Mid-range Android phones have improved significantly over the past few years, to the point where the line between flagship and mid-range devices is starting to blur. The

OnePlus 13R
is a fantastic example of this, offering flagship-level specs and features for less than half the price of

Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra
.

Google has taken a different approach with its A-series, consistently bringing key Pixel features to a budget-friendly price point. This year, the company continued the trend with the Pixel 9a, delivering a new design, the biggest battery ever in a Pixel phone, and an AI-loaded Pixel experience — all for the same $499 price tag as last year’s Pixel 8a.

However, the Pixel 9a is not perfect, and if you are considering picking one up, here are five reasons why you might want to skip Google’s latest mid-ranger​​​​​​.

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5

The bezels make the Pixel 9a look outdated

Chunky borders aren’t great in 2025

Google switched up the design with the Pixel 9a, moving away from the camera visor style that many of us had come to love. While design is subjective, the Pixel 9a does look good in person, mainly because of its simplicity, and these days, it is rare to find an Android smartphone without a giant, wobbling camera module. However, turn the phone around, and some disappointment awaits.

While Google upgraded the display experience on the Pixel 9a, making the screen super bright and easily visible outdoors, the phone has large borders around the display. These are some of the largest bezels I have seen on an Android smartphone in a long time. As I mentioned when comparing the Pixel 9a with the OnePlus 13R, watching videos on the Pixel 9a feels like using a phone from a decade ago.

If you appreciate small bezels and a modern, edge-to-edge screen experience, the Pixel 9a’s front design will likely leave you disappointed.

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4

The older cellular modem is a real letdown

You might not get the best 5G experience

Similar to how the Pixel 8a featured the same chipset as the rest of the Pixel 8 series, Google has followed the same formula again by upgrading the Pixel 9a to the Tensor G4, the same processor used in the Pixel 9 series. However, one important thing Google did not carry over is the new Exynos 5400 modem.

Instead, the Pixel 9a ships with the older Exynos 5300 modem, the same one found in the Pixel 8a. This is a real concern because the Exynos 5300 has been heavily criticized (and often discussed on Reddit) for inconsistent reception and high battery drain. It also means the Pixel 9a misses out on satellite connectivity support, a feature that pricier Pixel 9 models enjoy.

As a result, the Pixel 9a suffers from the same issues that plagued the Pixel 8 series: poor 5G speeds, unreliable signals, and spotty connections. Having used the Pixel 9a for over two weeks now, I can confirm that the phone struggles with weaker signal reception compared to other devices.

It is not immediately noticeable at all times, but considering that Google wants this phone to last over seven years with software updates, it is disappointing that it is already starting with outdated network hardware.

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3

Slow charging speeds are hard to overlook

Big battery, but slow charging is a letdown

The Google Pixel 9a ships with the largest battery ever in a Pixel phone at 5,100 mAh, even bigger than the Pixel 9 Pro XL, which has a slightly smaller 5,060 mAh cell. However, one thing Google forgot to properly upgrade — or rather, only half-upgraded — is the charging speed.

The Pixel 9a supports 23W USB-C wired charging, which is certainly better than the 18W charging on its predecessor, but it is still frustratingly slow for a battery this large. In practice, this means the Pixel 9a takes nearly two hours to charge from 0-100%.

That is quite slow, even by Google’s own standards. Meanwhile, budget phones like the Samsung Galaxy A36, which costs $100 less than the Pixel 9a, offer 45W fast charging with a similar battery size. While the Pixel 9a delivers solid battery life thanks to its large battery, the charging experience definitely isn’t great and is something Google really needs to improve with the next Pixel A-series model.

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2

No dedicated telephoto lens makes the camera feel limited

You’ll miss it if you like zoom shots

Since the Pixel 4a 5G launch in September 2020, Google has stuck with a dual-camera setup on its A-series phones. Each model has shipped with a wide-angle camera lens and an ultra-wide sensor. Over the years, the company has upgraded both sensors, but I was hoping the Pixel 9a would finally bring a telephoto lens to the budget lineup — but that didn’t happen.

The Pixel 9a ships with a 48-megapixel primary sensor and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide lens, but no telephoto lens. As someone who loves taking zoomed-in shots, especially at concerts and sports events, the lack of a dedicated zoom lens is a real letdown. Sure, the main lens offers an optical 2x zoom, but a true telephoto lens would have made a big difference, especially when other phones in this segment — like the OnePlus 13R — offer it.

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1

Other mid-range phones just offer more

You can get more for the same price, or less

There was a time when Google’s Pixel A-series phones felt like true “value for money” devices. However, that feeling has started to fade with the Pixel 9a. There are simply too many compromises now, making the Pixel 9a’s flaws harder to ignore. Thankfully, there are plenty of alternatives in the same price segment that offer better specs and features.

Take the OnePlus 13R for example. It ships with a flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, which might not be the absolute latest but is the same powerful chip used in last year’s Galaxy S24 Ultra. The OnePlus 13R also offers a larger battery than the Pixel 9a, much faster 80W charging, and a fantastic OLED display with slimmer bezels. On the whole, the OnePlus 13R feels like a better deal for the price you are paying.

OnePlus 13R

If you want flagship-level power without a flagship price, the OnePlus 13R is a solid choice. It features a bright 6.7-inch AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset with plenty of RAM and storage, and a massive 6,000 mAh battery with 80W fast charging support. 

The Pixel 9a still holds its ground well

That said, the Pixel 9a is still one of the best devices you can get for the price. If you value fast Android updates with long-term support, a clean Google experience packed with AI features like Add Me in the Camera app, Circle to Search, and Call Notes, and a reliable camera setup that performs well in almost any lighting condition, the Pixel 9a remains a hard device to beat.

Pixel 9a

Google’s mid-range Pixel 9a offers impressive high-end features like a 48-megapixel main shooter, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera with macro, the Google Tensor G4 chip, 8GB of RAM, and the biggest battery of all Google Pixel phones all in a cost-effective $500 package.