DxOMark is a very known name due to its camera reviews. However, the website has been testing smartphone displays too lately. Up to the moment, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is the king of smartphones with the best display quality. Today, we’re finally knowing the actual results brought by the Google Pixel 5. Unfortunately, the device scores just 74 which is nowhere near the 2020 flagship smartphones, and even lose to non-flagship devices such as the Vivo X51 5G.
For a quick comparison, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra scored about 89 points back in August 2020. Later, the Snapdragon variant scored a point more and is currently the leader of the charge with 90 points. As abovementioned, the Vivo X51 was launched around the same time as the Pixel 5 but performs a little higher than the Pixel 5. Both devices have FHD+ AMOLED panels with a 90Hz refresh rate. Still, the Vivo X51 got an overall score of 87 points. 13 points above Google’s flagship.
The Pixel 5 is below its predecessor in performance and display quality
The Pixel 5 is below other flagship devices in the segment, but this isn’t a big surprise. With the latest Pixel smartphone, Google made clear isn’t interested in the high-end segment anymore. The device came with a mid-range Snapdragon 765G 5G chipset. While this isn’t a bad chipset, it is below the Pixel 4 Snapdragon 855 SoC in terms of performance. The Pixel 4 XL performed well with its display at DisplayMate. The device was rated with an A+ rating. For that reason, some Pixel enthusiasts were expecting the $699 smartphone to have similar quality.
According to DxOMark, the Google Pixel 5 performs poorly in the readability and video department. Still, it has pros like Ambient Light adoption, good touch accuracy, videos without frame drops. However, this isn’t enough to prevent the low score. In low-light scenarios, the display’s light levels seem to be lower. Moreover, the readability quotient to enhance lighting under sunlight seems to alter the color of images too much. Some other cons include low luminance and contrast while watching videos. Further, the reviewers experienced stutters during games, Slower light transitions, and more.
The device has a 6-inch panel with FHD+ resolution (1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio, 432 ppi density). It has a top-left aligned punch hole that serves as a house for the selfie snapper. The panel is of the OLED kind and has Gorilla Glass 6 coating. Unfortunately, its overall performance seems to be a disappointment for those wanting the top-notch experience. Hopefully, Google won’t disappoint with the next Pixel.