I recently had the pleasure of trying out Google’s Pixel 8a, and I must say, it has taken the value proposition to a whole new level compared to its predecessor!

Now, $500 may not be pocket change, but in today’s world of $1,200 iPhones and $1,300 Galaxy devices, the Pixel 8a seems like a steal – especially considering all the features it offers.

So, should we ditch $1,000 phones altogether? Well, maybe… or maybe not. But there is one $1,000 phone that looks a bit awkward next to the Pixel 8a – my trusty old Pixel 8 Pro.

Oh boy, does Google’s premium flagship look overpriced now!

### Flagship-killer indeed! Pixel 8a makes Pixel 8 Pro the biggest loser in Google’s smartphone lineup

No matter where you look for a Pixel 8a review or article, you will find people comparing it to the Pixel 8 and talking about how the flagship phone makes the mid-ranger pale in comparison. And I have to agree.

For roughly the same price point, the vanilla Pixel 8 offers more premium features than the Pixel 8a. And guess what? The same goes for the Pixel 8 Pro! But this comparison isn’t always highlighted by tech enthusiasts.

Having used the Pixel 8 Pro since launch, I can confidently say that Google’s premium flagship is truly lagging behind in comparison to its mid-range counterpart.

### The tiny Pixel 8a gives me 90% of my Pixel 8 Pro at half the price

When I first got my hands on my $1,000 Pixel 8 Pro, I was blown away. But after playing around with the $500 Pixel 8a, I can’t help but wonder if anyone should really be splurging on a $1,000 phone anymore – even if you can find it for $700-800 these days.

The Pixel 8a does pretty much everything that my expensive Pixel 8 Pro can do. Sure, you can tell that its back is plastic, but hey – it won’t break easily! Plus, it’s so light that you could even use it without a case.

The display is where you’ll notice a difference between these two phones – with the Pro model boasting a larger and more vibrant screen. However, practical differences like weaker speakers and lack of Reverse Wireless Charging on the Pixels are expected in mid-range devices.

With almost identical Google experiences between them both devices offer similar functionalities with huge cost differences; hence why I feel like getting a $500 Pixel 8a gives me almost everything my pricey device does – at half the price!

### The case for sticking with flagships (unless you really don’t have to)

After spending some time with the Pixel 8a before returning it to our office space; I’ve come to realize that fundamentally I wouldn’t feel like missing out if I were to swap my trusty old Pexil 9 pro for an ‘A’ variant saving myself some serious cash.

That’s half of what you would spend on another high-end phone – two units of this model; or even go on vacation or buy another gadget. It all comes down to getting similar functionalities at half of what most phones are worth today – mind-blowing right?

And let’s not forget about those OS updates which will keep your device running smoothly for years ahead making this device truly special among mid-range models which usually don’t age well over time; unlike their pricier counterparts which usually do better over time as they tend to last longer due their higher quality build materials used in their construction process.
But guess what? The future holds even better deals as prices drop further down from now onwards making this phone an excellent deal by then.
So let’s just wrap up by quoting Borat: Wawawiwa Google! Are you self-sabotaging yourself?!