I’m rocking an old Pixel 8a in 2026, and my latest vacation is thankful for it
The author used a two-year-old Pixel 8a during a vacation in Camiguin and found it surprisingly reliable despite its limitations. The phone handled navigation, photography, payments, and connectivity needs throughout the trip. Though it had slower charging and budget features, its core functionality and Google integration remained effective.
- ▪The Pixel 8a was used for navigation, photos, Bluetooth audio, online payments, and retrieving booking information during a vacation.
- ▪Despite being a budget phone, the Pixel 8a delivered steady performance, a capable camera, and strong photo processing.
- ▪The phone's slow charging was a drawback, but its durability and core Pixel features held up well over two years.
- ▪Camiguin's challenging roads and weak signal areas tested the phone's navigation and connectivity capabilities.
- ▪The author originally bought the Pixel 8a as a temporary replacement for a broken OnePlus 7 Pro.
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I didn’t bring the Pixel 8a to Camiguin to prove a point. I brought it because it’s still my phone, two years after I bought it as a stopgap when my OnePlus 7 Pro died. That’s annoying, because I wasn’t supposed to like this thing for this long. A week on the island gave it chances to fail. I used it for directions, island-hopping photos, Bluetooth music, online payments, and the usual checks when nobody remembers where the booking screenshot went. Recommended Videos (function(){let containerEl=document.getElementById('dt-cnx-container-69f73dc058086');const deletePlayer=()=>{if(containerEl){containerEl.remove();containerEl=null}};if(!window.DT_RELATED_PLAYER_PROVIDER){deletePlayer();return} const iasAnId=decodeURIComponent('927851');if(!window.dtCNXReady){const loadIAS=()=>{return new…
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