Google Pixel 10a Review — Modest Update

Unboxing

The Pixel 10a arrives in Google’s familiar minimalist packaging. Inside, you’ll find the phone itself, a USB‑C cable, SIM ejector tool, and documentation. As with previous A‑series models, Google keeps the box simple, focusing on essentials rather than extras.

Walkaround

The Pixel 10a is a modest refresh of the Pixel 9a, retaining much of the same design language. It’s a compact 6.3‑inch device with a flat aluminum frame, glass front, and plastic back. Rounded corners make it comfortable to hold, and at 183g, it’s lighter than the flagship Pixel 10. The buttons are sturdy and well‑placed on the right edge, while the SIM slot remains, a welcome feature after being dropped from the flagship line.

The most noticeable design change is the new flat camera module. Unlike most smartphones, the Pixel 10a’s cameras sit flush with the back, eliminating the bump and allowing the phone to rest flat on a table. The display has been upgraded from Gorilla Glass 3 to Gorilla Glass 7i, with peak brightness boosted to 3,000 nits. Bezels are slightly slimmer, but the overall viewing area remains the same as the 9a.

Under the hood, the Pixel 10a sticks with the Tensor G4 chip, breaking tradition as the flagship Pixel 10 family moved to Tensor G5. While the G4 isn’t the fastest chip, it delivers smooth performance for everyday use. The phone includes 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage, with IP68 water and dust resistance.

Specifications

Performance

System

Since the Google Pixel 10a uses an older chip, the results aren’t here to wow anyone. What I was surprised is that in Antutu v10, it scored noticeably lower than the Google Pixel 9, which uses the same chip. We’re definitely seeing some midrange-level performance, which is acceptable given the position of the product.

In the PCMark Work 3.0 test, the Google Pixel 10a outperformed the older Pixel 9 by a good margin. It’s also interesting to see that it came very close to the Tensor G5 powering the Pixel 10 series. Either way, it’s in a healthy midrange level.

CPU

Moving on the CPU test with Geekbench 6, the Google Pixel 10a is practically on par with the Pixel 9, which is how it should be given that it’s the same chip. It also outperformed the Dimensity 7300 Ultra and the Exynos 1580. CPU performance is something we’re not really worried about with the Tensor chips since GPU is what it’s usually weakest in. Speaking of which…

GPU

Now for the GPU test with 3DMark, the Google Pixel 10a performed as you would expect from a Tensor G4 device. It’s ahead of a number of midrange devices but also far down from flagships. If I were to describe it, I’d say it’s alright given its pricetag but heat is a different matter.

While the scores were okay, the Google Pixel 10a did not fare well in thermals as it had a stability rating of 56.6% in 3DMark’s Wild Life Stress Test. From the graph, you can see that performance takes a huge dip after the 4th testing phase, then it starts to stabilize and go up from there. This means that there was a bad thermal throttling issue before it started to slowly ramp up to a more stable state, hence the small drops in the 2nd half onwards as opposed to the freefall in the first half.

While we were curious to learn more about its GPU performance, we couldn’t really do much since the device simply refused to run GPUScore’s Sacred Path.

Battery

In case you were wondering about battery life, the Google Pixel 10a did pretty well in this area. With its 5100mAh battery capacity, it lasted 860 minutes in PCMark’s Work 3.0 endurance test. This puts the battery life ahead of the Pixel 9 by 71 minutes, and that’s a pretty notable gap.

While battery life is good, the charging speed isn’t. The Google Pixel 10a supports up to 30W wired and 10W wireless, up from 23W wired and 7.5W wireless from its predecessor, the Pixel 9a. Yes, it’s still an upgrade but by today’s standards, it’s awfully slow, especially given the hefty 5100mAh battery capacity. Starting from 2%, it will take around half an hour to reach 50% battery, while a full charge will take nearly an hour and a half.

Camera

Despite modest hardware, Google’s image processing makes the Pixel 10a one of the best camera phones in its price range. Photos are sharp, colorful, and well‑exposed. Fast shutter speeds help capture motion better than rivals, and the camera app’s simplicity ensures quick, reliable snapshots.

Sure, you do get better results with flagship smartphones, especially the more recent ones. However, keep in mind that the Google Pixel 10a is less than half the price of your typical flagships, even among Google’s own lineup. It’s not going to cut it for some magazine-quality printouts but it’s definitely more than enough for social media usage, especially with how compressed images get anyway.

Pros

Clean Android experience with updates

The Pixel 10a offers a pure Google experience, free of bloatware. Material 3 Expressive theming makes the interface modern and cohesive, while AI‑assisted icon theming adds polish. It may look a little bland for some but it’s better to further customize it yourself than to have a device filled up with things that you won’t normally use or care for.

Good ’til 2033

The Google Pixel 10a ships with Android 16 and is guaranteed seven years of updates, including monthly security patches and OS upgrades through 2033. Google’s quarterly Pixel Drops add new features regularly, often AI‑driven, ensuring the phone stays fresh.

Compact and lighter than flagships

At 183g, the Pixel 10a is lighter than the Pixel 10 and easier to handle. Rounded corners and a flush camera module make it comfortable and practical, especially compared to bulkier flagship devices.

Affordable Price, Decent Value

The Google Pixel 10a is available in Malaysia for RM2,299 for the 128GB variant and RM2,799 for the 256GB variant. This is almost half the price of the base model Pixel 10. The trade-off from the Pixel 10 is that you get the older Tensor G4 chip (which isn’t that much weaker than the Tensor G5 mind you), 8GB RAM instead of 12GBs, Gorilla Glass 7i instead of Victus 2, no telephoto lens, and a very slightly slower wireless charging speed.

Cons

Barely an upgrade from Pixel 9a

The Pixel 10a feels more like a refresh than a new generation. With the same Tensor G4 chip, identical cameras, and only minor display and charging improvements, it offers little incentive for Pixel 9a owners to upgrade.

Gaming performance is weak

The Tensor G4 struggles with graphically demanding games, delivering mediocre frame rates and occasional stutters. While acceptable for casual gaming, it falls short compared to similarly priced competitors. If your idea of mobile games are on the simpler side (think 2D or 2.5D games), you’d be fine but if you frequently play games like COD Mobile or Genshin Impact, you aren’t going to be happy with this.

Missing flagship AI features

The Pixel 10a lacks some of Google’s advanced AI tools reserved for Tensor G5 devices, such as Pixel Screenshots and Pixel Studio. While it includes Gemini integrations and anti‑spam features, the AI experience is pared down compared to the flagship Pixels.

No PixelSnap

While the Pixel 10 series has seen a great addition in the form of PixelSnap, that is one feature that the Google Pixel 10a is lacking. This means that wireless charging isn’t particularly convenient, you can’t magnetically attach accessories on the back, and it’s not compatible Google’s new magnetic charger. I understand that there needs to be some cost-cutting measures to keep prices affordable, and this can be remedied with a magnetic case, but it can’t be that expensive to have it baked in to the device, can it?

Google Pixel 10a Verdict

The Google Pixel 10a is a modest update that doesn’t break new ground, but it remains as a solid midrange phone that you can buy. Its excellent camera performance for its class, long battery life, clean Android experience, and lengthy update support make it a reliable choice at RM2,299 for the 128GB model (RM2,799 for 256GB). If you already own a 9a, there’s little reason to switch, but for new buyers, the Pixel 10a offers pretty decent value in its class.

At the end of our Google Pixel 10a review, I award this smartphone with our Bronze Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Google Malaysia for sending us this smartphone for the purpose of this review.