The latest Pixel 10a is the wrong Pixel to buy

The Pixel 10a was launched yesterday, but I wouldn’t recommend buying one. While I tuned in for the launch as a long-time Pixel owner, I was rather unimpressed with the end result.

Don’t get me wrong — the Pixel 10a is a great phone overall. It’s among the best phones in its price range, offering super software experience, a great camera, plenty of power, and a promise of seven years of updates.

Side by side, there isn’t that much separating the Pixel 9a and the newer Pixel 10a. They both sport the same chipset, come in the same memory configurations, and have identical cameras. The display is more or less identical on both, with the difference being that the Pixel 10a’s is 11% brighter.

They also both sport an IP68 rating, an optical fingerprint scanner, a plastic back, a 5,100mAh battery, and seven years of software support. So from a performance perspective, there isn’t much separating the two, although the two phones are not completely the same overall.

The Pixel 10a supports faster charging (30W vs 23W) as well as wireless charging (10W vs 7.5W). The already mentioned brighter display is protected by the newer Gorilla Glass 7i, which is said to be more resistant to drops, and the phone supports satellite SOS, which comes in handy in an emergency when you don’t have access to a Wi-Fi or cellular network.

Then there’s a host of software features on board that aren’t present on the Pixel 9a but could eventually become available via a software update — nothing has been confirmed by Google for now. These include things like Auto Best Take, Camera Coach, and the ability to edit images in Google Photos with voice prompts. Also, Quick Share is compatible with AirDrop on the Pixel 10a, a feature that is said to make its way to other Android phones soon.

The other differences between the two are cosmetic in nature. The Pixel 10 has slightly smaller bezels, its camera module is completely flush with the back, and the phone is just a tad smaller and lighter. However, at first glance, it’s hard to tell them apart. The biggest differentiator is the new color palette, as in addition to Obsidian, the Pixel 10a also comes in Lavender, Berry, and Fog.

I like the Pixel 10a, but in a world where the Pixel 9a can be had for 20% less, I know which one I’d buy. The latest Pixel comes in at $500, while the 9a can be yours for $100 less — although the price seems to be changing daily on Amazon. Considering it gets me the same battery, camera, RAM, and other features that I care about, the decision is clear to me.

I’d rather save 20% and skip all the extras the Pixel 10a offers, since they don’t add much value to me. My hiking days are behind me, meaning there’s zero chance of me getting stuck on a mountain and needing the satellite SOS feature. The small design changes mean nothing to me, and the same goes for all those software features — some of which may end up making their way over to the Pixel 9a anyway.

The only real upgrade, in my eyes, is the boost in charging speed, but the difference is not night-and-day and definitely not worth the extra $100. At least to me.

Your mileage may vary. If you value the extra features more than the $100 premium, go for it. But personally, I’d stick to last year’s model.

One thing worth noting is that Google is throwing in a few free goodies to those who pre-order the device. You can get $100 in Google Play Store credit or the Pixel Buds 2a earbuds for free, so take that into account as well when making your decision.