Selecting the right first smartphone for my son isn't just about features and pricing; it's about setting the foundation for his digital ecosystem. Over the past few weeks, I've tested four phones—the Pixel 9a, Samsung A56, Nothing Phone 3a Pro, and the iPhone 16e—to find the perfect match. Let's break down how each phone stacks up and why I ultimately chose one over the others.
Pricing and Trade-in Deals
Here's a quick snapshot of each phone's pricing:
- Pixel 9a: £499 (128GB storage, 8GB RAM)
- Samsung A56: £499 (256GB storage, 8GB RAM)
- Nothing Phone 3a Pro: £449 (256GB storage, 12GB RAM)
- iPhone 16e: £599 (128GB storage, 8GB RAM)
Trade-in offers:
- Google provided the best trade-in deals: £260 for my Pixel 5a and £205 for my Samsung A52.
- Samsung only offered a generic £100 trade-in deal.
- Apple and Nothing offered no trade-in deals.
These deals significantly impacted my decision-making, especially Google's competitive trade-in offer, effectively lowering the Pixel 9a's price considerably.
Design and Ergonomics
Each phone has its unique appeal:
- Nothing Phone 3a Pro: Stands out with its circuit board aesthetics and distinctive Glyph interface for notifications and app integrations. It's slightly bulky but attention-grabbing.
- Samsung A56: Classic Samsung design with premium glass and aluminium rails, making it feel robust and sophisticated.
- iPhone 16e: Familiar compact design with an added Action Button for extra functionality, suitable for smaller hands.
- Pixel 9a: Offers a sleek, premium feel with frosted glass and aluminium rails, even surviving an accidental drop onto concrete without major damage.
Display Quality
Here's how their displays compare:
- Pixel 9a: 6.3” OLED, 120Hz, up to 2700 nits
- iPhone 16e: 6.1” OLED, 60Hz, up to 1200 nits (HDR)
- Nothing 3a Pro: 6.77” OLED, 120Hz, up to 3000 nits (HDR)
- Samsung A56: 6.7” OLED, 120Hz, up to 1900 nits (HDR)
The Nothing Phone offers the largest display, while the Pixel 9a excels in brightness, making both appealing depending on your priorities.
Performance
- Pixel 9a (Tensor G4) and iPhone 16e (A18 Chip) clearly outperform with flagship processors.
- Samsung A56 (Exynos 1580) and Nothing 3a Pro (Snapdragon 7s Gen 3) showed noticeable sluggishness during multitasking and heavy usage.
Performance-wise, Pixel and iPhone stood out for seamless user experiences.
Cameras
Each phone offers unique camera setups:
- Pixel 9a: Excellent image quality with 48MP main and 13MP ultrawide cameras.
- Samsung A56: Struggles with zoomed-in clarity, though generally solid.
- Nothing 3a Pro: Impressive 50MP periscope zoom lens for superior long-distance shots.
- iPhone 16e: Limited with a single main camera, lacking versatility compared to others.
The Pixel 9a and Nothing Phone stood out, with Pixel providing consistently great quality and Nothing excelling in zoom capabilities.
Software and Ecosystem
Software heavily influenced my decision:
- iOS (iPhone): Simplified interface, seamless ecosystem, but restrictive parental controls setup.
- Pixel Android: Intuitive UI, excellent features like Call Screen and Call Assist, and streamlined Family Link parental control app.
- Samsung OneUI: Robust ecosystem integrations, versatile yet occasionally cluttered.
- NothingOS: Minimalistic and unique, though occasionally buggy.
AI Integration
- Apple Intelligence: Basic functionalities; significantly behind in useful integrations.
- Google Gemini (Android): Powerful, practical, and user-friendly AI features for fitness, nutrition, and real-time interactions.
- Nothing Essential Space: Creative note-taking and organisation features, but awkward button placement causing frequent accidental triggers.
Android clearly wins here with Google's Gemini delivering exceptional real-world usability.
Battery Life and Charging
- Pixel 9a: Largest battery (5100mAh), solid performance, supports wireless charging.
- Nothing 3a Pro: Remarkable endurance (5000mAh), fast wired charging (50W), but no wireless charging.
- Samsung A56: Reliable battery life, fast wired charging (45W), no wireless option.
- iPhone 16e: Smallest battery (4005mAh), supports wireless charging, average performance.
The Pixel and Nothing phones excelled in real-world battery performance.
Miscellaneous Considerations
- IP Ratings: Pixel (IP68), iPhone (IP68), Samsung (IP67), Nothing (IP64—least water-resistant).
- Software Updates: Pixel and iPhone offer the longest support (around 7 years), Samsung close with 6 years, Nothing falls short with only 3 years.
My Final Choice: Pixel 9a
Ultimately, the Pixel 9a emerged as the best fit. Its premium design, top-notch performance, robust software, superior AI integration, and outstanding trade-in deals made it unbeatable. It allows flexibility beyond Apple's ecosystem, fostering a more open digital environment for my son.
What would you choose? Let me know your thoughts below!
