Google Pixel 10a review

Design, build quality, handling

The new Pixel 10a may not have a design that instantly makes you fall in love. Whether it's for the thick screen bezels, the outdated-looking camera bump, or even the plastic back. But somehow it all clicks together, and in combination with the small form factor, we thoroughly enjoyed how this device felt to use.

The body combines a flat front glass, a matte aluminum frame, and a matte plastic back. The front glass is finally using a modern Gorilla Glass 7i instead of the old Gorilla Glass 3 panels, which no one else uses any longer.

The phone is IP68-rated for dust and water resistance, which is nothing exceptional but covers the basics for peace of mind.

The Pixel 10a is available in the typical obsidian (black) and lavender (ours, previously iris) colors, but also in fog (green/gray) and berry (bright red/pink). All of these are quite likable; the matte back is mostly smudge-resistant and nice to touch, even if not grippy.

The camera bump was already quite minimal on the Pixel 9a but it sits completely flush with the back on the Pixel 10A. Google has increased the thickness of the device from 8.9mm to 9.0mm, which is probably how it's done, but the good news is that the phone is almost 1mm shorter and 3 grams lighter.

The 6.3-inch OLED screen has bezels that are a bit thicker than your average screen. The panel has 1080p resolution, but comes with HDR video support and a 120Hz refresh rate.

There is a small punch hole for the 13MP front camera.

The Pixel 10a has an under-display optical fingerprint scanner, and it works fast and reliably, though we feel it can be a bit more responsive.

The earpiece above the screen is almost invisible to the naked eye, and it doubles as a stereo speaker.

The back panel is a joy to look at, as it has no abrupt interruptions, at least horizontally. There is no camera bump, though there are still two cameras behind a flat glass piece - the 48MP primary and the 13MP ultrawide. Outside this kit is the LED flash.

The back is fingerprint-resistant, but the matte finish makes it smooth and slippery.

The same goes for the matte aluminum frame - it's quite smooth and with minimal grip.

The other stereo speaker, the USB-C port, and the mouthpiece are at the bottom.

The top has a second microphone.

The nano-SIM tray is on the left. You can have the Pixel 10a work with dual-SIM, but the second card can be eSIM only.

Finally, the power and the volume keys are on the right.

Since the Pixel 10a has a slightly different size and a repositioned SIM tray and primary microphone, Pixel 9a cases won't fit on the Pixel 10a, and vice versa.

The Pixel 10a is a beautiful phone if its thick bezels aren't such an eyesore for you. It is also incredibly comfortable to hold and work with because of its compact form factor and relatively lightweight body. The only thing we did not like is the grip - it is far from secure because of the matte finish. We've handled worse, of course, but it will be up to you to decide whether you would need a case or not.