The Pixel 8a is supposed to last you (at least) seven yeas with Google providing software support but also ensuring that replacement parts are still available even in the early 2030s. But if you had to repair one yourself, how hard would it be?
Pixel 8a and Pixel 8 with their batteries out
Well, the plastic back cover comes off easily enough and you don’t even need to do that if you just want to replace the protective glass above the cameras. Then there are some Torx screws in the way, but after that PBKreview encountered an issue.
And it’s a typical one – despite having a pull tab, the battery is strongly glued to the frame, making it tough to remove even with plenty of isopropyl alcohol.
Interestingly, there are no vapor chambers inside the Pixel 8a – plenty of graphite and copper film plus thermal pads, but no vapor chamber for the Tensor G3 chipset. The Tensors tend to run hot and the basic cooling solution isn’t helping matters. Check out our hands-on review for more details.
The Google Pixel 8a was given a not-so-good repairability score because of that battery. At least you don’t have to go through the back to replace the screen, making the process much easier.