It wouldn't be a Google phone if we weren't bombarded with leak after leak months in advance. So far, the Pixel 7a is no exception. After a few leaks revealed specs and renders, one user managed to get an early hands-on with the device well before it's expected to hit store shelves later this year. Google has finally remotely locked this particular unit — no surprise there — but not before we could learn a few more tidbits about the company's next mid-range phone.

Although this Pixel 7a is now prevented from booting, the fastboot menu contains some new and exciting information for anyone looking to upgrade this summer. The likely candidate for Google's next smartphone launch contains 128GB of storage and 8GB of DDR5 RAM. While the former is nothing new — the Pixel 4a included that much storage when it launched in 2020 — the latter is a fresh upgrade for the A-series. Google hasn't given its mid-range lineup a RAM upgrade since that very same Pixel 4a launch, but that's set to change this year.

It's yet another spec for what's shaping up to be one of the most impressive phones of 2023. Between recent leaks and this week's hands-on, it seems all but certain that the Pixel 7a will be nearly as powerful as last year's Pixel 7, but for a fraction of the price. Reports suggest Google is planning on maintaining the $450 price point for another year, but with a 90Hz display, the Tensor G2 SoC, additional RAM, and wireless charging. And considering we've seen the Pixel 6a on sale for just $300 throughout the last few months, a great deal could be even better next fall.