I used Google’s Pixel 9a for a week and my iPhone 16e dreams are forgotten

When Google first announced the Pixel 9a, I was really taken by its 'anti-camera-bump' design – which even made a colleague comment that it could be enough to lure him away from using an iPhone after decades.

Following Google's unexpected (but well-reasoned) delays, I've only been able to get over to using the Pixel 9a as my own later in the calendar than planned. But even so, now just over a week into using it as my personal phone, I'm hugely impressed.

Indeed, when it comes to the best phones under £500, the Pixel 'a' series has always performed well. But in the Pixel 9a, it's an even more accomplished and refined experience. One that's enough to make me forget any iPhone 16e dreams, and throw any Samsung Galaxy A56 ideas out the window too.

Here are the key reasons why I already think Google's Pixel 9a is the affordable phone of choice in 2025 – and arguably reason enough that you needn't consider the best Android phone flagships this year. It's really that good.

1. A much flatter design

Camera bumps have been getting bigger and bigger in recent years, as manufacturers cram in multiple lenses, longer focal lengths, periscope optics and more. But Google's Pixel 9a is the antithesis to that idea.

Indeed, just look at my picture of the phone above. The 9a's camera enclosure – if you could even really call it that – is barely raised from the phone's rear. It's such a refreshing look that's far neater, plus far more comfortable to handle. Yet it still houses an ample main and wide-angle camera combination.

Granted, the Pixel 9a isn't the thinnest phone ever, at 8.9mm. But I really don't mind, as the overall design is flat where it needs to be, such as the display panel. Yet there are subtle curves, such as the four rounded corners, plus the way the frame rolls into the screen smoothly – all for added comfort in use.

Good design doesn't have to bring all the latest mod cons to be the best of a market segment, ultimately, which is how I feel about the Pixel 9a. It's just very simple yet elegantly designed. It looks and feels right – and that goes a long way towards the overall experience of living with one.

2. Battery life is brilliant

I suppose part of the reason the Pixel 9a isn't the thinnest phone around is owed to the 5100mAh battery inside – which is larger than you'll find in many of the best phones these days (certainly the iPhone 16e's 4005mAh cell). I think it's worth having for the sake of a millimetre here or there in design terms.

Such a battery paired with the latest Android 15 software also works like they're best friends, as the Pixel 9a's battery life hasn't ever left me questioning its worth. I'm finding it's better than we found from Apple's iPhone 16e tests per charge, for example, running all day long – with around 16 hours of use.

That's despite using the Always-On Display feature and having many hours of screen time. The Google Tensor G4 sensor onboard I've not found to overheat either, which helps longevity, with the exception of when tethering – which can be a bit more aggressive on battery consumption.

3. Quality cameras

Despite that camera bump being more or less non-existent, the Pixel 9a has a really strong command of its photographic offering. Sometimes less is more – and here the 48-megapixel main and 13MP wide-angle do a grand job.

Sure, there's no optical zoom as part of this package, but the 2x shortcut in the app works breezily, while pinch-to-zoom can extend to an 8x magnifier of the usual focal length. Because Google is so strong in the field of AI, this informs pictures' results too – and things look nice and sharp even when zooming.

Computational photography is what I prefer to refer to it as, really, which is where Google's know-how will use high dynamic range (HDR) adjustment to balance exposure, bring out colour saturation, and balance images out to look natural yet impressive for a camera of this price bracket.

By comparison, Apple's iPhone 16e offers a comparable single-lens solution, without the wide-angle. Samsung, meanwhile, has gone overkill on the A56 5G by including a macro lens – and its main system can't quite compete with what Google is offering in the Pixel 9a.

4. In conclusion

So there we have it: despite delays to its release, it's only taken me a week to become besotted with Google's budget phone. In this price bracket, the Pixel 9a beats its key competitors from Apple and Samsung, which isn't necessarily what I expected – but I am pleased to see it.

The design is a key part of the Pixel 9a's success. Seeing a handset flip the trend of giant camera enclosures is refreshing to see, while the overall design's look and feel is simple yet so effective. Add solid battery life, great software, and cameras that lead the pack – Google has really knocked it for six in its latest affordable phone.