Google’s $449 Pixel 5A with 5G is the second major Pixel announcement this year, hot on the heels of the Pixel 6 teaser …
Google’s $449 Pixel 5A with 5G is the second major Pixel announcement this year, hot on the heels of the Pixel 6 teaser earlier this month. It features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor that powers a 6.34-inch OLED display. The phone also has IP67 water- and dust-resistance. So while Google’s highest-end Pixel 6 and 6 Pro phones will include the new in-house Tensor chip, the 5A (as I’ll call it from now on) will have more in common with last year’s Pixel 4A 5G. For Pixel fans with deeper pockets, the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro’s chip and redesign could be exciting, but this Pixel likely will be shooting for a more budget-conscious crowd. If you’re looking for a cheaper Pixel, you won’t have to wait for the Pixel 6’s release date sometime this fall, as the 5A will be released on Aug.26 and can be bought in the US carrier-unlocked directly from Google or with Google Fi. The phone will also be available in Japan. (While it’s not coming to the UK or Australia, the price converts to roughly £320 or AU$630.) I’ve spent the past few days with Google’s new phone. While it feels like a worthy successor to the Pixel 4A 5G so far, here’s what you’ll want to keep in mind if you want a cheaper 5G Pixel or Android phone on a budget. We’ll update this ongoing review as we continue to test out the phone. The 5A’s chip is the same as the one used in last year’s 4A 5G: the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor. The similarities don’t end there, as both phones also have 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. They each have similar front and rear cameras with a hole punch for the front camera, and both have a fingerprint reader on the back and a 3.5mm headphone jack on top. The camera system is the same as last year’s Pixel 4A with 5G. It has all the same features, including a portrait mode, Night Sight and an ultrawide lens capable of taking pleasing photos at night and during the day. The differences begin with a larger 6.34-inch OLED display with a 20:9 aspect ratio that’s similar to the Galaxy S21. That’s compared to a 6.2-inch display on the 4A 5G at a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, which we’ve seen on devices such as the Pixel 5 and iPhone 12. The 5A is running Android 11 in my tests, but if past Pixel trends hold true the phone will likely be among the first to get Android 12. The new OS will include the new Material You design, refreshed notifications and even more customizable options that could be exclusive to the Pixel series. Watching videos on YouTube, Netflix or Disney Plus worked fine. Games on Stadia or Xbox Game Pass also played well, though some (particularly those on Xbox) were letterboxed and wouldn’t play in full screen.
