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Google Pixel 9a review: Basic in just the right way

While it isn't super flashy, the Google Pixel 9a is a really good basic smartphone in all the right ways.

And after considering the Pixel family's pedigree for excellent image quality, I pitted the phone's 48-MP main camera and 13-MP ultra-wide cam up against the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra to give it a real challenge. In a daytime photo of a cozy coffee shop, the Pixel 9a preserved more details and produced a generally better looking image than a similar pic taken by the S25U (though part of that is due to Samsung's tendency to oversharpen). And in low light, I got similar results with the 9a doing a great job with white balance while capturing sharp, detailed images despite the tough conditions.

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