Despite the bad luck with the Pixels, I decided to give them another chance

Recently, I finally decided to pull the trigger and become a Pixel owner once again. This time, I decided to try out its budget range, as my family has been very impressed with the Galaxy S25 FE, and so I was curious how Google’s own mid-ranger might compare. So far, I’ve been using the Pixel 10a for about two weeks and overall, I’m impressed.

Earlier this year, I wrote about my daughter’s Galaxy S25 FE and it made me reconsider whether I really need a flagship anymore. Considering its weaker processor, I wasn’t sure the Pixel 10a would perform nearly as well.

Apart from a little heating during more intensive games and apps, I have to admit that I don’t really notice much difference between the Galaxy S25 FE and the Pixel 10a when it comes to browsing, playing games, or doing anything regular. It also performed well compared to my Galaxy S24 or my company-owned Galaxy S25 Edge.

The camera experience was also quite impressive. Packing a 48MP primary and 13MP ultrawide sensor that’s the same as the Pixel 9a before it, you might not get the most impressive on-paper hardware, but Google’s AI chops really shine here.

Snaps look good in almost every lighting situation, and really, the only major difference I’ve noticed from Samsung devices I’ve used is that you won’t get a telephoto lens, although the digital zoom isn’t as bad as it is.

Battery life also surprised me, especially for the Pixel, which historically hasn’t been so good here. I remember thinking that the Galaxy S25 FE had some impressive battery capabilities compared to my Galaxy S24, which lasted up to six hours before I had to run to a charger. I was able to work for about seven hours a day on the Pixel 10a. I’m also happy that charging speeds support up to 30W, although wireless charging is a bit slow at 10W.

Although I’ve given up on the Pixel, I have to admit that I never stopped liking Google’s approach to Android. It’s clean, simple, and yet packed with more features than older iterations I’ve used. Let’s just say it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I prefer its out-of-the-box experience compared to Samsung’s.

Let’s start with the Tensor chip. While I agree the experience still feels almost as good as any modern flagship, I still wish Google had chosen the Tensor G5 instead of the older Tensor G4, as it feels like the least future-proof part of the Pixel experience. The phone offers seven years of software updates, but I really wonder how well it will actually perform in the future.

I also want to mention the design. The Pixel 10a color really suits me and reminds me of my all-time favorite Pixel, the orange Pixel 4 XL.

That said, I really feel like the unique camera bar Google introduced with the Pixel 6 was a nice way to differentiate Google’s phones from the pack. With its flat rear and simple camera cutout with no bulge, the latest budget Pixel looks a little generic for my tastes. Certainly not a deal breaker, but I really wish Google had kept the Pixel A design more in line with the flagship family like the Pixel 10.

So far, I’m very happy with the Google Pixel 10a. Performance is solid for a mid-ranger, as is battery life, software and really everything else about it. Still, pixels always start out that way for me.

Slowly but surely, the cracks have always eventually healed. Whether it’s battery life suddenly dropping or bootloops, or even just my own clumsiness, Pixels never last as long for me as devices from Samsung and other brands.

Could the Pixel 10a be the first Pixel to break my curse? I certainly hope so. Considering my wife’s long-term fate with the Pixel 6, I know a Pixel can last for years. Still, given the number of pixel issues I encountered early in the series I can’t help but be a little cautious.

For now, I know I’m not ready to completely switch to Pixel. The Pixel 10a will remain my secondary device for testing new Android features, and I’ll probably tote it around as my daily driver. But until I’ve had the phone for a good year or more without any problems, I’ll likely buy it and will still rely on my Samsung first and foremost.