The Google Pixel 10a was announced earlier this week – can it shake up the European mid-range market or is it walking into a fight that it is ill prepared for? Sibling rivalry may be the biggest problem for the young 10a.
The Google Pixel 10a is mostly the same as the 9a. It uses the same 6.3” 1080p+ display (slightly brighter) now with Gorilla Glass 7i (replacing GG3), runs on the same Tensor G4 chipset and has the same 48+13MP camera. The battery capacity is the same too, 5,100mAh, though Google increased the wired (from 23W to 30W) and wireless (from 7.5W to 10W) charging speeds.
Perhaps the biggest upgrade over the 9a is the addition of Satellite SOS support, though that is available only in some regions (here’s the full list). Pixelsnap is not supported.
Here’s the deal – after you purchase a Pixel 10a and it gets shipped, you will receive an email with €100 store credit. You can use that credit to buy one of several items – you can find the full list here, but we’ve picked out the two interesting offers.
If you pay €30 extra, you can get the Google Pixel Buds 2a, which feature ANC and spatial audio. There’s also an official silicone case for the Pixel 10a from Google (note: no magnets). At least you get a capable Google 67W charger with two USB-C ports (the one with AVS) bundled with the case.
Last week, a 256GB Pixel 10 cost €800. Now it’s €700 and you can also get the cheaper 128GB variant for €600. The Pixel 10 has the newer Tensor G5 chip (with 4GB RAM more than the 10a), Satellite SOS and even a dedicated telephoto camera (10.8MP 5x). It costs a bit extra, especially when the €100 store credit for the Pixel 10a is accounted for, but the Pixel 10 is the better phone overall.
Of course, you can also have a look at the Pixel 9a, which is still available at just €370 for the base 128GB model. Even if you make the best use out of the €100 credit for accessories, is the extra €80 worth it for essentially the same phone?
Also from last week, you can get a Poco F8 Pro with 12GB of RAM and 512GB storage for €500. The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, last year’s flagship chipset that was way better than the Tensor G4. It has a larger 6,210mAh battery with 100W wired-only charging too.
It also has better camera hardware than the Pixel 10a – a 50MP main with a larger 1/1.55” sensor (vs. 1/2.0”), a dedicated 50MP 2.5x/60mm telephoto module and an 8MP ultra-wide. The Poco F8 Pro is a larger device with a 6.59” display (12-bit, Dolby Vision) and you have to be okay with Xiaomi’s HyperOS.
The Poco X8 Pro will be official soon, but the outgoing Poco X7 Pro sports a solid discount right now, so it’s still worth a look. This is a Dimensity 8400 Ultra phone with a 6.67” display (12-bit, Dolby Vision) and a 6,000mAh battery with 90W wired-only charging. The cameras are nothing special, though with a 50MP main (1/1.95”) and an 8MP ultra-wide.
The Motorola Edge 70 fell by €50 compared to two weeks ago. It’s still not back down to the lowest price (€525) that we saw a few weeks prior, but it’s close. And it might be better than the Pixel 10a, if you don’t mind the larger size (6.7” display). Well, it’s taller and wider, but the phone is only 6mm thick and weighs 159g (compared to 9mm and 183g for the Pixel). And it has a decently-sized 4,800mAh battery (68W wired, 15W wireless charging).
The Edge 70 is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 and features three 50MP cameras – one with a 1/1.56” sensor in the main, one with a 120° ultra-wide lens and one on the front.
The prices of the Redmi Note 15 Pro and Redmi Note 15 Pro+ are down a few euros compared to two weeks ago. The two phones share a 6.83” display (12-bit, Dolby Vision) and have the same cameras – 200MP main and 8MP ultra-wide. The Pro model is powered by the Dimensity 7400 Ultra and a 6,580mAh battery (45W charging), while the Pro+ model features the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 and a 6,500mAh battery (with faster 100W charging).
Finally, the Motorola Moto G77 and Moto G67 are available, having launched earlier this week. The G77 stands out with its 108MP camera, but it’s no match for the two Redmis above. The Dimensity 6400 and 5,200mAh battery with 30W charging are not all that impressive either.
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