Why Google's Most Overlooked Android Phone Is So Cheap Compared To An iPhone 17

United States News News

Why Google's Most Overlooked Android Phone Is So Cheap Compared To An iPhone 17
United States Latest News,United States Headlines
  • 📰 BGR
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 163 sec. here
  • 4 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 68%
  • Publisher: 63%

Alejandro got his start as a writer at his college newspaper, the North Texas Daily. Before graduating from college, he turned an internship at an outdoor startup into a full-time writing position.

Oct. 2, 2025 10:17 am ESTGoogle's business model is simple when it comes to its budget line of phones. Wait a few months after releasing the new flagship phone to sell a more affordable version that takes the best bits, like the chip and display.

That's exactly what happened with the Google Pixel 9a, releasing roughly eight months after the Pixel 9 and. The Pixel 9a is significantly cheaper because it offers less memory, worse cameras, and uses less premium-feeling materials– the flagship model has a glass back instead of a plastic one. With the announcement of the iPhone 17 lineup, you may be weighing your options. Should you get the base model iPhone 17 or the budget Pixel 9a? Currently, the Pixel 9a retails for $499 as opposed to the iPhone 17's $799 due to a slower chipset and inferior cameras. If budget is your primary concern, then it's the Pixel 9a, despite the. No question. Conversely, if you value performance, the iPhone 17 is the winner. However, the Pixel 9a's performance is enough for most people. It offers everything you need at a price point that's very attractive. Better yet, unlike other budget Android phones, the Pixel 9a is backed by Google, meaning you get seven years of security updates.Whether it's phones, laptops, or desktops, Apple's chips are top-tier. When stacking Apple's silicon against Google's, it's not a fair fight. The A19 and A19 Pro chip, which can be found inside the iPhone 17 lineup, beats Google's Tensor G4 chip in single-core and multi-core performance. Apple's chip also has better integrated graphics, useful for gaming. If you're doing high-end tasks, like video editing or gaming, an iPhone 17 may be better. But for everyone else, the Google Pixel 9a delivers more than enough performance for everything from browsing the web and writing emails to scrolling social media and"Balatro." That's why we dubbed the. This chip, while not as beefy in terms of performance as Apple's, can handle Gemini Nano, which is an on-device version of Google's AI. This means the phone can handle some AI tasks on the device instead of handing off to a server, leading to faster results. For example, Gemini Nano is responsible for Pixel Screenshot, a feature that allows you to search for screenshots based on what's in the frame, such as a clothing item or location.Both the Pixel 9a and the base iPhone 17 have two cameras. The iPhone 17's camera system is better, with not one but two 48 MP cameras. The main camera uses a 26 mm lens, while the other has a 13 mm ultra-wide lens. For videographers, the iPhone 17 offers more shooting options and is able to shoot 4K footage at more frame rates. Cinematic mode, which adds a movie-like depth of field effect, is another plus. On the other hand, the Pixel has one 48 MP wide-angle camera and one 13 MP ultra-wide. Hardware-wise, the Pixel 9a can't compete, even with the 48 MP main camera. Yet, the Pixel 9a's camera delivers. That's because Google has been at the forefront of computational photography since before the company began making the Pixel line of phones. Features like Night Sight, Top Shot, and Astrophotography are all standouts. When an image isn't quite right, you can tweak it with AI Enhance or use Portrait Blur, which lets you add bokeh after the fact. Magic Eraser is arguably, the most mind-blowing feature, letting you remove anything from an image, from an object to a person. So, while the camera itself may be lackluster in comparison, the images aren't.

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

BGR /  🏆 234. in US

 

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

ER Doctors Warn That Heart Attack Symptoms Are Different In Women — And Are Often OverlookedER Doctors Warn That Heart Attack Symptoms Are Different In Women — And Are Often OverlookedJillian Wilson is the senior wellness reporter at HuffPost, where she covers mental health, physical health and debunks the health misinformation that's so rampant online.
Read more »

Why Deion Sanders to Arkansas Makes Sense - And Why It Doesn’tCoach Deion Sanders has revived Colorado football, but questions remain about how far he can take the Buffaloes program. With Arkansas firing Sam Pittman and the SEC on the horizon, is leaving Boulder a smart move — or too risky for Coach Prime?
Read more »

The Grammys’ Best Rock Album Race Could Honor Overlooked Legends and Punky UpstartsThe Grammys’ Best Rock Album Race Could Honor Overlooked Legends and Punky UpstartsNominees for Best Rock Album at the 2026 Grammys could include David Gilmour, the Cure, Wet Leg, and Hayley Williams.
Read more »

Google's Gemini Arrives in Google Home, Alongside New Speaker, Nest Cam, and Nest DoorbellGoogle's Gemini Arrives in Google Home, Alongside New Speaker, Nest Cam, and Nest DoorbellGemini replaces Assistant in your smart home, as Google redesigns the Home app and launches a new generation of Nest devices.
Read more »

The Cybersecurity Paradox: Why SAP Systems Remain An Overlooked RiskThe Cybersecurity Paradox: Why SAP Systems Remain An Overlooked RiskIn today's threat landscape, closing the SAP security gap isn't optional—it's a business imperative that protects the very core of your operations.
Read more »

A postman, a family, and an overlooked chair: Van Gogh museum's surprising reunionA postman, a family, and an overlooked chair: Van Gogh museum's surprising reunionThe Van Gogh Museum has organized an exhibition this fall shining the spotlight on a postman and his family who modeled for Vincent van Gogh.
Read more »



Render Time: 2026-04-01 09:18:29