After many leaks and rumors, Google is back with smartphone launches to introduce its Pixel 5a 5G. As you might expect, the device is a mild refresh over last year’s Pixel 4a 5G smartphone. The specifications aren’t very compelling if you compare them with other premium smartphones in the market. However, the big deal here clearly is getting the best possible Android support with faster updates. While it runs Android 11, the device will probably be among the list of devices receiving stable Android 12 in the next month.
Pixel 5a 5G specifications
The Pixel 5a 5G follows the “Pixel a-series” philosophy of being a cost-effective Pixel smartphone. The new cost-effective handset comes with a new unibody aluminum design in a new “Mostly Black” color that has a slight green hue to it. Interestingly, the device comes with IP67 certification for dust and water resistance. The overall design is very close to that of the Pixel 4a 5G.
In terms of display, the Pixel 5a 5G comes with a larger 6.34-inch OLED display with a 2,400 x 1,080 resolution. The device has a top-left aligned punch-hole cutout and offers just a tepid 60 Hz refresh rate. The search giant’s reluctance in offering cutting-edge hardware strikes again. Thankfully, the Pixel 6 smartphones are gearing up to be on par with other 2021 flagships.
Under the hood, the Pixel 5a does not bring a significant upgrade over its predecessor. The device packs the very same Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G with 6 GB of LPDDR4X memory and 128 GB of Internal Storage. The dual-camera setup also didn’t receive any treatment. We have the 12 MP f/1.7 main camera and 16 MP f/2.2 ultra-wide cameras that are unchanged in comparison to the older model. For selfies and video calls, there is an 8 MP snapper with an f/2.0 aperture. This time around, the device lacks the spectral + flicker sensor.
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The biggest difference between the 4a and 5a 5G is the battery size. The Pixel 4a had a 3,885 mAh battery which is clearly below the current standards. The Pixel 5a 5G addresses this lackluster aspect with a beefy 4,680 mAh battery. Unfortunately, charging is limited to 18W and the device lacks wireless charging.
As aforementioned, the device runs Android 11, and a minimum of 3 years of major OS upgrades along with security updates.
Pricing and Availability
Google’s Pixel 5a 5G variant will be up for pre-order in the US and Japan starting today from Google Store. In the US, the device costs $449 and the shipments will start on August 26.
The Pixel 5a 5G comes only in the Mostly Black color with forest green undertones and an olive-colored Power button. However, the company sells a case in four different colors – Black Moss, Maybe Moon, Likely Lime, and Partially Pink.
Google Pixel 5a 5G specs summary
- 6.34-inch (2400 x 1080 pixels) FHD+ OLED HDR display, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection
- Octa Core (1 x 2.4GHz + 1 x 2.2GHz + 6 x 1.8GHz Kryo 475 CPUs) Snapdragon 765G 7nm EUV Mobile Platform with Adreno 620 GPU
- 6GB LPDDR4X RAM, 128GB (UFS 2.1) storage
- Android 11
- Dual SIM (nano + eSIM)
- 12.2MP rear camera with f/1.7 aperture, LED flash, OIS, 16MP 107° Ultra-wide camera with f/2.2 aperture
- 8MP front camera with 84° ultra-wide lens, f/2.0 aperture
- Pixel Imprint – Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor
- Water and dust Resistant (IP67)
- 3.5mm audio jack, Stereo speakers, 2 microphones
- Dimensions: 154.9 x 73.7 x 7.6mm; Weight: 185g
- 5G SA/NA 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac 2×2 MIMO (2.4/5 GHz), Bluetooth 5.1 LE, GPS, USB Type-C 3.1 Gen 1, NFC
- 4,680mAh (Typical) / 4620mAh (minimum) battery with 18W USB-PD 2.0 fast charging
