Google’s newest smartphones look a lot alike on paper. The upcoming Google Pixel 5 and Google Pixel 4a 5G are both expected to have the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor, the same basic design (with fingerprint readers on the back and hole-punch selfie cameras on the front), and the same cameras.
But while the Pixel 4a 5G is priced at $499, the Pixel 5 costs $200 more. So what do you get for the extra money?
Among other things, a metal body, wireless charging, a slightly higher capacity battery, a higher screen refresh rate and an IP68 water resistance rating.
If you don’t need those features, you can probably save some money by opting for the Pixel 4a 5G… but you’ll end up with a slightly larger phone if you do that. On the bright side, you’ll also find a headphone jack on the cheaper model.
Or if you want to save even more money, there’s always the $349 Pixel 4a.
First launched in August, Google’s newest entry-level phone features a 5.81 inch, 2340 x 1080 pixel OLED display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G processor, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a single rear camera. It supports 4G LTE, but not 5G.
When introducing the Pixel 4a, Google confirmed that the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 would arrive this fall, and that the Pixel 4a 5G would sell for $499. But the company didn’t have anything to say about the specs.
Here are specs for the complete 2020 Google Pixel lineup, including the entry-level Pixel 4a, which launched earlier this year.
Pixel 5 | Pixel 4a 5G | Pixel 4a | |
Display | 6″ AMOLED 2340×1080 (432ppi) 90 Hz refresh rate Gorilla Glass 6 | 6.2″ AMOLED 2340×1080 (413ppi) 60 Hz refresh rate Gorilla Glass 3 | 5.8 inch OLED 2340 x 1080 (443 ppi) 60 Hz refresh rate Gorilla Glass 3 |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G Adreno 620 GPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G Adreno 620 GPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G |
RAM | 8GB | 6GB | 6GB LPDDR4x |
Storage | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB |
Battery | 4080mAh | 3885mAh | 3140 mAh |
Charging | 18W fast charging (wired) 12W Qi Wireless charging Reverse wireless charging | 18W fast charging (wired) | 18W fast charging (wired) |
Rear Cameras |
|
| 12.2MP (f/1.7, OIS, EIS) |
Camera features | Night Sight Live HDR+ Cinematic Pan Ultrawide Lens Portrait Light | Night Sight Live HDR+ Cinematic Pan Ultrawide Lens Portrait Light | Night Sight Live HDR+ Portrait Light |
Front Camera | 8MP (f2.0) | 8MP (f2.0) | 8MP (f2.0) |
Connectivity | 5G, 4G LTE WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.0 NFC | 5G, 4G LTE WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.0 NFC | 4G LTE Cat 12 down, Cat 5 up WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.0 NFC |
Audio | Stereo speakers | Stereo speakers 3.5mm headphone | Stereo speakers 3.5mm headphone |
Other | Fingerprint reader (rear) USB 3.1 Type-C IP68 | Fingerprint reader (rear) USB 3.1 Type-C | Fingerprint reader (rear) USB 3.1 Type-C |
Frame | Aluminum | Polycarbonate | Polycarbonate |
Dimensions | 144.7 x 70.4 x 8.0mm | 153.9 x 74.0 x 8.2mm | 144.2 x 69.4 x 8.2mm |
Weight | 151g | 168g | 143 grams |
Colors | Black, Green | Black, White | Black |
Price | $699 | $499 | $349 |
We don’t have long to wait to find out if the leaks are accurate though –Â Google is holding a hardware launch event on September 30, when the company is expected to officially launch its new phones, along with new smart speakers and media streaming products.
In the meantime, here are some of the latest pictures of Google’s 2020 Pixel smartphone lineup, courtesy of WinFuture, @evleaks, and Google:
Google Pixel 5
Google Pixel 4a 5G
Google Pixel 4a
This article was originally published on September 23, 2020 and last updated on September 30, 2020.Â
I can’t wait to see the camera reviews. It had better beat iphone SE’s camera by a good margin or someone at Google needs to lose their job.
Camera quality Google vs Apple is pretty much down to which type of image processing you like these days.
The SE has had night sight mode removed so even the $100 cheaper Pixel 4a already beats the iPhone SE camera.
The Pixel 5 will add 4k/60fps to that and come with a battery more than twice the size of the power starved SE.