review: Google Pixel 5A

This year, Google announced Pixel 5A with 5G priced $449, considered the second major Pixel announcement. It comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor powering a 6.34-inch OLED display. The phone also comes with IP67 dust and water resistance.

Besides Google’s Pixel 6 and 6 Pro phones with Tensor chips, the 5A seems to have more similarities with Pixel 4A 5G. For Pixel fans, the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro might seem exciting, but this new Pixel will target people with a low budget.

Someone looking for a cheaper Pixel won’t need to wait for the Pixel 6’s announcement as the 5A will be available soon this August. People can buy it from Google.

familiar design and a better performance

The 5A has the same chip used in 4A 5G. It is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor. They also have the same storage and amount of RAM (128GB, 6GB of RAM). They have similar cameras (both front and rear) and a fingerprint reader, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The camera has all the same features, such as Night Sight, portrait mode, and an ultrawide lens. The difference is that the 5A comes with a larger 6.34-inch OLED display similar to the Galaxy S21.

The new OS will have more customizable options exclusive to the Pixel series, such as the new Material You design and refreshed notifications.

Watching Netflix, videos on YouTube, or Disney Plus works well with this new phone. Games also played well. The performance seems solid and playable with a good internet connection.

However, the stereo speakers lack clarity when they have to get loud.

The phone comes with IP67 water and dust resistance that can help resist the elements. A significantly larger battery can be charged faster using the USB-C wall charger.

However, the phone’s fast charging didn’t seem speedy in tests, going from empty to 20% in 20 minutes and taking around 48 minutes to reach 50%.