The upgrade is minimal. Google didn't carry over many of the Pixel 10's features to the Pixel 10A this year.
See also: Google disables Take a Message feature on older Pixels
Google's mid-range Pixels have long been our top pick for budget Android phones. They offer good cameras and most of what you need at a budget-friendly price. However, this year's upgrade feels so minimal that we'd liken it more to a Pixel 9A+ or Pixel 9B.
The Pixel 10A, priced at $499, is supposed to be a slightly worse Pixel 10. But it feels more like a slightly better Pixel 9A. Very few of the features that made the Pixel 10 series appealing have carried over to the 10A this year.
You don't get all the good stuff that makes the Pixel 10 series so appealing. There's still last year's Tensor G4 chip and 8GB of RAM, which aren't enough to support the more advanced AI features Google introduced in the Pixel 10, like Magic Cue or Pixel Screenshots, the latter of which debuted in the Pixel 9.
So what do you get with the Pixel 10? You get the 10's SOS satellite communications, in case you get lost in the woods and need to point your phone skyward to call for help.
See also: How to photograph the Northern Lights with Google Pixel and other Androids
The Pixel 10A also borrows some new AI tricks, like Auto Best Take, which automatically picks the best photo from a series, like one where everyone in a group photo is looking at the camera. This worked well during a quick test at Google's offices. It also offers Google's Camera Coach, which guides you with ideas on how to take the best photo of a subject.
You'll be hard-pressed to spot the differences in design. Google says it's the most durable Pixel A-series phone yet. The display is stronger thanks to a new Gorilla Glass 7i cover, and it gets a bit brighter (11 percent to 3,000 nits) at its peak. It has the same IP68 water resistance.
The bezel around the display is slightly narrower (10 percent narrower, to be exact). The cameras are all the same as last year, but the 13-megapixel and 48-megapixel sensors on the back now sit completely flush with the bezel instead of protruding slightly. Even the colors are similar to last year, but the berry color is the best: You won't find this strikingly bright color on any other phone, and it's the one to buy. Other colors include lavender, fog (gray), and obsidian (black).
See also: AirDrop support on Pixel 10 may be due to EE
The Pixel 10A also lacks PixelSnap, Google's version of MagSafe that lets you use any magnetic snap-on charger.
