Google Pixel 10a
Google Pixel 10a
No major upgrades, but the longer battery life and subtle design tweaks keep it as a great budget choice
PRICE
128GB, £416 (£499 inc VAT)
from
store.google.com
Normally I’m delighted to get my hands on a new Pixel A-series phone. Google’s mid-range handsets usually do an unrivalled job of capturing the character of the latest “flagship” model at a much lower price. This year, though, the Pixel 10a recycles so much from last year’s 9a (see issue 369, p74) that it’s hard to get excited about it.
The pricing of the Pixel 10a is as tempting as ever, starting at £499 inc VAT for the base model with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. At a time when other phone makers are leaning into price increases, it’s refreshing that the Pixel 10a costs the same as the 7a did back in 2023. This being a budget phone, it’s also a nice treat to have four colours to choose from, namely Lavender, Berry, Fog and Obsidian.
Physically, the main change from last year’s Pixel 9a is a refined camera module that’s now flush with the rest of the phone, so it will sit flat on its back with no awkward angles or wobbling. There are other minor design changes, too, including an improved IP68 rating and upgraded Corning Gorilla Glass 7i on the front to improve scratch and drop resistance. The overall aesthetic remains just as before, with flat, metal-accented edges and rounded corners. In the hand it doesn’t feel too large, or particularly heavy.