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.
Here’s how the new Pixel 5 compares with the Pixel 4A 5G and Pixel 4A
Google’s smartphone lineup is refreshingly simple
Google’s smartphone lineup is refreshingly simple
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.









