I welcome you to the month of October with a pair of new smartphones. The new smartphones are no other than tech giant’s Google Pixel 5 and Google Pixel 4a 5G. Google has launched it’s offering for 2020 and its a lot different than previous years. Let’s check out what the Google Pixel 5 and the Google Pixel 4A 5G has to offer.
Google Pixel 5
There is only one Pixel flagship this year. I mean the specifications are not truly “flagship”, but you get my point, right? There is an absence of an XL version that Pixel usually offers. Meaning the Pixel 5 comes at a fairly larger display of 6-inch. For a comparison Pixel, 4 had a 5.7-inch display. The display is 1080p+ with a high refresh rate of 90Hz.
Camera done right
Pixel series is known for its camera. And Google has done some changes. Pixel 5 comes with a dual rear camera setup. The main sensor is a 12.2-megapixel shooter. However, the second one is an ultra-wide sensor. Pixel 4 series used a telephoto lens however the 5 series ditches out the telephoto for an ultra-wide sensor.
The 16-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens comes with an f/2.2 aperture and 1.0um pixel size. In my opinion, this is a fairly good combo. Yes, a telephoto offers good zoom but since most of that work can be done thanks to Google’s software capabilities, an ultra-wide sensor was needed.
This time we can record videos at 4K at 60fps. Google Pixel 4 series was really good when photography was done. However, Apple used to conquer the videography. This time, I have hope that Google has improved the video quality and stability thanks to OIS.
Performance. Ermmm!
The Pixel series says good-bye to Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 series chipset. This means that Pixel 5 doesn’t have the flagship chipset rather it relies on the Snapdragon 700 series. It comes with a Snapdragon 765G which brings 5G to Pixel. I mean Google doesn’t make devices for the best performance and its better than including under-clocked 800-series chipset.
The Pixel 5 comes with a 4080 mAH battery. A step-up than the latter but still a smaller one since 5G will eat more juice than 4G LTE. The device still charges at 18W so no 33W or 65W charging for Pixels. The phone brings back the finger-print reader on the rear side. Wireless charging and Reverse wireless charging are supported.
Design and Build Quality
The phone is made up of recycled aluminum. The device is textured for a better grip. It has a very identical look to the last year’s Pixel. However, the front has improved a lot. Finally, there is a small punch-hole giving more screen to body ratio. The phone comes in color options including Just Black and the new Sorta Sage. The device is IP68-certified for dust and water resistance.
Pixel 4A 5G – Bigger & Better
The second device to get unveiled today is Pixel 4A 5G. This is actually a surprise for us. We were expecting a Pixel 4A 5G version but we weren’t expecting a bigger display, better cameras, and a much better processor!
The device comes with a 6.2-inch OLED panel with a 60Hz refresh rate. For comparison, the vanilla Pixel 4a comes with a 5.8-inch display. The device has a dual rear camera setup unlike the single cam on Pixel 4a.
Goodness of Pixel 5’s camera at a cheaper price
And believe me, the Pixel 4a 5G has the same camera as Pixel 5. You will get a dual-camera setup comprising of a 12.2-megapixel main sensor together with a 16 MP ultrawide unit. There is an 8-megapixel shooter resting on the punch-hole notch.
We weren’t expecting this!
The smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 765G which is the same used on Pixel 5. It is a lot better than 730G used on the vanilla model. I was expecting a less powerful Snapdragon 690 but no, Google surprised us!
The battery on the other hand is 3,885 mAH with 18W fast charging support. There is no wireless charging. Although to cheer you up, there is a 3.5mm headphone jack. Pixel 5 doesn’t have one!
Design and Build Quality
The thing which isn’t improved here is the build quality. It is still a polycarbonate build. It lacks an IP68 rating. However, it looks very identical to the Pixel 5. There is a fingerprint scanner situated on the rear side, just like on the Pixel 5.
Pricing and configurations
Pixel 5 gets a single variant comprising of 8GB RAM and 128GB native storage. It is priced at $700/€630/£599. The phone is up for the pre-orders.
Whereas, the Pixel 4a 5G gets 6GB RAM and native 128GB internal storage. It is priced at $500/€500/£500. You can pre-order the phone starting on November 5. Whereas, the phone will be available on November 19.
