The Google Pixel 9a is the best $500 phone that I’ve ever tested

Everyone loves a good flagship phone — they get the best cameras, the fastest charging, and the best materials that an (increasingly large) pile of money can buy. I’m no different. I love to keep a Pixel 9 Pro or an iPhone 16 in my pocket, and I try to spend a few months of the year with a foldable phone as my primary device. The rest of the time, though, I hop from one budget or mid-range phone to the next, trying to find out how much you can get without breaking the bank.

Sometimes, I’m let down by the experience, but other times, I am ready to recommend a cheaper phone to almost everyone who asks. This is one of those times. The Pixel 9a is Google at its best, and it’s the easiest mid-range phone to recommend in years, so long as you can live without a few things.