Google’s Pixel 9a doesn’t just look like a strong successor over last year’s model, it also appears to be the best phone that won’t break the bank.

The $499 Pixel 9A is a follow-up to one of our favorite phones from 2024, the Pixel 8A. Google kept the price under $500 and added a big, 5,100-mAh battery.

But at that price, it's hard to ignore Google and its Pixel A series, especially now that a new version has just been announced. The new phone adopts the same silicon introduced with last fall's Pixel 9 lineup,