Google Pixel 8a: Expected Upgrades and Differences Compared to Pixel 7a

Google
conducts its I/O Developer conference in May every year. Alongside software announcements, the search giant also has some hardware products on the cards. The most notable and anticipated release is the company’s mid-range Pixel A-series phone. The next-generation offering i.e. the Pixel 8a has already surfaced in plenty of leaks and rumours revealing almost everything. It will arrive as the successor to the last year’s Pixel 7a.
In this post, we will take a look at the expected upgrades the Pixel 8a will pack and how it will differ from its predecessor.
Pixel 8a will look more like Pixel 8
Google switched to more rounded corners on the flagship Pixel 8 series last year. As
per leaked renders
, the upcoming mid-range Pixel 8a will borrow the same design language compared to the sharper look of its predecessor. The search giant has reportedly increased the corner radius on the Pixel 8a which now measures 128px instead of 47px on the last year’s model.
Pixel 8a will reportedly get a significantly upgraded display
While, the OLED display panel, resolution, and screen size are expected to remain unchanged, this year’s Pixel 8a is rumoured to pack an upgraded 120Hz refresh rate and 1,400 nits peak brightness. To jog your memory, the Pixel 7 has a 90 Hz display and 1,070 nits peak brightness.
Tensor G3 onboard
It’s no surprise that the Pixel 8a will be powered by Google’s latest Tensor G3 chipset which also powers the flagship models. The mid-range offering should be able to support some generative ai features. However, it entirely depends on the RAM capacity since the Pixel 8 has
limited support for Gemini Nano
due to its 8GB RAM.
Support for DisplayPort output and faster charging
With the Pixel 8a, the DisplayPort output feature will be available on the entire Pixel 8 series. This will enable users to cast the phone’s display onto a bigger screen via the USB-C port. The feature is similar to Samsung’s DeX mode.
According to a tipster, the Pixel 8a will also get a faster charging speed of 27W. This is a much-awaited welcome upgrade as Google has stuck with 18W speed on previous generations of Pixel A phones.