With the iPhone 16e getting a price bump and Samsung’s FE series still uncertain, it looks like the Google Pixel 9a is the last budget flagship standing.
How does it fare to the competition?
Pricing
Let’s start with the great equalizer among these brands, the price. The iPhone 16e starts at $599 for the 128GB variant, while the Pixel 9a is expected to launch at $499 for the same amount of storage. That’s a $100 difference, which for the budget-conscious consumer, is a lot to spend on a phone.
We didn’t bother including Samsung’s FE because there isn’t really one. While there were previous speculations that the S25 Edge will replace the FE, similar to what Apple did to the SE. Recent reports have concluded that that really isn’t the case. The S25 Edge is reportedly positioned as a buffer between the standard S25 and the S25 Plus.
Display and Performance
Another dub that the Pixel 9a has over the competition is with the display. While it is true that Apple’s displays are quite good, Apple, in their infinite wisdom, decided to skimp out on the 16e and standard 16 series lineup’s refresh rate, reserving the 120Hz display only for the Pro and Pro Max versions.
Meanwhile, Google, with their $499 budget flagship, comes standard with a 120Hz 6.3-inch OLED display. Powering the device is Google’s Tensor G4 chipset with 8GB of RAM, so there’s plenty of power to push the 120Hz display.
Camera
The biggest qualm that consumers have with the 16e is the single 48MP camera; many people commented that it’s just not acceptable at this day and age, especially with the price. Well, good news because the Pixel 9a is expected to feature a dual-camera setup, featuring a 48MP main sensor and a 13MP ultrawide lens.
When will it arrive?
There’s still no news on when the Pixel 9a launches, but insiders believe it’s just around the corner. Definitely stay tuned to our official channels to get the latest news on the Pixel 9a.
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