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The Google Pixel 4a is official: 5.8-inch display and flagship camera for $349

By Joshua Swingle

Published: Aug 03, 2020, 10:00 AM

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The Google Pixel 4a is official: 5.8-inch display and flagship camera for $349

The Google Pixel 4a is official! After months of delays caused by the pandemic, today Google has finally introduced the very highly anticipated Pixel 4a to the world ahead of its release later this month.

A small phone with a powerful Snapdragon chipset

The Pixel 3A was known for its compact design and Google has stayed true to that philosophy with the Pixel 4a. It has fitted the device with a small 5.8-inch OLED display that’s coupled with several features including Now Playing and Always-On Display.

Google has opted for slim bezels around the Full-HD+ panel and a small punch hole in the corner as well. The latter houses an 8-megapixel selfie shooter borrowed from the flagship Google Pixel 4 series.

Keeping things running smoothly at all times is the midrange yet powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G chipset. It represents a pretty big upgrade over the Snapdragon 670 that was used inside the Pixel 3A last year.

Of course, good performance isn’t possible unless the software is optimized. Google has that under control with stock Android 10 straight out of the box, although updates to Android 11, Android 12, and Android 13 are guaranteed.

The internal package is completed by an impressive 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage as standard. Google has added the Titan M security chip and a 3,140mAh battery backed up by 18W fast charging support.

One of the best cameras in the midrange segment

Most midrange smartphones these days feature good cameras at best. The Google Pixel 4a switches things up by borrowing the amazing f/1.7 12.2-megapixel sensor used on the flagship Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL lineup.

The results won’t be quite as impressive due to the different chipset and image signal processor. But Google has some brilliant software and the results shouldn’t be too different, which means the Pixel 4a may well have one of the best cameras in the midrange segments.

It even supports Google’s Portrait Mode and Night Sight function, which is coupled with optical image stabilization for stunning photos in low-light situations. Those of you interested in video will be pleased to hear the Pixel 4a supports 4K recording at 30fps and 1080p video at up to 120Fps.

The camera in question sits near an LED flash inside a square camera bump on the plastic rear panel. Google has positioned a capacitive fingerprint scanner and its ‘G’ logo on the back of the phone too.

Other external features include a 3.5mm headphone jack and a mint green accented power button, the latter of which sits above a volume rocker.

Google Pixel 4a price, pre-orders, and release date

The 128GB Google Pixel 4a is available to pre-order right now via the Google Store and other partnering retailers such as Best Buy for only $349 in the United States. That means the smartphone undercuts both the original 64GB Google Pixel 3A and the 64GB iPhone SE (2020) by an impressive $50.

As for pricing worldwide, the Google Pixel 4a retails at £349 in the UK and €389 in Europe, making it £50 and €10 cheaper than its predecessor. Pre-orders in the UK start September 10 ahead of shipments on October 1.

The full list of launch markets has yet to be provided. But Google often focuses on only a handful of countries and the Pixel 4a release isn’t expected to be any different.