The Google Pixel 8 was officially announced in late 2023 bringing quite a few improvements with it at the time, though it’s since been succeeded by the new Pixel 9 series. The Pixel 8 can often be found at a sharply discounted price these days, but it’s also pretty similar in specs to the Pixel 8a. Which of these devices should you actually buy? Good question. Let’s dive in and take a brief look at the Pixel 8 vs Pixel 8a.

Google Pixel 8a vs Pixel 8: Specs

In many ways, the Google Pixel 8a and Pixel 8 are so similar that they’re easy to compare. They share nearly identical displays, dimensions, software experiences, and update commitments, many of which we’ll get to in a minute. That said, the similarities also make it far more difficult to find daylight between the two when deciding which one is right for you.

In some ways, however, the similarities pay off for fans of the more affordable Pixel A series. Both phones pack the same Tensor G3 chipset, Titan M2 security core, and identical options for both RAM and storage. As a result, they produced almost identical results in our performance benchmarks and day-to-day usage.

As you can see in the graphs, the more affordable Pixel 8a delivers results nearly identical to those of the Pixel 8 and, in our graphically intensive stress testing, actually maintains its performance better than the flagship. While benchmarking numbers don’t usually mean too much in an average day of mixed usage, they’re often a good indicator of how well a phone will keep up, and the Pixel 8a has no problem cruising through a day of web browsing, social media scrolling, and light gaming just as well as its premium counterpart.

On top of that, the Pixel 8a and Pixel 8 ship with Android 14 out of the box and one of the best update commitments in the industry. Google decided to keep pace with Apple’s lofty promise when it added seven years of Android updates, feature drops, and security patches to the Pixel 8 series in late 2023, and now the Pixel 8a gets the same benefit. That not only puts it on par with the flagships but ahead of its similarly priced rivals.

All of these shared features also mean that both the Google Pixel 8a and Pixel 8 support the same set of AI-powered features and lean heavily on Gemini as Google transitions to its powerful new assistant (with Google also confirming Gemini Nano on-device support that will land in a future Feature Drop). You can tap into helpful extras like Circle to Search, generative wallpapers, Live Translate, and several calling features like Hold for Me, Call Screen, and Smart Replies. Both phones have plenty of photo editing options, too, which we’ll come back to down below.

Google Pixel 8a vs Pixel 8: Design, size comparison, and colors

I don’t blame you if you feel like you’re seeing double looking at the picture above. Google’s Pixel design is pretty well nailed down at this point, with flat displays and camera bars across the board, but the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a are about as close to twins as you can get.

The two devices are nearly the same height, width, and thickness despite the Pixel 8 offering an extra tenth of an inch of display real estate, sitting at 6.2 inches to the Pixel 8a’s 6.1 inches. Yet, despite its slightly smaller display, the Pixel 8a offers almost the same specs as its more polished counterpart. There’s only a weight difference of a few grams between them, something I hardly noticed while carrying both around for a few days. Both phones have 60 to 120Hz Actua Displays with 14 hundred nits of HDR and 2,000 nits of peak brightness, and they feel just about identical if you’re swiping up and down or mindlessly scrolling social media. Just note that the Pixel 8a comes locked at 120Hz by default, so you’ll have to opt in for the variable refresh rate. On top of that, the OLED panels have the same 1,080 by 2,400 resolution, meaning that the more affordable Pixel is just a hair more pixel-dense.

Honestly, I’ve found that the best way to tell the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a apart is the latter’s much rounder corners, making it feel a bit smaller in the hand — something that I thoroughly appreciate as a person with smaller hands. Google’s premium Pixel 8 sports glossy Gorilla Glass Victus on the back, too, while the Pixel 8a has a matte composite (it’s plastic, call it plastic) back that looks a bit more like the Pixel 8 Pro. Personally, I prefer the feeling of the 8a when I reach into my pocket, mostly because I know I won’t pull out a phone that’s covered in smudges. The flagship Pixel 8 is the slightly more durable of the two, using Gorilla Glass Victus on both the front and back and carrying an IP68 rating against water and dust to the Pixel 8a’s IP67.

Both Pixels also share matching in-display fingerprint readers and matching buttons and ports scattered around their aluminum frames. To my eye, both fingerprint readers seem to register at the same speed, so it’s nice to see Google keep one standard fingerprint reader instead of going cheaper for the mid-range. Also, you’ll find the power and volume controls on the right edge with a lone SIM tray holding down the left. The USB-C port is also flanked by a pair of stereo speakers.

Google Pixel 8a vs Pixel 8: Camera

Although the camera bars on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a may look the same, they have a few differences across their dual-camera setups. The Pixel 8a’s budget camera setup offers more megapixels to play with, pairing a 64MP primary camera and a 13MP ultrawide sensor. Don’t be fooled by the bigger numbers, though, as the individual pixels are slightly smaller on both sensors, meaning that the cameras aren’t quite as well equipped for lower-light scenarios. The Pixel 8a’s ultrawide sensor also has a slightly narrower 120-degree field of view and misses out on Macro Vision — a software feature that both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro support.

Moving over to the more premium Pixel, it pairs its 50MP primary camera with a 12MP ultrawide sensor, both of which are larger than the options on the Pixel 8a. On top of having slightly larger individual megapixels, the Pixel 8’s primary camera is capable of a 2x in-sensor crop, giving you a little bit more optical zoom range before switching to digital zoom.

Both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a have dual rear cameras, but the flagship packs a bit more punch.

The Pixel 8a has a slightly sharper selfie camera, too, with 13MP to the Pixel 8’s 10.5MP, though the results are pretty similar from both sensors based on our tests.

As you can see in the samples below, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a are just about neck and neck in some of the most common shooting scenarios. They’re well matched in color and details, and even the ultrawide shots are almost identical despite the slightly different fields of view.

Google Pixel 8a Google Pixel 8

There are a few slight differences when it comes to capturing selfies, though. Despite both phones defaulting to 1x zoom when you flip the camera around, not all definitions of 1x zoom are created equal. The Pixel 8a offers a much wider frame than the Pixel 8, making it much easier to fit additional people and background details into your selfie. Both shots look good as far as colors go, but it’s somewhat surprising to see such a difference between the default zoom lengths.

Google’s Pixel 8 also handles its longer zoom lengths much better than the Pixel 8a. Its larger sensor seems to maintain both color and detail better than the smaller sensor on the mid-range phone. The difference is most noticeable on finer lines like the name of the ship below and the details in the wood planks of the dock.

As far as camera features go, Macro Vision is the only major omission from the Pixel 8a — everything else is almost exactly the same. Neither device offers Google’s new Pro controls, but both can tap into Night Sight, Top Shot, Portrait Mode, Cinematic Pan, and punch in with Super Res Zoom up to 8x.

Both phones also offer similar video features, with up to 4K recording from the front and rear sensors. However, the Pixel 8 packs a few more options regarding the frame rate, with 24fps available on both front and back and 60fps on the selfie camera. Google’s Pixel 8a, on the other hand, is limited to 30fps from the selfie camera at both 4K and 1080p.

Google Pixel 8a vs Pixel 8: Battery life and charging

Given their similar overall size and specs, it’s no surprise to see the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a toting nearly identical batteries. The Pixel 8 has the slightly larger cell of the two — 4,575mAh to the Pixel 8a’s 4,492mAh — but our battery testing showed that the mid-ranger stretched its juice further in most cases. In fact, it put up better numbers while on a Zoom call, snapping photos, recording 4K video, and even significantly better 4K playback performance. Outside of the lab, both phones can easily power through a full day of usage. I got into a habit of using adaptive charging overnight and regularly found myself hitting the end of the day with at least 20% remaining.

However, one area where there’s a little bit of daylight between the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8a is in their charging setups. The Pixel 8 is much quicker, supporting up to 27W wired charging with a compatible USB PD PPS charger, while the Pixel 8a tops out at 18W. There’s a big difference in wireless charging capabilities, too, with the more expensive device capable of up to 18W with the second-generation Pixel Stand and 12W with other Qi-enabled pads while the mid-ranger is limited to 7.5W, no matter the charger.

While the difference in charging speed from 18W to 27W may not sound too vast, our controlled testing showed that the Pixel 8a took about 20 more minutes to reach a full battery than its Pixel 8 counterpart, so it might pay to spend just a little bit more if you need to get back up and running in a hurry.

Google Pixel 8a vs Pixel 8: Price and availability

If you’re close to making your decision between buying the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a, I guess you should know how much each phone will cost you. Well, for starters, both phones are widely available in the US, both unlocked and on deals through major carriers like Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T.

If you’re leaning toward the Pixel 8a, it starts at $499 with 128GB of storage — the same price as the previous Pixel 7a. It’s also available in four colors: Bay, Aloe, Obsidian, and Porcelain. Should you decide you need 256GB of storage right off the bat, it’ll set you back $559, and you’re limited to the Obsidian finish.

On the other hand, if you’re leaning toward the flagship Pixel 8, it kicks off at $699 with the same 128GB of storage. It launched in three colors, Hazel, Obsidian, and Rose, but Google has since added a fourth Mint color that’s a little softer than the Pixel 8a’s Aloe option. You can upgrade to 256GB of storage for the same $60 fee, bumping your price to $759.

Google Pixel 8a vs Google Pixel 8: Which should you buy?

Now that we’ve gone through every last piece of the Google Pixel 8 and the Google Pixel 8a, it’s about time to decide which one is right for you. Unlike a lot of comparisons where we end up saying that the right one comes down to your personal preference, there’s a pretty clear winner here — but it comes with a caveat.

The easy answer when choosing between the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8a is to tell you to buy the flagship Pixel 8 — one of the best Android phones around — but only to do so when you can find it on sale. These two phones share so much in common, from the chipset to the camera quality to 90% of their respective designs, that Google is relying on the difference in price to sway people one way or another.

At MSRP, it's a tricky call, but recent sales for the Pixel 8 make the Pixel 8a a tough sell.

When compared at full price, the Pixel 8a seems like a great deal, given how many flagship specs it boasts, but as soon as you factor in discounts, the $200 gap suddenly feels much smaller, and the Pixel 8’s more premium aspects like faster charging and better materials feel that much more attainable.

Google Pixel 8a vs Google Pixel 8: FAQ

Ahead of its imminent Pixel 8 Pro rollout and subsequent Pixel 9 Pro release, Google’s Peyman Milanfar took to X (via 9to5Google) to provide a few more details on how the upcoming Zoom Enhance feature works, along with some examples.

Google first revealed details about Zoom Enhance last year during the Pixel 8 Pro launch, promising an AI-powered experience that would greatly enhance photos, allowing for sharper details when zooming in closer than ever before. Unfortunately, the actual rollout was much slower than anticipated. However, last week, the company finally confirmed that the feature is coming to the Pixel 8 Pro first and will also be available on the Pixel 9 Pro when it ships.

According to Milanfar, the new feature is the “first (image-to-image) diffusion model designed and optimized to run fully on-device.” This not only protects your data but also means you don’t need access to the cloud to use the feature. It also requires a relatively powerful device, which explains why the feature is limited to newer Pro models for now. Of course, devices like the Pixel 9 have specs that are more than capable of handling the feature from a technical perspective but it’s more than likely Google is holding this feature back to help set the Pro apart from its cheaper sibling.

It’s important to note that you don’t need to take a picture using the Pixel Pro’s camera to use Zoom Enhance. Just like Magic Editor, you can apply this feature to any photo available within Google Photos.

Although we have yet to experience Zoom Enhance ourselves, the sample photos shared by Google are certainly impressive. For example, this close-up zoom of a flower looks amazing compared to its source image:

We have two more images to show off next. In the first, a family portrait has been reframed and enhanced to provide a much clearer image. How does it handle objects that are really far away? As you can see in the second image below, the truck looks crystal clear in comparison to the original zoomed image, despite being extraordinarily far away in the original source.

Samsung took the wraps off its latest flagships earlier this year, the Galaxy S24 series, with the Galaxy S24 Ultra setting the early benchmark for other Android smartphones this year. It’s another year of refinement as far as the design goes but with a significant focus on AI-driven software and features. If that sounds familiar, it’s the exact intro we could have used for Google’s 2023 flagship, the Pixel 8 Pro. Interesting design refinements, upgraded hardware, and a plethora of new software features make for an interesting comparison between the two flagships. Here’s a look at the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro!

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro: At a glance

Opinion post by

Robert Triggs

If you’ve seen our latest Google Pixel 9 exclusive, the phone’s Tensor G4 processor is set to be the smallest change to the series so far. While peak performance has never been a Tensor accolade, there’s little to no upgrade in the chip’s cornerstone AI capabilities either. The Tensor G4 reportedly features exactly the same third-generation TPU, codenamed “rio,” running at the same clock speed as the Tensor G3. The reason is that Google reportedly missed deadlines for a more potent custom chipset, which will now have to wait until the Pixel 10, and had to hastily cobble together an improved Tensor for the Pixel 9 series.

If this holds true, surely the Pixel 8 series should be able to run all of the Pixel 9’s upcoming AI features? Well, the CPU and GPU upgrades appear to be nowhere near big enough to make a meaningful difference to any AI processing, the DSP that runs camera algorithms is the same as last gen, and the identical TPU is the core that binds Google’s on-device AI capabilities together.

I’d argue that the Tensor G4 shares so many core similarities to the G3 that (virtually) the only reason why Google won’t bring its latest features, such as AddMe and Pixel Screenshots, to the Pixel 8 series, at least not in a hurry, is to upsell the Pixel 9. There’s no denying that bringing such features to the Pixel 8 would make Google’s best-ever flagship even more compelling but might undermine launch excitement about the new models, despite the camera and other hardware upgrades. This raises a big question: Just how committed is Google to backporting features via Feature Drops?

Virtually, the only reason Google won't bring the Pixel 9's latest AI features to the Pixel 8 series is to upsell the Pixel 9.

Google’s history with Feature Drops is pretty hit-and-miss. While it has brought plenty of new features to the Pixel lineup over time, we’re still waiting on some of the bigger promises like Zoom Enhance. There’s no guarantee that all of Google’s latest AI features will even be available for the Pixel 9 at launch, so any hope of features making their way back to the Pixel 8 series in a timely manner feels remote. Still, the similarities between the Tensor G4 and G3 make this all the more possible than in previous years, so here’s hoping that, even if there’s a reasonable delay, we see as many Pixel 9 AI features on the Pixel 8 as possible.

There’s one exception to all this — RAM. On-device AI is RAM heavy; it’s the reason the lower-specced Pixel 8 didn’t initially ship with Gemini Nano, while the 8 Pro’s larger 12GB RAM pool made it possible. According to leaks, the Pixel 9 is expected to ship with 12GB of RAM, and the Pro models will all receive a boost to 16GB. That’s a lot more memory than the baseline Pixel 8, but 12GB matches the capabilities of the Pixel 8 Pro. Once again, then, it looks like the more affordable Pixel 8 stands to miss out, but Google’s previous premium model should be capable of matching the Pixel 9. However, just how broken up Google’s AI feature set will become across models remains to be seen.

The Pixel 8's 8GB RAM might be too small, but the 8 Pro is capable of matching the base Pixel 9.

Even so, a processor with few upgrades cuts through the usual inter-generational barrier and puts Google and the Pixel series in an interesting position. Can Google rely on the superb hardware upgrades alone to sell the Pixel 9 while using this opportunity to show that the best software features can transcend generations? We’re already questioning whether seven years of updates really mean the same thing as seven years of cutting-edge features. Google could put the Pixel series on the map as an evolving platform for the industry’s best AI technology, regardless of which generation you buy in. But it’ll have to sacrifice a little Pixel 9 prestige to do so.

Opinion post by

Robert Triggs

If you’ve seen our latest Google Pixel 9 exclusive, the phone’s Tensor G4 processor is set to be the smallest change to the series so far. While peak performance has never been a Tensor accolade, there’s little to no upgrade in the chip’s cornerstone AI capabilities either. The Tensor G4 reportedly features exactly the same third-generation TPU, codenamed “rio,” running at the same clock speed as the Tensor G3. The reason is that Google reportedly missed deadlines for a more potent custom chipset, which will now have to wait until the Pixel 10, and had to hastily cobble together an improved Tensor for the Pixel 9 series.

If this holds true, surely the Pixel 8 series should be able to run all of the Pixel 9’s upcoming AI features? Well, the CPU and GPU upgrades appear to be nowhere near big enough to make a meaningful difference to any AI processing, the DSP that runs camera algorithms is the same as last gen, and the identical TPU is the core that binds Google’s on-device AI capabilities together.

I’d argue that the Tensor G4 shares so many core similarities to the G3 that (virtually) the only reason why Google won’t bring its latest features, such as AddMe and Pixel Screenshots, to the Pixel 8 series, at least not in a hurry, is to upsell the Pixel 9. There’s no denying that bringing such features to the Pixel 8 would make Google’s best-ever flagship even more compelling but might undermine launch excitement about the new models, despite the camera and other hardware upgrades. This raises a big question: Just how committed is Google to backporting features via Feature Drops?

Virtually, the only reason Google won't bring the Pixel 9's latest AI features to the Pixel 8 series is to upsell the Pixel 9.

Google’s history with Feature Drops is pretty hit-and-miss. While it has brought plenty of new features to the Pixel lineup over time, we’re still waiting on some of the bigger promises like Zoom Enhance. There’s no guarantee that all of Google’s latest AI features will even be available for the Pixel 9 at launch, so any hope of features making their way back to the Pixel 8 series in a timely manner feels remote. Still, the similarities between the Tensor G4 and G3 make this all the more possible than in previous years, so here’s hoping that, even if there’s a reasonable delay, we see as many Pixel 9 AI features on the Pixel 8 as possible.

There’s one exception to all this — RAM. On-device AI is RAM heavy; it’s the reason the lower-specced Pixel 8 didn’t initially ship with Gemini Nano, while the 8 Pro’s larger 12GB RAM pool made it possible. According to leaks, the Pixel 9 is expected to ship with 12GB of RAM, and the Pro models will all receive a boost to 16GB. That’s a lot more memory than the baseline Pixel 8, but 12GB matches the capabilities of the Pixel 8 Pro. Once again, then, it looks like the more affordable Pixel 8 stands to miss out, but Google’s previous premium model should be capable of matching the Pixel 9. However, just how broken up Google’s AI feature set will become across models remains to be seen.

The Pixel 8's 8GB RAM might be too small, but the 8 Pro is capable of matching the base Pixel 9.

Even so, a processor with few upgrades cuts through the usual inter-generational barrier and puts Google and the Pixel series in an interesting position. Can Google rely on the superb hardware upgrades alone to sell the Pixel 9 while using this opportunity to show that the best software features can transcend generations? We’re already questioning whether seven years of updates really mean the same thing as seven years of cutting-edge features. Google could put the Pixel series on the map as an evolving platform for the industry’s best AI technology, regardless of which generation you buy in. But it’ll have to sacrifice a little Pixel 9 prestige to do so.

Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro users in many parts of the world are facing connectivity issues. The problem doesn’t appear to be widespread and predominantly affects those who use the device’s built-in VPN.

According to 9to5Google, multiple user reports on the r/GooglePixel subreddit highlight issues ranging from the inability to access specific apps or websites to complete loss of connectivity. In most cases, disabling the new VPN by Google seems to get users back online. However, the issue also appears to affect users in regions where Google does not offer its VPN service, leaving no option for a temporary fix.

Some state that the latest update for the Google One app, which has started reaching users today, seems to resolve the issue. However, it might be a while before it reaches all affected users. In the meantime, you can try disabling the VPN for a quick fix. A Google support page related to the VPN by Google One shutdown also recommends users deactivate the VPN from system settings if they face internet connection issues. You can also try deleting your Google One VPN profile and disabling the VPN within the Google One app if that doesn’t help.

Google has replaced VPN by Google One with VPN by Google, which started rolling out to Pixel 7, 7 Pro, 7a, and Pixel Fold users earlier this month. The service debuted with the Pixel 8 last year and offers better system integration for a more seamless experience. However, connectivity issues like these may push users towards other alternatives.

Are you facing connectivity issues on your Pixel 8 or 8 Pro? Let us know in the comments below.

Google's Pixel phones set themselves apart from other Android flagships thanks to their numerous software features. The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are equipped with a Tensor G3 chip, making them AI powerhouses. You can use them to edit pictures, remove background noise, generate AI wallpapers, and more. If you plan to upgrade to the Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro, read on to find out some of the most significant AI functions offered by Google's latest flagship phones.

Samsung took the wraps off its latest flagships earlier this year, the Galaxy S24 series, with the Galaxy S24 Ultra setting the early benchmark for other Android smartphones this year. It’s another year of refinement as far as the design goes but with a significant focus on AI-driven software and features. If that sounds familiar, it’s the exact intro we could have used for Google’s 2023 flagship, the Pixel 8 Pro. Interesting design refinements, upgraded hardware, and a plethora of new software features make for an interesting comparison between the two flagships. Here’s a look at the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro!

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro: At a glance

Google’s Gemini Nano is an AI model that works on-device to execute AI tasks. It’s the smallest AI model in the Gemini family, but it is very important for all the internet-free, on-device AI capabilities it brings to a smartphone. Google’s Pixel 8 Pro is the only Pixel that can use Gemini Nano for Pixel AI capabilities, but the company caved in after an uproar to bring Gemini Nano to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a, too. Just yesterday, we spotted the toggle for enabling on-device generative AI features within the Android AICore app, and now we can confirm that the Android AICore app update is rolling to the Pixel 8 at least.

My colleague Adamya Sharma received the Android AICore app update on her Pixel 8, which includes the toggle. Curiously, the Pixel 8 Pro app was also updated, but there is no toggle in it. We couldn’t locate the Android AICore app for the Pixel 8a, though.

As you can see, the Android AICore app versions for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are different. The Pixel 8 Pro already has Gemini Nano features, and a toggle like this would allow users to disable AI features, which isn’t possible currently. On the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8a, this toggle will allow users to enable AI features, as the phones lack them out of the box. The toggle isn’t enabled by default on these two phones.

Google will likely bring Gemini Nano support to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a in a future Feature Drop, so toggling this setting right now on the Pixel 8 doesn’t immediately begin downloading the Gemini Nano module. When the feature is rolled out, users will need to activate Developer Options and then toggle this new “Enabled on-device GenAI features” setting, which is present at Settings > System > Developer options > AICore Settings.

Did you receive the Android AICore app update on your Pixel smartphone? Did the toggle begin downloading Gemini Nano on your Pixel 8 or Pixel 8a? Let us know in the comments below!

There are many versions of Google’s Gemini. Only one of them actually works using the hardware built into smartphones, though, which is Gemini Nano. So far, Nano support only exists on a handful of phones. Notably, this includes just one Pixel: the Google Pixel 8 Pro. When Google confirmed that Nano support wouldn’t come to the Pixel 8, there was a slight uproar — so much so that Google backtracked and agreed to bring Nano support to the Pixel 8 and, even better, the Pixel 8a, too.

The caveat, though, is that Google is going to force users to manually enable Nano support on the Pixel 8 and 8a through a toggle in developer options, while Pixel 8 Pro users already have the features automatically enabled. This means that the vast majority of Pixel 8/8a users won’t use Gemini Nano features because so few of them will know it’s even an option. Now, thanks to an APK teardown of the recent AICore app from Google, we can see the supposed toggle for this feature, suggesting an imminent launch. Interestingly, it might also mean more control of the feature for Pixel 8 Pro users, too.

First, let’s show you what we found. In the screenshot below, you can see the two toggles we expect to appear in Settings > Developer Options > AICore Settings on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a. The first toggle gives permission for AICore to use as many resources as possible (which you will almost certainly want to leave activated), and the second actually turns on Nano.

We can’t say anything for certain until Google actually announces this, but we assume both of these toggles will be “off” by default. That’s how Google described it, so that’s what we’re going with for now.

In other words, this is the order things should go:

• Google announces a Feature Drop that brings Nano support to the Pixel 8 and 8a
• Pixel 8 and 8a users will need to activate Developer Options
• In Developer Options, you’ll need to activate the second toggle in the screenshot above and, optionally, the first one

Theoretically, once you do those steps, you should be able to use Gemini Nano features on your Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a.

The very fact that the AICore app has this means we should expect Google to announce Nano support for the Pixel 8/8a very soon, possibly in just weeks or even days.

What about the Pixel 8 Pro?

One of the interesting side-effects of this toggle’s upcoming existence on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a is that it might also come to the Pixel 8 Pro. This would, in theory, allow Pixel 8 Pro users to disable Gemini Nano — something that’s currently not possible. As mentioned earlier, Nano support is enabled by default on the Pixel 8 Pro already, and without a toggle like this, there’s no way to turn it off.

Obviously, most people wouldn’t feel the need to disable Nano support, but it is possible that this toggle could give those folks the option. Just like with Pixel 8 and 8a users turning the feature on, Pixel 8 Pro users could follow the same steps to turn it off.

Samsung already allows users to disable/enable specific AI features through its Galaxy AI interface, which is built right into Android settings. Unfortunately, this toggle buried in Developer Options on Pixels wouldn’t be nearly as convenient, but at least it would give users more control, which is almost always a good thing.

Some might say that Google is back to stepping on its toes again. And by that, I mean it just introduced the third member of its Pixel 8 series, the mid-range Pixel 8a, which sits remarkably close to its smaller flagship, the Pixel 8. As such, you might struggle to decide between the two when it comes time to upgrade your phone, and that’s where we come in. I’ve been testing both devices side-by-side, so let’s compare the Google Pixel 8a vs Google Pixel 8 to help you pick your next phone.

Google Pixel 8a vs Google Pixel 8: At a glance

Google’s updated Find My Device network can help you locate your lost devices, including your phone. And it appears the feature will continue to work even after your phone shuts down if you have a Pixel 8 series phone.

While setting up the Find My Device network on the Pixel 8, the folks over at 9to5Google discovered something interesting about the service. The outlet received a notification that said, “If this phone runs out of battery or is powered off, the Find My Device network can locate it for several hours.”

Google’s updated Find My Device network can help you locate your lost devices, including your phone. And it appears the feature will continue to work even after your phone shuts down if you have a Pixel 8 series phone.

While setting up the Find My Device network on the Pixel 8, the folks over at 9to5Google discovered something interesting about the service. The outlet received a notification that said, “If this phone runs out of battery or is powered off, the Find My Device network can locate it for several hours.”

Google’s updated Find My Device network can help you locate your lost devices, including your phone. And it appears the feature will continue to work even after your phone shuts down if you have a Pixel 8 series phone.

While setting up the Find My Device network on the Pixel 8, the folks over at 9to5Google discovered something interesting about the service. The outlet received a notification that said, “If this phone runs out of battery or is powered off, the Find My Device network can locate it for several hours.”

In the market for both a flagship Android phone and a new service plan? Mint Mobile has a very tempting limited-time offer for you. You can pick up both the Google Pixel 8 Pro and a 12-month data plan for as little as $649. No trade-in requirements or other elephant traps in sight.

Google Pixel 8 Pro & 12-month 5GB plan for $649 ($530 off) 

Recent Google Pixel phones come with a distinctive rear camera housing, featuring a glossy metal finish. What if you prefer the brushed metal look? Well, a Reddit user has taken matters into their own hands, although we’d caution users against trying this at home.

Redditor the_skinny_drummer decided to take Scotch Brite pads to the glossy rear camera bar on their Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 8 Pro. This resulted in what is effectively a brushed metal finish, as you can see in the images below.

We’ve been reporting on the network issues that Google Pixel owners have faced since the March 2024 Pixel Feature Update. Users continue to complain that calls on their Pixel 6 series, Pixel 7 series, and Pixel 8 series often go directly to voicemail, especially when the phone is left unused for a while. Texts also aren’t coming through on time, and they are delivered only in batches. A few solutions are floating around from exasperated users, and in the absence of an acknowledgment and solution from Google, you can try these out.

As per comments on a Reddit thread, many users report that turning off 5G on their Pixel smartphone and switching to LTE-only fixes their network issues. To turn off 5G on your Pixel, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Navigate to Network & internet > SIMs > Preferred network type.
3. Here, you can choose LTE as the preferred network. This will stop your phone from connecting to 5G.

We have not encountered the issue on our devices, so we cannot confirm if disabling 5G fixes the network issues. If you’ve encountered call and text issues on your Pixel, please try turning off 5G and let us know if this fixes your problem.

Facing network issues on your Pixel? Try these other temporary fixes

We’ve collated the different pieces of advice floating around on the internet from different users. You can try out these fixes individually to see if any of them fix your problem.

• Turn off 5G.
• Turn off Wi-Fi calling.
  • Alternatively, you can set Wi-Fi calling to Call over Wi-Fi instead of the default Call over mobile network setting.
• Turn off the Adaptive Connectivity setting. It can be found in Settings > Network & Connections > Adaptive Connectivity.
• Toggle Airplane mode on and off. This will temporarily fix the issue, but you will have to repeat this multiple times a day.
• Manually roll back to February 2024 firmware. However, this is not advised for most users due to the inherent risk of breaking your phone during the flashing process.

It’s a shame that users have to resort to a variety of trial-and-error solutions in an effort to fix what many consider a smartphone’s core function. A phone that is unreliable for calls doesn’t deserve to be called a phone, much less a smart one, and it’s unfortunate that so many people are going through this experience on a Pixel.

We’ve followed up with Google again on this issue but have not received a response yet. We’ll update this article if and when we hear back from them.

We’ve been reporting on the network issues that Google Pixel owners have faced since the March 2024 Pixel Feature Update. Users continue to complain that calls on their Pixel 6 series, Pixel 7 series, and Pixel 8 series often go directly to voicemail, especially when the phone is left unused for a while. Texts also aren’t coming through on time, and they are delivered only in batches. A few solutions are floating around from exasperated users, and in the absence of an acknowledgment and solution from Google, you can try these out.

As per comments on a Reddit thread, many users report that turning off 5G on their Pixel smartphone and switching to LTE-only fixes their network issues. To turn off 5G on your Pixel, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Navigate to Network & internet > SIMs > Preferred network type.
3. Here, you can choose LTE as the preferred network. This will stop your phone from connecting to 5G.

We have not encountered the issue on our devices, so we cannot confirm if disabling 5G fixes the network issues. If you’ve encountered call and text issues on your Pixel, please try turning off 5G and let us know if this fixes your problem.

Facing network issues on your Pixel? Try these other temporary fixes

We’ve collated the different pieces of advice floating around on the internet from different users. You can try out these fixes individually to see if any of them fix your problem.

• Turn off 5G.
• Turn off Wi-Fi calling.
  • Alternatively, you can set Wi-Fi calling to Call over Wi-Fi instead of the default Call over mobile network setting.
• Turn off the Adaptive Connectivity setting. It can be found in Settings > Network & Connections > Adaptive Connectivity.
• Toggle Airplane mode on and off. This will temporarily fix the issue, but you will have to repeat this multiple times a day.
• Manually roll back to February 2024 firmware. However, this is not advised for most users due to the inherent risk of breaking your phone during the flashing process.

It’s a shame that users have to resort to a variety of trial-and-error solutions in an effort to fix what many consider a smartphone’s core function. A phone that is unreliable for calls doesn’t deserve to be called a phone, much less a smart one, and it’s unfortunate that so many people are going through this experience on a Pixel.

We’ve followed up with Google again on this issue but have not received a response yet. We’ll update this article if and when we hear back from them.

Samsung took the wraps off of its latest flagships, the Galaxy S24 series, with the Galaxy S24 Ultra setting the early benchmark for other Android smartphones this year. It’s another year of refinement as far as the design goes but with a significant focus on AI-driven software and features. If that sounds familiar, it’s the exact intro we could have used for Google’s 2023 flagship, the Pixel 8 Pro. Interesting design refinements, upgraded hardware, and a plethora of new software features make for an interesting comparison between the two flagships. Here’s a look at the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro!

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro: At a glance

Samsung unveiled its first 2024 flagships, the Galaxy S24 series, and if you were undecided about picking up a Pixel 8 series device or waiting for Samsung’s latest, now is an excellent time to choose. While the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Pixel 8 Pro make all the headlines, Samsung’s and Google’s smaller smartphones are far better value propositions. They offer many of the high-end features of their respective larger siblings while being significantly cheaper. But what’s the best choice between the two? Here’s a look at the Samsung Galaxy S24 (and Galaxy S24 Plus) vs Google Pixel 8!

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs Google Pixel 8: At a glance

Every year, Google launches two flagship Pixel phones and they’re never made equal. However, there’s even more reason to be disappointed about the differences between the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro — Google’s current crop of premium Android handsets.

Just yesterday, we were told that the vanilla Pixel 8 model would not be getting one of the biggest attractions of the Pixel 8 Pro — the Gemini Nano AI model. It appears that Google will skip adding the on-device AI to the base Pixel 8 owing to some “hardware limitations.”

The Pixel 8 Pro has Gemini Nano, leaving Pixel 8 owners wondering when the on-device AI will come to the base model. It’s looking like the answer to that question is it won’t.

Today, Google pushed out the latest episode of the #TheAndroidShow, where it discussed a number of topics including MWC, Android 15, and Gemini Nano. When the show got to the Q&A portion, however, there was an interesting revelation.

The Google Pixel 8 was officially announced in late 2023 bringing quite a few improvements with it. The Pixel 8 includes a new Tensor G3 processor, faster wired charging, a slightly improved camera, and the most impressive software update policy in the mobile world. Of course, it’s also a bit more expensive than previous Pixels. Should you get the new Pixel 8 or wait for the next budget Pixel? Let’s dive into everything we know about the Google Pixel 8 vs Pixel 8a to see if it’s worth spending the extra money.

Pixel 8 vs Pixel 8a: Performance and specs

The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a are expected to share a lot of the same DNA, but there are certainly some differences. Please keep in mind that everything we know about the Google Pixel 8a is based on rumors and speculation.

The Pixel 8 series arrived in late 2023 bringing an improved SoC, a new camera sensor, and more. For those hanging on to the now three-year-old Pixel 5, is it time to finally upgrade? We take a closer look in this Google Pixel 5 vs Pixel 8 comparison.

Google Pixel 8 vs Pixel 5: At a glance

Google and Samsung competing for the title of best Android camera phone is a tale as old as time. On one side, we have the Pixel 8 Pro with its trio of cameras and Tensor G3-powered processing. On the other, Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra counts on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and a mountain of megapixels to help it keep pace. Both setups are capable of impressive results in good lighting, but what happens when the lighting isn’t so good? Let’s look at the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro in a night mode showdown to find out.

How does night mode work again?

At this point, you probably have at least a passing familiarity with night photography, or Nightography, as Samsung calls it. If not, let’s run through a quick refresher.

With a dedicated camera like a DSLR or a mirrorless setup, low-light photography relies on a careful balance of ISO, shutter speed, and aperture. To get a properly exposed shot, you either have to keep your shutter open longer, raise the ISO limit or grain within your photo, or open your lens wider to let in more light. Over time, photographers learn how to carefully balance all three of these elements while setting up a shot, knowing that any miscalculation can result in an underexposed photo, an overexposed photo, or just too much grain that you can’t make out your subject.

Night photography essentially takes a bunch of short exposures and combines them into one final image.

On a smartphone, however, much of that control is taken out of your hands. Low light photography on the Pixel 8 Pro and Galaxy S24 Ultra uses a series of varied exposures and post-processing algorithms to achieve the same balanced exposure as photographers do by hand. Night Sight has been around since Google introduced it on the single-lens Pixel 3, but it’s come a long way as mobile processors have become more powerful and smartphones have picked up additional sensors to work with.

What night mode looks like in practice is a short one- to three-second timer in your camera app. Once you press the shutter button, the countdown initiates, during which time you have to keep your phone as still as possible. Your phone then captures a series of exposures — some darker but sharper and others brighter but fuzzier — which it then merges in a process called bracketing. Those initial shots aren’t saved to your phone. Instead, they’re erased once the post-processing has run its course and your final image is added to your camera roll.

With that little Spark Notes refresher out of the way, let’s get to some samples. You can see the full-resolution and a few extra samples in this Google Drive folder.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro Night Mode Shootout

Ultrawide

First, we have a set of ultrawide images facing Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Although both capture many of the same details and offer similar fields of view, the first difference you’ll probably notice is the vastly different color science. Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra, for example, pulls significantly more green coloring from the treated wood of the dock and the harbor water itself, while the Pixel 8 Pro leans toward a more natural shade of brown.

Google's upgraded 48MP ultrawide sensor helps it deliver a better photo.

The two photography flagships also differ in how they handle the lights that stretch across the harbor — both above and below the water. Samsung’s 12MP ultrawide sensor seems to pick up more detail above the waterline, especially to the left, where you see a bright red sign. It’s slightly closer to the words Rusty Scupper, which is the restaurant’s name, while the Pixel 8 Pro’s 48MP sensor reduces the same sign to a vague red rectangle. This probably comes from the Pixel 8 Pro binning its shots by default and trading brighter colors for sharper details.

The advantage flips, however, once you look below the waterline. Google’s Tensor G3 pulls much better details out of the blue reflection on the right side of the harbor where you can see the aquarium. It separates different blue shades from the waves below the neon signs, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s camera reduces them to a vague blue mass. Once again, this is probably a matter of resolution and post-processing, though I prefer the Pixel 8 Pro’s final result to the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s.

Telephoto

Our next pairing punches into 5x zoom, which happens to be the length of the optical telephoto sensors on the Pixel 8 Pro and Galaxy S24 Ultra — well, the second telephoto sensor on the Galaxy S24 Ultra. As such, we can test the lenses themselves rather than allow digital zoom to enter the discussion.

Anyway, the images show another Inner Harbor staple, lovingly called Mr. Trash Wheel, and they offer a better illustration of the detail that both phones can capture with a much closer subject. And, if I’m honest, this is one of the samples that surprised me most when testing both cameras. Put simply, the Galaxy S24 Ultra hands in a much better final result. It captured sharper details and much better colors, especially in the thin red strip of lights along the side of Mr. Trash Wheel and in the series of ropes that keep the barge in place.

Despite a similar 5x telephoto setup, the Galaxy S24 Ultra delivered a much better zoomed photo at night.

Google’s Pixel 8 Pro, on the other hand, processed a much fuzzier strip of lights and practically merged the ropes with the stone wall in the background. Unfortunately, Google’s Tensor G3 chipset had similar troubles with the grass and wood beams in the background, turning the former into a texture resembling digital camouflage.

I’d also like to point out how both smartphones handle the yellow strip of buoys that funnel trash toward the wheel itself. Samsung’s 50MP telephoto sensor accurately recreated the sharp edges and colors of each yellow buoy, while the Pixel 8 Pro’s 48MP telephoto sensor shifted closer to an orange hue in the final result.

In a surprising flip from the ultrawide test, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra easily delivers a better low-light telephoto image.

Selfie

Flipping the camera around, the Galaxy S24 Ultra once again delivers a better image. Though being brighter isn’t necessarily an immediate key to success, Samsung’s selfie camera finds a better balance between brightness and detail. You can pick out individual hairs in my beard and the line of stitches across the brim of my cap, yet the Pixel 8 Pro struggles to keep up. It reduces my beard to a brown mass — the right color but sorely lacks details.

The Pixel 8 Pro also smooths some of the shadows across my face, creating a more even color where one doesn’t really exist. Samsung’s shot, though brighter, manages to recreate the clear division where the soft shadow from the streetlight ends across the bridge of my nose. There’s not a major difference in resolution between the two selfie shooters — Google’s punch hole packs 10.5MP to the Galaxy’s 12MP — so many of these differences come down to post-processing.

Once again, the Galaxy S24 Ultra grabbed more detail in the selfie photo.

Despite all the schtick we’ve given Samsung for loving reds and greens in its color science in the last few years, it once again nails the colors in our pair of selfies. The Galaxy S24 Ultra pulled out a much better shade of slate blue in my jacket and the red fleece liner, while the Pixel 8 Pro’s final product is a bit greener in my jacket with a much darker fleece lining.

Primary camera

In the video version of this comparison (at the top of this post), we teased this pair of images as a game of Guess Who. We teased them up top before circling back to the details later on, but that doesn’t work in a written article. So, let’s just pick out a few details to bring this night mode shootout home.

Samsung’s love of the color green is the first dead giveaway that the left image came from the Galaxy S24 Ultra, with brighter shades in both the harbor water (again) and the boat itself. The Galaxy S24 Ultra also captured significantly better details in the dock’s planks, and the metal supports that run along the waterline, which closely follows what we saw in our telephoto comparison.

Samsung's love of the color green is a dead giveaway for its photo, even at night.

Google, on the other hand, missed out on several of those same details, either due to its processing algorithms or the lower-resolution primary sensor. However, the Pixel 8 Pro’s color science is closer to reality in this case, offering an image that doesn’t feel as artificially brightened and shows off a more realistic shade of green on the ship’s hull.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro: Which camera is better in low light?

Before I get to a be-all, end-all winner between these two excellent Android phones (though you could probably guess which way I’m leaning), I noticed a few things while testing both cameras. The first is that Samsung’s night mode is lightning-fast, significantly quicker than Google’s. I took all of the photos at the same time in the same lighting conditions with both devices, but I rarely had to hold the Galaxy S24 Ultra for more than a one-second countdown to the Pixel 8 Pro’s two or three seconds. This extra time could explain some of the Pixel’s trouble with finer details and might also make a tripod something to consider.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra took less time to capture night photos, but didn't kick in before it was way too dark.

Despite its slower capture, the Pixel 8 Pro is much quicker to kick into automatic Night Sight than the Galaxy S24 Ultra. It doesn’t need to be all that dark before Google jumps to a timer, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra tends to wait until it’s truly dark, and even then, it usually asks if you want to toggle night mode instead.

With those two observations out of the way, I’ll admit that the results of this one surprised me. I’ve trusted Google and its Tensor chip as my go-to for image processing for a few years now, but Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra turned in a much stronger performance across three of our four categories. Samsung generally nailed its colors and details better than the Pixel 8 Pro, and it did so with shorter exposures across the board. There’s a new night mode king, and its name is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.