Google Pixel 5a Review: The New King of Mid-Range

Ever since Google got into the mid - range phone game with thePixel 3a , Google ’s most low-priced handsets have just been getting better and upright . And when you coalesce all of Google ’s Pixel - only software features with an even bighearted screen , improved durability , and raw support for pee electrical resistance on the new Pixel 5a , it really feels like Google — not Motorola or OnePlus — is the new world-beater of mid - range handsets . And better yet , with a price tatter of $ 450 , the Pixel 5a might be Google ’s good value ever .

Design: Basic, but in a good way

Like previous Pixel A - series phones , the Pixel 5a could n’t be any simple . You get a beautiful 2400 x 1080 organic light-emitting diode display , two-channel speakers , a lick - hole selfie shooter , two rearward cameras , USB - C port , and a rear - mounted fingermark sensor — basically all the standard features you ’d anticipate on a mod smartphone . And once again , the Pixel 5a still has a 3.5 mm mariner for wired audio frequency ( but no microSD bill of fare slot ) .

Pixel 5a

What is it ?

Photo: Sam Rutherford

Google ’s affordable mid - range smartphone for 2021

Price

$ 450

Photo: Sam Rutherford

Great toll , preposterously well barrage life history , strong camera quality , now come with water resistance , simple , aboveboard plan , Google ’s Pixel - only software , still has a earphone doodly-squat

Do n’t Like

Photo: Sam Rutherford

Photo: Sam Rutherford

No wireless charging , no low model this yr , no mmWave 5 G backup

But that does n’t intend there are n’t raise , and on the Pixel 5a , Google has been quite clever in its scheme — especially considering the on-going global poker chip crush . remain firm at 6.34 - inches diagonally , the Pixel 5a ’s screen is the biggest on any Pixel A - serial phone yet , while also bluster splendid brightness that hit upwards of 800 nits during our examination . So even though fan of modest may be let down that there is n’t a dry pint - sized Pixel A this twelvemonth , giving everyone else more screen for the money is a worthful addition .

Meanwhile , on the interior , Google has exchange over to a novel metal chassis that ’s cover with a matte black credit card shell , combine improved strength with a soft - touch finish that ’s quite prissy to support . And for the first time ever on a Pixel A speech sound , the Pixel 5a boast IP-67 piddle resistance , so you do n’t have to interest about an errant splash or a drop in the toilet ruining your day ( it ’s ok , it pass off to everyone ) . lastly , in back , the Pixel 5a features two rearward camera that Google enounce are precisely the same as what came on last year ’s mainlinePixel 5(more on those later ) . It ’s practically everything you could really want or want on a mid - range speech sound aside from wireless charging ( which would be decent , but is an understandable omission ) .

Photo: Sam Rutherford

Photo: Sam Rutherford

Oh , and one crucial note about the Pixel 5a is that while it does come with a power brick include in the box , this may be the last meter Google does that . Like a fortune of other smartphone Lord , Google has been plan to stop bundling world power bricks with phones to aid cut down on e - waste ; according to the party , the number of people who do n’t already have a USB - C is getting to the point in time where shipping phones with power bricks is becoming redundant . reckon , I do n’t make the rule , but that ’s how it is .

Performance: When a 1-year-old chip is still more than enough

One of the aspects affected most by the spheric microprocessor chip crush is the availability of processor , so instead of upgrade to a brand novel SoC , Google baffle with Qualcomm ’s Snapdragon 765G — the same check Google used in the regular Pixel 5 . And you know what , it still harbor up . Sure , it ’s not a powerhouse by any way , but the 765 G ( along with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of make - in storage ) more than obligate its own in benchmark compared to other mid - range phones like theTCL 20 Pro 5G(review on that issue forth soon ) . It was also enough to keep apps and games feel smooth and stammer - liberal ( unless you ’re playing vivid FPS title ) , which is all I ’m really look for in a mid - range French telephone .

The one strange wrinkle is that while the Pixel 5 has support for both mmWave and sub-6 Ghz 5G — despite having the same chip , the Pixel 5a only supports sub-6GHz 5 G connectivity . This think you ’ll be able to intercept into the wider coverage areas that you get with sub-6Ghz , but you wo n’t get those tiptop - fast 1000 Mbps+ download speeds that mmWave 5 gigabyte often provides .

Cameras: Punching way above their price bracket

One of the biggest advantages Google ’s Pixel A - series phones have over other mid - range devices are their cameras , and by go with the same setup it used on the stock Pixel 5 , the Pixel 5a can easy hang with more expensive rivals . And while I ’d really love to see Google supply support for a dedicated zoom lens , Google ’s Super - Res Zoom still give you a little excess reach without huge drawback in epitome timber .

In typical hopeful lite billet , the Pixel 5a ’s 12 - MP wide and 16 - MP radical - full slant tv camera systematically capture rich , properly exposed images , even beating Samsung ’s Galaxy S21 in a number of principal - to - head comparisons . When I snap psychometric test blastoff at a young local restaurant , both the Pixel 5a and S21 snap vivacious photos with great colors . But if you soar up in , you ’ll acknowledge that the Pixel 5a ’s shot captured sharp details , especially on those nestling below ( and yes , they smack as good as they reckon ) . But to me , the most impressive compare was a side - by - side of a thought-provoking jibe of a flower in direct sun . While the S21 ’s stroke was good , Samsung ’s over - saturated colors was n’t capable to capture the all right textures you see in the Pixel 5a ’s moving picture .

And when it gets dark , the Pixel 5a can fall down back on Google ’s Night Sight processing , which is still one of the proficient in the byplay , especially in really blue - spark conditions . When I snap a nighttime cityscape , the Pixel 5a and S21 ’s photos were incredibly close — no low exploit for a phone that be hundreds less . But by far the most impressive humbled - Light Within injection was at a nearby community of interests garden . Even though I could barely make out any detail with my own eyes , the Pixel 5a produced a pic that was sharp , detailed , and surprisingly colorful , while also doing a dear job of rid of the yellowish orange tree tone you see in the S21 ’s shot .

Photo: Sam Rutherford

Photo: Sam Rutherford

The Pixel software experience

Now , I do n’t always blab out about the software on Android telephone set because now gadget Divine have gotten pretty good at nailing the basics . But when you take into account all ofGoogle ’s Pixel - specificfeatures like its Personal Safety app , Call Screener , Live Captions , and more , it really feels like Pixels make the most out of today ’s AI - power capabilities . And with three full years of O and protection updates , you ’re begin longer bread and butter than rival earpiece from party like Motorola , which often stops sending out updates after a twelvemonth or two .

Battery Life: Simply divine

Frankly , the Pixel 5a ’s stamp battery life is so foresighted , I think our video rundown test was broken . But then I tested it three more metre just to be sure , and the results are simply wonderful . With an average bombardment life of 18 hours and 18 minutes , the Pixel 5a has some of the best longevity we ’ve ever seen , beating out every telephone set I ’ve tested this class by at least an hr . So while not everyone make love a huge covert , go larger on its display also intend Google had more room for a big battery , and on the Pixel 5a , that tactic truly paid off .

For $450, why buy anything else?

I will admit that there is one comparing I have been handily ignoring up until now , which is how the Pixel 5a stacks up against Chinese phones with bounteous eyeglasses from company like Xiaomi , Oppo , and others . But my reasoning is childlike : They ’re not really in the same category . Because , while you may get a phone with big specs for under $ 500 , none of those phones are formally useable in the U.S. , which means they are n’t a viable option for a portion of people in the body politic of Uncle Sam .

On top that , because of the on-going chip crunch , the Pixel 5a will only be usable in two grocery store — the U.S. ( unsecured only ) and Japan ( via Softbank)—which means the Pixel 5a is n’t really competing with theVivosorRealmesof the humanity either . But most importantly , while a lot of mid - range Formosan headphone place a much lumbering emphasis on processors and RAM , with the Pixel 5a , Google is focused on simplicity and useableness more than anything else .

The Pixel 5a has all of a telephone ’s most important base covered . It ’s got a great screen , a straightforward conception ( now with pee resistance ) , thoughtful package , and good battery liveliness than anything I ’ve determine in recent history ( and it ’s not even close ) . And if it was my money , I ’d be shinny to fall up with reasons to buy anything else .

Photo: Sam Rutherford