Google Launches Pixel 10a with Minimal Upgrades to Combat Rising Memory Costs
Google’s Pixel 10a costs $499 and brings very few changes from last year’s Pixel 9a. It keeps the same main parts to stay affordable as memory chip prices rise, making it one of the best phones under $500. You can preorder it now, and it goes on sale March 5, with small design fixes and cool AI camera tricks from the fancier Pixel 10.
NEW VIDEO – Pixel 10A is official! https://t.co/ITq2RBHxQt
It has:
Same dimensions
Same battery
Same display (10% brighter)
Same cameras
Same chip
Same storage
Same price
as Pixel 9A pic.twitter.com/9wmEXW7uah— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) February 18, 2026
The Pixel 10a uses almost the same setup as the Pixel 9a. It has a 6.3-inch screen that’s brighter at 3,000 nits instead of 2,700 nits and tougher glass called Gorilla Glass 7i to fight scratches better. The brain inside is the Tensor G4 chip with 8GB of memory and storage choices of 128GB or 256GB. Cameras stay the same: 48MP main plus 13MP wide-angle on back, 13MP on front. The battery is still 5,100mAh. Charging gets faster at 30W plugged in (up from 23W) and 10W wireless (up from 5W), but no magnetic Qi2 like on top phones. It adds emergency satellite calls with a new chip, keeps Wi-Fi 6E (no jump to 7), and has water resistance and good speakers.
Looks get tiny tweaks. The back camera sits totally flat now, no little ring like on the 9a, so it’s a bit thicker by 0.1mm but lighter by 2g, shorter, and skinnier. Side edges look cleaner with thinner black borders. New colors are Obsidian (black), Fog (light gray), Lavender (purple), and Berry (pinkish). It uses the most recycled stuff yet: a full recycled aluminum frame, 81% recycled plastic back, and first-time recycled cobalt, copper, gold, and tungsten.
Battery life matches the 9a at 5,100mAh. Google added a “pull jacket” to make battery swaps easier and a health tool that cuts max charge after many uses to stop overheating from older models. Wireless is better at 10W but misses Qi2 magnets, so it trails phones like the coming iPhone 17e with Apple’s MagSafe. It’s the greenest A-series phone, though Apple started some recycled bits years back.
Cameras look identical in hardware to the 9a. But software from Pixel 10 makes it smarter: Camera Coach checks your shot and gives photo tips, Auto Best Take takes group pics and mixes best faces so eyes open and smiles show, plus chat-style edits in Google Photos. Quick Share works like Apple’s AirDrop to easily send files to iPhones. Full Gemini AI tools come too, and Google might add them to 9a later by update even with the same chip.
Public reactions on (X) Twitter show skepticism about pricing and value.
One user questioned why anyone would spend more money on the 10a when its specifications are almost the same as the 9a, suggesting that the upgrade does not justify the higher price.
Another user commented that as long as it is not an iPhone, they are fine with it, showing brand preference rather than concern about features.
Another user was upset about phone prices. They said phones should get cheaper over time. Since the 10a is almost the same as the 9a, they believe it should have been released at a lower price, around $399
The price is still $499 for the 128GB model, the same starting price as the 9a, even though costs have increased everywhere. Google said it saved money by not using the new G5 chip, which was kept for the Pixel 10 last year, so it could keep the price low during RAM shortages. You can buy it now, and shipping starts on March 5. The 9a is still being sold and may become cheaper soon in other stores. In India, the base model could cost around ₹52,000 soon.
Phones don’t change much yearly, but this A-series skips big jumps because chip memory costs have exploded. 8GB RAM is now normal for AI needs. You get a solid everyday phone with 7 years of updates, strong on software brains, not fancy hardware.
Under $500, few beat it in the US. Google’s budget Pixels always win with smart AI and pure Android at good prices. Berry and Fog shades match the new Pixel Buds 2a earbuds, too. Smallest update so far hints all phones may skimp to keep prices down as costs climb, but it beats $1,000 ones for value. Full tests coming soon.
