5 reasons Google's Pixel 9a is a victory lap around the iPhone 16e

A split image showing the Google Pixel 9a on the left and the iPhone 16e on the right

(Image credit: Google/Apple, edited with Adobe Express)

Google unveiled its latest phone this week: the budget-friendly Pixel 9a. On paper, it seems like a great deal.

The Pixel 9a packs a lot of value into its $499 price tag, including a 6.3-inch Actua display, over 30 hours of battery life, a 48 MP wide/13MP ultrawide dual camera, 4K video, and Google's Gemini AI suite.

It even outperforms the flagship Google Pixel 9 in some areas, like battery life, despite costing $300 less.

If you're looking for a new midrange or budget phone, the Pixel 9a could be one of the best options. This is excellent news for anyone looking for a cheaper device.

Unfortunately for Apple, it could be the last nail in the coffin of the iPhone 16e.

The Pixel 9a is a great deal... and bad news for the iPhone 16e

Three Google Pixel 9a phones showing different features on screen — (Image credit: Google)

Pixels have always been among the iPhone's toughest rivals, second only to Samsung. The Pixel 9a is an especially formidable competitor because it's arriving just weeks after Apple unveiled the iPhone 16e, the replacement for its budget-friendly iPhone SE.

There are 5 reasons why the Google Pixel 9A is a better choice than the Apple iPhone 16e for many people.

1. It's the money
While the iPhone 16e may have taken the iPhone SE's spot in Apple's lineup, it didn't inherit the SE's low price.

The 16e starts at $599, over $100 more than the iPhone SE, and features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display, a single 48MP Fusion camera, 4K video, and up to 26 hours of battery life.

There are some similarities between the Pixel 9a and the iPhone 16e. Still, the few differences stand out even more, considering that the iPhone 16e costs $100 more and lacks the full Apple Intelligence features that Apple promised at WWDC 2024.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Pixel 9a vs iPhone 16e (Specs)
Header Cell - Column 0	Pixel 9a	iPhone 16e
Display	6.3-inch Actua	6.1-inch Super Retina XDR
Rear camera	48 MP wide, 13 MP ultrawide	2-in-1 48MP Fusion
Front camera	13 MP	12MP
Video	Up to 4K	Up to 4K
Storage	128GB, 256GB	128GB, 256GB, 512GB
AI	Google Gemini	Apple Intelligence (still rolling out as of March 2025)
Battery life	Up to 30 hours	Up to 26 hours
Colors	Purple, pink, black white	Black, white
Starting price	$499	$599

2. There's better AI

While Google's Gemini assistant has been widely available for months, Apple's critical Siri update remains bogged down by delays pushing its release back to 2026 or potentially even later. Meanwhile, the Pixel 9a has fully featured AI assistant available right now (instead of a year or two from now).

3. Better camera

For $100 less, the Pixel 9a delivers a better camera system, with a 13-megapixel camera instead of the 12 megapixels in the iPhone 16e.

4. Better battery life

The Pixel 9a has up to 30 hours of battery life compared to the 26 hours in the Apple iPhone 16e.

5. More color options

Pixel 9a comes in obsidian, porcelain, and peony. (Or black, off-white, pink, and light blue.) Meanwhile, the iPhone 16e comes in black or white.

You're not sacrificing much at all by choosing the Pixel 9a over the flagship Pixel 9, which is a real testament to how much Google values its budget and midrange users.

In contrast, the iPhone 16e seems overpriced when placed side-by-side with the Pixel 9a. The lack of a proper dual camera setup is an especially glaring drawback and one of the biggest sacrifices you make by choosing the 16e over the flagship iPhone 16.

Unless you're dead set on getting a new iPhone, the Pixel 9a is a far better deal than the 16e and a major win for Google in the budget and midrange market.

Apple is abandoning the budget market. Is it a huge mistake?

A hand holding a Google Pixel 9a while it runs Google Gemini — Google's Gemini is progressing at a much faster pace then Apple Intelligence. (Image credit: Google)

Google's timing for launching the Pixel 9a couldn't have been better. The phone arrived just as Apple was seemingly abandoning the budget market entirely, making Google's latest phone look even better.

It begs the question, is Apple's move to leave its budget users behind a huge mistake?

The tide has already seemed to turn against Apple lately, particularly in AI. With a Siri overhaul potentially years behind, one would think Apple would want to appeal to as wide a user base as possible.

Appealing to budget users who might not mind missing out on AI features to save a little money could have potentially won over some people.

However, now those budget users are left to wonder why they would bother paying more for the "budget" iPhone 16e when they can get more features on the less expensive Pixel 9a.

The Pixel 9a isn't the only great alternative, either! Other Android phones, like the Nothing Phone 3a or 3a Pro, offer better value at a lower price.

Apple may be betting on software to maintain the iPhone user base, including little things like the infamous blue bubbles. Unfortunately, as AI becomes a core part of smartphone software features, Apple's hold in that area may start to slip away.

Only time will tell how Apple's decision to abandon budget users impacts its dominance in the phone market. However, if Apple's lead depends on rolling out its Siri update, Tim Cook's team may be in trouble.

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Stevie Bonifield is a contributing writer at Laptop Mag specializing in mobile tech, gaming gear, and accessories. Outside of writing, Stevie loves indie games, TTRPGs, and building way too many custom keyboards.