Compare Google Pixel 8a vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

Which one is best for you?

The Google Pixel 8a and Google Pixel 9 Pro XL were both released in 2024. The 8a is specifically designed to be at a lower price point, so understandably it lacks some of the features of the 9 Pro XL, which is a premium device. An example is the significant difference in the battery life, with the 8a housing a 4,492 mAh battery and the 9 Pro XL's 5,060 mAh battery¹. This difference becomes apparent when you compare the fact that the 8a can last up to 72 hours with Extreme Battery Saver, whereas the 9 Pro XL can last up to 100 hours² and comes with fast wireless charging³ and Battery Share⁴ abilities so it can charge other devices wirelessly. What's more the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL offers more memory with 16GB RAM and up to 1TB storage - this is significantly more substantial than the 8a's 8GB RAM and up to 256GB storage⁵.

When you're comparing the Google Pixel 8a and Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, their size difference is immediately obvious. The 9 Pro XL is a larger device with a display measuring 6.8 inches, whereas the 8a's display is 6.1 inches⁶. However, a smaller phone isn't a bad thing as the 8a's pocket sized nature means it's more convenient to hold and travel with. The 9 Pro XL's camera system is more superior as it includes a pro triple rear camera, consisting of a 50MP wide lens, 48MP Ultrawide lens with Macro Focus, 48MP telephoto lens, and Super Res Zoom up to 30x⁶. In contrast, the Google Pixel 8a includes a dual rear camera system, featuring a Super Res Zoom up to 8x⁷. To top it off, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL comes with AI phone features such as Gemini - Google's AI assistant - and Pixel Studio⁸ that allows you to create your own images with AI.

Although the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL significantly outperforms the Google Pixel 8a, it still meets the average smartphone user's basic needs and is at a much lower price point. Therefore, if you're looking for a functional smartphone at a reasonable price, then it's worth considering the 8a. However, if you're looking for a phone with the latest technology, a larger screen, and a fantastic camera and battery life, then the 9 Pro XL could be the phone for you.

Google Pixel 8a

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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

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Battery
Non-removable. Fast battery charging Qi wireless charging	Non-removable Fast battery charging Qi wireless charging
Battery Life
4492 mAh	5060 mAh
Body
Front glass, Matte composite back, matte aluminium frame Dual SIM (single nano-SIM and eSIM) Dust and waterproof (IP67)	Front/back glass, metal frame Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM) Dust and waterproof (IP68)
Camera
64MP + 13MP	50MP + 48MP + 48MP
Camera details
64MP (f/1.89) + 13MP (f/2.2) 13 MP (f/2.2) Best take Dual exposure controls Face Unblur Frequent Faces Live HDR+ Locked Folder Long Exposure Magic Editor Magic Eraser Manual white balancing Motion Auto-Focus Night Sight Panorama Photo Unblur Portrait Light Portrait mode Real Tone Top Shot Ultra HDR	50MP (f/1.68) + 48MP (f/1,7) + 48MP (f/2.8) 42 MP (f/2.2) Super Res Zoom up to 30x Action Pan Add Me Astrophotography Best Take Face Unblur Frequent Faces Long Exposure Macro Focus Magic Editor Magic Eraser Night Sight Panorama Photo Unblur Portrait Light Portrait mode Real Tone Top Shot Zoom Enhance
Capacity
128 GB/256 GB	Information not available
Colour
Bay / Obsidian / Porcelain	Information not available
Connectivity
2G / 3G / 4G / 5G Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) with 2.4GHz+5GHz+6GHz, HE80, MIMO Bluetooth 5.3 GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou NFC USB Type-C	2G / 3G / 4G/ 5G / 5G+ Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2.4GHz+5GHz+6GHz,2x2 +2x2 MIMO Bluetooth 5.3 GPS NFC USB Type-C
Dimensions
152.1 x 72.7 x 8.9 mm	162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm
Display
6.1 inch	6.8 inch
Display details
OLED at 430 PPI 1080 x 2400 Always-on display Corning Gorilla Glass HDR support Smooth Display (up to 120 Hz)	LTPO OLED at 486 PPI 1344 x 2992 Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 HDR support 20:9 aspect ratio Smooth Display (1–120 Hz) Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colours Up to 2,000 nits (HDR) and up to 3,000 nits
Features
Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Audio Magic Eraser Barometer Face Unlock Fingerprint sensor (under display) Gyroscope Magnetometer Pattern, PIN, password Proximity sensor Speech enhancement Stereo recording Wind noise reduction	Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Android Earthquake Alerts System Barometer Car Crash Detection Crisis alerts Emergency contacts and medical info Emergency Location Service Emergency SOS Face Unlock Fingerprint Unlock Gyrometer Magnetometer Proximity sensor Safety Check Tensor Security core
Memory
128 GB/8GB RAM/256 GB	Information not available
Platform
Android Google Tensor G3	Android Google Tensor G4
Weight
188 g	221 g
Video
Rear camera: 4K video recording at 30fps, 60fps 1080p video recording at 30fps, 60fps Front camera: 4K video recording at 30fps 1080p video recording at 30fps 1080p active video stabilisation 4K Cinematic Pan video stabilisation 4K locked video stabilisation 4K timelapse with stabilisation Astrophotography timelapse Digital zoom up to 5x Fused video stabilisation Optical image stabilisation Slow-motion video support up to 240 FPS Video formats: HEVC (H.265) and AVC (H.264)	1080p video recording at 24/30/60 FPS 10-bit HDR video 4K timelapse with stabilisation 4K video recording at 24/30/60 FPS 4K video recording at 30/60 FPS on front camera 8K video recording at 30 FPS (powered by Video Boost) Active video stabilisation (1080p) Astrophotography timelapse Cinematic Pan video stabilisation (4K, 1080p) Dual exposure on wide camera Fused Video Stabilisation Locked video stabilisation (4K, 1080p) Macro Focus Video Night Sight timelapse Night Sight Video Slo-mo video support up to 240 FPS Super Res Zoom Video Super Res Zoom Video up to 20x Video formats: HEVC (H.265) and AVC (H.264)
Operating system
Android	Android
Box Contains
Quick Switch adaptor SIM tool 1 m USB-C® to USB-C cable (USB 2.0)	SIM tool 1 m USB-C to USB-C cable (USB 2.0)

Terms and conditions

¹ Estimate of typical capacity based upon testing and expected cell behaviour.

² Pixel 9 Pro XL: Estimated battery life based on testing using a median Pixel user battery usage profile across a mix of talk, data, standby and use of limited other features that are default in Extreme Battery Saver mode (which disables various features including 5G connectivity). Battery testing conducted on a major US operator network. Battery testing conducted in California in mid-2024 on pre-production hardware and software using default settings, except that Extreme Battery Saver mode was enabled. Battery life depends upon many factors and usage of certain features will decrease battery life. Actual battery life may be lower.

Pixel 8a: Estimated battery life based on testing using a median Pixel user battery usage profile across a mix of talk, data, standby and use of limited other features that are default in Extreme Battery Saver mode (which disables various features including 5G connectivity). Battery testing conducted on a major US operator network in California in late 2023 on pre-production hardware and software using default settings, except that, for the 'up to 72 hours' claim only, Extreme Battery Saver mode was enabled. Tests began with phones fully charged. Battery life depends upon many factors and usage of certain features will decrease battery life. Actual battery life may be lower.

³ Wireless charging rates up to 23 W charging with Google Pixel Stand (2nd gen). Up to 12 W with Qi-certified EPP chargers (sold separately). Actual results may be slower.

⁴ Designed to charge Qi-certified devices. Use of reverse wireless charging significantly reduces Pixel battery life. Cases may interfere with charging and will reduce charging speed. Charging speeds may vary. See Google's wireless charging page for more information.

⁵ Storage specifications refer to capacity before formatting. Actual formatted capacity will be less.

⁶ Pixel 8a: Screen has rounded corners. When measured diagonally as a rectangle, the screen is 6.1 inches. Actual viewable area is less. Dimension may vary by configuration and manufacturing process.

Pixel 9 Pro XL: Screen has rounded corners. When measured diagonally as a rectangle, screen is 6.8 inches. Actual viewable area is less. Dimension may vary by configuration and manufacturing process.

⁷ Not available for all cameras, apps or modes.

⁸ Results may vary. Not available in all languages or countries.

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