Google Pixel 8a battery life and charging speeds examined: Is it ok?

Google’s mid-range smartphones have been exceptionally well-rounded for the previous couple of years, and the Pixel 8a improves upon that already glorious worth proposition. It even veers near the mainline Pixel 8 in lots of areas. Nonetheless, Google has traditionally maintained a number of levels of separation between its flagship and reasonably priced strains. So, does the Pixel 8a’s price range heritage shine by in points resembling charging pace and battery life? We’ve performed in depth real-world testing to seek out out.

With its 4,492 mAh battery capability, the Pixel 8a comes inside touching distance of the costlier Pixel 8 and its 4,575 mAh cell. Provided that each Google telephones sport the identical SoC, you’d anticipate battery life to be on par as nicely. Fortunately, that seems to be the case.

In 4K playback, the Pixel 8a lasts a whopping 170 minutes longer than the mainline Pixel 8. The mid-range Pixel additionally lasts longer in digicam and video recording utilization. Nonetheless, it falls half-hour wanting the Pixel 8 in our managed gaming benchmark. The identical applies to our net looking check, the place the Pixel 8 holds a slight edge.

In comparison with its predecessor, the Pixel 8a delivers much more spectacular outcomes. The newer cellphone sports activities an additional 100 mAh of capability alongside a extra environment friendly chipset within the type of Google’s Tensor G3.

Besides in our gaming and net looking benchmarks, the Pixel 8a outlasted the 7a by a major margin. In 4K playback and digicam use, for instance, the distinction was a whopping three hours of further runtime. Nonetheless, it’s price stressing that you simply gained’t discover as a lot of a distinction over a daily day of blended smartphone use.

General, the Pixel 8a ought to comfortably final you thru most days, even with comparatively demanding workloads thrown within the combine. Google’s earlier chips have chugged battery extra shortly, so we’re fairly proud of the Pixel 8a’s outcomes. Nonetheless, it’s price noting that you simply gained’t have sufficient juice left over for a second day of use.

Google’s mid-range cellphone for 2024 can draw simply 18W of energy when plugged into the wall, which means the Pixel 8a’s charging pace is similar as earlier generations. We’re upset to see this spec stay unchanged provided that the Pixel 8 and eight Professional received incremental energy bumps to 27W and 30W respectively.

We’ve examined the Pixel 8a’s charging efficiency and located that it takes about 100 minutes for the cellphone’s battery to go from zero to full. Fortunately, although the 18W spec hasn’t modified from the Pixel 7a, the brand new cellphone doesn’t get as scorching. This, in flip, permits it to maintain larger energy ranges for longer. In comparison with its predecessor, the Pixel 8a reaches key milestones like 25%, 50%, and full cost about 5 minutes sooner.

However when in comparison with the costlier Pixel 8, the Pixel 8a takes an extra 23 minutes to utterly replenish. The distinction fortunately gained’t be as obvious for brief charging bursts — the Pixel 8 is simply sooner to achieve 50% by about 5 minutes. Nonetheless, the hole widens fairly a bit as soon as the battery reaches its most capability.

Nonetheless, the Pixel 8’s charging pace is outpaced by a lot of the competitors so it’s not a giant win for both Google cellphone. As we’ll talk about within the subsequent part, you’re higher off competing smartphones when you want sooner charging speeds.

It’s uncommon for $500 smartphones to incorporate wi-fi charging so we’re blissful to see it in any respect on the Pixel 8a. Nonetheless, the charging energy discrepancy between Google’s flagship and the reasonably priced line continues right here as nicely. The Pixel 8a pulls simply 7.5W by way of the Qi wi-fi protocol. The Pixel 8, in the meantime, can draw as much as 18W from Google’s Pixel Stand. Even when you follow Qi-certified chargers, the Pixel 8 has the next 12W cap.

In follow, you’ll have to attend a number of hours for the Pixel 8a’s battery to replenish utilizing wi-fi charging alone. The wait gained’t be agonizing when you cost in a single day, however you may as nicely plug in at that time and cut back the potential battery degradation from wi-fi charging.

The Pixel 8a is consistent with different smartphones in its class in the case of battery life. The Tensor G3 will not be essentially the most environment friendly processor, but it surely’s nonetheless a giant enchancment over its predecessors. The 4,500mAh capability additionally strikes an ideal steadiness for a cellphone of this measurement as a bigger battery would necessitate a thicker and heavier design.

You may get smartphones with far bigger batteries on the $500 worth level, however you’ll must make sacrifices elsewhere. For instance, the OnePlus 12R presents a 5,500 mAh battery however at the price of a a lot bigger footprint. A bigger show will speed up battery drain so we are able to’t straight evaluate capacities between smartphones of various sizes. Nonetheless, the 12R will not less than limp alongside to achieve two days of use.

That mentioned, one space the place the Pixel 8a falls unequivocally behind the competitors is by way of charging time. Even considerably cheaper smartphones supply sooner top-ups today. The Nothing Cellphone 2a is probably one of the best instance — it may pull 45W over USB PD PPS and absolutely recharge in about an hour. The aforementioned OnePlus 12R performs even higher, because of its 80W (100W outdoors North America) SuperVOOC charging that replenishes a completely depleted cellphone inside half an hour.

Extra established manufacturers have began to supply aggressive charging speeds as nicely. Samsung’s 25W Tremendous Quick Charging has change into commonplace throughout many of the firm’s smartphone portfolio. Consequently, mid-range telephones just like the Galaxy A55 attain numerous cost intervals a number of minutes sooner than the Pixel 8a.

Is the Pixel 8a’s sluggish charging pace a dealbreaker? Not fairly — it’s nonetheless a really well-rounded cellphone with sufficient battery life to final between in a single day fees. Nonetheless, these with a extra energetic or travel-oriented life-style will possible change into pissed off with the Pixel 8a’s charging at occasions. In case you occur to fall on this class, the Pixel 8 might supply a greater worth proposition, even when does value a good bit extra.