GoKawiilJoe Maring / Android Authority
As a photography enthusiast, I have spent the last few years carrying around what essentially amounts to a professional-grade camera with a smartphone attached to the back.
From the massive visors on recent Pixels to the dinner-plate-sized unit of a camera on the vivo X300 Pro, there’s an unstated understanding that a premium smartphone experience requires an enormous camera and an equally massive physical sacrifice. It’s something I’ve begrudgingly gotten used to, but have never really been happy with. Then I spent a week with the Pixel 10a.
I don’t want to make a huge deal out of it, but using the Pixel 10a has made me realize that perhaps the most pro thing a phone can do is actually fit into my life without being a physical nuisance. I’m not saying that the Pixel 10a’s camera competes with the best smartphone cameras in the business, but by moving away from the gargantuan camera housings of its more expensive siblings, Google has accidentally solved my biggest smartphone pet peeve. And I’m here for it.
Would you compromise on hardware specs for a more ergonomic phone with a flat back? 28 votes Yes, I need a phone that fits more comfortably in my pocket. 68 % No, I want the absolute best hardware available. 32 %
A refreshingly normal smartphone
Joe Maring / Android Authority
I switch between the Pixel 10 Pro and an Oppo Find X9 Pro every other day, so I’m used to smartphones that carry a certain amount of heft. As an enthusiast, I’m the target audience for flagships. So, it’s no surprise that picking up the Pixel 10a felt like a bit of a shock to the system. There is an immediate tactile relief that comes with a device that doesn’t feel like it is trying to tip out of your hand, and instead just feels comfortably normal.
Because the Pixel 10a opts for a more modest camera setup, it doesn’t need the massive camera protrusion or the heavy glass elements that define the Pixel 10 Pro. The back is almost entirely flush. Running my hand over the rear of the device, I didn’t hit a sharp ledge or a massive shelf of glass. It behaves like a singular object rather than a collection of parts bolted together. It felt like a hint of nostalgia from when phones were simpler and more utilitarian.
The Pixel 10a feels like a phone designed for human hands.
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