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 again. This time, I have decided to try their budget range as my family was very impressed with the Galaxy S25 FESo I was curious to know how Google’s mid-range might compare. Until now I have been using the Pixel 10a For almost two weeks now and overall I’m impressed.

Earlier this year I wrote about My daughter’s Galaxy S25 FE. and how it made me reconsider if I really need a flagship. Considering its weaker processor, I wasn’t sure the Pixel 10a could measure up.

Aside from getting a little warm during more intensive games and apps, I have to admit that I didn’t really notice much difference between the Galaxy S25 FE and the Pixel 10a when it comes to browsing, gaming, or anything I do regularly. It even did well compared to my company-owned Galaxy S24 or Galaxy S25 Edge.

The camera experience was also quite impressive. With a 48MP primary sensor and a 13MP ultrawide sensor that’s identical to the previous Pixel 9a, you might not get the most impressive hardware on paper, but Google’s AI skills really shine here.

Snaps look good in almost all lighting conditions, and really the only big difference I’ve noticed from the Samsung devices I’ve used is that you won’t have a telephoto lens, although the digital zoom isn’t too bad for what it is.

The battery life also surprised me, especially for a Pixel, which historically hasn’t been that good here. I remember thinking that the Galaxy S25 FE had some impressive battery capacities compared to my Galaxy S24, lasting up to six hours before having to run to the charger. I was able to hit almost seven hours a day on the Pixel 10a. I’m also happy that the charging speeds support up to 30W, although wireless charging is a little slower at 10W.

While I may have given up on the Pixels, I have to admit that I never stopped loving Google’s version of Android. It’s clean, simple, and yet has many more features than previous versions I’ve used. Let’s just say it would be an understatement to say I prefer their out-of-the-box experience to Samsung’s.

Let’s start with the Tensor chip. While I admit that the experience still feels almost as good as any modern flagship, I still wish Google had gone with the G5 tensioners over the old Tensor G4, as it seems 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 color of the Pixel 10a really suits me and reminds me of my favorite Pixel of all time, the orange Pixel 4 XL.

That said, I really feel like Google’s single camera bar introduced with the Pixel 6 was a good way to differentiate Google’s phones from the rest. With its flat back and simple bump-free camera cutout, the latest budget Pixel looks too generic for my taste. It’s certainly not a deal breaker, but I really wish Google had kept the Pixel A’s design more in line with the flagship family, like the Pixel 10.

So far, I’m more than happy with the Google Pixel 10a. Performance is solid for a mid-ranger, as is battery life, software, and everything related to it. Still, for me that’s always how pixels start.

Slowly but surely, the cracks have always come to light. Whether battery life starts to drop suddenly or due to a boot cycle, or even just my own clumsiness, the Pixels never seem to last as long 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 luck with the Pixel 6, I know a Pixel can last for years. Still, I can’t help but be a little cautious given the number of Pixel problems I encountered in the early 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 out new Android features, and I’ll probably rotate it out of being my daily driver here and there. But until I’ve had the phone for a good year or more without issues, I’ll probably take care of it and continue to rely on my Samsungs first and foremost.