With all of the talk about tariffs driving up prices, the phrase “cheaper” ought to deliver consolation to only about anybody. That’s why I’m delighted to share that the cheaper smartphone from Google has arrived, a couple of months after Apple launched a considerably cheaper entry-level iPhone — and that each merchandise are superb.
Google this week launched the Pixel 9a, the $500 sibling of its $800 flagship smartphone, the Pixel 9. It competes straight with the $600 iPhone 16e launched in February, the cheaper model of Apple’s $800 iPhone 16.
Each of the brand new telephones have the staples that folks care most about — nice cameras, good screens, zippy speeds, fashionable software program and lengthy battery life. To chop prices, they omit some fancier extras, like superior digicam options.
Is it a smart thought to avoid wasting bucks, or higher to spend extra on the fancier telephones? To search out out, I strapped on a fanny pack and carried all 4 telephones with me for the final week to run exams.
The upshot: As is commonly the case, you get what you pay for. The $800 telephones are barely higher by way of options and efficiency than the cheaper variations, and the $600 iPhone is quicker and has a greater digicam than the $500 Pixel.
However extra essential, the cheaper Pixel and iPhone have been almost indistinguishable from their $800 counterparts in a number of of my exams. In some instances, like battery life, the cheaper telephones have been even higher.
The way forward for telephone costs stays unsure, however prices will in all probability go up. On Wednesday, when President Trump introduced a pause on most “reciprocal” tariffs, he raised tariffs on China, the place many telephones are manufactured. So loads of us might quickly be motivated to compromise and think about cheaper alternate options.
Apple declined to touch upon whether or not it might improve costs of its iPhones, however analysts estimate that tariffs may drive up the price of some iPhone 16 Professional fashions to wherever from $1,300 to $2,300. Google stated there have been no deliberate modifications to the $500 worth for the Pixel 9a, nevertheless it declined to touch upon whether or not it might amend the value of its $800 Pixel 9.
The cheaper iPhone and Pixel look almost an identical to their dearer siblings. Right here’s a rundown of how they evaluate:
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The screens on the telephones are the identical measurement. (The iPhones measure 6.1 diagonal inches, and the Pixels measure 6.3 diagonal inches). The iPhone 16e’s display is barely dimmer than the iPhone 16’s, however the distinction is hardly noticeable.
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Each cheaper telephones lack some digicam options discovered on the dearer variations. The Pixel 9a’s digicam sensor is smaller than the Pixel 9’s, that means it is going to seize much less element and lightweight. The iPhone 16e’s digicam has one digicam lens as a substitute of two, so it could possibly’t create sure varieties of particular results, reminiscent of “ultrawide” photographs with a broader area of view for scenic pictures of the Grand Canyon.
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Each cheaper telephones are barely much less highly effective than their nicer counterparts. All 4 telephones embrace the identical pc processors. However the Pixel 9a has much less reminiscence for working a number of apps on the similar time, and the iPhone 16e has a barely weaker graphics processing unit for working video games with heavy animation.
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The iPhone 16e lacks the iPhone 16’s MagSafe function, which makes use of a magnet to connect equipment reminiscent of energy chargers and wallets to the again of the telephone. The telephone can nonetheless be charged wirelessly, nevertheless, utilizing a slower charging normal referred to as Qi.
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Each telephones can reap the benefits of synthetic intelligence. The iPhone 16e can use Apple Intelligence to summarize textual content, generate photographs and take away picture bombers from footage. And the Pixel 9a can run Google’s A.I., together with the Gemini chatbot and related picture modifying instruments. However each firms are nonetheless growing their A.I. software program, which stays largely unfinished, so this function is probably not that essential to most telephone customers.
Battery
Lengthy battery life is excessive on the precedence record for individuals shopping for a brand new telephone, and the cheaper Pixel 9a and iPhone 16e are the clear winners right here. They’ve bigger batteries partly as a result of they’ve extra space for them, because the telephones lack some options discovered of their more-expensive counterparts.
The iPhone 16e and Pixel 9a lasted a few day and a half with basic use, together with net shopping, picture capturing and video enjoying, earlier than their batteries have been depleted. The iPhone 16 and Pixel 9 each lasted a few day.
Digicam Assessments
The downsides of shopping for cheaper telephones have been most pronounced of their cameras.
I took my corgi, Max, to a park to take photographs of him in numerous lighting situations, together with vivid daylight, within the shade and in partly shaded areas. Generally, photographs taken with each the Pixel 9a and Pixel 9 regarded persistently clear, with correct colours.
However the Pixel 9a’s weaknesses have been seen in tougher lighting situations, reminiscent of when Max sat on a shaded path with daylight filtering via the timber. The Pixel 9a struggled to differentiate the sunshine from the shade, and Max regarded blown out by the solar. (The Pixel 9 did tremendous on this state of affairs.)
After I examined the iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 cameras, they excelled in all these exams, and the outcomes have been almost indistinguishable.
Each iPhones outperformed the Pixel telephones in capturing movies. Movies recorded of Max strolling via the park have been clearer and smoother on the iPhones; the Pixel telephone’s movies regarded choppier.
So the primary draw back of the cheaper iPhone digicam is solely what it could possibly’t do. As a result of the iPhone 16e lacks a second lens, I wasn’t capable of take an ultrawide shot of Max working in a area of grass.
Pace
The dearer telephones barely outperformed the cheaper telephones by way of pace.
In response to the speed-testing app Geekbench, the Pixel 9a is about 4 % slower than the Pixel 9, and the iPhone 16e is 3 % slower than the iPhone 16.
In real-world use of the telephones, most individuals in all probability gained’t discover a distinction. After I put the telephones aspect by aspect and launched totally different apps and video games, their efficiency felt about the identical to me.
What This Means for You
For those who care principally about having a smartphone with lengthy battery life and a very good digicam, you’d be proud of both the iPhone 16e or Pixel 9a. However if you happen to care so much about any of the premium options lacking from the cheaper telephones, reminiscent of taking extra detailed, better-looking photographs or utilizing Apple’s MagSafe to cost your iPhone, then spending extra remains to be a tremendous thought.
Simply prepare to think about a smartphone as a longer-term funding, similar to a car, since costs are prone to go up quickly.
