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Even though the Pixel 11 series isn’t officially out the door yet, we already have our first big leak for the upcoming Pixel 11a. Thanks to some new information from Mystic Leaks, we have a very clear picture of what Google’s next mid-range device is bringing to the table, and it looks like the company is correcting some recent missteps.
The biggest takeaway from this leak is that the Pixel 11a (internally codenamed “Formosan”) is returning to form by featuring a flagship-grade processor: the Tensor G6. If you recall, the Pixel 10a was a huge disappointment on this front. While the Pixel A-series typically ships with the current-gen processor while cutting corners in other hardware areas to keep costs down, the 10a shipped with the older Tensor G4 instead of the G5 found in the Pixel 10. Skipping a generation and bringing the Tensor G6 down to the 11a is exactly what we wanted to see.
Just like we are expecting with the Pixel 11 series, this leak also suggests the 11a is officially moving on from Samsung’s Exynos modems in favor of a MediaTek M90 modem. This is arguably just as important as the processor bump. Samsung’s modems have plagued Tensor chips for years, causing notorious idle battery drain and dropped cell signals. Moving to the MediaTek M90 should finally put an end to those long-standing connectivity headaches for budget buyers.
The leak also details a few other hardware shifts. The battery capacity is reportedly dropping slightly to a minimum of 4,870mAh (down from 5,000mAh on the 10a). However, the efficiency gains from the newer, 2nm Tensor G6 architecture mean overall battery life should easily remain the same, if not improve. And there’s also a chance the battery is larger, since the leaks say a “minimal capacity” 4870 mAh.
The display remains a 6.3-inch 1080p panel with a 60-120Hz variable refresh rate, but it looks like the 11a is getting a massive brightness bump, peaking at 3,350 nits. The front camera is also being swapped for a new sensor codenamed “dokkaebi.”
It is still incredibly early, but if these specs hold true, the Pixel 11a is already shaping up to be an absolute powerhouse of a mid-range phone!
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