Verdict on the Google Pixel 8a - Flawlessly crafted mid-range smartphone in 2019 design
During our test of the Pixel 8a, the Google phone surprised us in many ways. One of the reasons that speaks for this phone costing less than US$600 is its long software support. Google is set to give its mid-range smartphone seven years of security patches and Android updates, meaning the Pixel 8a will still be given security patches (as well as Android 21) in the year 2031.
However, Google has also made a big advancement to its screen compared to the Pixel 7a. In our measurements, the installed 6.1-inch 120 Hz Actua display achieved a maximum brightness of a very strong 1,556 cd/m² when showing a pure white display—the OLED screen became even brighter with an even distribution of light and dark areas (APL18). Here, we noted 2,136 cd/m² during our test. This makes the Pixel 8a over 30 per cent brighter than its predecessor.
The design of the a-series has changed a lot compared to the Pixel 7a, but Google's mid-range device still has wide black bezels around its display. As a result, the ratio between the screen and the front of the device is not particularly efficient at just 81.6 %. In comparison, a Samsung Galaxy A55 achieves almost 86 per cent. This means that its appearance doesn't really do justice to the phone's otherwise high-quality case.
You can find out what additional weaknesses we uncovered concerning the Pixel 8a in our detailed review of the Google smartphone.
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Review of the Pixel 8a
