Pixel 11a leak reveals a flagship chip and a modem upgrade it badly needs

The cheaper Pixel 11a may get the same Tensor G6 chip as Google’s flagship phones

By Sudhanshu Kumar Mangalam Published July 18, 2026

Google Pixel 10a rear view. — Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

Google is less than a month away from launching the Pixel 11 series. The company has already started teasing the phones ahead of its August 12 event, including a brief look at the new Pixel Glow light built into the camera bar. We expect to see the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold on stage.

The more affordable Pixel 11a will probably arrive much later, likely in spring 2027. Still, a new leak from Mystic Leaks has already revealed most of its hardware, and Google may be fixing the biggest compromise it made on the Pixel 10a.

Is Google giving the Pixel 11a a proper flagship chip?

The Pixel 11a will reportedly use the same Tensor G6 processor expected inside the main Pixel 11 lineup. Its predecessor missed out on Tensor G5 and shipped with the older Tensor G4 instead, presumably to keep costs under control.

Google may not repeat that move next year. Tensor G6 is said to arrive alongside the Titan M3 security chip, a PowerVR C-Series GPU, and MediaTek’s M90 modem. The modem is especially interesting, as the Pixel 11 series is also expected to move away from Samsung’s Exynos hardware.

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Pixel owners have complained about weak reception, dropped connections, and excessive battery drain for years. A different modem does not guarantee those problems will disappear, but the switch gives Google a chance to address one of the Pixel line’s most persistent weaknesses.

What else is changing?

The Pixel 11a is said to retain a 6.3-inch display with a resolution of 1,080 by 2,424 pixels and a variable 60Hz to 120Hz refresh rate. Brightness could reach 2,250 nits for HDR and 3,350 nits at its peak, making the screen noticeably easier to see outdoors.

Google will reportedly stick with 8GB of RAM, while the minimum battery capacity could fall slightly from 5,000mAh to 4,870mAh. The leak also mentions a new front-facing camera sensor and four colors named Obsidian, Olive, Frost, and Fog.

None of these details are official yet. Even so, Tensor G6 and the MediaTek modem could make the Pixel 11a a much more meaningful upgrade than its predecessor.

Sudhanshu Kumar Mangalam

Contributor

I’ve got about 4 years of experience, mostly covering gaming, PC hardware, and smartphones. In my free time, I like…

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