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Google Pixel 4a 5G is a fantastic value affordable phone with an impressive camera system
The Google Pixel 4a 5G phone is not, as some might expect, a larger 5G version of the acclaimed Pixel 4a launched over the summer.
Instead, it has more in common with the more recently released Pixel 5, which I reviewed here, in addition to the polycarbonate back shell. This means that it does not support wireless charging.
And, of course, it’s considerably more affordable than the already inexpensive Pixel 5.
Camera
What they share is the same universally acclaimed 12.2MP wide camera with f / 1.7 aperture, 16MP ultrawide with f / 2.2, and 8MP f / 2.2 selfie camera.
Google is way ahead of other companies besides Apple when it comes to the intelligence of computational photography.
What this means is that their phones make excellent point-and-shoot cameras, as one of their strengths is the consistently sharp and colorful images.
If anything, the company has reduced post-processing a bit on the new devices, which means it gets more natural-looking images.
You also get acclaimed features like Super Res Zoom, Night Sight, double exposure sliders, and astrophotography.
The video has also been improved. You can capture in 4K at up to 60fps and in Full HD at up to 240fps.
And the selfies are solid and reliable with a nice bokeh effect.
A new Portrait Light editing option improves lighting on faces or shadows. You can adjust this after capturing the image. It is an innovative feature.
It’s always on for photos captured with the front and rear cameras, and can be applied retrospectively to older portrait shots in Google Photos.
Overall, the Google Pixel 4a 5G offers a flagship-quality camera experience without the accompanying price.
Monitor
The 6.2-inch Pixel 4a 5G has a bright and colorful Full HD AMOLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate, which is slower than the 90HZ refresh rate on the 6-inch Pixel 5.
However, unless you switch from a phone with a 90Hz or 120Hz display, you won’t notice the difference. You can’t miss what you’ve never had.
Similarly, while I may notice that the screen is not as vivid or bright as the OnePlus 8T’s Full HD display, the common consumer will not compare two phones in everyday use.
And I think most consumers will be happy with the Pixel 4a 5G display for media consumption, browsing and even some casual games. Maximum brightness is 638 nits with adaptive brightness disabled.
By the way, you need this feature enabled for outdoor use.
The display has a wide color gamut, and the colors look natural and accurate.
Performance
Like the Pixel 5, the 4a 5G uses the capable Snapdragon 765G chipset, which is just as fast and reliable here as in the OnePlus Nord and OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G reviewed above.
Pixel 5 has 8GB of RAM, but Pixel 4a 5G only has 6GB of RAM.
Having tested both devices using benchmarks and real-world scenarios, I found there was little difference.
The apps seem to load and run the same way on both phones.
They both run Android 11 and will receive Android updates on their phones as soon as they are available.
You get amazing features from Google software like Live Transcription and Recorder app.
Recorder adds new editing features that allow you to trim an audio file by highlighting the text in the transcript and cutting it.
Another function of the recorder allows you to share a video of your recording with the transcript.
Some additional features that you won’t find in Android 11 include suggested apps that appear just above the search bar based on contextual usage and AI.
You will be able to play games like PUBG Mobile and they will work just fine, although the graphics won’t look as sharp as on high-end flagships.
But it is a phone only for casual games.
As the name implies, the Pixel 4a 5G supports 5G connectivity, so it will be ready for the future when Ireland’s mobile networks complete their rollout.
Design and build
Google Pixel 4a 5G has a simple polycarbonate unibody design.
The matte-finish back of the black phone is welcome, but it doesn’t really hide the plastic feel.
However, since most people cover their smartphone, perhaps this is not such a major issue.
It’s a lightweight device that’s comfortable to hold, but a little less easy to use with one hand than the Pixel 5G.
The camera bump at the rear doesn’t stick out as much as the camera mounts on some top flagships.
The back of the device is also where you will find the fast and accurate fingerprint sensor.
Gorilla Glass 3 is used on the front of the device. This is several generations behind most flagships.
There is a perforated notch for the selfie camera.
Pixel 4a 5G includes a headphone port on the top of the device.
Battery duration
The battery performance of the Pixel 4a 5G is similar to that of the Pixel 5, despite the different power pack sizes.
The average user will get a full day’s worth of use from the onboard 3885 mAh power pack.
But during testing, I occasionally needed to recharge Pixel 4a 5G at 8pm or 9pm at night from a 100% start at 8am.
Google has introduced a new extreme battery saver mode for emergency situations that conserves the battery.
The phone supports 18 watt fast charging. A full recharge takes 90 minutes, but it can go from zero to 40 percent in about 30 minutes.
Other features
One feature that the Pixel 4a 5G has that is not in the Pixel 5 is, as mentioned above, a 3.5mm headphone port. However, it does not have IP68 rated water resistance.
Verdict
Pixel 4a 5G is arguably the best phone currently costing less than € 500 in Ireland.
The consistency of its dual camera is excellent, the smooth software experience is another strong point, and the large screen is attractive.
How much does Google Pixel 4a 5G cost?
Pixel 4a 5G costs € 490.89 on the Google Store.
What are the key specifications?
Dimensions: 153.9 x 74 x 8.2 mm
Weight: 168 g
Monitor: 6.2 inches FHD OLED, 1080 x 2340 resolution, 60 Hz refresh rate
CPU: Snapdragon 765G
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 128 GB
Rear cameras: Main 12MP, ƒ / 1.7; 16MP ultra wide, ƒ / 2.2
Frontal camera: 8 MP, ƒ / 2.0
Battery size: 3,885 mAh
Loading: 18W wired
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