Insider reveals technical specifications of Google Pixel 8A
Android Authority has shared insider information about the technical specifications of the upcoming Google Pixel 8A. According to GLOMO, the new budget model of the “best smartphone” will boast a 120 Hz display, Tensor G3, and DisplayPort output.
The size and resolution of the OLED display will remain unchanged.
Also similar to the Pixel 8 is the fact that the panel comes from two manufacturers; most likely BOE and Samsung. Taking all this into account, we can assume that the displays of the younger and older models should work similarly.
Google also increased the radius of the display corners, which is now more in line with the design of the Pixel 8 series.
| Pixel 7a | Pixel 8a | Pixel 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.1-inch | 6.1-inch | 6.2-inch |
| Radius of angles | 47px | 128px | 102px |
| Resolution | 2,400 x 1,080 | 2,400 x 1,080 | 2,400 x 1,080 |
| Update frequency | 90 Hz | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Brightness | 1,000 nits | 1,400 nits | 1,400 nits |
Support for DisplayPort output is also expected. We have previously written that the function was implemented in hardware in previous models, but Google disabled it by software. In one of the Android test updates, the company enabled this feature on the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro.
While it’s still not a fully functional desktop mode like Samsung’s DeX, it’s a sign of Google’s interest in making the feature more useful in the future.
It’s unclear why Google included a DisplayPort output without having the appropriate software to support it. However, it will certainly be interesting to see what happens in the future.
Camera
Cameras have always been a strong point of the Pixel A lineup. Thanks to Google’s processing wizardry, they are considered some of the best smartphones for photography in their class, although their hardware tends to be inferior to the competition.
The Pixel 8A will have a 64-megapixel system based on Sony IMX787, just like the previous generation Pixel 7A.
| Pixel 7a | Pixel 8a | Pixel 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main | Sony IMX787 (64 MP) – 1/1.73″ | Sony IMX787 (64 MP) – 1/1.73″ | Samsung GNV (probably; 50 MP) – 1/1.31″ |
| Ultra wide | Sony IMX712 (13 MP) – ~1/3″ | Sony IMX712 (13 MP) – ~1/3″ | Sony IMX386 (12 MP) – 1/2.9″ |
| Front | Sony IMX712 (13 MP) – ~1/3″ | Sony IMX712 (13 MP) – ~1/3″ | Samsung 3J1 (11 MP) – 1/3″ |
SoC
As expected, Pixel 8a also comes with an updated SoC: Google Tensor G3. This is the same processor as the Pixel 8 series. While the Tensor G2 was a relatively minor upgrade, the gradual transition to G3 is a much bigger leap for the A-series.
Google has ditched its outdated Cortex-X1 and Cortex-A55 cores in favor of newer, faster, and more energy-efficient 2022 cores. Google has also changed the arrangement of cores from 2+2+4 to 1+4+4, giving the SoC a whole additional processor core. All this leads to a significant speedup of the chip.
The Tensor G3 also has other improvements over the G2, such as a newer Mali-G715 GPU, a new Samsung Modem 5300, support for AV1 encoding up to 4K/60fps, an updated TPU, and a new DSP for image processing.
The Pixel 8a uses a slightly different version of the G3 than the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. While the silicon matrix inside the chip is identical, the plastic packaging is different. While the regular G3 uses FOPLP (Fan-Out Panel Level Packaging), the G3 8a uses IPoP (Integrated Package on Package). According to Samsung, IPoP is thicker and hotter than FOPLP, but it is also cheaper, which explains this decision. In practice, the difference shouldn’t be much, and the chip should still be a massive upgrade.
With the Pixel 8 series, Google tried to distance the Pro and regular Pixels, and it succeeded to the point that the Pixel 8 will feel closer to the Pixel 8a than it does to the 8 Pro.