To the surprise of (hopefully) nobody, there’s one cheap Android phone I’ve used more than any other, and that’s the Google Pixel 9a. It is, in many ways, a lightly simplified version of the flagship Pixel 9, yet it packs plenty of specs that outclass its more expensive counterpart. Oh, and it does so while costing just a shade under $500 — not bad when the Pixel 9 launched for $799.
The first thing you’ll probably notice about this top budget pick, though, is that it doesn’t really look like a Pixel, at least not at first. But when you learn that the main reason Google’s design team ditched the camera bar is because they reworked the display and scaled up the battery, you start to appreciate the simplified look. After all, the evened-out footprint actually protects the dual camera setup better than the previously protruding bump.
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