For the first time in what feels like forever, we are getting a phone — the Pixel 10a — with an actual flat back and no camera plateaus protruding from it. The phone can finally rest on a table without wobbling or leaving a wedge-shaped gap underneath. Google must have undertaken some serious engineering efforts to keep the camera thickness in check on the new budget Pixel so that it lies flush with the phone’s back panel.
But all those design efforts aren’t convincing enough for me to pick up the Pixel 10a or second-guess my decision to get the Pixel 10. Here’s why I know I made the right choice skipping the Pixel 10a.
Is the Pixel 10 worth $200 more than the 10a? 11 votes Yes, easily 18 % No, the 10a is enough 64 % Only if it’s on sale 18 %
The most important Pixel 10 feature is missing
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
The biggest rumored upgrade for the Pixel 10 phones was the new Tensor G5 processor. Even before the phones launched, the new processor was slated to be the next big thing on Pixels, but we all saw how it turned out. What actually stole the show was Qi2-based magnetic charging. And I have no qualms admitting that I’ve been a fan of the Pixel 10 series almost entirely because of magnetic charging, just like the iPhone’s MagSafe.
Considering the new Pixel 10a is a budget-oriented phone, Google had to keep costs in check, and one of the measures it took, unfortunately, was skipping magnetic attachment for wireless charging. For that price, this choice actually makes sense, especially since the iPhone 16e (the Pixel 10a’s direct competitor) also lacks MagSafe.
However, when put against the standard Pixel 10, it feels like a glaring omission that I wouldn’t want to live without. Especially now that I have so many Qi2-compatible accessories spread across my house.
Performance limitations
I can’t believe I am favoring a Tensor G series processor for performance, but here we are. It’s not like the Tensor G5 offers mind-blowingly superior performance over its predecessor, but Google has artificially widened the gulf between the Pixel 10a and the rest of the Pixel 10 lineup.
... continue reading