The Pixel 9a has been announced, and one of its features in particular puts many a flagship smartphone in the shade.
Google’s latest mid-range handset brings a new (and slightly controversial) design language, as well as Pixel 9 -level performance to the party.
Those aren’t the additions that caught our eye, however.
Pixel 9a brings good news for power users
Google has fitted the Pixel 9a with a 5100mAh battery.
It’s done so without having to resort to the space-saving (but presumably expensive) silicon carbon technology, as seen in the OnePlus 13 , which makes the Pixel 9a’s 186g weight all the more impressive.
It also makes the Pixel 9a battery the largest ever used in a Pixel device. Not only is it much bigger than the Pixel 8a’s 4492 mAh cell, but it’s also larger than that of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold . Of course, that device’s 4650 mAh isn’t actually that big in the grand scheme of things, but foldables aren’t exactly known for incredible battery life.
More impressively, the Pixel 9a’s 5100 mAh battery is bigger than that of the super-sized Pixel 9 Pro XL , which comes in at 5060mAh. We’re only talking very slightly less but just look at the size of Google’s flagship phone as a whole and the huge, sharp 6.8-inch QHD+ display it’s running.
We’ve had slightly mixed experiences with the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s stamina (ranging from average in our full review to strong over longer-term usage ), but we’re expecting the Pixel 9a to flat-out impress in this department.
Rivals in for a Galaxy of hurt
We don’t have to reserve our Pixel 9a battery comparisons to the Google stable, either.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is generally a high-spec phone, but its 5000mAh battery looks almost quaint by comparison to Google’s 186g pocket dynamo.
Bringing the comparison down to the Pixel 9a’s mid-range rivals, both the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro and the Samsung Galaxy A56 pack in a 5000mAh battery. That’s viewed as pretty decent for a sub-£500/$500 phone.
With Google’s Tensor G4 chip onboard – the same processor as the rest of the Pixel 9 family – we’re anticipating class-leading stamina from the Pixel 9a. Keep an eye out for our review over the coming days, where you can be sure we’ll put this aspect of the phone to the test.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
- Google Pixel 9a release date, pricing and specs
- Pixel 9a is the most iPhone-like Android phone ever
- Google Pixel 9a: 5 key upgrades over the Pixel 8a
- Is the Pixel 9a worth the upgrade? Here’s how it compares to the Pixel 8a
- Should you buy the Google Pixel 9a or Samsung Galaxy A56?
- Best Pixel 9a deals
Author: Jon Mundy, Contributor, Tech Advisor
Jon is a freelance journalist who got his start covering mobile games at the dawn of the App Store. He has since covered everything from smart home tech and laptops to food and culture, but always seems to return to his fascination with smartphones.
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