It has been a while since Google started officially selling refurbished Pixel smartphones on its Google store. After successfully offering the Pixel 7a, Pixel 8, 8 Pro, 7, and 7 Pro in refurbished form for months, the company has now added the Pixel 8a to its portfolio. The Pixel 8a is not only the newest phone to be available refurbished on the Google Store, but it’s only the second Pixel A-series device currently available. So, if you are looking to replace your phone with something affordable and the pricing of the new Pixel phones is giving you pause, it’s certainly worth looking at a refurbished Pixel 8a. It’s not only available at a relatively lower price of $339 but also comes with the standard one-year warranty, just like any new Pixel phone in the U.S.
The Pixel 8a, which was originally unveiled back in 2024, is less than two years old and is set to receive Android OS updates until 2031, which gives it an additional five years before it becomes obsolete in terms of the software. But is software and lower pricing enough to justify going with a two-generation-old budget Pixel phone in 2026? Let’s dive deeper.
Solid hardware for a nearly two-year-old phone
Despite getting two capable successors in the form of the Pixel 9a and the Pixel 10a, the 8a hardware is nothing to sneeze at in 2026. It has a solid build quality, with an aluminum frame and IP67 dust and water resistance, and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 as the cover glass. But more importantly, it features the Tensor G3 SoC, which is a flagship-grade chip that also powers the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. Sure, it’s older now, but it can still beat the likes of the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3. The phone features 8GB of RAM, which is plenty for an affordable smartphone as long as you use it for light to medium workloads.
Other features of the phone, including the 6.1-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 2,000 nits of peak brightness, an under-display fingerprint sensor, and a USB 3.2 Type-C port, are in line with many sub-$400 phones today. The only drawback in terms of the hardware is the slow charging, as we mentioned in our Pixel 8a review. The phone only supports 18W wired charging, which is a bit too slow in 2026. Fortunately, the built-in 4,492mAh battery is relatively decent, and you get the bonus of wireless charging support, which is even missing from the more expensive 2026 phones like the Galaxy A37. All this excellent hardware certainly makes a solid case for buying a Pixel 8a in 2026, but how good is the refurbishing and the pricing on the Google Store?
Certified Google refurbished tag adds a premium
Unlike getting a pre-owned smartphone from a random buyer on eBay or Facebook Marketplace, there are some obvious benefits of buying a certified refurbished model from Google. The company says its refurbished phone stock primarily includes pre-owned smartphones, probably coming as part of the trade-ins, and phones that have spent long in the company’s warehouse as new devices. Each refurbished smartphone passes the company’s multi-point inspection, and if there are any hardware issues, those are fixed with genuine parts. The company also claims it has high cosmetic standards as well, so you won’t get any visual imperfections on your refurbished phone. The phones are packed in a brand-new box and include a charging cable.
These benefits are what separate a certified Google refurbished Pixel 8a from getting a pre-owned Pixel from anywhere else, and are a reason why the company is charging a noticeable premium over the typical cost (around $250) for a refurbished Pixel 8a in good condition on something like Amazon. It’s also what you would need to think about whether you want to get your pre-owned Pixel 8a from Google or somewhere else. You can choose peace of mind by paying a slight premium or take a risk and save a decent chunk of change.
More importantly, Google offers the option to return and access to the company’s customer support team in case of any issues. Also, as we mentioned, the refurbished phones get the same one-year warranty in the U.S. as any new Pixel smartphone. Additionally, you don’t have to worry about carrier locks. However, it’s best to check for that once you receive your phone, as at least one customer has complained online about getting a refurbished Pixel from Google, which was locked to Xfinity Mobile.
