Google Pixel 8a specs include 120Hz display, Tensor G3 and more!

Google Pixel A series phones are considered to be among the most budget-friendly Android phones. While they make some sacrifices in hardware, they more than make up for it with lower prices and access to Google’s usual software and camera wizardry. Better yet, Google has narrowed the hardware gap between the A series and regular Pixels – the Pixel 7a was the best evidence of this trend so far, with its smoother 90Hz display, improved cameras, and the addition of ‘a wireless charging stand.

Thanks to a source within Google, we can preview the specifications of the upcoming Pixel 8a, which brings other major improvements to the series.

One of the main improvements to the Pixel 7a was the addition of a 90Hz display. The lack of a high refresh rate panel was one of the main complaints about the Pixel 6a, and Google has finally addressed it with its economical phone 2023.

The Pixel 8a will improve the A-series display even further. While the resolution and screen size remain unchanged, the OLED panel now supports 120Hz refresh rates with a peak HDR brightness of 1400 nits, which matches the specs of the high-end Pixel 8. The Pixel 8 is also similar in that the panel comes from two manufacturers; most likely BOE and Samsung. Considering all this, we can assume that the screens of both devices are closely related and should work similarly.

Corroborating the Pixel 8a design leaks, I can also confirm that Google has also increased the radius of the screen corners, which now more closely matches the design of the Pixel 8 series.

Another sign of this is the fact that the Pixel 8a also supports this feature.

It’s not yet clear why Google included DisplayPort output without having real user software to support it. Still, it will definitely be interesting to see what happens in the future.

Cameras have always been a strong point of the Pixel A series. Thanks to Google’s processing marvels, they are considered among the best smartphones for photography in their class, even if their hardware generally lags behind the competition.

Last year, the Pixel 7a finally ditched the old 12MP Sony IMX363 main camera sensor (which Google first used in the Pixel 3, a 2018 phone!) for a more modern setup built around a 64 MP Sony IMX787. This year, Google will keep the exact same configuration for the main camera of the Pixel 8a.

While the hardware won’t change, we might still see processing improvements and slightly improved visuals thanks to the Tensor G3 processor. Talking about that…

As expected, the Pixel 8a also comes with an upgraded SoC: the Google Tensor G3. That’s the same processor found in the Pixel 8 series. While the Tensor G2 was a relatively minor upgrade, the G3 spinoff represents a much bigger leap for the A series.

The highlight of the newly installed SoC is undoubtedly the improved processor. Google has ditched the older Cortex-X1 and Cortex-A55 cores in favor of newer, faster, more power-efficient 2022 cores. Google also changed the core layout, moving from a 2+2+4 configuration to a 1+4+4 configuration, giving the SoC an additional processor core. All of this leads to a significantly faster chip.

The Tensor G3 also brings other improvements over the G2, such as a new Mali-G715 GPU, new Samsung 5300 modem, support for AV1 encoding up to 4K/60fps, improved TPU and a new DSP for image processing tasks.

In the same way as the Pixel 7a, the Pixel 8a uses a slightly different version of the G3 than the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. Although the silicon chip inside the chip is identical, the plastic package differs. While the standard G3 uses FOPLP (Fan-Out Panel Level Packaging), the 8a’s G3 uses IPoP (Integrated Package on Package). According to Samsung, IPoP is thicker and warmer than FOPLP, but it is also cheaper, which explains this decision. In practice, the differences shouldn’t be huge and the chip should still be a massive upgrade.

The availability of Google Pixel devices often leaves something to be desired. Unlike most manufacturers, Google only sells its devices in a few selected countries. For example, the Pixel 7a is only available in 21 countries, while Apple sells its devices in over 140! Fortunately, the situation is slowly changing for the better.

Pixel 8a includes electronic warranty labels for the following new regions:

• Czech Republic
• Estonia
• Finland
• Hungary
• Lithuania
• Latvia
• Poland
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia

It is important to remember that this is simply a prediction and may not prove to be completely accurate. However, similar listings I found for the Pixel 8 series before its launch ultimately came to fruition, so this is a pretty solid indicator of potential additional markets where you’ll be able to purchase the Pixel 8a.

The Pixel 8a is yet another device in its family that narrows the gap between budget and regular Pixels. While this is definitely good for customers, it simultaneously raises a question: What is Google’s plan in this area?

The Pixel 8 series has seen Google attempt to outrun the Pro and non-Pro Pixels, and it has succeeded to the point where the Pixel 8 will feel closer to the Pixel 8a than it currently does to the 8 Pro. The Pixel 7 and 7a were already very similar, and the simultaneous existence of the two phones seemed poorly justified. It will be interesting to see how Google solves this programming problem, now and in the future.