Google Pixel 4a 5G vs Google Pixel 4a

By Peter Kostadinov

Updated: Mar 11, 2021, 7:11 AM

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Google's new Pixel 4a was already hinted at the Pixel 4a announcement earlier this year, but it wasn't until late September 2020 when the next true Google flagship was officially unveiled. Taking the mantle from the Google Pixel 4 and 4 XL, the Pixel 5 has the important task of fixing the bad aftertaste that the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL left. The two heavily criticized devices were discontinued way earlier than expected, which was mot certainly a result of all the bad press surrounding them.

Hopefully, the same faith wouldn't befall the Pixel 5, which already has some harsh rivalry in the face of none other but the Pixel 4a, Google's mea culpa that was released earlier this year.

Buy the Google Pixel 4a at: Best Buy | Amazon | Google Store

Hold those horses, partner, as the differences between the regular and the 5G-enabled Pixel 4a are not as evident as you might think: the new device is not merely a Pixel 4a with just 5G on deck. Here's a brief list with all expected changes followed by some in-depth explanations on what's different and what's mostly the same:

Google Pixel 4a 5G vs Pixel 4a: All the differences

	Pixel 4a 5G	Pixel 4a
Display	6.2" OLED	5.8" OLED
Processor	Snapdragon 765G	Snapdragon 730
Camera	12.2MP + 16MP	12.2MP
Battery	3885mAh	3140mAh
Connectivity	5G Sub-6/Sub-6 + mmWaved, 4G LTE	4G LTE
Price	$499	$349

Google Pixel 4a 5G vs Pixel 4a: Pricing and release date

In spite of our wishful thinking, Google simply can't keep the price of the Pixel 4a 5G as affordable as the Pixel 4a's $349 price tag. The bevy of new features and mostly hardware changes have commanded a higher $499 price for the Pixel 4a 5G, but that's still sensible for an upper mid-range device. What's more, the price tag of the new Pixel 4a 5G is certainly making it a great value for money and probably the best overall phone in Google's 2020 roster.

Now, the differences in the release date are pretty obvious: the Pixel 4a is already available on Google's own store as well as on many online retailers, while the Pixel 4a 5G will be released on October 19, 2020.

Google Pixel 4a 5G vs Pixel 4a: Design

First things first, the Pixel 4a 5G closely follows the general design language of the Pixel 4a. The only big difference is the size of the new phone itself. The Pixel 4a 5G will be the largest new Pixel phone released in 2020, surpassing the Pixel 5 by a fair margin. Meanwhile, the regular Pixel 4a will remain the most compact phone in Google's current lineup.

There will be no water or dust resistance on the Pixel 4a 5G, but that's okay, as the Pixel 4a is devoid of these as well. Still, a punch-hole display and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner are common on both the Pixel 4a and the Pixel 4a 5G.

The Google Pixel 4a (5G)

Google Pixel 4a 5G vs Pixel 4a: Display

It seems that Google has decided to enlarge the Pixel 4a 5G by nearly half an inch in comparison with the regular Pixel 4a. The new device is reportedly rocking a 6.2-inch screen, while the Pixel 4a stood at 5.8 inches. The resolution will be unchanged at 1080 by 2340 pixels. Another feature that remains unchanged is the OLED display, for which we're more than thankful.

The Pixel 4a 5G is unlikely to sport a 90Hz high refresh display, which will remain an exclusive feature of the Pixel 5. The Pixel 4a has a regular 60Hz display as well.

Google Pixel 4a

Google Pixel 4a 5G vs Pixel 4a: Hardware

The differences continue in the hardware section as well. Unlike the Pixel 4a, which is powered by the Snapdragon 730, the Pixel 4a 5G uses a much more potent chipset, the Snapdragon 765G, which is powering many upper mid-range devices with 5G connectivity on deck. Interestingly, that's the same chipset that will reportedly make the Pixel 5 click ant tick as well. There are reportedly 6GB of RAM on the new Pixel 4a 5G, which is the same as on the Pixel 4a.

With the larger display comes a bigger battery as well: the new Pixel 4a 5G will most likely come with a 3,880mAh battery, which should help it achieve a better battery life than the Pixel 4a with its 3,140mAh battery. As a refresher, the latter offers admirable battery life, often upwards of 8 hours of screen-on time, so the Pixel 4a 5G likely won't disappoint either.

Google Pixel 4a 5G vs Pixel 4a: Camera

The Pixel 4a 5G comes along with two cameras. The 12.2MP dual-pixel F1.7 main camera has large 1.4 μm pixels; meanwhile, the 16MP ultra-wide F2.2 angle camera will capture stunning landscapes with its smaller 1.0 μm pixels. Focusing is ensure by dual pixel phase detection. The front-facing punch-hole camera is an 8MP one and has a decent enough 83-degree field of view. In comparison, the Pixel 4a comes with a single 12.2MP camera, which is almost similar to the one found on the previous Pixel 3a. We don't expect any major changes in the selfie camera department.

Here are the official Pixel 4a 5G camera samples released by Google itself:

Here are a bunch of sample Pixel 4a photos that should you give an idea what to expect from the Pixel 4a 5G. Feel free to also check out our Pixel 4a review for more camera samples.

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Peter, an experienced tech enthusiast at PhoneArena, is captivated by all things mobile. His impartial reviews and proficiency in Android systems offer readers valuable insights. Off-duty, he delves into the latest cryptocurrency trends and enjoys sci-fi and video games.