Google’s fall hardware event ended this afternoon after a breezy 30 minutes of rapid-fire product announcements, with the stars of the show being the new Pixel 5 and Pixel 4A with 5G. Google now has three primary smartphones; two midrange ones (one with 5G and one without) and one flagship. That’s a refreshingly simple lineup, compared with some of the messier, more bloated offerings from competitors.
But that doesn’t mean choosing between the devices is necessarily clear-cut. The 4A 5G is not just a 4A with a different modem; the two phones have some key hardware differences, making the Pixel 4A 5G more of a Pixel 5 alternative than a budget phone. The three devices, grouped together, hit price points of $349, $499, and $699, so choosing which one is the right fit for you is best done by comparing all the specs.
Conveniently, Google has made a handy chart for doing so, with much of the information, plus some other key specs we feel are important, more neatly organized below:
Google Pixel 5 vs. Pixel 4A with 5G vs. Pixel 4
| Category | Pixel 5 | Pixel 4A with 5G | Pixel 4A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Pixel 5 | Pixel 4A with 5G | Pixel 4A |
| Network | 5G | 5G | 4G |
| Screen | 6-inch flexible OLED display at 432 ppi | 6.2-inch OLED display at 413 ppi | 5.8-inch OLED display at 443 ppi |
| Refresh Rate | 90 Hz | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 | 1080 x 2340 | 1080 x 2340 |
| Battery | 4080 mAh | 3885 mAh | 3140 mAh |
| Front Camera | 8 megapixels | 8 megapixels | 8 megapixels |
| Rear Camera | 12.2-megapixel dual-pixel (16-megapixel ultrawide) | 12.2-megapixel dual-pixel (16-megapixel ultrawide) | 12.2-megapixel dual-pixel |
| Camera Features | Night Sight, Portrait Light, Cinematic Pan, Live HDR+ | Night Sight, Portrait Light, Cinematic Pan, Live HDR+ | Night Sight, Live HDR+ |
| RAM | 8GB | 6GB | 6GB |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G | Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G |
| Storage | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB |
| Audio | Stereo speakers, USB-C audio | Stereo speakers, USB-C audio, 3.5mm headphone jack | USB-C audio, 3.5mm headphone jack |
| Price | $699 | $499 | $349 |
| Wireless Charging | Yes | No | No |
| Water Resistant | Yes | No | No |
| Colors | Green, Black | White, Black | Black |
| Operating System | Pre-loaded with Android 11 | Pre-loaded with Android 11 | Pre-loaded with Android 10 |
| Availability | October 15th (outside US), October 29th (US) | October 15th (Japan), November (outside Japan) | Available now |
So, you can see that there are some key compromises made for the Pixel 4A 5G, like a lack of wireless charging, a smaller battery compared with the Pixel 5 (but larger than the standard Pixel 4A), no water resistance, and a lower refresh rate for the display.
But it’s nice to know you’re not just paying $150 more for the ability to access 5G networks — you’re getting all the same camera features and an identical processor to the pricier Pixel 5, too.
