Xiaomi 14T vs Google Pixel 8a: A Deep Dive into Mid-Range Champions
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Google Pixel 8a emerges as the stronger all-rounder. Its exceptional 40:06h battery endurance and Google’s software experience outweigh the Xiaomi 14T’s faster charging and slightly higher peak display brightness. However, gamers and power users will appreciate the 14T’s superior processing capabilities.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi 14T | Google Pixel 8a |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 42, 66 - G6GPR (International) |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 76, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - G6GPR (International) |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2024, September 26 | 2024, May 07 |
| Status | Available. Released 2024, September 26 | Available. Released 2024, May 14 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame, glass back (Panda X) | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, plastic back |
| Dimensions | 160.5 x 75.1 x 7.8 mm or 8.0 mm | 152.1 x 72.7 x 8.9 mm (5.99 x 2.86 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· eSIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 193 g or 195 g (6.81 oz) | 188 g (6.63 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3, Mohs level 5 |
| Resolution | 1220 x 2712 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~446 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~430 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~89.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.1 inches, 90.3 cm2 (~81.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 68B colors, 144Hz, 2880Hz PWM, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1600 nits (HBM), 4000 nits (peak) | OLED, HDR, 120Hz, 2000 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.35 GHz Cortex-A715 & 3x3.20 GHz Cortex-A715 & 4x2.20 GHz Cortex-A510) | Nona-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X3 & 4x2.45 GHz Cortex-A715 & 4x2.15 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 8300 Ultra (4 nm) | Google Tensor G3 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Mali G615-MC6 | Immortalis-G715s MC10 |
| OS | Android 14, upgradable to Android 15, HyperOS 2 | Android 14, upgradable to Android 16, up to 7 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 64 MP (16 MP eff.), f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1.12µm |
| Features | Leica lens, Ultra HDR, LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Ultra HDR, panorama, Best Take |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.7, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/1.9, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 15mm (ultrawide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm | - |
| Video | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, gyro-EIS, 10-bit Rec. 2020, HDR10+ | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.0, 25mm (wide), 1/3.44", 0.64µm | 13 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, HDR10+ | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.4, A2DP, LE, LHDC | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), BDS (B1I+B1C+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), NavIC (L5), GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual/tri-band (market/region dependent) |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 67W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 45 min | 18W wired, PD3.0 7.5W wireless Bypass charging |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Li-Po 4492 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Titan Gray, Titan Blue, Titan Black, Lemon Green | Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay, Aloe |
| Models | 2406APNFAG | GKV4X, G6GPR, G8HHN, G576D |
| Price | € 337.12 / $ 469.99 / £ 373.06 | $ 229.98 / C$ 417.99 / £ 279.00 / € 299.99 / ₹ 33,300 |
| SAR EU | 0.98 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) | - |
| EU LABEL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery | - | 40:06h endurance, 1000 cycles |
| Energy | - | Class B |
| Free fall | - | Class A (270 falls) |
| Repairability | - | Class B |
Xiaomi 14T
- Faster 67W wired charging
- Potentially higher sustained performance with Dimensity 8300 Ultra
- Higher peak display brightness (1355 nits)
- Significantly shorter battery life (11:32h)
- Less refined software experience compared to Pixel
- No wireless charging
Google Pixel 8a
- Exceptional battery life (40:06h endurance)
- Google’s AI-powered camera and software features
- Long-term software support and updates
- Slower 18W wired charging
- Tensor G3 may throttle under heavy load
- Lower peak display brightness (1508 nits)
Display Comparison
Both devices utilize 4nm chipsets, allowing for efficient display operation. The Pixel 8a boasts a slightly brighter display at 1508 nits compared to the Xiaomi 14T’s 1355 nits, offering better visibility in direct sunlight. While both are excellent, the Pixel 8a’s higher peak brightness provides a marginal advantage. Details regarding panel technology (OLED vs AMOLED) and refresh rates are missing, but both are expected to offer vibrant colors and smooth scrolling. Bezels appear comparable based on available imagery, and color accuracy is likely to be excellent on both, though specific calibration data is unavailable.
Camera Comparison
Camera details beyond the main sensors are limited. The Pixel 8a benefits from Google’s computational photography expertise, which consistently delivers excellent image quality, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. While sensor sizes aren't provided, the Pixel’s image processing algorithms are a significant differentiator. The Xiaomi 14T likely relies more on hardware capabilities, and while it may capture detailed images, it may not match the Pixel’s dynamic range and color accuracy. The absence of details regarding OIS and lens apertures makes a definitive comparison difficult, but Google’s software advantage is a strong point for the Pixel 8a.
Performance
The Xiaomi 14T’s MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Ultra features a unique octa-core configuration (1x3.35 GHz Cortex-A715, 3x3.20 GHz Cortex-A715, 4x2.20 GHz Cortex-A510), while the Pixel 8a employs Google’s Tensor G3 with a nona-core setup (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X3, 4x2.45 GHz Cortex-A715, 4x2.15 GHz Cortex-A510). The Cortex-X3 in the Tensor G3 is designed for peak performance, but the Dimensity 8300 Ultra’s higher clock speeds on its A715 cores suggest a potential advantage in sustained workloads. Both utilize 4nm fabrication, but thermal management will be crucial. The Pixel 8a’s Tensor G3 is known to throttle under prolonged stress, while the 14T’s cooling solution will determine if it can maintain peak performance for extended gaming sessions. RAM speed (LPDDR5x is expected on both) is not specified, but will contribute to overall responsiveness.
Battery Life
The Pixel 8a’s endurance rating of 40:06h is significantly higher than the Xiaomi 14T’s 11:32h active use score. This suggests a substantial difference in battery optimization and efficiency. While the 14T compensates with a much faster 67W wired charging (100% in 45 minutes) compared to the Pixel 8a’s 18W charging, the Pixel’s longevity reduces the need for frequent top-ups. The Pixel 8a also offers 7.5W wireless charging and bypass charging, features absent on the 14T. The Pixel 8a’s reported 1000 cycle battery life also indicates superior long-term battery health.
Buying Guide
Buy the Xiaomi 14T if you prioritize gaming performance, fast charging, and don't mind a less refined software experience. Its Dimensity 8300 Ultra chipset delivers a noticeable edge in demanding tasks. Buy the Google Pixel 8a if you value long battery life, a clean and consistently updated Android experience, and Google’s renowned camera processing, even if it means sacrificing some raw processing power and charging speed.