Pixel 9a Gets Unboxed And Benchmarked Before It's Even Announced
Google's Pixel 9a isn't even launched yet, but reviews and performance benchmarks are already out in the wild for all to see. Definitely looking legit, these reviews show off a phone that makes some incremental improvements in design and performance while cutting cost in areas that may irk buyers. Ultimately, the reviewers were impressed with the fluidity and optimized feel of the 9a, not to mention the same Pixel camera magic despite the limited sensor array.
Perhaps one of the most thoroughly leaked phones of all time, the Pixel 9a is a refinement of the tried-and-true Google mid-budget smartphone formula, at least according to "official" reviews of alleged production units so far. As you can see in the video above by Sahil Karoul (via YouTube), it seems like the host got his hands on a production unit (in matte Iris colorway) for a pretty deep look, unboxing, and some benchmarking tests, among other things.
With its Tensor G4 and 8 GB of RAM, the 9a seems to plug along nicely in all but the most demanding uses, such as gaming. This is be expected of the baby of the Pixel 9 lineup, after all. For what it's worth, Karoul also found that the 9a uses the "lesser" Samsung G5300 modem compared to the G5400 used in other Pixel 9s.
In another video by The Mobile Central, the host shows photo and video samples, commenting that Google's skin tones, photo, and video quality in good lighting are spot on, but falls behind the competition after the sun sets. The video also demonstrates how smooth the phone and animations run while scrolling and browsing. However, it was commented of how thick the bezels are around the 6.3-inch 120Hz display, likely one of worst in this category. Both videos praised the flat camera island, which allows the phone to lay flush and wobble-free on a flat surface.
Considering that (so far) these two videos from India and this one from Mexico haven't been struck down by Google cease and desist orders, we can only assume that the company is chill about it only because the Pixel 9a's launch is all but iminent, some say as soon as tomorrow (March 19). When the phone goes live, it's expected to cost $500.
Photo credit: The Mobile Central (via YouTube)
