Google Pixel 10a vs. Pixel 10: Should You Spend the Extra $300?

Price: A Difference of Hundreds 

Google Pixel 10a (Credit: Eric Zeman)

The Google Pixel 10a costs $499 for the 128GB model, while $599 gets you 256GB. The Pixel 10 is much more expensive, at $799 for the 128GB model and $899 for the 256GB model. If it’s all about dollars and cents, the Pixel 10a runs away with this one. 

Winner: Pixel 10a

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Design: DNA Doesn’t Lie 

Google Pixel 10a (Credit: Eric Zeman)

Both the Pixel 10a and 10 are rounded rectangular slabs with flat sides. The Pixel 10a measures 6.06 by 2.87 by 0.35 inches (HWD) and weighs 6.5 ounces, while the Pixel 10 is slightly smaller, but notably heavier at 6.02 by 2.83 by 0.34 inches and 7.2 ounces. 

Google Pixel 10 (Credit: Eric Zeman)

The Pixel 10a has a thicker bezel around its screen compared with the Pixel 10. Looking at the rear, the Pixel 10a features a completely flat back panel, while the 10 has a raised pill-shaped camera bar that crosses the top. 

Left to right: Pixel 10 Pro XL in Lemongrass, Pixel 10 Pro in Moonstone, Pixel 10 in Indigo (Credit: Eric Zeman)

The Pixel 10a comes in Berry (reddish), Fog (light green), Lavender, or Obisidan (black). The 10 is available in Frost (light blue), Indigo, Lemongrass (light green), or Obsidian. 

Left to right: Google Pixel 10a in Fog, Berry, Lavender, and Obsidian (Credit: Eric Zeman)

Both are IP68-rated to protect against dust and water. The Pixel 10a uses Corning Gorilla Glass 7i to protect the screen, which resists breakage when dropped up to 1 meter on asphalt. Meanwhile, the 10 uses Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which handles drops up to 1 meter on concrete. 

The designs are similar, but for its tougher glass and slightly more refined build, the Pixel 10 gets the nod. 

Winner: Pixel 10

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Display: Equally Matched

Both devices feature a 6.3-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 2,424 by 1,080 pixels, a variable refresh rate of 60-120Hz, and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. Since the displays are identical spec-for-spec, this one is a tie. 

Winner: Tie

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Performance: History Could Repeat Itself

Google Pixel 10 (Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

The Pixel 10a uses the same Tensor G4 processor found in the Pixel 9 series, comes with 8GB of RAM, and is available with 128GB or 256 GB of storage. The Pixel 10 uses a Tensor G5 chip—a generation newer than the G4—and comes with 12GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage. 

I have not run any benchmarks on the Pixel 10a yet, but I expect its performance to be similar to the Pixel 9. In our tests, the Pixel 10 outperforms the Pixel 9 in artificial benchmarks. Unless Google’s done something to tune up the Pixel 10a’s G4, it’s safe to say the Pixel 10 will be the winner. 

Winner: Too Early to Tell (But Likely the Pixel 10)

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Connectivity: Separated by Millimeters

Google Pixel 10a (Credit: Eric Zeman)

The Pixel 10a and 10 both feature Bluetooth 6.0, NFC, satellite-based emergency SOS, and Wi-Fi 6E. For 5G, the 10a supports sub-6GHz, including C-band. The 10, however, adds support for mmWave 5G, which allows it to connect to the fastest wireless networks in the US, giving it the win. 

Winner: Pixel 10

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Battery: Is Bigger Better?

Google PixelSnap Ring Stand (Credit: Google)

The Pixel 10a has a 5,100mAh battery that charges at up to 30W wired and 10W wirelessly. Google claims a battery life of 30 hours, but I haven’t tested it yet. 

The Pixel 10 has a smaller 4,970mAh battery that charges at up to 30W via wire and 15W wirelessly using Qi2-compliant chargers. It also supports Google’s magnetic charging solution, PixelSnap. Google markets the 10 with “more than 24 hours” of battery life, but in our tests, it lasted 12 hours and 40 minutes. 

For its faster wireless charging and magnetic PixelSnap feature, the 10 wins yet again. 

Winner: Pixel 10

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Cameras: One Offers More, Literally

Google Pixel 10 (Credit: Eric Zeman)

High-quality photography is a hallmark of the Pixel series, regardless of cost. The Pixel 10a and 10 both feature a 48MP main camera with an f/1.7 aperture and a 13MP ultra-wide camera with an f/2.2 aperture. The Pixel 10 adds a third rear camera: a 10.8MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom and an aperture of f/3.1. 

Google Pixel 10a (Credit: Eric Zeman)

Their front-facing cameras also differ. The 10a has a 10.5MP selfie camera, while the 10 uses a 13MP one. 

Both the Pixel 10a and 10 shoot video in 4K resolution at up to 60 frames per second, while their optical image stabilization steadies your footage.

The two share most camera software features, so I’ll point out the differences. The Pixel 10a offers a digital zoom up to 8x, while the 10 goes up to 20x. The Pixel 10 offers Auto Unblur, Action Pan, 10-bit HDR video, Cinematic Blur, and Zoom Enhance, which are not available on the budget 10a. 

Quality-wise, I have high expectations for the Pixel 10a. The 10’s optical zoom pushes it past the 10a, though. 

Winner: Pixel 10

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Software: Similar, But Not Identical

Magic Cue on Google Pixel 10 Pro (Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

Both devices ship with Android 16, but the 10 features a few software tricks not found on the 10a. The Pixel Screenshots app and Magic Cue (a proactive AI assistant) are available on the 10, the 10 Pro ($999), and the 10 Pro XL ($1,199). However, they are absent from the 10a. The 10a does include Google Gemini and Gemini Live.

The Pixel 10 offers more AI, so it wins. 

Winner: Pixel 10 

And The Winner Is…

The Google Pixel 10 costs $300 more than the 10a, but it offers a lot to justify the price difference. Its telephoto camera, additional software features, full 5G support, faster charging speeds, better durability, and smaller size back this up. 

Even so, the Pixel 10a offers many of the 10’s core features for a lot less. If you want to get into the Google ecosystem for the least amount of money, the 10a should not disappoint. 

In the meantime, find out what separates the Pixel 10a from the Pixel 9a (spoiler: it isn’t much).