Technologies

The Pixel 9A Arrives Soon. Should You Buy It?

Google’s $499 budget phone shares many similarities with its pricier counterparts. Here’s what you’ll get — what you’ll miss — for that lower price.

Google’s latest budget phone, the $499 Pixel 9A, has arrived early this year, fresh off the heels of Apple’s «affordable» offering, the $599 iPhone 16E. Very convenient timing. The Pixel 9A will arrive in stores on April 10, starting in the US and UK.

The Pixel 9A is $300 cheaper than the baseline Pixel 9 and, therefore, scales back a bit when it comes to features like cameras and RAM. However, it maintains other attributes like display size, processor and AI features — and even touts a higher battery capacity than its pricier Pixel counterparts.

So is the Pixel 9A a good fit for you? Here’s everything to consider.

Camera and AI considerations

Being able to take good photos is usually a top priority when buying a new phone since, for most people, their phone is their only camera. The Pixel 9A has two cameras on the back: a 48-megapixel wide and 13-megapixel ultrawide, along with a 13-megapixel front-facing camera. That places the 9A’s rear camera specs below those on the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro, but megapixels aren’t the only factor in getting quality shots. (You can check out the spec chart below to see how the cameras compare on these phones.)

The Pixel 9A’s camera supports Macro Focus, meaning you can get closer to your subject — like if you’re snapping a close-up of your delicious meal — and have it be in crisp focus. With the 9A, Google uses the main camera to enable Macro Focus instead of the ultrawide camera, as with many other phones.

What’s perhaps most notable about the Pixel 9A is the suite of AI editing tools you’ll still have access to, even with that lower price. Features like Magic Editor can help clean up your shots and alter backgrounds, Best Take creates an image where everyone in a group photo looks their best, and Add Me employs AI and augmented reality to incorporate the photographer in the final image.

For people who are curious about the myriad AI features companies are bombarding us with, the Pixel 9A can be a good device for dipping your toes in those waters, hopefully without feeling inundated — and without shelling out too much cash to see what all the buzz is about. I find photo editing tools among the best uses of AI because they eliminate the need for pricey software and let you touch up photos directly on your device, with no special skills needed.

The Pixel 9A’s Design: Google Takes Minimalism to the Extreme

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See all photos

But if you would rather venture deeper into AI territory, the 9A’s still got you covered. You’ll have access to Gemini to help with tasks like writing, brainstorming and carrying out actions across apps. You’ll also get Circle to Search so you can learn more about whatever’s on your screen — a feature upon which I’ve become heavily reliant. Those features are great because they feel like a natural way to ease into AI since they’re so deeply integrated into your device and seamless to use.

With AI being a staple of almost every new phone, tapping into those capabilities without breaking the bank can be an enticing option for someone who still isn’t sure what the big deal is — and then see if the Pixel 9A changes their mind.

For those who hold onto their phones

While carriers may expect you to upgrade your phone every two years, manufacturers like Google and Samsung have extended the window for software and security upgrades on their phones to seven years. That applies to lower-priced phones like the Pixel 9A as well, giving budget-conscious consumers even more reason to feel like they’ve scored a deal.

Not buying a flagship device can also mean feeling less susceptible to the pressures of upgrades. It’s typically more premium phones — usually with minor tweaks — that are aggressively pushed onto those keen to purchase the latest tech. If simply having a phone with key features is all that matters, then the Pixel 9A can be a good way to dodge all that noise.

This can also make the Pixel 9A a good option for kids, who probably don’t need the flashiest devices. Features like Family Link allow parents to manage privacy settings, screen time limits and location sharing, and they can also silence notifications and disable apps during school hours.

The Pixel 9A packs the same Google Tensor G4 processor as the flagship Pixel 9 and 9 Pro but has 8GB of RAM instead of the 12GB and 16GB you’ll get on those premium phones. That should still be more than enough for everyday use, like scrolling through social media, snapping photos and browsing the web. If you’re a heavy mobile gamer, 8GB of RAM might not be ideal, but it won’t be an issue for most people.

The Pixel 9A’s 6.3-inch OLED display matches up with what you’ll get on the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, so you don’t have to scale back your viewing experience — especially with a 60Hz to 120Hz variable refresh rate that should make scrolling seamless.

And with a 5,100-mAh battery, the Pixel 9A should be able to last you throughout the day. Like the iPhone 16E, the Pixel 9A actually touts a higher battery capacity than its pricier peers, which each have a 4,700-mAh battery. That can also help you feel like you’re getting the most bang for your buck.

What you won’t get with this phone is the Pixel 9’s Satellite SOS feature, which uses satellites to contact emergency services when you’re out of range of a cell signal or Wi-Fi. But if you don’t often find yourself in places without cell service, like on a remote hiking trail, then you hopefully shouldn’t feel its absence.

With all that in mind, if you have last year’s Pixel 8A, there’s probably not enough reason to upgrade to the 9A, as they share many of the same features, specs and AI capabilities.

But if you’ve got a Pixel 7A and want to tap into some newer AI features, the 9A might be enticing. Similarly, if you have a Pixel 6A or older, you could see a noticeable improvement in the 9A’s camera, battery life and overall performance.

And if you’d rather hang tight to your phone and keep stretching your dollar, more power to you.

Google Pixel 9A vs. Pixel 8A vs. Pixel 9 vs. Pixel 9 Pro

	Google Pixel 9A	Google Pixel 8A	Google Pixel 9	Google Pixel 9 Pro
Display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate	6.3-inch OLED; 2,424×1,080 pixels; 60-120 Hz variable refresh rate	6.1-inch OLED; 2,400×1,080 pixels, 60-120Hz variable refresh rate	6.3-inch OLED; 2,424×1,080 pixels; 60-120 Hz variable refresh rate	6.3-inch LTPO OLED; 2,856×1,280 pixels; 1-120Hz variable refresh rate
Pixel density	422 ppi	430 ppi	422 ppi	495 ppi
Dimensions (inches)	6.1 x 2.9 x 0.4 in	6 x 2.9 x 0.4 in	6 x 2.8 x 0.3 in	6 x 2.8 x 0.3 in
Dimensions (millimeters)	154.7 x 73.3 x 8.9 mm	152 x 74 x 10.2 mm	152.8 x 72 x 8.5 mm	152.8 x 72 x 8.5 mm
Weight (grams, ounces)	186g (6.6 oz)	193 g (6.7 oz)	198g (7 oz)	199g (7 oz)
Mobile software	Android 15	Android 14	Android 14	Android 14
Camera	48-megapixel (wide), 13-megapixel (ultrawide)	64-megapixel (main), 13-megapixel (ultrawide)	50-megapixel (wide), 48-megapixel (ultrawide)	50-megapixel (wide), 48-megapixel (ultrawide), 48-megapixel (5x telephoto)
Front-facing camera	13-megapixel	13-megapixel	10.5-megapixel	42-megapixel
Video capture	4K	4K	4K	4K
Processor	Google Tensor G4	Google Tensor G3	Google Tensor G4	Google Tensor G4
RAM + storage	8GB + 128GB, 256GB	8GB + 128GB, 256GB	12GB RAM + 128GB, 256GB	16GB + 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Expandable storage	None	None	None	None
Battery	5,100 mAh	4,492 mAh	4,700 mAh	4,700 mAh
Fingerprint sensor	Under display	Under display	Under display	Under display
Connector	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C
Headphone jack	None	None	None	None
Special features	7 years of OS, security and Pixel feature drops; Gorilla Glass 3 cover glass; IP68 dust and water resistance; 2,700-nit peak brightness; 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio; 23W fast charging (charger not included); 7.5W wireless charging Qi certified; Wi-Fi 6E; NFC; Bluetooth 5.3; dual-SIM (nano SIM + eSIM); Add Me; Best Take; Magic Eraser; Magic Editor; Photo Unblur; Super Res Zoom; Circle To Search	IP67 rating dust and water resistance; 18W fast charging; 7.5W wireless charging; 5G (5G sub6 / mmWave); VPN by Google One; Circle to Search; 7 years Android OS updates; 7 years security updates; Best Take; Audio Magic Eraser; Wi-Fi 6E; NFC; Bluetooth 5.3; dual-SIM (nano SIM + eSIM)	Satellite SOS; 7 years of OS, security and Pixel feature drops; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass; IP68 dust and water resistance; 2,700-nit peak brightness; 45W fast charging (charger not included); 15W wireless charging with Google Pixel Stand (second gen); 12W wireless Qi-charging; Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7; NFC; Bluetooth 5.3; dual-SIM (eSIM + nano SIM); Add Me; Best Take; Magic Eraser; Magic Editor	Satellite SOS; 7 years of OS, security and Pixel feature drops; IP68 dust and water resistance; Video Boost with 8K Upscaling; Macro Focus on ultrawide; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass; 3,000-nit peak brightness; 45W fast charging (charger not included); 15W wireless charging with Google Pixel Stand (second gen); 12W wireless Qi-charging; Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7; NFC; Bluetooth 5.3; dual-SIM (eSIM + nano SIM); Add Me; Best Take; Magic Eraser; Magic Editor
US price starts at	$499 (128GB)	$499 (128GB)	$799 (128GB)	$999 (128GB)
UK price starts at	Converts to £385 (128GB)	£499 (128GB)	Converts to £640 (128GB)	Converts to £780 (128GB)
Australia price starts at	Converts to AU$780 (128GB)	AU$849 (128GB)	Converts to AU$1,210 (128GB)	Converts to AU$1,510 (128GB)

Technologies

CNET Daily Tariff Price Tracker: I’m Watching 11 Key Products for Changes, Here’s What’s Happened

The deadline for the start of Trump’s heaviest tariffs has been delayed until next month, leaving consumers stuck with more uncertainty over prices.

For the last three months, tariffs have been a hot topic, leaving consumers and businesses alike worried: Will they hike prices and by how much? It’s a question more relevant than ever this week, as President Trump punts another major deadline down the road and price-slashing Amazon’s Prime Day sales wind down as the week ends.

Amid those worries, I’ve been tracking prices every day for 11 key products likely to be hit by tariff-induced price increases, and the answer I’ve come to so far is this: Not so much, at least not yet. The winding road of tariff inflation still stretches before us into an uncertain future, so the threat of price hikes continues to cloud the horizon.

To date, I’ve seen two noteworthy price increases, one for the Xbox Series X and the other for a popular budget-friendly 4K TV. Some other products — including Apple’s popular AirPods and printer ink — have gone on sale for brief periods.

CNET Tariff Tracker Index

Above, you can check out a chart with the average price of the 11 products included in this piece over the course of 2025. This will help give you a sense of the overall price changes and fluctuations going on. Further down, you’ll be able to check out charts for each individual product being tracked.

We’ll be updating this article regularly as prices change. It’s all in the name of helping you make sense of things, so be sure to check back every so often. For more, check out CNET’s guide to whether you should wait to make big purchases or buy them now and get expert tips about how to prepare for a recession.

Methodology

We’re checking prices daily and will update the article and the relevant charts right away to reflect any changes. The following charts show a single bullet point for each month, with the most recent one labeled «Now» and showing the current price. For the past months, we’ve gone with what was the most common price for each item in the given month.

In most cases, the price stats used in these graphs were pulled from Amazon using the historical price-tracker tool Keepa. For the iPhones, the prices come from Apple’s official materials and are based on the 128-gigabyte base model of the latest offering of the iPhone 16. For the Xbox Series X, the prices were sourced from Best Buy using the tool PriceTracker. If any of these products happen to be on sale at a given time, we’ll be sure to let you know and explain how those price drops differ from longer-term pricing trends that tariffs can cause.

The 11 products we’re tracking

Mostly what we’re tracking in this article are electronic devices and digital items that CNET covers in depth, like iPhones and affordable 4K TVs — along with a typical bag of coffee, a more humble product that isn’t produced in the US to any significant degree.

The products featured were chosen for a few reasons: Some of them are popular and/or affordable representatives for major consumer tech categories, like smartphones, TVs and game consoles. Others are meant to represent things that consumers might buy more frequently, like printer ink or coffee beans. Some products were chosen over others because they are likely more susceptible to tariffs. Some of these products have been reviewed by CNET or have been featured in some of our best lists.

iPhone 16, 128GB
Duracell AA batteries, 24-pack
Samsung DU7200 65-inch TV
Xbox Series X
Apple AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C case
HP 962 CMY Printer Ink
Anker 10,000-mAh, 30-watt power bank
Bose TV speaker
Oral-B Pro 1000 electric toothbrush
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook, 256GB
Starbucks 28-ounce ground dark roast coffee

Below, we’ll get into more about each individual product, and stick around till the end for a rundown of some other products worth noting.

iPhone 16

The iPhone is the most popular smartphone brand in the US, so this was a clear priority for price tracking. The iPhone has also emerged as a major focal point for conversations about tariffs, given its popularity and its susceptibility to import taxes because of its overseas production, largely in China. Trump has reportedly been fixated on the idea that the iPhone can and should be manufactured in the US, an idea that experts have dismissed as a fantasy. Estimates have also suggested that a US-made iPhone would cost as much as $3,500.

Something to note about this graph: The price listed is the one you’ll see if you buy your phone through a major carrier. If you, say, buy direct from Apple or Best Buy without a carrier involved, you’ll be charged an extra $30, so in some places, you might see the list price of the standard iPhone 16 listed as $830.

Apple’s been taking a few steps to protect its prices in the face of these tariffs, flying in bulk shipments of product before they took effect and planning to move production for the US market from China to India. A new Reuters report found that a staggering 97% of iPhones imported from the latter country, March through May, were bound for the US. This latter move drew the anger of Trump again, threatening the company with a 25% tariff if they didn’t move production to the US, an idea CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly shot down in the past. This came after Trump gave a tariff exemption to electronic devices including smartphones, so the future of that move seems in doubt now.

Duracell AA batteries

A lot of the tech products in your home might boast a rechargeable energy source but individual batteries are still an everyday essential and I can tell you from experience that as soon as you forget about them, you’ll be needing to restock. The Duracell AAs we’re tracking are some of the bestselling batteries on Amazon.

Samsung DU7200 TV

Alongside smartphones, televisions are some of the most popular tech products out there, even if they’re an infrequent purchase. This particular product is a popular entry-level 4K TV and was CNET’s pick for best overall budget TV for 2025. Unlike a lot of tech products that have key supply lines in China, Samsung is a South Korean company, so it might have some measure of tariff resistance.

After spending most of 2025 hovering around $400, this item has now seen some notable upticks on Amazon, most recently sitting around $450. This could potentially be in reaction to Trump’s announcement of 25% tariffs against South Korea this week.

Xbox Series X

Video game software and hardware are a market segment expected to be hit hard by the Trump tariffs. Microsoft’s Xbox is the first console brand to see price hikes — the company cited «market conditions» along with the rising cost of development. Most notably, this included an increase in the price of the flagship Xbox Series X, up from $500 to $600. Numerous Xbox accessories also were affected and the company also said that «certain» games will eventually see a price hike from $70 to $80.

Initially, we were tracking the price of the much more popular Nintendo Switch as a representative of the gaming market. Nintendo has not yet hiked the price of its handheld-console hybrid and stressed that the $450 price tag of the upcoming Switch 2 has not yet been inflated because of tariffs. Sony, meanwhile, has so far only increased prices on its PlayStation hardware in markets outside the US.

AirPods Pro 2

The latest iteration of Apple’s wildly popular true-wireless earbuds are here to represent the headphone market. Much to the chagrin of the audiophiles out there, a quick look at sales charts on Amazon shows you just how much the brand dominates all headphone sales. For most of the year, they’ve hovered around $199, but ahead of Prime Day sales this week they are currently on sale for $149.

HP 962 CMY printer ink

This HP printer ink includes cyan, magenta and yellow all in one product and recently saw its price jump from around $72 — where it stayed for most of 2025 — to $80, which is around its highest price over the last five years. We will be keeping tabs to see if this is a long-term change or a brief uptick.

This product replaced Overture PLA Filament for 3D printers in this piece, but we’re still tracking that item.

Anker 10,000-mAh, 30-watt power bank

Anker’s accessories are perennially popular in the tech space and the company has already announced that some of its products will get more expensive as a direct result of tariffs. This specific product has also been featured in some of CNET’s lists of the best portable chargers.

Bose TV speaker

Soundbars have become important purchases, given the often iffy quality of the speakers built into TVs. While not the biggest or the best offering in the space, the Bose TV Speaker is one of the more affordable soundbar options out there, especially hailing from a brand as popular as Bose. You can currently get this model at a healthy discount for Prime Day, down to $200 from $280.

Oral-B Pro 1000 electric toothbrush

They might be a lot more expensive than their traditional counterparts but electric toothbrushes remain a popular choice for consumers because of how well they get the job done. I know my dentist won’t let up on how much I need one. This particular Oral-B offering was CNET’s overall choice for the best electric toothbrush for 2025.

While this product hasn’t seen its price budge one way or another most of the year, there is a $10 coupon listed on Amazon right now.

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook

Lenovo is notable among the big laptop manufacturers for being a Chinese company making its products especially susceptible to Trump’s tariffs.

Starbucks Ground Coffee (28-ounce bag)

Coffee is included in this tracker because of its ubiquity —I’m certainly drinking too much of it these days —and because it’s uniquely susceptible to Trump’s tariff agenda. Famously, coffee beans can only be grown within a certain distance from Earth’s equator, a tropical span largely outside the US and known as the «Coffee Belt.»

Hawaii is the only part of the US that can produce coffee beans, with data from USAFacts showing that 11.5 million pounds were harvested there in the 2022-23 season — little more than a drop in the mug, as the US consumed 282 times that amount of coffee during that period. Making matters worse, Hawaiian coffee production has declined in the past few years.

All that to say: Americans get almost all of their coffee from overseas, making it one of the most likely products to see price hikes from tariffs.

Other products

As mentioned, we occasionally swap out products with different ones that undergo notable price shifts. Here are some things no longer featured above, but that we’re still keeping an eye on:

Nintendo Switch: The baseline handheld-console hybrid has held steady around $299 most places — including Amazon — since it released in 2017. Whether that price will be affected by tariffs or the release of the Switch 2 remains to be seen. This product was replaced above with the Xbox Series X.
Overture PLA 3D printer filament: This is a popular choice on Amazon for the material needed to run 3D printers. It has held steady around $15 on Amazon all year. This product was replaced above by the HP 962 printer ink.

Here are some products we also wanted to single out that haven’t been featured with a graph yet:

Razer Blade 18 (2025), 5070 Ti edition: The latest revision of Razer’s largest gaming laptop saw a $300 price bump recently, with the base model featured an RTX 5070 Ti graphics card now priced at $3,500 ahead of launch, compared to the $3,200 price announced in February. While Razer has stayed mum about the reasoning, it did previously suspend direct sales to the US as Trump’s tariff plans were ramping up in April.
Asus ROG Ally X: The premium version of Asus’s Steam Deck competitor handheld gaming PC recently saw a price hike from $799 to $899, coinciding with the announcement of the company’s upcoming Xbox-branded Ally handhelds.

Technologies

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for July 12 #496

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for July 12 No. 496.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

If you love attending baseball games in summer, you’ll hit a home run with today’s NYT Strands puzzle. If you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: In the ballpark.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Play ball!

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

TEER, MEER, MEET, TEEM, ROAD, STALL, TALL, BEST, PEAT, LUNH, CULT, BUMP, BILE, PEAL, METE, BULL, STUN, NUTS

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers: