Google introduced the Pixel 9a on Wednesday as the latest addition to its budget-friendly "a" series. Positioned below the premium Pixel 9 models, the device makes certain compromises to maintain an accessible price point. Among these trade-offs is the modem selection—Google has confirmed that the Pixel 9a is equipped with an older modem compared to its flagship counterparts.

As reported by Android Authority, Google has disclosed that the Pixel 9a is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 5300 modem. In contrast, the high-end Pixel 9 models utilize the more advanced Exynos 5400, which offers superior peak download speeds, satellite connectivity via the 3GPP Release 17 standard, and improved battery efficiency.

While the Pixel 9a shares the same Tensor G4 chipset as the flagship models, connectivity performance diverges due to the modem difference. The report highlights that the Pixel 9a employs IPoP (Integrated Package on Package) technology, unlike the flagship Pixel 9 devices, which feature the more advanced FOPLP (Fan-Out Panel Level Packaging) for their modems.

Notably, the Exynos 5300 first appeared in Google’s Pixel 7 series, launched in October 2022. It succeeded the Pixel 6’s Shannon A5123 5G modem, which had been widely criticized for connectivity issues, including frequent call drops and sluggish 5G speeds.

Despite being an upgrade at the time, the Exynos 5300 also encountered challenges, such as excessive battery drain and network instability. However, Google has addressed these concerns with the Pixel 9 lineup by integrating the Exynos 5400 modem, which supports peak download speeds of 14.79Gbps and enables satellite connectivity. This improvement has positioned Samsung’s modem as a strong competitor to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X75 5G, found in the Samsung Galaxy S24 series.