5 reasons to wait for the Pixel 10a

The Google Pixel 9a — Google’s latest budget phone — is shaping up to be one of the year’s best values. Its spec sheet is pretty impressive, offering a 120Hz OLED display, a 48MP primary camera, seven years of software updates, and an IP68 dust/water resistance rating. Throw in a healthy dose of AI features, and it’s a strong offering for just $499.

We’re still waiting for Google to start preorders and launch the Pixel 9a, and having had some time to sit and wait since the phone’s announcement on March 19, it’s gotten me thinking about it a bit more critically. While the phone overall looks solid, I can see why some folks aren’t entirely thrilled with the Pixel 9a. Whether you’re concerned about long-term performance, AI feature availability, 5G support, or something else, there are valid concerns to have with Google’s latest.

So, today, let’s dig into that a bit more. If you’re looking at the Google Pixel 9a and aren’t sure if it’s the phone for you, here are a few reasons why it might pay off to wait a year for the Google Pixel 10a instead.

Every new generation of a Pixel A Series phone brings a new Tensor chipset. Where last year’s Pixel 8a had a Tensor G3, this year’s Pixel 9a has a Tensor G4. This has been a reliable pattern for the last few years, and as such, we can pretty confidently assume that the Pixel 10a will naturally be powered by a Tensor G5 chip.

We recently reported an exclusive look at how Google is building the Tensor G5. In that report, we discovered that the G5 will have a new IMG DXT GPU to replace the Arm Mali graphics GPU Google used in previous Tensor chips. We also learned that the Tensor G5 will have a fully custom ISP (image signal processor), compared to the Tensor G4, which uses a Samsung ISP combined with some custom Google blocks.

While the GPU and ISP changes are potentially exciting, we still aren’t entirely sure what the Tensor G5 will mean in terms of performance and power efficiency upgrades. Another Android Authority report from October found that the G5 will have the same Arm Cortex-X4 primary core for its CPU but a different arrangement for its mid-powered cores — one that could deliver a “decent multi-core performance improvement.” The G5 chip also appears to have a slightly upgraded TPU, which should improve overall AI tasks by around 14%. While that all sounds good in theory, what that means for real-world use remains to be seen. Additionally, we don’t know if/how the Tensor G5 will improve battery life — one of the Tensor series’ biggest weaknesses.

Although these don’t sound like game-changing year-over-year improvements, the Tensor G4 wasn’t a radical upgrade compared to the G3 either. Google’s made modest upgrades to its Tensor silicon year after year, and if the Tensor G5 is just that again — a little faster, a little better at AI tasks, and a little more power efficient — those modest tweaks and improvements should add up in a fairly meaningful (if not groundbreaking) way.

While we’re talking about performance, there’s another spec that could see a nice upgrade with the Pixel 10a: RAM.

The Google Pixel 9a has just 8GB of RAM, and while that’s fine, it’s certainly on the lower end in 2025 — even for a phone that only costs $499. Further, it’s a spec that hasn’t changed in years. The Pixel 8a and the Pixel 7a also had 8GB of RAM. It’s possible Google will stick with 8GB for a fourth year in a row, but I think it’s more likely that we’ll see it upgraded to 12GB on the Pixel 10a.

In addition to that additional RAM helping with multitasking, it would also benefit the Pixel 10a’s AI features. For context, the Pixel 9a has on-device Gemini Nano, but it’s the “extra extra small” Nano 1.0 XXS model. Comparatively, the flagship Pixel 9 series uses the “extra small” Nano XS version. In practice, that means the Pixel 9a misses out on a few of the Pixel 9’s AI features — namely, the Pixel Screenshots app and the Call Notes feature that generates summaries of your phone calls.

Speaking of overdue spec upgrades, we also have the camera. The Pixel 9a’s primary camera got a very respectable upgrade this year — offering specs that should translate to better low-light performance, improved autofocus, and a wider field of view. However, the phone’s secondary ultrawide camera is starting to feel quite stale.

The Pixel 9a has a 13MP ultrawide camera with an f/2.2 aperture — the exact same specs found on the Pixel 8a and the Pixel 7a. It’s not a horrible sensor by any means, but if the Pixel 10a launches in 2026 with that same camera, it’s going to look pretty darn ancient. I don’t expect a flagship-grade sensor, but we’re due for something new.

Furthermore, history suggests an ultrawide camera upgrade wouldn’t be out of the question for the Pixel 10a. The Pixel 5a had a 16MP ultrawide sensor. That changed to a 12MP sensor on the Pixel 6a, then the same 13MP sensor we’ve now had on the Pixel 7a, Pixel 8a, and now the Pixel 9a. This is the longest Google has stuck with the same ultrawide camera, and considering it’s a sensor that’s been in the A Series since 2023, I’d be shocked if the Pixel 10a launches in 2026 with the same old ultrawide camera tech.

The Pixel 9a supports 5G connectivity on sub-6 networks, giving you moderately improved speeds over 4G LTE. However, if you want really fast speeds that are only possible with mmWave 5G, you’re out of luck.

A few years ago, mmWave 5G was completely unnecessary. Carriers were still building out their 5G networks, 5G availability was slim, and it was all but useless in only the most populated cities — and even then, it could still be hard to come by.

But 5G is in a much better place in 2025, and for the Pixel 9a not to offer mmWave connectivity is a bummer. While not an absolute necessity, it’s a more essential and expected feature today than it used to be. It’s difficult to say if Google feels similarly and will give the Pixel 10a mmWave support, but I hope it does.

If you really can’t stand how the Pixel 9a looks, waiting a year for the Pixel 10a may not be a bad idea. Although I don’t imagine Google will completely redesign the 10a, we should see the 9a’s design refined and tweaked for the next generation. That’s what Google did for the last couple of years with the Pixel 7a and Pixel 8a, and I imagine it follows that pattern again with the Pixel 10a.

What might those design tweaks look like? It’s far too early to say, but there are many possibilities. Google might play with the camera design, whether that includes bringing back the camera bar or finding a new placement/style for the cameras without it. The company could also offer some different color options, possibly a lighter body, and other design elements we haven’t thought of yet. Again, a total makeover for the Pixel 10a is unlikely, but some smart design adjustments could go a long way to get more people on board with the Pixel’s new look.

Those are a few reasons why skipping the Pixel 9a and waiting for the Pixel 10a may be the right call. But is it the right call for you? That ultimately depends on how your current phone is doing.

If you’re in desperate need of an upgrade and like what you see with the Google Pixel 9a, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. The Pixel A Series has been pretty consistent for the last couple of years, and the Pixel 9a looks like a strong new entry in Google’s budget lineup.

However, if you’re content with the phone you have right now and you aren’t in love with what the Pixel 9a brings to the table, waiting might be your best option. Nothing suggests that the Pixel 10a will be a revolutionary upgrade over the Pixel 9a, but with the Tensor G5 chip, the possibility of RAM and camera changes, and maybe some new design elements, your patience shouldn’t go to waste.

Of course, you can always wait for the next big thing. The Google Pixel 10a will undoubtedly be a better phone than the Pixel 9a, and the Pixel 11a will be even better yet. The best advice is to buy a new phone when you need one. If that time happens to be now, the Pixel 9a should absolutely be on your shopping list. But if it’s not, there should be a fair amount to look forward to with the Pixel 10a.