Google Launches Pixel 4A 5G and Pixel 5: Too many Compromises?

Google, a company well known for making probably the best camera phones since the very first Pixel device, has launched Google Pixel 4A 5G and Pixel 5. After so many leaks and rumors, Google decided to unveil them at a virtual event on 1st October 2020. We got to know almost everything about the devices prior to the launch, thanks to the hype they were getting. The phones seem pretty compelling for camera lovers and those seeking best night photography. But, how well they fare in terms of performance and overall package after paying a pretty hefty price? Let’s find out in this review of Google Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 with price in Nepal.

Google Pixel 4A 5G Overview

This is the cheaper option between the two. For the lower price, there is not much of trade-off in comparison to its bigger brother, Pixel 5. It’s a pretty good upgrade from the Pixel 4A. The Pixel 4A had an amazing camera and mediocre performance for the price. The Pixel 4A 5G, as the name suggests, has a 5G capable chip-set, which is a necessity if you want to enjoy that super fast internet speed in future. It still falls behind some of the competitors in the market, like the OnePlus Nord, except camera and software.

Performance

The performance is excellent for the price. The phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, which is the cheapest 5G processor we can get from Qualcomm, also the most powerful chip-set in 700 series processors. This is a pretty massive upgrade from 730G in Pixel 4A. So, we can be sure that the performance would be top-notch. We can enjoy most of the high demanding games without noticing much of a difference with more expensive 800 series processors. It’s an octa-core (1×2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1×2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6×1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver) CPU, built on 7nm technology. Along with Adreno 620, the performance should be more than enough for most of the users. For memory, Google is using UFS 2.1 storage, which is fast but not on par with UFS 3.0. But, for the price, it is acceptable.

Display

In terms of the display, there is not much of upgrade, except for the screen size. It is a larger 6.22″ 1080 x 2340 pixels resolution display with OLED panel. Since it is larger display with same resolution, you will get 413PPI instead of 443PPI (Pixel 4A). However, the screen is still amazing with good contrast, colors and deep blacks. The only downside here is the use of 60Hz refresh rate. We have seen the phones as low as 250$ with at least 90Hz refresh rate. That is one thing you have to keep in mind if you are really into higher refresh rate displays.

Camera

One massive upgrade in terms of camera from Pixel 4A is the inclusion of an ultrawide lens. This is something we cannot compensate with software, or at least without loosing the quality. There is a dual camera setup on the back with 12.2MP, f/1.7 sensor with OIS and 16MP ultra-wide lens. The primary lens is the same as Pixel 4A, but with more capable image processing and better processor, we may see better image handling. For selfie, there is an 8 MP, f/2.0 lens, sitting on the hole-punch cutout. The amazing camera results we get from a pixel device is purely it’s software optimization. The algorithms google use for photo and videography is truly amazing. The night sight feature is far more advanced than anything found on other smartphones. So, you can be sure, you will get the best results from Pixel 4A 5G as well.

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Other Features

The battery on Pixel 4A 5G is 3885mAh, which is a decent upgrade from 3140mAh on the 4G variant. You can charge the phone with 18W fast charger as well. It comes with Android 11 out of the box, which is one of the few phones to get the feature. There is a fingerprint scanner at the back for security as well. The display is covered by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection against minor drops and scratches. However, there is no wireless charging and IP68 water resistant, as we get on the Pixel 5.

Google Pixel 4A 5G Specifications

Google Pixel 4A 5G Price In Nepal

The official pricing of Google Pixel 4A 5G is USD 499. We can expect the price Google Pixel 4A 5G(6/128GB) to be around NPR. 70,000. For that price, it can give a good competition to iPhone SE 2020.

Google Pixel 5

After so much of hype, rumors and leaks, Google has finally launched Google Pixel 5, their “flagship” device for a year. The device is expected to compete with expensive and luxurious smartphones, like Galaxy Note 20 Ultra or the upcoming iPhone 12 series. With upper mid-range performance, solid features, great cameras and much less price than the flagships from other companies, it can provide you with the most pure android experience in the planet. The phone is targeted towards the market that is seeking for flagship grade camera performance at lower price than that of existing expensive smartphones.

Performance

The performance is not up to the mark, we call a “flagship” level. The use of Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, the same used in much cheaper Pixel 4A 5G, is very disappointing from the company. It’s an octa-core (1×2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1×2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6×1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver) CPU, built on 7nm technology.

The strategy used here is clear. To lower the price, they used an upper mid-range processor, but by how much? We have seen smartphones at much lower price using the flagship Snapdragon 865, like Mi Note 10 5G. So the company could have done better in terms of performance. But, this is no means an impotent chip-set. It can handle most of the games and apps easily. But, we would have appreciated the use of a better CPU for the price we are paying. The GPU used here is Adreno 620, the same used in Pixel 4A 5G.

Camera

Camera is the USP of the device. It is indeed a flagship camera with probably the best image processing you will get on any device. In the world of companies competing to provide the highest megapixel cameras, Google takes a step backward and shows that you don’t need to push megapixels for better images. The company has provided dual 12.2MP, f/1.7, OIS and 16MP ultra-wide sensors. Instead of telephoto lens used in Pixel 4, the use of ultra-wide lens is much more useful in real world scenarios. The selfie camera is of 8MP, f/2.0. However, the cameras used in both Pixel 4A 5G and Pixel 5 are same. So, we can expect similar camera performance from both devices, given the use of same chip-set as well.

We can see a clear disadvantage for using an upper mid-range CPU in video department. We cannot record 8K videos, like Snapdragon 865 series. But, 4K video recording should be more than enough for social medias and YouTube. It’s just a disadvantage, which most people won’t even use or notice.

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Build & Display

The device is well built with aluminum frame and back. Google has decided to use a metal back instead of glass, as we saw with Pixel 4. Some people will prefer metal over the glass, but it comes down to personal preference. I personally would have preferred the frosted back of the Pixel 4. Pixel 5 comes in two color options, Just Black and Sorta Sage (greenish). The phone is lighter (151g) compared to Pixel 4A 5G (168g).

There is not much of an upgrade in Pixel 5 in comparison to Pixel 4. It is a 6.0″ FHD+ OLED HDR10+ panel with 90Hz refresh rate. The display is crisp and bright with good viewing angles. The screen used here is same as Pixel 4A 5G, just a bit smaller. It’s not super high resolution or refresh rate, but it is all about cutting cost. For normal person, there will not be a noticeable difference between 1440p display and 1080p display. Also, there is just a subtle difference noticeable between 120Hz and 90Hz for a normal user. Corning Gorilla Glass 6 covers the front of the device. Neither there is a huge notch, as we saw with Pixel 3 XL, nor a thick top and bottom bezels as on Pixel 4. There is a hole punch cutout, which looks modern and stylish as well.

Other Features

The phone is IP68 water/dust resistant, which is very useful for people who likes to go to gym or swimming. It will hold good above 1.5m water depth for about 30 mins. There is a larger 4080mAh battery, compared to 2800mAh on Pixel 4. You can charge the phone via 18W fast charger, which is still slow considering the competition in the market. There is an option for wireless charging as well. Considering the metal build of the phone, it’s a surprise to see wireless charging support on the phone. Similarly, the fingerprint scanner is back, which we missed on Pixel 4. The stereo speakers are retained as well.

Google Pixel 5 Specifications

Google Pixel 5 Price In Nepal

The official pricing of Google Pixel 5 is USD 699. We can expect the price Google Pixel 5(8/128GB) to be around NPR. 95,000. It’s unlikely that Google will launch the device in Nepal. If it does, then smartphone enthusiasts would be very happy to use the phone considering the brand.