Google Pixel 10a

The last few times Google has launched a so-called "a" phone, i.e. a new model in the distinct range of more budget-friendly flagships, it has been a triumph. By saving in all the right places, while still offering many years of platform and security upgrades, a competent camera through Google's software framework, and a smooth, playful version of Android, each year's "a" was always the best cheap Android phone on the market.

And fortunately, we can confirm that this continues to be the case here. The Google Pixel 10a has arrived and, despite minor external changes, once again manages to captivate with a combination of simple dexterity and powerful features. And at a price of just under £500... that's a good bit less than the brand new iPhone 17e.

But there is a problem looming on the horizon...

Before we get there, it has the same playful colours and the same completely flat back as before. There is IP68 certification, Corning Gorilla Glass 7i on the front, Dual SIM, stereo speakers, a 5100mAh battery that can easily last a day and a half, and wired charging up to 45W. And yes, there is even wireless charging. However, it's a truly bizarre decision to omit PixelSnap, Google's new MagSafe-like set of magnets on the back. Apple was criticised for omitting MagSafe on the 16e, and therefore the same must now apply to Google.

Looking at the pictures, you're probably thinking that it looks like... well, itself. And that's because it's actually exactly the same shape as before. Ports, buttons, battery, it's the same as before. And that actually continues with the display, which appears to be largely the same. The same 160mm Actua screen, the same 1080x2424 resolution through a pOLED with the same density as before, and the same Smooth Display at either 60 or 120Hz.

Incidentally, it also has the same rear camera, which again offers two lenses, a standard wide and an ultra-wide, the former at 48 megapixels in an f/1.7 and the latter at 13 megapixels with an f/2.2 and a FOV of 120 degrees. I'm not complaining here, as the pictures are far better than they have any right to be, and still better than any other phone in this price range, but with the same "body", the same camera, the same display, the internals must be different, right?

Well, actually, it's the same Tensor G4 SoC as last year's phone, the same 8GB RAM, and the same 128GB storage (which can be upgraded). This means that, broadly speaking, we are dealing with last year's phone. It's not the first time a manufacturer has retained key parts of the experience between generations, but this is still the most drastic example I can remember.

Okay, this display can actually reach a maximum of 3000 NITS, which is slightly stronger than before, and the aforementioned Corning Gorilla Glass 7i is also new, and wireless charging is also slightly faster. There is also Satellite SOS, which allows you to contact relevant emergency services outside of coverage.

But that's also... it. Does that mean the Pixel 10a is a bad phone? No, certainly not, and it's not because you're not exactly getting a Pixel 9a thrown at you right now, which at the time of writing is not particularly widely available, and in the places where it can be bought, it costs perhaps just under £400.

However, it does mean that Google is giving us a straightforward re-release with very, very minor improvements, which makes it difficult to distinguish between the two. It's a practice that's a little difficult to unpack and relate to, but I would say that the Pixel a series is among the more exciting annual launches because it's always exciting to see how Google balances use and price. This time, however, it seems almost misleading to call it a "10a". That doesn't mean the phone is poor, on the contrary, and you'll find a positive final score below this review. But it does mean that we here at Gamereactor feel we can afford to expect more, given how much momentum Google has had on the hardware front lately.