The Pixel 9A's Design: Google Takes Minimalism to the Extreme

Every phone has a signature design element, from Apple's raised island of cameras to Samsung's vertical stack of identically sized lenses. Until now, the Google Pixel has been synonymous with the camera visor, the horizontal band that accommodates the various cameras across the Pixel line. But the Pixel 9A tosses the visor aside, letting the dual-camera array float in its rounded island that barely rises from the ocean of color behind it.

While the cameras are a departure, they aren't the only design change in Google's latest budget camera.

The minimal camera bump -- perhaps it's a camera nub? -- on the back encompasses the Pixel 9A's dual camera system. You'll take most photos with the 48-megapixel wide camera, which is just slightly less resolution than the 50-megapixel wide cameras on the other Pixel 9 models. Beside it is a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera, a step down from the 48-megapixel ultrawides on the others. That doesn't mean your wide-angle shots will turn out poor, just that they won't have as much resolution. Cameras are one area where Google has opted to trim features to reach the $499 price.

Camera specs aside, one nice thing about the slightly outdated camera array is that it's minimal enough that the Pixel 9A doesn't wobble when placed screen-up on a table. That hasn't been a problem with the Pixel series' camera visors, but they've all rested at noticeable angles.

The Pixel 9A embraces the flat edges of the rest of the Pixel 9 series instead of the rounded sides of the Pixel 8A. This should give your fingers a better grip (unlike my old Pixel 6 Pro, which is by far the slipperiest phone I have ever held). Google says the new design improves durability.

The front-facing selfie camera has a 13-megapixel sensor, which is an improvement over the 10.5-megapixel camera in the Pixel 9. That's still nowhere near the 48-megapixel front cameras on the Pixel 9 Pro models, but that's how you get to $499.

The Pixel 9A has the same 6.3-inch OLED screen as the Pixel 9, with a 2,424x1,080-pixel resolution and a pixel density of 422 pixels per inch. It also has a variable refresh rate between 60Hz and 120Hz. However, the maximum brightness tops out at 2,700 nits, compared with the 2,000-nit screen on the Pixel 8A.

While the edges are metal, the back of the Pixel 9A is made from 81% recycled plastic. Perhaps that's just a cost-cutting choice, but it also contributes to making the Pixel 9A the lightest of the 9 series at 186g (6.6 ounces). It also has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, meaning it can be submerged as deep as 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.

Sure, a lot of people wrap their new phones with cases right away, so it often doesn't matter what color the actual phone is. But the Pixel 9A also appeals to the brave caseless owners out there. It comes in four colors: iris, peony, porcelain and obsidian.

One of the most significant design aspects of the Pixel 9A is one you'll never see directly -- the battery. Google includes a 5,100-mAh battery -- the highest-capacity battery of the entire Pixel 9 line.

Perhaps as a consequence, the Pixel 9A overall is physically larger than the Pixel 9 -- though not by much. It measures 154.7x73.3x8.9 mm, which is 1.9mm taller, 1.3mm wider and 0.4mm deeper than the Pixel 9.

The design extends to what you're going to be looking at most of the time -- what's happening on the screen. The Pixel 9A ships with Android 15, which, of course, includes Gemini AI. Inside is 8GB of RAM and a Google Tensor G4 chipset to power it all.