
Great budget pick, lazy upgrade

Motorola
Good
Google Pixel 10a
Google Pixel 10a
The marquee design change is the camera module — Google ground it down until the lenses sit completely flush with the back, so the phone lies dead flat on a table with no rock or wobble. Otherwise it is dimensionally and visually almost indistinguishable from the Pixel 9a: same 6.3-inch 153.9 × 73 × 9mm chassis, same aluminum frame, same plastic back, same IP68 rating. The new Berry color is the standout, with reviewers from The Verge to 9to5Google to Wired specifically calling it the one to buy.
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Motorola Razr 2025
Motorola Razr 2025
The Razr 2025 turns heads with its Pantone-validated color palette and premium vegan leather finish. The titanium-reinforced hinge allows a bigger teardrop fold that reduces crease visibility, and the phone feels lighter than the Ultra despite identical folded dimensions. IP48 water resistance and Gorilla Glass Victus round out the durability features.
Google Pixel 10a
The 6.3-inch 1080×2424 pOLED with 120Hz refresh is identical in resolution and panel tech to the 9a, but Google bumped peak brightness 11% to 3,000 nits and finally replaced the ancient Gorilla Glass 3 with Gorilla Glass 7i. Reviewers agree it is good rather than great — bright enough for outdoor use, sharp, fast — but the bezels remain noticeably thick by 2026 mid-range standards, and the panel still ships with 120Hz off by default.
Motorola Razr 2025
The 6.9-inch internal AMOLED is vibrant at FHD+ with 120Hz refresh and 3,000 nits peak brightness. The 3.6-inch cover screen running at 90Hz is the standout feature — it handles full Android apps, messages, and quick tasks without needing to unfold the phone.
Google Pixel 10a
Google broke A-series tradition by reusing the Tensor G4 from 2024 instead of pairing the 10a with the current flagship Tensor G5. Real-world performance is fine — Pixel UI is fluid, animations are smooth, light gaming works — but benchmarks confirm what reviewers expected: the 10a is closer to a mid-range chip than a flagship. The 8GB of RAM cap is the bigger long-term concern for a phone that will get updates through 2033.
Motorola Razr 2025
The MediaTek Dimensity 7400X handles daily tasks adequately but is noticeably behind flagship chipsets. Reviewers report occasional lag when switching apps and slow camera app performance, though it outperforms phones that cost $1,000 just two years ago.
Google Pixel 10a
The 48MP f/1.7 main with OIS, 13MP f/2.2 ultrawide and 13MP selfie carry over byte-for-byte from the Pixel 9a — no new hardware. What is new is Camera Coach and Auto Best Take, both pulled from the Pixel 10 series, and the absence of a telephoto lens that the Galaxy S25 FE and Nothing 4a Pro both ship at this price. Critics agree this is still the best $500 camera experience on Android thanks to Google's image processing, though shooting beyond 2x or in low light reveals the small sensor's limits.
Motorola Razr 2025
The 50MP main camera captures good detail in well-lit conditions with vibrant colors, and the 32MP selfie camera is genuinely strong. However, the hardware is largely unchanged from the previous generation, low-light results are inconsistent, and shutter lag is noticeable.