Despite the setback with the Pixels, I decided to give them another shot

Recently, I finally decided to pull the trigger and once again own a Pixel. This time I decided to try its budget range as my family was impressed. Galaxy S25 FEand so I wondered how Google’s own middle manager might compare. I’m still using it Pixel 10a it’s been almost two weeks and overall i’m impressed.

I wrote about it earlier this year my daughter’s Galaxy S25 FE and it made me rethink whether I really needed a flagship. Given its weaker processor, I wasn’t sure the Pixel 10a could measure up nearly as well.

Aside from a bit of heating during more intensive games and apps, I have to admit that I didn’t notice much of a difference between the Galaxy S25 FE and the Pixel 10a when it came to browsing, gaming, or anything else I do on a regular basis. It even performed well compared to my Galaxy S24 or the company’s own Galaxy S25 Edge.

The camera experience was also quite impressive. Packing the same 48MP main and 13MP ultra-wide sensor as the previous Pixel 9a, you won’t get the most impressive hardware on paper, but this is where Google’s AI chops really shine.

Snaps look good in almost any lighting conditions, and really, the only big difference I notice from Samsung devices I’ve used is that you don’t get a telephoto lens, although the digital zoom isn’t too bad.

I was also blown away by the battery life, especially for a Pixel, which historically hasn’t been great here. I remember the Galaxy S25 FE having some impressive battery life compared to the Galaxy S24, lasting up to six hours without running to the charger. I managed to get almost seven hours in one day on the Pixel 10a. I’m also glad that charging speeds up to 30W are supported, although wireless charging is a bit slow at 10W.

While I may give up on the Pixel, I have to admit that I’ve never stopped loving Google’s take on Android. It’s cleaner, simpler, and yet more feature-packed than the older iterations I used. Let’s just say I prefer its quirky experience to Samsung’s.

Let’s start with the tensor chip. While I admit the experience is still as good as any modern flagship, I still wish Google Tensor G5 over the older Tensor G4 because 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 perform in the future.

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

However, I really feel that the unique camera panel that Google introduced with the Pixel 6 was a nice way to set Google phones apart from the pack. With a flat back and a simple camera cutout without a bump, the latest budget Pixel looks a bit generic for my taste. It’s certainly not a deal-breaker, but I’d love to see Google bring the Pixel A design more in line with its flagship family. Pixel 10.

So far, I’m very happy with the Google Pixel 10a. Performance, battery life, software and everything else are solid for a mid-ranger. Still, that’s how Pixels always starts for me.

Slowly but surely, the cracks always eventually shined through. Whether the battery life suddenly starts to drop or it starts charging or even just my clumsiness, the Pixels never seem to serve me as well as devices from Samsung and other brands.

Could the Pixel 10a be the first Pixel to break my curse? I certainly hope so. Given my wife’s long-term luck with the Pixel 6, I know the Pixel can last for years. Still, I can’t help but be a little wary given the number of Pixel issues I’ve encountered in the earlier days of the series.

For now, I know I’m not ready to go all-in on Pixels. The Pixel 10a will remain my secondary device for testing new Android features, and I’ll probably switch it from being my daily driver here and there. But until I’ve had the phone for a good year or so with no issues, I’ll probably keep it and still trust my Samsungs first.