There are fatal flaws in previous generations, but one that crops up time and time again is short battery life. The Pixel 3 was barely any better than the other two, the Pixel 4 was killed by its own small battery. The Pixel 5 had a good enough battery to get through a good day, and that was a banner achievement for the company.
It was too expensive to compete with the mid-range phones and underpowered to fight with some of the best phones in the $500-$700 range, so the Pixel 4a 5G was left out. It didn't fit in the United States market.
The 5a was only released in the United States and Japan because of rumors that it would be canceled due to chip shortages. While it certainly looked like it was copying the 4a 5G, it did make a few key differences that made the Pixel 5a a better option for mid-range buyers.
The 5a might not be on sale for long outside of resale markets with the upcoming Pixel 6a. Is it still worth it? You can read our review and judge for yourself.
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The United States and Japan were the only two countries where the Google Pixel 5a was released. The price is standard at $449 and 51,700. The unlocked Pixel 5a is compatible with all major American networks, but it will not be able to use the Ultra Wideband network because it does not have millimeter wave 5G.
If you want the phone, you need to buy it directly from the store, it isn't available at major retailers or carrier stores. When the new 6a is released in late July, it is highly likely that the supply of the 5a units will dry up, as the 5a would interfere with new 6a sales.
The design of thePixel 5a is almost identical to the design of thePixel 4a 5G, and most of the inside specifications are the same as well. The name of the phone is Mostly Black, as opposed to 2020's Just Black, but it is still a black phone.
The power is a lighter gray color and has a wavy texture to help distinguish it from the volume rocker. The buttons are nice and clicky. The stereo speakers are on the left side of the bumper, while the headphones are on the right side.
The phone has a pleasant heft without feeling heavy, and it was easy to reach the top left corner, but I grabbed a PopSocket to reach the right side. Most of you like bigger screens, so this was built for you, even though I wish the Pixel 5a was small. The screen size here is larger than the one on the Pixel 4a 5G and the battery is larger.
Things get even more similar when you move from the outside to the inside. We have the same chip that's been in high demand during the chip shortage, and we also have the same memory, storage, and cameras. I have bolded the differences between the two generations to show how little has changed.
| Category | Google Pixel 5a | Google Pixel 4a 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Android 11 | Android 11 |
| Display | 6.34-inch 60Hz OLED2400x1080px (20:9)HDR, Gorilla Glass 3 | 6.2-inch 60Hz OLED2340x1080px (19.5:9) Gorilla Glass 3. |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G1 x 2.4GHz A761 x 2.2GHz A766 x 1.8GHz A55 The Adreno 620 is the most powerful one. | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G1 x 2.4GHz A761 x 2.2GHz A766 x 1.8GHz A55 The Adreno 620 is the most powerful one. |
| RAM | 6GB | 6GB |
| Storage | 128GB | 128GB |
| MicroSD slot | ❌ | ❌ |
| Rear camera 1 | 12.2MP, f/1.7Optical and electronic image stabilizationDual pixel phase autofocus 4K at 60 frames per second. | 12.2MP, f/1.7Optical and electronic image stabilizationDual pixel phase autofocus 4K at 60 frames per second. |
| Rear camera 2 | 16MP, f/2.2Ultrawide lens The field-of-view is 117 degrees. | 16MP, f/2.2Ultrawide lens The field-of-view is 117 degrees. |
| Front camera | 8MP, f/2.0Fixed focus lens The field of view is 83 degrees. | 8MP, f/2.0Fixed focus lens The field of view is 83 degrees. |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0 A-GPS. | Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0 A-GPS. |
| 5G | Sub-6: N1, 2, 5, 12, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 The measurement is called the "mmWave." | Sub-6: N1, 2, 5, 12, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78 The n260/261 is a model of themmWave. |
| Audio | 3.5mm jack The speakers are stereo. | 3.5mm jack A stereo sound. |
| Battery | 4680mAh 18W wired charging. | 3885mAh18W wired charging |
| Water resistance | IP67 | ❌ |
| Security | Rear Pixel Imprint The security module is called the Titan M. | Rear Pixel Imprint The security module is called the Titan M. |
| Dimensions | 156.2x73.1x8.8mm 183g. | 153.9x74x8.2 mm 179g. |
| Colors | Mostly Black | Just Black Clearly white. |
The 6.34-inch screen is very easy to see outside, and while many were hoping that it would be a 90Hz screen, they were wrong. The Pixel 5a doesn't want to waste it on something that users won't notice, and 120 and 90Hz look great but burn more battery. I have been on the S21 for six months before this phone, and I don't notice the difference unless I am playing a game. 60Hz works well for me.
The Pixel 4a 5G was a decent phone, but it wasn't a bad one. Instead, we get the water resistance that the Pixel A-owners have been begging for, along with a 20% bigger battery that can last for hours, if not days. When I took the 5a off the charge 21 hours ago, it was sitting at 40%, but it was only sitting for 7 hours. We will get to the battery in a bit. Let's talk about the software that gives that performance and battery boost.
All of the features of the Pixel 5a are exclusive to the company, like Duplex-powered call screening and the best spam blocker. There is plenty of room for my music downloads and Disney+ before my next trip, and the apps are quick to open, I can use the 6GB of RAM to run multiple apps at the same time.
I think it has more to do with the fact that I've seen a few times where the app becomes unresponsive until I back out and go back in. The app hangs have been scarce, the Overview menu is easy to navigate, and the Pixel Launcher does okay, though I still prefer Smart Launcher 5 after a day.
One of the first phones to receive features like the dynamic color matching system in Material You and enhanced privacy tools was the Pixel 5a.
After years of Material Design and the subtle sculpting of the Pixel aesthetic, the Pixel 5a gives you the classic, smooth vanilla Android we have grown accustomed to. The settings are where they should be, there is no bloat on the phones, and everything works well. It works well and is not sexy.
The larger battery found in the Pixel 4a 5G will allow it to get you through the day and then some. If you want to stress test a phone, you should take it to a theme park, and not even two trips to the Magic Kingdom with gaming, reading, and camera testing could kill the battery in a single day.
The Pixel 5a's battery is simply unbeatable.
Even with six hours of screen on time, I was still at 21% by the end of the night. I got over six hours of screen time every day of my week with the Pixel 5a, except for the day of Unpacked where I only got three hours of screen time. I unplugged the phone from the charging port 22 hours ago because I was sitting at 36% with a screen on. I got 11 hours when I hit 5% at the end of the night.
If you forget to charge your phone at night, if you have a chaotic job, or if you keep going until 3 AM, you will not be left stranded. I can't charge the battery wireless. Higher capacity will win every time if there is no wireless charging.
While battery-beast phones like the A42 5G and Edge usually ask you to sacrifice camera quality, software quality, or portableness, the Google Pixel 5a gives you great battery life with fast software updates and the latest features.
There are 4 images, the first one is image 1 and the 2nd one is image 3.
The dual-camera setup on the Pixel 5a is the same as the one on the Pixel 4a 5G. If you have owned or read our reviews of either device, you already know what I am about to say and can skim the photos on your way to our conclusion.
ThePixel A-series is known for bringing amazing camera quality to a lower price point by using the same lens as the flagshipPixels and using Computational Photography prowess that has been perfected over the last few years. The main sensor takes good shots during daylight hours, even when moving or trying to get a zoom shot of some cute animals, and while motion at night can get a little dicey depending on the light levels, still shots at night look good, even when compared to the $800Galaxy S.
There are 6 images, the first one is image 2 of 6 image 3 of 6 image 4 of 6 image 5 of 6
The light level and color strength of the lights on Cinderella Castle were similar to the light level and color strength of the Pixel 5a. While I am all for a colorful photo, this style adds too much grain to photos from golden hour till dawn.
3 of 3 are images
I was pleasantly surprised with the 2x zoom shots I got while stationary, because the wide-angle lens was great for capturing a larger scope when in front of huge attractions or large crowds. This phone wasn't made for TikTokers or vloggers, but for socials. This is more than enough for $450.
The other phones of the Pixel family are in a close race against the Pixel 5a. The Pixel 6 costs just $150 more and offers a huge spec upgrade, but its battery life falls short compared to the 5a.
If you want a mid-range device, you may want to wait for the Pixel 6a, which is the same price as the 5a. It also has 6GB/128GB memory and similarly-specced cameras, but Tensor will provide a performance boost and more artificial intelligence tools. The 5a has a larger display, larger battery, and 3.5mm jack than the 6a. The 6a will give you better Gorilla Glass, an in-display fingerprint sensor, and an OS update. You have to decide if you prefer Tensor or a slightly larger phone with better battery life.
Anyone looking for a mid-range phone should look at the Samsung A53 5G. The Pixel 5a has a larger display, 64MP main shooter, and 5,000mAh battery that will last longer than a day with heavy use.
You should buy this.
You should not buy it.
The only complaint I had about the initial launch of the Pixel 5a was that it didn't launch in enough countries. The best part about the new features of the Pixel 5a is that they are free for the next three years or so.
Between a battery that you will be able to charge less, consistent performance, a bright, easy-to-read screen, and that sweet, sweet Pixel software, the Google Pixel 5a is among the best cheap Android phones in 2022. It may not be pretty, but you can find plenty of gorgeous cases from third parties.
The upcoming Pixel 6a with Tensor will have a huge leg up over the Snapdragon 765G because it is a small discount, but the upcoming Pixel 5a falls short because it is a large discount. While the Pixel 5a is still worth buying on its own merits, you may want to be patient and see what the new device has to offer.
The article was published in August of 2021. The following changes were made in October 2021.
It was updated in May 2022.
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