Google Pixel 9a Reportedly Uses Downgraded Modem Compared to Flagship Pixel 9 Models

The Pixel 9a reportedly features the Exynos 5300 modem.

Written by Shaurya Tomer, Edited by Siddharth Suvarna | Updated: 20 March 2025 14:34 IST

Google Pixel 9a Reportedly Uses Downgraded Modem Compared to Flagship Pixel 9 Models

Photo Credit: Google

Google Pixel 9a (pictured) is the successor to last year's Pixel 8a

Highlights

Google Pixel 9a is reported to use an older Exynos 5300 modem
Exynos 5300 was first introduced in the Pixel 7 series in 2022
Flagship Pixel 9 smartphones use Exynos 5400 SoC

Google Pixel 9a was launched on Wednesday as the company's latest affordable “a” series handset. The phone sits below the flagship models in the Pixel 9 lineup, sacrificing some of the premium features for an affordable price tag. As per a report, Google has confirmed that one of the trade offs is the modem used in the Pixel 9a. The phone uses an older model compared to the modem found in the other Pixel 9 models.

Older Modem in Google Pixel 9a

Google confirmed to Android Authority that the new Pixel 9a uses Samsung's Exynos 5300 modem. Meanwhile, the flagship Pixel 9 lineup is equipped with the newer Exynos 5400 modem which supports higher peak downlink speeds and satellite connectivity courtesy of the 3GPP Release 17 standard, while also improving the battery life.

Despite the Pixel 9a being powered by the same Tensor G4 SoC as the top-of-the-line models, it varies when it comes to connectivity, the report suggests. This development was first reported in October by the same publication and it also claimed that the Pixel 9a's modem would use IPoP (Integrated Package on Package) as opposed to the FOPLP (Fan-Out Panel Level Packaging) package of the flagship Pixel 9 models.

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Notably, Exynos 5300 is the same modem introduced by the Mountain View-based technology giant with its Pixel 7 series in October 2022. It debuted as an upgrade over the Pixel 6's Shannon A5123 5G modem which was widely criticised for suffering from common problems such as call drops and slow 5G speeds.

However, the Exynos 5300 wasn't without its own issues. At the time, users reported facing high battery consumption and network breaks. Google has since rectified the problems with the latest Pixel 9 series and the Exynos 5400 chip, which supports a peak download speed of 14.79Gbps while also offering satellite connectivity. This has made Samsung's modem a serious competitor to the Snapdragon X75 5G which is used in the Samsung Galaxy S24 series.

Google Pixel 9a

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 6.30-inch

Processor Google Tensor G4

Front Camera 13-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 13-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 256GB

Battery Capacity 5100mAh

OS Android 15

Resolution 1080x2424 pixels

Google Pixel 7

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Sharp, 90Hz display
Good quality cameras
Good gaming performance
Bloatware-free software, timely updates
Good battery life
IP68 rating

Bad
Video recording could be better
Gets warm under load
No bundled charger
Relatively slow charging

Read detailed Google Pixel 7 review

Google Pixel 6

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 6.40-inch

Processor Google Tensor

Front Camera 8-megapixel

Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB

Battery Capacity 4614mAh

OS Android 12

Resolution 1080x2400 pixels

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Further reading: Google Pixel 9a, Google Pixel 9a Specifications, Pixel, Google Pixel 9

Shaurya Tomer

Email Shaurya Tomer

Shaurya Tomer is a Sub Editor at Gadgets 360 with 2 years of experience across a diverse spectrum of topics. With a particular focus on smartphones, gadgets and the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence... more »