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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 16, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerGoogle Pixel 8a vs Apple iPhone 17 Air
Time to compare Google Pixel 8a with Apple iPhone 17 Air. We will cover the essentials so you can buy with confidence.
Ratings: 4.4★ vs 4.9★
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Google Pixel 8a
★4.4
(1,570)•Amazon
Operating System:Android
Software Support:7 years of OS, security, and Feature Drop updates
Processor:Google Tensor G3
Graphics:Arm Immortalis-G715s MC10
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Apple iPhone 17 Air
★4.9
(13)•Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro)
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Comparison: Google Pixel 8a vs Apple iPhone 17 Air
Google Pixel 8a
★4.4(1,570)Amazon
Apple iPhone 17 Air
★4.9(13)Best Buy
| Criterion | Google Pixel 8a | Apple iPhone 17 Air |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.4(1,570)Amazon | ★4.9(13)Best Buy |
Operating System | Android | iOS |
Software Support | 7 years of OS, security, and Feature Drop updates | Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades |
Processor | Google Tensor G3 | Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine) |
Graphics | Arm Immortalis-G715s MC10 | Apple 5-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro) |
RAM | 8GB LPDDR5X | 12 GB (LPDDR5X) |
Storage | 128GB / 256GB (UFS 3.1) | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (NVMe) |
Display Size | 6.1" (measured diagonally; actual viewable area is less) | 6.6" (6.55" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less) |
Screen Type | Actua OLED Display | Super Retina XDR OLED |
Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels (FHD+), 430 ppi | 2736 x 1260 pixels (460 ppi) |
Refresh Rate | 60–120Hz (Smooth Display) | Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz); Always-On display |
Peak Brightness | 1,400 nits (HDR) / 2,000 nits (Peak) | 1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 3000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum |
Main Camera | 64MP Wide (f/1.89, 80° FOV, 1/1.73"), Quad PD AF, OIS | 48MP Fusion (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP) |
Ultra-Wide Camera | 13MP Ultra-Wide (f/2.2, 120° FOV) | No dedicated Ultra Wide camera (functionality limited to panoramic stitching via software) |
Telephoto Camera | N/A (No dedicated telephoto lens) | No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP Fusion sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS |
Optical Zoom | N/A (Optical quality at 0.5x and 1x via sensor crop) | 1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (2x optical zoom range) |
Digital Zoom | Up to 8x Super Res Zoom | Up to 10x |
Video Recording | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps |
Front Camera | 13MP Front (f/2.2, 96.5° FOV), Fixed Focus | 24MP Center Stage (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps |
Battery | 4,492 mAh (Typical) | 3150 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 26 hours video playback (20 hours streamed) |
Wired Charging | Up to 18W (Adapter sold separately) | USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher |
Wireless Charging | Qi Wireless Charging (7.5W) | MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W |
Connectivity | 5G (Sub6/mmWave varies by model); Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC | 5G (sub-6 GHz only, no mmWave) using Apple-designed modem; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 6.0; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode |
USB | USB Type-C 3.2 | USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output |
Durability | IP67 (Dust and water resistant up to 1m); Gorilla Glass 3 (front); Matte composite back; Aluminum frame | IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield 2 front; Grade 5 Titanium alloy frame (internal aluminum structure); Ceramic Shield back |
Dimensions | 6.0" x 2.9" x 0.4" (152.1 x 72.7 x 8.9 mm) | 6.15" x 2.94" x 0.22" (156.2 x 74.7 x 5.6 mm) |
Weight | 6.6 oz (188 g) | 5.82 oz (165 g) |
Biometrics | Under-display Fingerprint Sensor; Face Unlock | Face ID |
Extras | VPN by Google One; Titan M2 security; Gemini AI integrated; Audio Magic Eraser | Apple Intelligence support; Camera Control button; Action button; Dynamic Island; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite |
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Google Pixel 8a
Rating:★4.4(1,570)Amazon
Operating System:Android
Software Support:7 years of OS, security, and Feature Drop updates
Processor:Google Tensor G3
Graphics:Arm Immortalis-G715s MC10
RAM:8GB LPDDR5X
Storage:128GB / 256GB (UFS 3.1)
Display Size:6.1" (measured diagonally; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type:Actua OLED Display
Resolution:1080 x 2400 pixels (FHD+), 430 ppi
Refresh Rate:60–120Hz (Smooth Display)
Peak Brightness:1,400 nits (HDR) / 2,000 nits (Peak)
Main Camera:64MP Wide (f/1.89, 80° FOV, 1/1.73"), Quad PD AF, OIS
Ultra-Wide Camera:13MP Ultra-Wide (f/2.2, 120° FOV)
Telephoto Camera:N/A (No dedicated telephoto lens)
Optical Zoom:N/A (Optical quality at 0.5x and 1x via sensor crop)
Digital Zoom:Up to 8x Super Res Zoom
Video Recording:4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps
Front Camera:13MP Front (f/2.2, 96.5° FOV), Fixed Focus
Battery:4,492 mAh (Typical)
Wired Charging:Up to 18W (Adapter sold separately)
Wireless Charging:Qi Wireless Charging (7.5W)
Connectivity:5G (Sub6/mmWave varies by model); Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC
USB:USB Type-C 3.2
Durability:IP67 (Dust and water resistant up to 1m); Gorilla Glass 3 (front); Matte composite back; Aluminum frame
Dimensions:6.0" x 2.9" x 0.4" (152.1 x 72.7 x 8.9 mm)
Weight:6.6 oz (188 g)
Biometrics:Under-display Fingerprint Sensor; Face Unlock
Extras:VPN by Google One; Titan M2 security; Gemini AI integrated; Audio Magic Eraser
✓ Pros:
- • Unmatched 7-year software support commitment in the mid-range segment
- • Bright 120Hz Actua OLED display (2,000 nits peak)
- • Flagship-grade Tensor G3 processor brings premium AI features (Magic Editor, Audio Magic Eraser)
- • Compact and comfortable design with a durable matte finish
- • Includes wireless charging (rare at this price point)
✗ Cons:
- • Charging is slow (18W wired / 7.5W wireless) compared to competitors
- • Large bezels surround the display, looking dated compared to the Pixel 8
- • Uses older Gorilla Glass 3 for screen protection
- • Optical fingerprint sensor can be slower than ultrasonic alternatives
- • Gets warm under heavy load due to Tensor G3 efficiency
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Apple iPhone 17 Air
Rating:★4.9(13)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro)
RAM:12 GB (LPDDR5X)
Storage:256GB / 512GB / 1TB (NVMe)
Display Size:6.6" (6.55" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type:Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution:2736 x 1260 pixels (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate:Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz); Always-On display
Peak Brightness:1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 3000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum
Main Camera:48MP Fusion (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP)
Ultra-Wide Camera:No dedicated Ultra Wide camera (functionality limited to panoramic stitching via software)
Telephoto Camera:No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP Fusion sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS
Optical Zoom:1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (2x optical zoom range)
Digital Zoom:Up to 10x
Video Recording:4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps
Front Camera:24MP Center Stage (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps
Battery:3150 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 26 hours video playback (20 hours streamed)
Wired Charging:USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher
Wireless Charging:MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W
Connectivity:5G (sub-6 GHz only, no mmWave) using Apple-designed modem; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 6.0; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode
USB:USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output
Durability:IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield 2 front; Grade 5 Titanium alloy frame (internal aluminum structure); Ceramic Shield back
Dimensions:6.15" x 2.94" x 0.22" (156.2 x 74.7 x 5.6 mm)
Weight:5.82 oz (165 g)
Biometrics:Face ID
Extras:Apple Intelligence support; Camera Control button; Action button; Dynamic Island; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite
✓ Pros:
- • Thinnest iPhone ever (5.6mm) featuring a premium Titanium chassis
- • 120Hz ProMotion display finally arrives on non-Pro tier
- • Powered by the A19 Pro chip with 12GB RAM for full Apple Intelligence support
- • Upgraded 24MP front camera for superior selfies and video calls
- • Excellent main camera performance with 2x lossless crop
✗ Cons:
- • High price for a single-camera system (no Ultra Wide or Telephoto lenses)
- • Battery life is shorter than the 'Plus' model it replaces due to thinness
- • USB-C port is limited to USB 2.0 speeds (480 Mb/s)
- • No mmWave 5G support (Sub-6 GHz only due to Apple modem restrictions)
- • No physical SIM tray (eSIM only in US)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Which one is better?
Apple iPhone 17 Air is stronger in overall satisfaction, but Google Pixel 8a could still be the better pick if you value its unique advantages.
Who should buy each?
Expert take:
- Google Pixel 8a suits buyers who need Unmatched 7-year software support commitment in the mid-range segment, Bright 120Hz Actua OLED display (2,000 nits peak)
- Apple iPhone 17 Air suits buyers who want Thinnest iPhone ever (5.6mm) featuring a premium Titanium chassis, 120Hz ProMotion display finally arrives on non-Pro tier
Conclusion
Google Pixel 8a and Apple iPhone 17 Air are both solid choices. Match the strengths above to your budget and workflow to make the best call.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Google Pixel 8a excels if you value unmatched 7-year software support commitment in the mid-range segment. Apple iPhone 17 Air is better if you prioritize thinnest iphone ever (5.6mm) featuring a premium titanium chassis. Pick based on your budget and daily use.
+Is this an independent review?
Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.
+Do newer models exist?
Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.
Affiliate disclosure
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