In our Google Pixel 4a review revisited, we’ll figure out how this phone has held up (and hasn’t) over the past six months.
Although the Google Pixel 4a arrived very late to the party last year, it was still a massive critical success. Across the board, critics and buyers loved the phone for delivering a solid set of basic specs for an extremely reasonable price of just $349. In our original Google Pixel 4a review, we called it Google’s best phone in years and it came third in our Editor’s Choice award for the best smartphone of 2020. Check it out: The original Android Authority review of the Pixel 4a All that happened back in August. Six months later, the smartphone landscape looks a bit different. Since then, we’ve seen a whole swath of new iPhones, the launch of the unexpectedly-less-expensive Samsung Galaxy S21 series, and plenty of announcements and rumors of phones coming down the pipeline soon. With all that in mind, is the Pixel 4a still worth considering? That’s what this “revisited” series is all about. Over the span of four days this month, I used the Pixel 4a as my daily driver. Below, you’ll find the things I loved about the phone — as well as the things I wished were different. This is the Google Pixel 4a review revisited. Because the Pixel 4a is a Pixel, there are certain things about it that need to be great. The two big boys are the software and the rear camera. Because this is an “a” series phone, it also needs to be priced to move. Unsurprisingly, those are the three aspects of this phone that shine brightest. However, what’s notable is just how brightly those aspects shine with the Pixel 4a. With few minor exceptions, the software experience on the Google Pixel 4a is the same as you’d get on a more premium Pixel. That includes the Google Pixel 5, which is twice as expensive. While this doesn’t sound too notable, I constantly said, “oh wow, that feature is here,” to myself during my time with this phone. As an example, Google’s absolutely incredible Call Screen feature is available with the Pixel 4a (in the US, at least). This Google Assistant-powered perk handles any call for you that comes from an unknown number. It answers the call and provides a transcript of what’s said so you can then call back or mark the call as spam. I get a lot of spam calls about car warranties (even though I don’t own a car!), so this was amazing. I have 2020 phones in my arsenal that cost over $1,200 and have nothing that comes close to the convenience of this feature. Related: Google Pixel phones: A history of every phone launched so far Likewise, other Pixel-exclusive staples are here, such as Smart Reply, Live Caption, Overview Selection, etc. There’s also no bloatware to speak of and you can easily chat directly with a Google support rep through Settings if you ever have any questions or issues. Obviously, since this is a Pixel it also gets the latest security patches and Android upgrades on day one. This is especially notable because there are many 2020 flagship phones from multiple brands still on Android 10. It’ll also be supported with patches and upgrades until 2023, which gets you to Android 14. Once again, this is something that everyone knows Pixel phones do — but this phone is only $349. It’s totally amazing that its software experience surpasses $1,000+ flagships, and I think it’s important that we not treat that as a minor thing. There was a time when the rear camera even on the Google Pixel 3a could go up against most flagships. Even though the Pixel 4a’s camera hardware is anemic compared to other phones, Google’s unbelievable software does most of the heavy lifting. That’s kept Pixel phones at the top for years. However, that’s changing. Sensors in competitor phones are getting bigger and bigger, while Google’s are pretty much the same. What’s more, other companies — especially Samsung — are catching up to Google in the software department. This is a real problem for Google. That all being said, the Google Pixel 4a can still hold its own. Check out this shot comparing the same image from a Pixel 4a with a Samsung Galaxy S21. Now, in my eyes, the Galaxy S21 image is aesthetically better. I like Samsung’s color saturation, even if it’s a bit pushed.
