Pixel 4a 5G is the best-selling sleeping Pixel this year

Source: Hayato Huseman / Android Central

When I reviewed the Pixel 4a 5G in October, I posted the headline that Google had rated itself in a corner. The Pixel 4a was already such a spectacular offer for anyone who just wanted a good phone at a reasonable price. Meanwhile, enthusiasts who wanted the best Android phone Google could offer would be better served with the high-end Pixel 5.

I’ve touched on this topic several times with AC Editor Daniel Bader on the Android Central podcast. He has continually argued that the Pixel 5 is just a little too expensive, and the Pixel 4a 5G is the best deal for most consumers. And you know what? I’m starting to think he’s right.

The Pixel 4a 5G cuts the fat off the Pixel 5 to achieve a much more attractive price.

I’ve been using the Pixel 5 every day since our Pixel coverage for the season ended, and I’ve been amazed by the Snapdragon 765G’s performance and battery life – yes, finally, a Pixel phone not only has good battery life, but fantastic battery life. And yet, that’s just as true on the Pixel 4a 5G. In fact, almost everything about the 4a 5G mirrors the more expensive Pixel 5 except for some compromises in hardware design.

I love the Pixel 5’s aluminum body and how Google has cleverly integrated just enough of a plastic opening under the bio-resin coating to still support wireless charging, but despite being made entirely of plastic, the Pixel 4a 5G is oddly just as well made. It ditches that wireless charging stand, along with the Pixel 5’s IP68 water resistance certification, but it’s just as stiff and heavy.

For better or for worse, even the cameras are the same. We’ve given the Pixel 5 and 4a 5G a bit of flack to once again rest on the laurels of the same primary sensor that Google has used on all devices since the Pixel 2. It’s still a great camera, of course, but other manufacturers have finally started to catch up with Google’s large lead years ago, thanks to larger sensors and improved AI-powered photography.

If you can live without wireless charging and water resistance, however, there really isn’t much to spend the extra money on the Pixel 5. Of course, its 90Hz refresh rate. is smoother than the Pixel 4a 5G’s 60Hz panel, but at least as far as I’m concerned it’s hardly a breakthrough feature. The 4a 5G cuts down some of the Pixel 5’s unnecessary perks in exchange for saving $ 150.

Conversely, if you’re looking for the best deal and are considering the Pixel 4a, the 4a 5G has a few niceties that are worth it. On the one hand, of course, it does support 5G networks – it’s still not a necessity, but it’s good to be future-proof if you plan on keeping this phone for a few years. The 4a also only has a single camera, while the 4a 5G adds a 0.6X ultra-wide lens and improves overall image processing with its new, faster processor.

You’ll also get a bigger screen for your money – 6.2 inches on the 4a 5G versus 5.8 on the Pixel 4a. Personally, I’m a fan of small phones so I’m not sure that’s necessarily a benefit for everyone, but a bigger screen is always nice to have for watching videos or even running two split-screen apps.

I really like all three phones in Google’s 2020 lineup; each device makes the appropriate sacrifices to achieve its expected price without detracting from the overall user experience. But as much as I enjoy the Pixel 5, I think if you buy a new Pixel this year, the Pixel 4a 5G strikes the perfect balance between the price-based concessions of the 4a and the high-end features of the Pixel 5.