Also, what about all the USA features not being there in Europe/UK. Does it make a huge dealbreaker, for me upgrading from an iphone 7plus. I’m someone who uses a phone for a minimum of 5 years. My iphone7plus is 8 years old and just want to change because now it has become slow and updates have stopped.
@MurtazaRetiwala ahh okay, that is quite a fair difference. I think the 8a is a great phone for the price too! Sorry, I missed that part of your comment - with regards to US exclusive features, I think there is more parity between the features available in the US and the features available in other countries now than there was in the past and I've not really found myself wanting the features that are missing. However, it's probably best to do some research on the features that are still US exclusive to find out whether they are dealbreakers for you, as everyone is different. The main thing I was waiting to be brought across was Gemini, and I've found that very useful since it was introduced in the UK!
This phone has annoying touch screen issues. It suddenly becomes unresponsive to touch and glitchy. You have to restart the phone to solve that problem. But the same happens the next day as well.
Ahh, that sounds frustrating. I haven't experienced that at all. I think you might have a faulty phone by the sounds of it - could be a hardware issue! Might be worth seeing if you can get it fixed under warranty.
Sorry, I'm unsure what you mean about the wallet question? The 7.5 watt wireless charging is very slow for sure - but would be fine if you're leaving your phone on charge overnight. The wired charging is faster, but still slow by modern phone standards!
I would honestly recommend the Pixel 8a, simply because you get software updates until 2031 vs only getting software updates until October 2025 for the 7 Pro. So the Pixel 8a will be supported for far longer, and has a slightly more powerful processor, so should have better longevity than the 7 Pro. Hope this helps!
I haven't experienced any overheating, but the phone does get hot, so if you are in a hotter climate than Scotland, then you may have some issues. The battery lasts a day unless you are using the phone heavily, so streaming stuff constantly over mobile data or gaming for long periods of time will run the battery down much faster. Hope this helps!
I currently have a oneplus and I hate it's camera. If I just wanted to take photos which pixel would you recomend because in my region the pixel 8 is cheaper than the 8a
I would recommend getting the 8! If you can afford the 9 then go with that as it's a much more refined experience than the 8, but the 8 is still great!
I also pre-ordered the Pixel 8a, with a massive discounts. (about €85 total with carrier discount and pixel 6a trade-in) I don't use my phone intensively, I'd rather use my laptop. I can get the 8a to last 2 days consistently, with the odd 3-day outlier. One thing I have had to do is turn on airplane mode when going to bed. It turns a 10% drain into a 3% drain.
Nice one - €85 is awesome for pre-ordering it! Thanks for sharing your experience - great to hear you're able to get almost 3 days out of the battery! Interesting suggestion about airplane mode - it must be the modem doing most of the random draining of the battery on standby mode then 🤔 thanks for sharing your experience! 😁
I think the Sony is a nice phone, but I would still go for the Pixel 8a due to the 7 years of software and security updates as opposed to the 2 years of software updates and 3 years of security updates promised by Sony for 5V. Hope this helps!
I bought a pixel 8a last week and thinking of returning as we live in a poor signal area in uk and it is connecting worse than my old Huawei PSmart phone. Any suggestions for helping with this phone or one that better copes in poor reception area
Ahh, that's a shame. You could try going into your mobile data settings and setting the phone to prioritise 4G over 5G - I've found that it switches frequently between 5G and 4G which can sometimes affect the signal performance, whereas staying on 4G seems to make the connection more stable. I've also found that the speed advantages of 5G are only obvious in large cities, so if you're not in a city then you probably won't notice a difference in speed between the two! Hope this helps!
Xiaomi user here. I switched to a Pixel 6 a while back and was horrified by the shockingly slow charge and awful battery life. I got rid of the phone and headed to Poco. Brilliant phone, but I need a better camera. Thinking of making the move to Pixel 8a, but having nightmares of the charge time and battery life ...
Hmm - might be worth thinking twice about the Pixel 8a to be honest if charging speed and battery life is important to you. The charging is very slow compared to competitors, and the battery life, while not bad, is just average in my experience. I'm not sure if it would meet your needs to be honest - although the cameras are really nice! Have you considered the OnePlus 12R at all? I don't think the cameras would be as good as the 8a, but it seems like a very solid phone apart from that. Plus you get a large battery and 100W charging for a decent price. Possibly worth considering! Hope this helps!
I recommend you to try out Motorola, or the other Chinese brands like Oppo and Vivo. These have excellent cameras and support fast charging too. Motorola has the added plus of clean Android software if you don't live in the US (weird exception I know, but ask them not me)
Thanks for the recommendations. I actually went with the Pixel 8 Pro. So far none of my fears have come true. I'm really impressed by the batty life. Way more than a day's worth. Charge time hasn't been an issue because its battery has been so good I only charge when going to sleep.
Hello, I'm coming from a google pixel 4a. I absolutely love it, but it is on its last leg and probably has a few days or weeks left due to battery issues. Would you recommend google pixel 7a, 8a, or 8? Or something else?
If you can afford a Pixel 8, then I'd recommend going for that! If you can push to the Pixel 9 then I'd recommend going for that if you can get it on sale - it's better in my experience than the phones you listed, particularly from a battery standpoint and some other aspects like the fingerprint sensor. I hope this helps!
I haven't experienced it overheating at all, but it can get hot when doing heavier tasks like gaming. I'm also based in Scotland, so your experience may be different if you live in a hotter country!
I don't think Google have said feature drops will be a part of the 7 years have they? It will get new Android versions, and as a result the Android improvements and general features this brings. But I am assuming that Pixel features will continue as they have done, being limited to the next phone with only the occasional feature coming down the line to different phones. It will be cool if I am wrong though.
To be fair, you're probably right - the older Pixels won't get all of the features in every feature drop, but they should still continue to get some features that the hardware can support, which I still think is pretty cool! I think getting any sort of new features on a 3 or 4 year old+ phone is going to be pretty nice! Thanks for the comment though - it's a good point!
If you want the best value, I'd actually recommend you go for the Pixel 8, provided you can get it for a good price (equivalent of $500 or less, i'd say). If you want the best Pixel out of the 8 or 9 then the 9 is going to be the one to go for as it's a more complete phone, but it is quite a bit more expensive! Hope this helps! 😁
I would recommend iPhone probably as they tend to be the best for video generally. I think the Pixel is still catching up on that regard (although it does produce good footage!). I would not recommend a GoPro unless you are filming a lot of action sports/action-based content as it has less flexibility than a phone for filming etc. plus you can edit videos on your phone if you need to, which is an added bonus! Hope this helps.
It can get hot depending on what you're doing, but it's only if you're really pushing the phone. It's never overheated on me, but your experience may be different if you live in a hot climate! I had the occasional network issues when I was using it - the modem certainly isn't the best, but it was very rarely an issue for me when I was using it!
Got a 4a now but soon the company I work for won't allow Android 13. So gotta upgrade this holiday season. I like the 8a but will get an 8 if it's very close in price for the close up camera lens.
Yeah, the 8 is making more and more sense as the price is coming down. If there is only $50/$100 difference, I would certainly go for the 8 as it is a better phone than the 8a. I hope you like it if you decide to pick one up! Cheers for the comment 😁
Yeah, definitely a difficult decision! If you can swing the extra cash, I'd most likely recommend the 8, but you equally won't be disappointed with the 8a if you have a lower budget!
Hello Arran, I have seen several of your reviews (I liked them all) and the truth is I have a question: What do you do with all the phones that you bring to the channel after their review? I'm asking because if you keep them all, could you give me one of the Pixel 8s you have? Please🙃😭
Thanks for the kind comment! With the phones I review, I currently buy them all with my own money - so I either sell them on/trade them in or in the case of the Pixel 8, I've actually given that phone to my wife (as she needed a new phone anyway). I'm likely going to have to sell the 8a to reduce the cost of buying the next phone I review. I'm afraid I'm not earning enough for the channel just yet to do giveaways, but hopefully that will be something I can do in the future!
Unfortunately that seems to be the case! With regards to the buttons, I actually really like that part of the UI, but that's just my opinion 🙂 thanks for the comment!
That's pretty similar to my regular daily usage to be fair, and I take the phone off charge at 100% at 06:30 and usually put it back on charge about 22:30 when I'm heading to bed (so 14 hours of use). It usually depends mostly on how much you are using mobile data as the modem isn't great. If I've been using mobile data I'll usually end the day on 5-15% battery, but with the same usage mainly using WiFi, I'll usually end somewhere between 30-50%. I hope this helps!
I've never used the Pixel 7 Pro I'm afraid, but their specs are fairly comparable if you ignore the telephoto lens. However, you can't just look at the cameras in a vacuum, you've also got to consider the software updates too. The 8a is going to continue to be updated until 2031 whereas the 7 Pro only has another year or so of software updates. Google is going to continue to improve their image processing pipeline and that will likely improve the 8a camera results over time too, so you're probably better going with the 8a in my opinion.
There are quite a few differences between the two. I've never used the Redmi, so I can't comment on the actual user experience I'm afraid. The Redmi obviously has a larger 6.7" screen, so if you like bigger screens, go for that. I can almost guarantee the cameras on the Pixel 8a will produce better results then the Redmi, as I think it has a phenomenal camera setup. The battery is larger on the Redmi and the charging speed is far faster, so if that's important to you, then get the Redmi. The last major difference is the operating system. I've never used the MIUI from Redmi, so again, I can't really comment on it, but I love the OS on Pixel and the extra added features it provides. It feels clean and uncluttered, which I love. I would personally still go for the 8a, but you may have different preferences. Also, the Redmi is significantly cheaper at £339 (currently on sale at £269), so that's a big factor too. Hope this helps.
The displays are basically the same, with the Pixel 8a just have a very slightly smaller screen. For brightness and colours they are not different at all. I can't really give a percentage because that's super subjective haha. They both produce really good and really similar results because it's less about the camera hardware and more about the software processing, which is the same on each phone! Hope this helps!
@@arranpbrown Well, in my initial testing, the Pixel 8 had a brighter screen and the camera captured more details especially in the low-light. I sold the 8a after a week of testing, so I had to ask if there is any improvement. Cheers!
No worries - I didn't notice any difference in the brightness or contrast etc of the screen, or I would have mentioned it in the review! And fair enough about the low-light etc. I think you have to be really analysing the camera closely to notice any sort of difference as the camera performance wasn't significantly different for me! I don't think the difference is enough to be a major difference between the two phones, but that was just what I found from my testing! Cheers 😊
@@arranpbrown Yes bud, I do port gcams so I do test them. The bigger sensor on the Pixel 8 does pull in more light and details especially in low-light. Pixel 8a tries to make up for it with higher contrast and warm tones. The Lens coating is also superior on Pixel 8. The difference in detail is more visible in video's. About the panel, both are using different panels (hardware) and thus will have different calibration. But you're right, most users may not notice it as Google's imaging and colour pipeline is quite mature. Thanks for the quick replies bud 🙌
Thanks Akash! 😁 I think this is one of the best cameras on a phone in this price range to be honest. It produces super nice photos that don't require any editing! The only thing to be aware of is that it doesn't offer a telephoto lens, so if your mother often likes to zoom in to things with her camera, you might want to look at another phone (but you will struggle to find one for the same price with the quality of these cameras). I personally think the wide and ultrawide are far more useful than a telephoto, but that's just my opinion. Hope this helps! 🙂
@@arranpbrown thanks For sharing ur opinion.. i will definetly order this phone today itself.. much love to you and success to u on youtube. U doing grt job.
just a note, there is no macro functionality at all in the camera. I need glasses, but I used my Samsung phone to take photos of small text on medication etc, but the Pixel 8A has not that functionality.
I've not tried either of those games, although I can't imagine there will be any issue playing chess on this. The phone will likely get warm, but it also depends on the climate you're in. I've had the phone get pretty warm, but haven't experienced any actual overheating warnings or issues with lag, but then again, I've not done a huge amount of gaming on it and I've only been playing Call of Duty Warzone Mobile, so your experience will likely vary!
@@arranpbrown thanks Arran! I think pix 8 is a decent phone for me as a research scholar. I would also be running software like LaTeX, python, etc and microsoft apps.. and ig pix 8 will manage them decently...
No worries! Yes, I imagine it would be fine for those workflows, however it depends on the complexity of your projects etc. - if you're running pretty heavy projects then the extra RAM of the Pixel 8 Pro may be a better fit if you are happy with the larger screen and higher price of that phone!
@@arranpbrownThanks Arran for the suggestion! Sadly the pix 8 pro is double the price of pix 8 almost here in India. I will have to stick with this one. But I wouldn't be working on some heavy tasking so ig 8 will be fine with me for now... I hope tensor g 3 manages the performance for 7 yrs (due to the update it promises). Thanks 👍🏻
@shreyanmullick4102 ahh okay, that sucks that it's so much more expensive! It may also be worth considering something like the OnePlus 12R, as it has a much faster processor and more RAM, but also a load of other really nice specs! The main things I think you'd miss out on is some of really nice Pixel exclusive software features, the 7 years of updates (the 12R is only supported for 3 years), and the really nice quality cameras on the Pixel, but if those things aren't a huge issue for you, then that might be the way to go instead. Good luck deciding either way 😁
4:21 AH! Not just my crap nothing phone 1 then. This happens to me all the time, so sick of it. Its easy to trigger if I open an app via a notification, I need to close it and open it for it to work again.
I have an 6a but when i travel back home to Greece, 5g is not supported and no wifi calling either so I end up missing a lot of calls. But the biggest draw back is the slow charging. Is the only reason I am not getting a new pixel.
Yeah, that is unfortunate - WiFi calling is a super important feature for me too, so I would definitely miss it if it wasn't supported in my country too! What phone are you going to get instead?
Hey, I can't decide whether I should go for the Google Pixel 8 or 8a. Does anyone know which of them doesn't overheat easily and has the better battery?
I'd definitely choose the 8 - I can't comment on overheating as neither my 8 or 8a has overheated, but the battery life on the 8 is slightly better than the 8a in my experience. Hope this helps!
so im an apple user and i love AI its sooo cool and useful and so google is really pushing to bring tons of AI features to gemini thats integrated on a OS level allowing it to do everything you can which is dope and i hope apple intelligence can do that or heck even allowing you to switch between gemini / chatgpt etc allowing us ios users to get to use gemini
Nice one! I'm excited to see what Apple do with Apple Intelligence - many of the features they previewed at their latest event look actually pretty useful! It would be cool to see Apple allow users to select which AI model they use when they send requests to the cloud, but it sounds like they have an agreement with OpenAI to use ChatGPT, so I imagine you will almost certainly be stuck using that! Thanks for the comment 😁
I think this will be a great phone to get refurbished later down the line since it will be updated until 2031. I might get it when maybe the pixel 10 releases.
Yeah, you could probably get it for an excellent price refurbished in another year's time. And like you said, it will still have many years of updates from that point 😁
should i go for samsung s23 fe or pixel 8a i am from india and in india there is an offer right now and they are gonna sell samsung s23 fe for 349 dollars approximately and yeah they have exynos 2200 chipset and pixel 8a probably cost the same what is your opinion ? (does pixel 8a still have the heating problem i heard they will fix it i am not sure )
There are a few main differences. The size of the phones, with the Pixel 8a having a 6.1" screen and the S23 FE having a 6.4" screen. The S23 FE uses an older chip when compared to the Tensor G3, so it's likely that the G3 is slightly more powerful and power efficient. And the cameras are very likely to be superior on the Pixel 8a than the S23 FE, although you get the extra 8MP telephoto on the Samsung (however, I've heard this isn't very good). Finally, I prefer the Pixel OS experience to Samsung's OneUI, so I would personally go for the Pixel 8a mainly because of that. Hope this helps!
Much the same with other non-mainstream Asian countries. Our governments also put huge import taxes to support local businesses, which is nice, but that means that for stuff like this, a $500 phone becomes a $900 phone.
I'd definitely say the 8a. You get a brighter screen, still excellent cameras, a slightly faster processor, newer software features, and software updates until 2031 as opposed to 2025 for the Pixel 7. It's a no brainer in my eyes. Hope this helps!
Namaste sir I m grt fan of pixel phones. But the issue we r facing here in India is heating. Pixel phone heats very quickly. Its very difficult to hold it. U can't shoot the video because of heating. Also they don't have service support. iPhone is grabbing the market because of this. I don't know how pixel 9 will perform here in India.
Yeah, that is a pain - the phone does heat up when you are filming video for an extended period of time and I imagine it will get hotter in warmer climates, so that is something to consider I guess!
I am confused to buy iphone 13 new or pixel 8a new also i want phone live with me about 5-6 years without any issue whta do you recommend i trust your opinion + great reviews 👍 and honest person
I would honestly go for the Pixel 8a, because of the 120Hz screen over the 60Hz of the iPhone, I think in most markets it's still somehow cheaper than the iPhone, but mainly because the iPhone is 3 years old now, so won't be supported with software and security updates nearly as long as the Pixel 8a. The Pixel 8a is getting supported all the way up until 2031, so it should last you the 5-6 years you're hoping for! Hope this helps and thanks for the kind comment! 😁
Well, what's missing for me is the lack of customization, if you're like me. That's why I like to use different brands like Xiaomi, Samsung, OnePlus. #TechTalk #CustomizationMatters
Fair enough! You could install a custom launcher though to allow you to customise the look and feel of the phone if you want, but if you prefer phones from other brands, then continue using them 😁 thanks for watching and for the comment!
Just bought a second hand unit for just under £300 ... 3 months old. Was looking at Motorola Neo 50 pro or pixel 8a ... under contract with vodafone, both good deals. The motorola looked better on paper with 12GB ram and 512gb storage. But coming from Apple iPhone space since y first smart phone iPhone 2g ... I thought pixel 8a clean android experience best option.
That's a good question. The S23 is generally more powerful than the 8a as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 it uses is more powerful than the Tensor G3. If you do a lot of gaming, then the Samsung might be the better option. However, the Tensor G3 is powerful enough for everything else. With regards to cameras, I prefer the output from the 8a, but then you are missing out on the telephoto lens on the S23, so if that's important to you, then go for the S23. I personally prefer the Pixel software experience, but OneUI on Samsung isn't bad. You may also get a slightly better battery experience on the S23, as the Tensor G3 (and mainly the modem in the 8a) isn't very efficient. You'll also get faster charging on the S23. Most of the other differences aren't huge, I'd say. I hope this helps!
@@arranpbrown I'm scared of lagging or bag . I'm not a gemer but do like to have a smooth experience and in my country there's 150 dollars difference between s23 and p8
Fair enough - I think they're super important to my experience with a phone which is why I thought they were worth mentioning, but I'm sure there are plenty of people who also don't use them like you, and it's good to know that it saves battery! Thanks for the comment!
Pixel 8a green and white one unlocked is currently $309 on amazon Us. Don't know how the hell it dropped that low and also checked for if it is renewed or not but brand new. Absolute bargain
Hmm... Your review was good, but too many quick small zoom ups bothered me a lot. Also, please wear something nicer. You looked like you shot the video right before you went to bed... The lighting was also not too good... Small changes make your future reviews look more serious. Anyway, I enjoyed it, and it was a 👍.
Haha - thanks for the feedback. I think the t-shirt I wore just looks a bit baggy which is why you think that I'm wearing pyjamas 🤣 I can assure you that I'm not!
I will probably skip Pixels for now. The reviews have been 50/50 and the fact that we do not have access to a service center in my country makes them more expensive and not very reassuring. 😢
That sounds like a sensible idea to be fair - always good to make sure you have a way of fixing the phone if something happens to it! It sucks that the Pixels aren't natively available in more countries 😔
i used iphone 13 for several months now, and realized i hate ios. Just want to ask which camera is better, 8a or 13? and should i switch my 13 to this? thank you
If you hate iOS, then I reckon the camera will be either similar or better on the 8a than the 13, so it's probably worth making the switch as Pixel OS is really nice in my opinion. I've been really pleased with the cameras on the 8a, so I'm sure you would be too! Hope this helps.
Honestly, I think the S23 is still a really good option in 2024 as it uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 which had a good mix of power and efficiency! I hope you're enjoying it 😁
What do you think of this phone? Let me know down below 👇
You can buy any of the products in this video using the links below (note: these are Amazon affiliate links and I may earn a small commission on any purchase you make):
Google Pixel 8a: geni.us/BFyyR
Pixel 8a Official Case: geni.us/1EEZdMA
Google Pixel 8: geni.us/cn8ArA
Pixel 8 Official Case: geni.us/Jwve
Complaints about poor battery life and signal reception as well as very slow speeds for updates seem to be the the issues i keep seeing listed for the 8a...the slow charging is a "feature" for all pixels .
Yeah, I've not had too many issues with the signal reception, but the modem certainly affects the battery life! And yes, way faster charging is certainly available on other phones!
I like android but not pixel phones. Samsung and OneUI works for me.
Once I had 3a.. its resell value after 2 yrs was... £0.. Tried selling on ebay, no one bought it.
Fair enough - I definitely prefer the Pixels to Samsung phones (I previously had an S22), mainly because of the software experience on the Pixels, but I didn't dislike the experience on Samsung - I just prefer the stock Android on Pixel!
At 5G the phone gets very hot, and battery drains quickly. My daughter often tells me its hard to hear me in the phone, never said anything like that on any other phone I have had. Camera is bad, no macro functionality. The USB-C port on mine is already bad. If I accidently touch the cable while connected to data like android auto, it disconnects. same with 3 other cables I have tried. I will go back to Samsung when my contract runs out. Had have different Samsungs since I bought a Note 2.. not one single problem. 5G on my samsung used as much battery as 4G.. like the other day on my Pixel, it was at 100% battery. My internet went down, so I put it on share data as a acces point. later at the evening, 27% battery left lol. Software is way worse on Pixel than Samsung. Many of the apps renders the text the wrong way, or behind menus etc, so you can not click on things etc. For example happens in Duolingo, the bank app (which is a pain when it happens) and many others. Never seen that on Samsung.
I was thinking of getting Pixel 9, but after seeing it being 949 € today I decided that I might as well save 400 € and get 8a instead. It looks like an excellent phone for its price range.
Yup, the Pixel 9 has gone up on price and it just makes the Pixel 8a look like an even better deal considering the relative parity of features, especially if you can get it for less than the RRP! Thanks for watching and commenting - I hope you enjoy the 8a!
Same
Broke?
@@passivevii4052 No, but I just think it's stupid to pay 949 € for the base model of a phone. Or for any phone really.
how is your experience with 8a? Also wanted to buy 9, but 8a is way cheaper
From a IPhone 6s to an Pixel 8a i really noticed a difference in performance such as the 120hz oled screen. For a significantly less price of an iphone 13-14 i feel like the pixel is better when it comes to practicality. Good review!
Yeah, the 120Hz screen is really nice! It's especially going to be a big jump going from an iPhone 6S. Glad you're enjoying your experience and thanks for the kind comments 😁
I've just got the 8a and wow first full day of using I was using 7hr.46 min with 36% left this is great for me definitely think it's a charge at night with adaptive battery thanks for the review as I made my decision on your video
Amazing! Glad it's working well for you - super glad to hear the video was helpful 😁 thanks for coming back and letting me know 🙌
Excellent superior review. You kept to the basics understanding that the average person who buys a light version of a phone doesn't need or use some of the more specialized features that more expensive phones offer.
Thanks Howard! I try and keep it relevant for the average user, so I'm glad you've picked up on that! Thanks for watching! 🙂
I love my 8a. It just works.
Glad you like it! It does work really well in my experience too!
Do you experience stutter while scrolling?
@@markfrederick5012 .. only when I bring up my screenshot folder where there are thousands of photos. But under normal usage .. none.
Ditto!
@@markfrederick5012 scrolling where?
I'm going to buy a pixel 8a thanks to your video. Thank you
No worries at all - I hope you like the phone! 🙂
Mine waiting at home for Xmas. Can't wait! Coming from 3a, which I had for 5 years.
I have been using 8 a since 2 momths and i admit it is a very unique phone with its unique aura to hold and to look at . Functionally its a very comfy phone in the pocket with a right heft. Software wise this phone works like butter and all the features works like its intended to. Such a sophisticated phone ❤ Class 👌
I'm glad to hear you're enjoying your experience with the Pixel 8 - it's a great phone, especially if you can get it on a discount! I agree with all the points you made there! Thanks for watching and commenting! 😁
@@arranpbrownI'd like to buy it on discount, do you think the prices will go down for the Black Friday period?
Hey, have you experienced any heating issues? How's the charging speed?
Yes, I think the prices will go down during Black Friday, so probably a good time to buy!
The phone gets warm when you are doing intense tasks like gaming, but it hasn't overheated on me. Your experience may be different if you live in a warmer climate though! Charging speeds are particularly slow on this phone, which is one of the main downsides.
Thanks for the honest review. I got mine for free today when I switched cell providers - I actually got the better deal for doing so (57 GB more per month but the same price monthly as my old provider, plus a $50 grocery card).
I'll have to check out your other video about the differences between the 8 and 8a.
I want good quality pictures and videos more than anything, but I don't need a top quality (ie expensive) phone. I like the 7 yr support, as that's how long I had my previous phone. I debated between this and the Galaxy S23, and still don't know if I made the right choice. A friend got the S23, so we'll compare at some point. She's already complained of slow charging speeds and a short battery life with that one.
No worries. That's good that you got it free! I love the pictures that you can get with the 8a to be honest - I think it produces excellent results, considering the low price. The battery life isn't the best, but it should last you a day as long as you aren't using it for heavy tasks. Hopefully you like it! Thanks for watching and commenting 😁
You are superb brother in reviewing tech, be patience and continue working hard, you will have huge audience soon
Thank you for the kind words - I really appreciate it 🙌 😁 thanks for watching and commenting 👌
Firstly regarding your review, I have seen plenty of Pixel 8a reviews before buying it last month and don't think anyone precisely explained as you did. Great work!
I switched from iOS after 7 years to Android in Oct 2024 - bought the Pixel 8A under exchange offer in my region by just paying $180 by exchanging my 3 year old iPhone 12 64gb.
Loving every bit of Pixel software and hardware has to offer for the price and away from the 'walled garden' of Apple. I wonder how I spent 7 years with that!
Thanks so much for your kind comments - I appreciate it! I try to go in detail on these reviews, so I appreciate you picking up on that.
Super interesting to hear your experience and that you're happy with your decision to switch 😁 I'm probably going to buy the new iPhone SE when that's announced, to test and review for the channel, so I'm interested to see what iPhone is like, having not used it for a LONG time at this point. But yes, I agree, their walled garden is frustrating, especially for someone who likes to be able to choose the tech they use and not be limited! Thanks for adding to the conversation 😁
@@arranpbrown thanks! looking forward for iPhone SE review.. being an ex-iPhone SE 2 user. But honestly I have no expectations from Apple now-adays when it comes to evolution. They have saturated and quite honestly it is no longer exciting.
They are quite big to fall though [Nokia smiling in the corner ;-) ]
Side note: No one mentioned it in their review but the form factor of Pixel 8A reminded me (somewhat not entirely) of iPhone 6/6s. I love the form factor, it just hit the sweet spot for me as my hands are small.
@PankajN1702 great! Yes, agreed, the smartphone market as a whole is less exciting these days as there is only so much they can do to improve things, I guess!
Very good point about the size - that was something I mentioned in my Pixel 8 review actually, and it's equally true about the 8a. I much prefer smaller phones as they are actually usable with one hand!
Currently having to decide between getting the Iphone 14 or a Pixel 8a so this video is just what i was looking for!
I appreciate your approach to this review as well. A lot of tech channels are becoming a bit out of touch with how normal people use their phone and it shows in their absurd nitpicking in reviews that arent $1600 flagships
Awesome! I'm really glad I was able to help! 😁 Thanks for the kind comment and feedback - I really appreciate it! 🙌
Excellent; comprehensive and balanced review!
Thanks!! 😀
Just picked up a new 8a 256gb + free Pixel Buds Pro for £269 from EE. Very happy with it so far.
Very nice deal! Glad you're enjoying it 😁
Good review. The first thing I do to a Pixel device is put GrapheneOS on it. Biggest (albeit very underrated) selling point of the Pixel lineup IMHO. My next Pixel will probably be the 10 though, as the Tensor G5 will be made at TSMC.
Yeah, I've heard quite a few people who do that and it's great to have the option, particularly if you're very privacy conscious! And yes, looking forward to seeing what Google do with the Pixel 10 series!
Same here man, will wait to see the performance and efficiency of the pixel 10 then decide
But you can't normally install apps anymore then?
Good timing. As of yesterday Google India tweeted that Pixel 8 series has entered the production line in India. Earlier it was not made in India. Which means, Pixel 8 will get more price cuts and I can grab it in upcoming sale next month. Right now I can grab it with 600$. I will wait for the price drop of 100 to 150$ in sale. Then Its extremely good value.
That sounds like a plan, and glad to hear the Pixel 8 will be more affordable in India!
Agree needs to drop $200
OMG !! 18w insanely speed charging at 50000 rs price😂😂😂
I know, it's one of the places they've tried to cut down the cost of the Pixel 8a, but it's definitely not going to suit everyone haha.
Can get it for 350 in Japan lol
Just ordered the Pixel 8a (Aloe, love it!) for just $400. No brainer for that price range.
Awesome! I hope you enjoy it when it arrives! The Aloe colour is super nice 😁
Thanks a lot! Best compared review on youtube. I'll go for 8a.
Glad I could help - thanks for the kind comments! I hope you enjoy using the 8a! 😁
Since you already own a pixel 8, just curious, what made you buy the 8a?
Basically just to test it out and compare it directly to the Pixel 8 as most people probably aren't in a position to do that, so I thought it would be helpful for anyone who is unsure of which phone to buy based on their budget! 🙂 Hopefully this comes in useful to anyone in that position!
Thanks for continuing to show up on the channel - I appreciate you!
How is the face unlock, Is it more snappier than fingerprint? I'm currently on 6a and planning to upgrade
Yes, face unlock is nice and quick to be fair and is a good alternative to the fingerprint, especially when you are in front of the phone looking at it!
It won't work in dark environments though, so bear that in mind - you'll still have to rely on the fingerprint sensor in those situations.
Great review! I currently have the Pixel 7 and the major issue I have with the phone is self dimming screen when the phone gets warm. When out in the sun on summer day the phone is basically useless b/c it dims the screen so much, and there is no way to retain brightness, even disabling adaptive brightness. I understand that this process is built into the operating system to help preserve the life of the phone, but it makes the phone unusable at times. Any feedback on the 8a and its use on hot, sunny days?
Thank you! I’m afraid being based in Scotland hasn’t really given me much experience of warm sunny days, even though I was using the 8a during some of our warmest months 😅 but I don’t remember encountering any issues with the screen dimming! It’s likely Google still does the same with the 8a to preserve the long-term health of the phone, but I imagine your experience will really depend on how hot your climate is. The hottest it really got here this year was about 25ºC, so it’s not really comparable to warmer climates!
Excellent Review. Love your delivery and clarity of thought. Thank you - has confirmed my decision to purchase the 8a.
Thank you for the nice feedback - I appreciate it! I hope you enjoy the Pixel 8a when you start using it 😁
I have the 8a and its great!
Awesome - glad you're liking it! Thanks for the comment 😁
Do you experience stutter while scrolling?
@@markfrederick5012 No, I have the 120 Hz turned on and it's very smooth.
Hey, some people complain about the display showing sort of a purple banding if you tilt the screen or you're not looking at it straight, like on an angle. Did you notice this at all with your pixel 8a?
I didn't notice any of this when using the Pixel 8a - I've found the screen to be excellent!
@arranpbrown Okay, that's good to know! Thanks for your timely response 👍
Nice review. I love GooglePixel specially the A series. I don't have GooglePixel yet, I hope soon with the Pixel9a.
Thank you! Yes, the A series is great because it brings the best of the Pixel phones without the fluff of the extra features that people don't use that often! Hopefully the 9a delivers again. I heard there was talks of the Pixel 8a being the last A phone from Google, but that was just rumoured and could be incorrect!
You love it but you don't have it? That seems to be a bit of a stretch.
Immediately, it is fine on many parameters, but
unbelievable that you cannot make a full backup
to your own PC and not to the cloud.
Fair point - I'm not sure how many people would realistically make use of that, but it's good to know for anyone who it does affect! Thanks for the comment 👌
Speaking of vibrations, Android 15 is coming with Adaptive Vibration which means depending on which medium your phone is placed on, your phone will adjust the vibration. Maybe that will help. I understand your 5G -> 4G switch. I work from home and have WiFi. so does not make sense to use 5G if 4G LTE gets all my job done, when I go out.
Ahh nice - I wasn't aware of that. That could make a big difference in the vibration quality then! And yes, 4G is probably fast enough for most people, but there are some people who might benefit from the faster 5G speeds 🙂
You can also manually adjust the vibration strength in the 8a.
Very good point! Just checked and mine is already on the minimum vibration setting for notifications though... So I imagine it sounds even worse on maximum!
Can you use quick tap with the case on?
I'm assuming you mean contactless payment with NFC with the phone - if you do mean that, then it works absolutely fine with the case on 😊
Nice recap mate!
Cheers mate!
I've just upgraded my trusty 6a to an 8 pro as I got a great deal. It's a great phone but bloody huge so I'm thinking I've made the wrong decision. Wondering if to swap to the 8a while I'm still in my cooling off period...
Thanks for the comment! I think it might be worth considering the Pixel 8 too? It's a better phone than the 8a and you can get it on some great deals now too!
better wait for 9a or buy the 9 when 10 comes :) at drops in price
Hey Arran, great review. I want to upgrade from my iphone 7plus and leave apple now. I live in Europe and so have heard that pixel doesn’t have a lot of features out of the USA, would you still recommend 8A or any other pixel ? Thank you
Hey! I would recommend going for the Pixel 8 as you can likely get it for a price fairly close to the 8a and it is slightly better than the 8a in a few areas. I'm currently working on a video comparing the 8a, 8 and 9 which should be released before Christmas which could be helpful for you, but you also may be able to get a good deal on the Pixel 8 just now with the Black Friday sales, so you may want to get it sooner rather than later! Hope this helps 👌
@ thank you for your quick reply Arran. Theres a 150 euro difference between both. Also, what about all the USA features not being there in Europe/UK. Does it make a huge dealbreaker, for me upgrading from an iphone 7plus. I’m someone who uses a phone for a minimum of 5 years. My iphone7plus is 8 years old and just want to change because now it has become slow and updates have stopped.
@MurtazaRetiwala ahh okay, that is quite a fair difference. I think the 8a is a great phone for the price too! Sorry, I missed that part of your comment - with regards to US exclusive features, I think there is more parity between the features available in the US and the features available in other countries now than there was in the past and I've not really found myself wanting the features that are missing. However, it's probably best to do some research on the features that are still US exclusive to find out whether they are dealbreakers for you, as everyone is different. The main thing I was waiting to be brought across was Gemini, and I've found that very useful since it was introduced in the UK!
@ thank you so much Arran, this was really helpful and quick as well. Cheers
@MurtazaRetiwala no problem - glad I was able to help! Good luck picking your new phone 😁
This phone is insane for me❤
Glad you're enjoying it! Thanks for the comment 😁
This phone has annoying touch screen issues. It suddenly becomes unresponsive to touch and glitchy. You have to restart the phone to solve that problem. But the same happens the next day as well.
Ahh, that sounds frustrating. I haven't experienced that at all. I think you might have a faulty phone by the sounds of it - could be a hardware issue! Might be worth seeing if you can get it fixed under warranty.
Never happened to me, sounds like yours has an issue, warranty it.
@@JorgieFilo Sounds like a software issue, otherwise reboot wouldn't help...
Would you think a wallet better for 8a ?, how’s the charging 7watt slow or ok
Sorry, I'm unsure what you mean about the wallet question?
The 7.5 watt wireless charging is very slow for sure - but would be fine if you're leaving your phone on charge overnight. The wired charging is faster, but still slow by modern phone standards!
Should i cop this for 320 bucks new? I have been looking for a new phone and the pixel 8a look the best.
I think it's a great phone for $320! I think anything under $400 for it is a good deal.
Confused on whether to get this over the 7 pro.
What do you advise?
I would honestly recommend the Pixel 8a, simply because you get software updates until 2031 vs only getting software updates until October 2025 for the 7 Pro. So the Pixel 8a will be supported for far longer, and has a slightly more powerful processor, so should have better longevity than the 7 Pro. Hope this helps!
@@arranpbrown Thanks alot
Is there any heating issue in pixel 8a....and how many hour it last in an full charge...i m just planning to buy it
I haven't experienced any overheating, but the phone does get hot, so if you are in a hotter climate than Scotland, then you may have some issues. The battery lasts a day unless you are using the phone heavily, so streaming stuff constantly over mobile data or gaming for long periods of time will run the battery down much faster. Hope this helps!
@arranpbrown Thank u for the reply....i m just an normal user like insta,whatsapp and RUclips....bcz of your review i m go for it
No worries at all - I hope you enjoy the 8a. I definitely enjoyed using it when I was daily driving it! Cheers 😁
@@arranpbrown 🥂
I currently have a oneplus and I hate it's camera. If I just wanted to take photos which pixel would you recomend because in my region the pixel 8 is cheaper than the 8a
I would recommend getting the 8! If you can afford the 9 then go with that as it's a much more refined experience than the 8, but the 8 is still great!
I also pre-ordered the Pixel 8a, with a massive discounts. (about €85 total with carrier discount and pixel 6a trade-in)
I don't use my phone intensively, I'd rather use my laptop. I can get the 8a to last 2 days consistently, with the odd 3-day outlier. One thing I have had to do is turn on airplane mode when going to bed. It turns a 10% drain into a 3% drain.
Nice one - €85 is awesome for pre-ordering it!
Thanks for sharing your experience - great to hear you're able to get almost 3 days out of the battery! Interesting suggestion about airplane mode - it must be the modem doing most of the random draining of the battery on standby mode then 🤔 thanks for sharing your experience! 😁
Very nice review.
I am wondering, should I choose Sony Xperia 5 V or Pixel 8a?
I think the Sony is a nice phone, but I would still go for the Pixel 8a due to the 7 years of software and security updates as opposed to the 2 years of software updates and 3 years of security updates promised by Sony for 5V. Hope this helps!
I bought a pixel 8a last week and thinking of returning as we live in a poor signal area in uk and it is connecting worse than my old Huawei PSmart phone. Any suggestions for helping with this phone or one that better copes in poor reception area
Ahh, that's a shame. You could try going into your mobile data settings and setting the phone to prioritise 4G over 5G - I've found that it switches frequently between 5G and 4G which can sometimes affect the signal performance, whereas staying on 4G seems to make the connection more stable. I've also found that the speed advantages of 5G are only obvious in large cities, so if you're not in a city then you probably won't notice a difference in speed between the two! Hope this helps!
Thanks
I also have a Pixel 8 which I've had for three months. I have not had the issues you are experiencing.
Thanks for the comment! Glad to hear you've not had any issues.
Xiaomi user here. I switched to a Pixel 6 a while back and was horrified by the shockingly slow charge and awful battery life. I got rid of the phone and headed to Poco. Brilliant phone, but I need a better camera. Thinking of making the move to Pixel 8a, but having nightmares of the charge time and battery life ...
Hmm - might be worth thinking twice about the Pixel 8a to be honest if charging speed and battery life is important to you. The charging is very slow compared to competitors, and the battery life, while not bad, is just average in my experience. I'm not sure if it would meet your needs to be honest - although the cameras are really nice! Have you considered the OnePlus 12R at all? I don't think the cameras would be as good as the 8a, but it seems like a very solid phone apart from that. Plus you get a large battery and 100W charging for a decent price. Possibly worth considering!
Hope this helps!
I recommend you to try out Motorola, or the other Chinese brands like Oppo and Vivo. These have excellent cameras and support fast charging too. Motorola has the added plus of clean Android software if you don't live in the US (weird exception I know, but ask them not me)
Umm, if you're a xiaomi user, there is only one option for you, it is Oneplus, otherwise all other phones won't be a better choice for you 🙏🏼
Thanks for the recommendations. I actually went with the Pixel 8 Pro. So far none of my fears have come true. I'm really impressed by the batty life. Way more than a day's worth. Charge time hasn't been an issue because its battery has been so good I only charge when going to sleep.
@@OnlineEnglishSpeakingClubMakes sense, as the Pro version has faster charging
Hello, I'm coming from a google pixel 4a. I absolutely love it, but it is on its last leg and probably has a few days or weeks left due to battery issues. Would you recommend google pixel 7a, 8a, or 8? Or something else?
If you can afford a Pixel 8, then I'd recommend going for that! If you can push to the Pixel 9 then I'd recommend going for that if you can get it on sale - it's better in my experience than the phones you listed, particularly from a battery standpoint and some other aspects like the fingerprint sensor. I hope this helps!
@@arranpbrown okay, thank you so much!!
Does the phone still have overheating issues?
I haven't experienced it overheating at all, but it can get hot when doing heavier tasks like gaming. I'm also based in Scotland, so your experience may be different if you live in a hotter country!
your lovely accent might just convince me to get this phone :) and your great review for it helps a lot!
Haha, thank you! It's a nice phone and hopefully you'll like it if you do end up getting it 😁
I don't think Google have said feature drops will be a part of the 7 years have they? It will get new Android versions, and as a result the Android improvements and general features this brings. But I am assuming that Pixel features will continue as they have done, being limited to the next phone with only the occasional feature coming down the line to different phones.
It will be cool if I am wrong though.
To be fair, you're probably right - the older Pixels won't get all of the features in every feature drop, but they should still continue to get some features that the hardware can support, which I still think is pretty cool! I think getting any sort of new features on a 3 or 4 year old+ phone is going to be pretty nice! Thanks for the comment though - it's a good point!
I have a oppo phone, should i get a pixel 8/9 never used a pixel before
If you want the best value, I'd actually recommend you go for the Pixel 8, provided you can get it for a good price (equivalent of $500 or less, i'd say). If you want the best Pixel out of the 8 or 9 then the 9 is going to be the one to go for as it's a more complete phone, but it is quite a bit more expensive! Hope this helps! 😁
Does pixel 8a have cinematic blur video mode??
No it doesn't unfortunately - that's only available on the 8, 8 Pro, 9 and 9 Pros!
I want to shoot videos for youtube - which one do you suggest pixel or iphone or gopro
I would recommend iPhone probably as they tend to be the best for video generally. I think the Pixel is still catching up on that regard (although it does produce good footage!). I would not recommend a GoPro unless you are filming a lot of action sports/action-based content as it has less flexibility than a phone for filming etc. plus you can edit videos on your phone if you need to, which is an added bonus! Hope this helps.
@@arranpbrown now i am confused about should i buy a new iphone 14 or a used 12 pro max
Doesn't the phone get hot and have network issues? ?
It can get hot depending on what you're doing, but it's only if you're really pushing the phone. It's never overheated on me, but your experience may be different if you live in a hot climate!
I had the occasional network issues when I was using it - the modem certainly isn't the best, but it was very rarely an issue for me when I was using it!
I have a google pixel 7 and Im getting offered a 8a for 250 should i take it?
Yeah, I think that's a great deal for the 8a!
Great video
Thanks Miguel! 😁
Great phone for businesses users, but i still hate this modem battery drain, really ruins the experience.
I agree, they really need to fix the modem in the Pixel 9 series, but I'm not super hopeful to be honest!
Got a 4a now but soon the company I work for won't allow Android 13. So gotta upgrade this holiday season. I like the 8a but will get an 8 if it's very close in price for the close up camera lens.
Yeah, the 8 is making more and more sense as the price is coming down. If there is only $50/$100 difference, I would certainly go for the 8 as it is a better phone than the 8a. I hope you like it if you decide to pick one up! Cheers for the comment 😁
I need to see if the 8 is worth the extra cost! Google have some good discount deals. I’ll see which is the best value.
Yeah, definitely a difficult decision! If you can swing the extra cash, I'd most likely recommend the 8, but you equally won't be disappointed with the 8a if you have a lower budget!
If your military, nurse, police, fire, etc. pixel 8a is 399. That's significantly cheaper and I don't know if it's worth it at that point for the 8.
I think if you can get the 8a for under $400 then it's a great deal at that price to be honest!
Hello Arran, I have seen several of your reviews (I liked them all) and the truth is I have a question: What do you do with all the phones that you bring to the channel after their review? I'm asking because if you keep them all, could you give me one of the Pixel 8s you have? Please🙃😭
Thanks for the kind comment! With the phones I review, I currently buy them all with my own money - so I either sell them on/trade them in or in the case of the Pixel 8, I've actually given that phone to my wife (as she needed a new phone anyway). I'm likely going to have to sell the 8a to reduce the cost of buying the next phone I review. I'm afraid I'm not earning enough for the channel just yet to do giveaways, but hopefully that will be something I can do in the future!
@@arranpbrown Thanks!🙌
Just wanna confirm if the refresh rate on the pixel 8a is adaptive just like on the 8? Thanks!
Yes! But only between 60 and 120Hz, just like on the 8. It doesn't adapt down to 1Hz like the 8 Pro does. Hope this helps! Thanks for watching 😁
@@arranpbrown Great! Thanks for the confirmation! Quality content as always 👌🏻
Thank you!!
do you find the refresh rate to have input lag? is this normal?
I haven't encountered any input lag - it all seems pretty smooth for me!
When pixle 9 review comming..?..waiting for your review to buy..😊😊
It's coming! Working on it currently! Hoping to release it by next weekend!
Okk thanks..😊
So Arran - Pixels are still rubbish at standby then. I also hate those huge buttons after swipe down and that google search bar
Unfortunately that seems to be the case! With regards to the buttons, I actually really like that part of the UI, but that's just my opinion 🙂 thanks for the comment!
How long the battery will last from the morning if it’s 100% for just some social media scrolling, yt viedos , recording viedos and listening music
That's pretty similar to my regular daily usage to be fair, and I take the phone off charge at 100% at 06:30 and usually put it back on charge about 22:30 when I'm heading to bed (so 14 hours of use). It usually depends mostly on how much you are using mobile data as the modem isn't great. If I've been using mobile data I'll usually end the day on 5-15% battery, but with the same usage mainly using WiFi, I'll usually end somewhere between 30-50%. I hope this helps!
Any 8a users, i want a genuine review...is there any heating issue?
Just ordered 256gb 8a from EE for £269 sim free - hopefully it's the best choice at that price?
Yeah, I would say that's an excellent price for this phone and probably the best choice at that price! I hope you enjoy it! 😁
Pixel 7pro or pixel 8a in terms of main camera Which one is better ? ( Except telephoto lens )
I've never used the Pixel 7 Pro I'm afraid, but their specs are fairly comparable if you ignore the telephoto lens. However, you can't just look at the cameras in a vacuum, you've also got to consider the software updates too. The 8a is going to continue to be updated until 2031 whereas the 7 Pro only has another year or so of software updates. Google is going to continue to improve their image processing pipeline and that will likely improve the 8a camera results over time too, so you're probably better going with the 8a in my opinion.
Ok thanks @@arranpbrown
@@arranpbrown tq
What is better the 8a or redmi note 13 peo?
There are quite a few differences between the two. I've never used the Redmi, so I can't comment on the actual user experience I'm afraid. The Redmi obviously has a larger 6.7" screen, so if you like bigger screens, go for that. I can almost guarantee the cameras on the Pixel 8a will produce better results then the Redmi, as I think it has a phenomenal camera setup. The battery is larger on the Redmi and the charging speed is far faster, so if that's important to you, then get the Redmi. The last major difference is the operating system. I've never used the MIUI from Redmi, so again, I can't really comment on it, but I love the OS on Pixel and the extra added features it provides. It feels clean and uncluttered, which I love. I would personally still go for the 8a, but you may have different preferences. Also, the Redmi is significantly cheaper at £339 (currently on sale at £269), so that's a big factor too.
Hope this helps.
@@arranpbrown I agree I would have gone pixel 8a over the two also. I've gone Honor 200 over the pixel though.
No worries, hopefully the Honor suits your needs! Cheers.
Does the Pixel 8 have a brighter, punchier *display?* How much better is the Pixel 8's *camera* compared to the 8a in percentage?
Cheers !
The displays are basically the same, with the Pixel 8a just have a very slightly smaller screen. For brightness and colours they are not different at all. I can't really give a percentage because that's super subjective haha. They both produce really good and really similar results because it's less about the camera hardware and more about the software processing, which is the same on each phone! Hope this helps!
@@arranpbrown Well, in my initial testing, the Pixel 8 had a brighter screen and the camera captured more details especially in the low-light. I sold the 8a after a week of testing, so I had to ask if there is any improvement.
Cheers!
No worries - I didn't notice any difference in the brightness or contrast etc of the screen, or I would have mentioned it in the review! And fair enough about the low-light etc. I think you have to be really analysing the camera closely to notice any sort of difference as the camera performance wasn't significantly different for me! I don't think the difference is enough to be a major difference between the two phones, but that was just what I found from my testing! Cheers 😊
@@arranpbrown Yes bud, I do port gcams so I do test them. The bigger sensor on the Pixel 8 does pull in more light and details especially in low-light. Pixel 8a tries to make up for it with higher contrast and warm tones. The Lens coating is also superior on Pixel 8. The difference in detail is more visible in video's.
About the panel, both are using different panels (hardware) and thus will have different calibration.
But you're right, most users may not notice it as Google's imaging and colour pipeline is quite mature. Thanks for the quick replies bud 🙌
@@arranpbrown Do you notice the color shift on the display of the pixel 8a?
love the video!!
Can I BUY this for my mother ?
she only wants a good camera
Thanks Akash! 😁
I think this is one of the best cameras on a phone in this price range to be honest. It produces super nice photos that don't require any editing! The only thing to be aware of is that it doesn't offer a telephoto lens, so if your mother often likes to zoom in to things with her camera, you might want to look at another phone (but you will struggle to find one for the same price with the quality of these cameras). I personally think the wide and ultrawide are far more useful than a telephoto, but that's just my opinion. Hope this helps! 🙂
@@arranpbrown thanks For sharing ur opinion.. i will definetly order this phone today itself.. much love to you and success to u on youtube. U doing grt job.
@AkashKumar-ou1uw no worries - happy to help 😁 thank you! 🙌
just a note, there is no macro functionality at all in the camera. I need glasses, but I used my Samsung phone to take photos of small text on medication etc, but the Pixel 8A has not that functionality.
If I play games on pix 8 like chess or jetpack joyride, will it hang?
I've not tried either of those games, although I can't imagine there will be any issue playing chess on this. The phone will likely get warm, but it also depends on the climate you're in. I've had the phone get pretty warm, but haven't experienced any actual overheating warnings or issues with lag, but then again, I've not done a huge amount of gaming on it and I've only been playing Call of Duty Warzone Mobile, so your experience will likely vary!
@@arranpbrown thanks Arran! I think pix 8 is a decent phone for me as a research scholar. I would also be running software like LaTeX, python, etc and microsoft apps.. and ig pix 8 will manage them decently...
No worries! Yes, I imagine it would be fine for those workflows, however it depends on the complexity of your projects etc. - if you're running pretty heavy projects then the extra RAM of the Pixel 8 Pro may be a better fit if you are happy with the larger screen and higher price of that phone!
@@arranpbrownThanks Arran for the suggestion! Sadly the pix 8 pro is double the price of pix 8 almost here in India. I will have to stick with this one. But I wouldn't be working on some heavy tasking so ig 8 will be fine with me for now... I hope tensor g 3 manages the performance for 7 yrs (due to the update it promises). Thanks 👍🏻
@shreyanmullick4102 ahh okay, that sucks that it's so much more expensive! It may also be worth considering something like the OnePlus 12R, as it has a much faster processor and more RAM, but also a load of other really nice specs! The main things I think you'd miss out on is some of really nice Pixel exclusive software features, the 7 years of updates (the 12R is only supported for 3 years), and the really nice quality cameras on the Pixel, but if those things aren't a huge issue for you, then that might be the way to go instead. Good luck deciding either way 😁
4:21 AH! Not just my crap nothing phone 1 then. This happens to me all the time, so sick of it. Its easy to trigger if I open an app via a notification, I need to close it and open it for it to work again.
Yeah, it seems to be Android-wide! I've had comments from people using a variety of other phones that have experienced the infinite loading too!
I have an 6a but when i travel back home to Greece, 5g is not supported and no wifi calling either so I end up missing a lot of calls. But the biggest draw back is the slow charging. Is the only reason I am not getting a new pixel.
Yeah, that is unfortunate - WiFi calling is a super important feature for me too, so I would definitely miss it if it wasn't supported in my country too! What phone are you going to get instead?
@@arranpbrown Most probably I am going for a OnePlus 12R but I am open to suggestions ☺️
@182Rule I've heard good things about the 12R to be fair! Only issues is the huge size of it, but if you like big phones, then that's all good!
Hey, I can't decide whether I should go for the Google Pixel 8 or 8a. Does anyone know which of them doesn't overheat easily and has the better battery?
I'd definitely choose the 8 - I can't comment on overheating as neither my 8 or 8a has overheated, but the battery life on the 8 is slightly better than the 8a in my experience. Hope this helps!
so im an apple user and i love AI its sooo cool and useful and so google is really pushing to bring tons of AI features to gemini thats integrated on a OS level allowing it to do everything you can which is dope and i hope apple intelligence can do that or heck even allowing you to switch between gemini / chatgpt etc allowing us ios users to get to use gemini
Nice one! I'm excited to see what Apple do with Apple Intelligence - many of the features they previewed at their latest event look actually pretty useful! It would be cool to see Apple allow users to select which AI model they use when they send requests to the cloud, but it sounds like they have an agreement with OpenAI to use ChatGPT, so I imagine you will almost certainly be stuck using that! Thanks for the comment 😁
I think this will be a great phone to get refurbished later down the line since it will be updated until 2031. I might get it when maybe the pixel 10 releases.
Yeah, you could probably get it for an excellent price refurbished in another year's time. And like you said, it will still have many years of updates from that point 😁
should i go for samsung s23 fe or pixel 8a i am from india and in india there is an offer right now and they are gonna sell samsung s23 fe for 349 dollars approximately and yeah they have exynos 2200 chipset and pixel 8a probably cost the same what is your opinion ? (does pixel 8a still have the heating problem i heard they will fix it i am not sure )
There are a few main differences. The size of the phones, with the Pixel 8a having a 6.1" screen and the S23 FE having a 6.4" screen. The S23 FE uses an older chip when compared to the Tensor G3, so it's likely that the G3 is slightly more powerful and power efficient. And the cameras are very likely to be superior on the Pixel 8a than the S23 FE, although you get the extra 8MP telephoto on the Samsung (however, I've heard this isn't very good). Finally, I prefer the Pixel OS experience to Samsung's OneUI, so I would personally go for the Pixel 8a mainly because of that. Hope this helps!
@@arranpbrown thank you for this advice i am definitely getting pixel 8a then : )
Flipkart offering S23 for 37k for 256gb. That's seriously cheap $451 tax included unlocked.
@@arranpbrownI would avoid FE and get S23. That's better then 8a.
@@arranpbrown well apparently pixel 8 is 350 dollars and pixel 8a is 467 dollars in this offer time in india
I was thinking about getting Pixel 9 but in Poland it's almost 1000euros when 8a is 400... So to try the pixel experience I went with 8a.
Yeah, that's a good plan I think! 1000 euros is crazy for a non-flagship/pro phone 😭 the 8a is a nice phone, so I hope you like it! 😁
It sucks that no Pixel device has been released in the Philippines
Yeah, that's annoying :( hopefully they will release one soon!
Much the same with other non-mainstream Asian countries. Our governments also put huge import taxes to support local businesses, which is nice, but that means that for stuff like this, a $500 phone becomes a $900 phone.
Anong wala? Ang dami sa greenhills san juan at sa facebook marketplace 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
Cheaping out on charging speed is a big downer
Yeah, fair point - it can be quite annoying how slow the 8a is to charge to be fair!
What about video calls?
I've had no issues with video calls and this phone deals with them absolutely fine! Hope that helps!
Better Pixel 8a or pixel 7 ?
8a
I'd definitely say the 8a. You get a brighter screen, still excellent cameras, a slightly faster processor, newer software features, and software updates until 2031 as opposed to 2025 for the Pixel 7. It's a no brainer in my eyes. Hope this helps!
@@arranpbrown thanks, from indonesia 🇮🇩
No problem! I love that RUclips connects us even though we are across the other side of the world - awesome! 😁 Thanks for watching!
Heating issues in 7
Namaste sir
I m grt fan of pixel phones. But the issue we r facing here in India is heating. Pixel phone heats very quickly. Its very difficult to hold it. U can't shoot the video because of heating. Also they don't have service support. iPhone is grabbing the market because of this. I don't know how pixel 9 will perform here in India.
Yeah, that is a pain - the phone does heat up when you are filming video for an extended period of time and I imagine it will get hotter in warmer climates, so that is something to consider I guess!
First thing I done was got a case and a 30watt charger love my pixel 8
Nice one - glad you're enjoying it! 😁
Haptic on pixel 8 is like on iPhone 15 😊 you can hear the spring on the engine
Yeah, that's fair - I love the haptics on the Pixel 8!
Good phone snappy fast battery life is good and the back is nice looks like glass but it's plastic. But doesn't collect finger prints. I like it
Glad to hear you're enjoying it! I also love the plastic back - hate getting fingerprints on my phone 😅 thanks for the comment!
I am confused to buy iphone 13 new or pixel 8a new also i want phone live with me about 5-6 years without any issue whta do you recommend i trust your opinion + great reviews 👍 and honest person
I would honestly go for the Pixel 8a, because of the 120Hz screen over the 60Hz of the iPhone, I think in most markets it's still somehow cheaper than the iPhone, but mainly because the iPhone is 3 years old now, so won't be supported with software and security updates nearly as long as the Pixel 8a. The Pixel 8a is getting supported all the way up until 2031, so it should last you the 5-6 years you're hoping for! Hope this helps and thanks for the kind comment! 😁
hope it will not have the same troubles as pixel 5a - sudden deaath becouse of motherboard failure
Hopefully not! Mine is still going strong!
Well, what's missing for me is the lack of customization, if you're like me. That's why I like to use different brands like Xiaomi, Samsung, OnePlus. #TechTalk #CustomizationMatters
Fair enough! You could install a custom launcher though to allow you to customise the look and feel of the phone if you want, but if you prefer phones from other brands, then continue using them 😁 thanks for watching and for the comment!
Just bought a second hand unit for just under £300 ... 3 months old. Was looking at Motorola Neo 50 pro or pixel 8a ... under contract with vodafone, both good deals. The motorola looked better on paper with 12GB ram and 512gb storage. But coming from Apple iPhone space since y first smart phone iPhone 2g ... I thought pixel 8a clean android experience best option.
Yeah, that makes sense - I really enjoyed using the 8a, so I hope you like it! I love Pixel OS to be fair, it is nice and clean.
is any pixel 9 features coming to 8 series , 8 a ? like for eg- add me
I think they eventually will, but maybe not for a little while!
Pixel 8a or S23??
That's a good question. The S23 is generally more powerful than the 8a as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 it uses is more powerful than the Tensor G3. If you do a lot of gaming, then the Samsung might be the better option. However, the Tensor G3 is powerful enough for everything else. With regards to cameras, I prefer the output from the 8a, but then you are missing out on the telephoto lens on the S23, so if that's important to you, then go for the S23. I personally prefer the Pixel software experience, but OneUI on Samsung isn't bad. You may also get a slightly better battery experience on the S23, as the Tensor G3 (and mainly the modem in the 8a) isn't very efficient. You'll also get faster charging on the S23. Most of the other differences aren't huge, I'd say. I hope this helps!
@@arranpbrown I'm scared of lagging or bag . I'm not a gemer but do like to have a smooth experience and in my country there's 150 dollars difference between s23 and p8
I didn't experience any lag with the Pixel 8a!
I don't use haptics on any phone saves a ton of battery
Fair enough - I think they're super important to my experience with a phone which is why I thought they were worth mentioning, but I'm sure there are plenty of people who also don't use them like you, and it's good to know that it saves battery! Thanks for the comment!
Pixel 8a green and white one unlocked is currently $309 on amazon Us. Don't know how the hell it dropped that low and also checked for if it is renewed or not but brand new. Absolute bargain
Yeah, definitely a bargain at that price! 😁
499.00 each color on amazon 5 days later. Not 309.00
The prices change all the time to be fair, so I'm sure it will be back down in price again fairly soon!
@@metallives529 It's 375 now
Really, dude, 8% down after 8 hours. And you call this bad? (1% a hour, I would sign up to that)
Well I'm comparing it to the competition and I know there are other phones that only lose 2-3% over the same time period on standby!
@@arranpbrown oké, i would love that 🙏
Hmm... Your review was good, but too many quick small zoom ups bothered me a lot. Also, please wear something nicer. You looked like you shot the video right before you went to bed... The lighting was also not too good... Small changes make your future reviews look more serious. Anyway, I enjoyed it, and it was a 👍.
Haha - thanks for the feedback. I think the t-shirt I wore just looks a bit baggy which is why you think that I'm wearing pyjamas 🤣 I can assure you that I'm not!
The Pixel 8a for $320, is it a good choice ?
I think at that price, it's an excellent phone! 👌
@@arranpbrown Thank you
I will probably skip Pixels for now. The reviews have been 50/50 and the fact that we do not have access to a service center in my country makes them more expensive and not very reassuring. 😢
That sounds like a sensible idea to be fair - always good to make sure you have a way of fixing the phone if something happens to it! It sucks that the Pixels aren't natively available in more countries 😔
i used iphone 13 for several months now, and realized i hate ios. Just want to ask which camera is better, 8a or 13? and should i switch my 13 to this? thank you
If you hate iOS, then I reckon the camera will be either similar or better on the 8a than the 13, so it's probably worth making the switch as Pixel OS is really nice in my opinion. I've been really pleased with the cameras on the 8a, so I'm sure you would be too! Hope this helps.
@@arranpbrown at the end im switching to s23 because apparently pixel is not official in my country, thanks for your reply tho appreciate it
Photo similar and better video on Iphone.
great phone
Agreed!
8 pro user, 8a is my side phone. ❤
Nice - hope you're liking it! What do you actually use your second phone for? I personally find that one phone is more than enough 😅
Do you experience stutter while scrolling on your 8a?
I was thinking of Pixel 8a but I went for Samsung S23
Honestly, I think the S23 is still a really good option in 2024 as it uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 which had a good mix of power and efficiency! I hope you're enjoying it 😁