Google Pixel 9a It is the last mid -range device of the Mountain View giant which, as per tradition for the “A” series of pixels, focuses everything on balance between performance and competitive price. But under this appearance attractive, a detail is hidden that could ruin the durability of the smartphone over time: we are talking about the battery extremely complicated to replace.
Zack Nelson, the well -known YouTuber behind the channel Jerryrigeverythinghas as usual put under pressure Google Pixel 9asubjecting it to several resistance tests to verify its reparactability. In the video Teardown at the bottom of the article we can see how the smartphone behaved very well in the fearsome tests developed by the YouTuber, aligning with other devices of the same band in terms of durability and resistance.
The Gorilla Glass 3 of Google Pixel 9a (here our review) resisted scratches in most cases, starting to highlight signs on the display only starting from level 7 of the Mohs scale. The rest of the device behaved as expected, with the plastic body that demonstrated a discreet robustness and metal edges that have scratched each other very easily, given the intrinsic nature of the material.
The internal structure of the smartphone also proved to be very robust: Google Pixel 9a does not bendnot even exerting a strong pressure with your hands from the edges of the device. However, an important criticality reported by Zack is the speaker grid, which is fixed weakly and which could vain the certification against water and dust if unfortunately should be detached following a fall.
Google Pixel 9a promoted in the resistance, rejected in repairability
According to Jerryrigeverything the real Achille heel of Google Pixel 9a It is the 5100 mAh battery module. If on paper it represents one of the strengths of the smartphone, capable of offering more than satisfactory autonomy for an intense daily use, it is in its replacement that the weakest point of the package is, to the point that the YouTuber advises against the purchase.
Despite Google has foreseen tabs to facilitate extraction, the excessive amount of glue used to fix the battery to the body makes the almost impossible removal without taking risks. In the video we can see that Zack uses a remarkable amount of isopropyl alcohol, usually used to remove glue from inside the smartphones, but in this case the battery deforms during the removal.
It therefore goes without saying that a battery so complicated that it removes could lead to damage to the device or even cause accidents, if the person involved in the replacement is not an expert in the sector. This situation, according to Jerryrigeverything, is clearly against the promises of longevity made by Googlewho with his 7 years of updates aims to keep smartphones in the hands of buyers as long as possible.
In fact, this is not a mere technical question, since a device designed to last over time should guarantee maintenance accessible to anyone, especially for components that degrade physiologically over time as precisely the batteries. This is a theme that also affects the sustainability and ease of recycling of a device, topics that the same Google It seems to have very closely during the presentation events of a new smartphone.
This is basically the reason why Jerryrigeverything advise against buying Google Pixel 9aespecially for those looking for a device that points on longevity, on the ease of repair and that it is ethical from an environmental point of view. For those who are instead looking for a good performance device and built solidly, will find in the new medium range of Google The perfect candidate.
