Compare Google Pixel 8 vs Google Pixel 8a

Although Google Pixel 8 and Google Pixel 8a are both part of the Pixel 8 series, the Pixel 8 was released in October 2023 and 8a in May 2024. The 8a is designed to be a low cost model in the 8 series, making it slightly more affordable than the 8 and 8 Pro. In terms of specification, the 8a's features are lacking compared to the 8, but only slightly. For example, the display of the Pixel 8a is 0.1 inches smaller than the Pixel 8's 6.2-inch display¹, the Pixel 8's battery capacity is slightly bigger at 4,575 mAh compared to the Pixel 8a's 4,492 mAh battery², and both models feature the Google Tensor G3 processor and the Titan M2 security coprocessor.

However, the difference between the two phones is more apparent when it comes to material quality. For instance, the Pixel 8 is made from Edgeless Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® with a matte metal frame, whereas the Pixel 8a is made from a composite material with a satin metal frame. Additionally, the Pixel 8a is missing some camera functions that are included with the Pixel 8, such as Macro Focus, Cinematic Blur and Action Pan. It should also be noted that the 8a and 8 have different colour options: the 8a comes in the colours Bay (a sky blue), Obsidian (black), Porcelain (cream) and Aloe (bright green), but the Pixel 8 only comes with three colour choices: Obsidian, Hazel (silver/grey), or Rose (pale pink). All in all, the Google Pixel 8 is a higher quality phone, but the Pixel 8a isn't far behind, so your decision might come down to your budget and colour preference.