The mid-range device bets on the best features of a Pixel flagship and the longest battery life in an A-series phone to date.
As the numerous leaks, rumors, and a highly publicized influencer trip to Taiwan foretold, Google has officially launched the Pixel 10a smartphone. Following in the footsteps of its many predecessors, the mid-ranger claims to have everything you need to live life on Android without spending upwards of $1,000. That includes better durability, Gemini Live, and the longest battery life Google has promised for a Pixel device.
The Google Pixel 10a is on sale for $500 starting March 5 at the Google Store and at participating retailers. There's also a new color of the Pixel Buds 2a to match one of the Pixel 10a's new colorways. Keep reading for the rundown on the specifications and what to expect if you're planning to pre-order the device before it goes on sale. We even had a brief hands-on time with the Pixel 10a.
At first glance, Google stuck the Pixel 10a with much of the same hardware and aesthetics as last year's Pixel 9a. But if you look more closely, there are improvements across the board that make this a better phone. The Pixel 10a still features a 6.3-inch Actua display, though it's 11% brighter, with a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. Battery capacity remains 5,100 mAh, but it now charges at 30W, exceeding the Pixel 9a's 23W limit. The addition of Corning Gorilla Glass 7i has also bolstered the Pixel 10a's durability, and it's now fully IP68-rated, meaning it won't immediately die if you drop it in water.
Design-wise, the chassis has only been slightly tweaked, though you won't notice it from a distance. The Pixel 10a is only a minuscule 1 mm thicker than its predecessor, at 9 mm, compared to the Pixel 9a's 8.9 mm. The Pixel 10a's rear camera lens is recessed deeper into the frame, effectively removing the pronounced "lip" on the Pixel 9a. The Pixel 10a is available in four colors: Obsidian (black), Fog (white), Lavender (lavender), and Berry (raspberry red).
Qi-certified wireless charging remains on the Pixel 10a series. However, Pixel Snap is not available. It's another small feature omission that underscores this is a mid-range device with a price ceiling, which is why it doesn't offer everything a premium device would. We don't know if Google plans to sell a first-party case that offers Pixel Snap. The third-party case market remains the saving grace amid all this.
The Pixel 10a doesn't continue the A-series tradition of carrying over the previous system-on-a-chip. Instead of the Pixel 10's Tensor G5, the Pixel 10a uses the Tensor G4 from the Pixel 9 and 9a era. The upside is that this is how Google kept the price at $500—component prices are whack-a-doodle right now due to looming tariffs and hardware shortages. Hopefully, the long-term result is that more companies devise ways to extend the lifespan of their current processors. The Tensor G4 is still a very capable piece of silicon. Because it exists, the Pixel 10a can perform some of the Pixel 10's features, including Call Assist and Call Screening to filter out spam calls. It's also what enables the Pixel 10a to offer Gemini Live. The main objective is to make Gemini and its sister features accessible at the $500 subset. The Tensor G4 still allows for that.
The Pixel 10a will ship with 8GB of RAM, which is sufficient for most people. It comes in 128GB and 256GB variants. You don't buy this phone to store everything on it at all times. That kind of egregiousness—and price tag—is reserved for the premium subset.
The camera hardware is unchanged from the Pixel 9a. This year's Pixel 10a sports the same main 48-MP wide sensor, ultrawide sensor, and front camera. Even Super Res Zoom is the same, with a maximum 8x digital zoom. Google tries to soften the blow by offering plenty of Gemini-infusion, including Camera Coach, which I've still barely used since it launched in the Pixel 10, Add me, and Nano Banana-powered generative image editing. It is a trade-off at the expense of improved camera hardware. At least Best Take is there, a feature I use constantly to hone in on the best shot in a series of snaps.
In addition to its faster charging, the Pixel 10a offers some of the best battery life of any Pixel smartphone. Google says the Pixel 10a's 5,100mAh battery lasts over 30 hours on "typical" usage and up to 120 hours with Extreme Battery Saver mode enabled. The long battery life is achieved by aggressively stripping back non-essential phone functions, such as 5G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth scanning, and by reducing the refresh rate to 60Hz (by default, it can go up to 120Hz for certain content).
We haven't tested the Pixel 10a yet. If you're considering preordering and are due for an upgrade to a mid-range Pixel device, the Pixel 10a offers one of the best new features in the Pixel 10 series. The Pixel 10a has built-in satellite connectivity to reach emergency services if needed. It's an essential feature, especially now that all iPhone tiers offer it, and it's still something Google delivers that its Android competitors don't.
We'll have more to say about the Pixel 10a once we receive it for review. If you need more information, visit the Google Store.
