Yesterday one of our readers made the comment that they could not see the reason for the price difference between the Google Pixel 4a 5G and the Pixel 5, given the same CPU chipset. Today the subtle differences have been detailed with Winfuture leaking the Pixel 4a 5G specs overnight.
Winfuture have leaked the specs of the upcoming Pixel 4a 5G, further muddying the waters in the differences between the two devices launching next week. The Pixel 4a 5G will arrive with a 6.2-inch display — larger than that of the more expensive Pixel 5 with both displays offering a 1080P resolution. The main difference between the two devices is the Pixel 4a 5G will only support a 60Hz refresh rate.
Once again there is a hole punch in the display for the selfie camera and the fingerprint sensor on the rear of the device. The display does seem to take up less of the front of the phone with larger bezels — less “premium”? It will also not have Gorilla Glass 6 protecting it but just Gorilla Glass 3. The chipset is again the SD765G but is supported with only 6GB of RAM although the storage is the same at 128GB.
The cameras on the two devices are identical and considering that is the most important feature for so many users it brings the two devices even closer in purchasing considerations — 12.2MP main camera and a 16MP 107-degree wide angle lens. The front camera is the same as well, with an 8MP shooter located in that hole punch.
The battery on the Pixel 4a 5G is smaller than the Pixel 5 which is interesting given the larger display — although the difference is small — 3885mAh versus 4,080mAh. The difference here is the “a” version once again arriving without wireless charging but will support the same 18W charging. The Pixel 4a 5G also has a headphone jack — something many people still love in their phones.
The big difference between the two is the case with the Pixel 5 being glass and metal whereas the Pixel 4a 5G will arrive with a polycarbonate housing — ie. plastic. There is also no IP68 rating on the Pixel 4a 5G.
| PIXEL 5 | PIXEL 4A 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android 11 | Android 11 |
| Display | 6″ AMOLED (2340×1080, 432ppi, 90Hz) Gorilla Glass 6 |
6.2″ AMOLED (2340×1080, 413ppi, 60Hz) Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G Adreno 620 GPU |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G Adreno 620 GPU |
| Memory | Storage: 128GB RAM: 8GB |
Storage: 128GB RAM: 6GB |
| Battery | 4000mAh 18W fast charging Wireless charging |
3800mAh 18W fast charging |
| Rear Camera | -12.2MP (f/1.7, OIS, EIS) -16MP wide (f/2.2, 107-degree FOV) –4K/60fps |
-12.2MP (f/1.7, OIS, EIS) -16MP wide (f/2.2, 107-degree FOV) –4K/60fps |
| Front Camera | -8MP (f2.0) | -8MP (f2.0) |
| Connectivity | 5G, 4G LTE 802.11ac WiFi Bluetooth 5.0 NFC |
5G, 4G LTE 802.11ac WiFi Bluetooth 5.0 NFC |
| Other | Fingerprint reader USB-C (USB 3.1) Stereo speakers IP68 |
Fingerprint reader USB-C (USB 3.1) Stereo speakers 3.5mm headphone |
| Case | Recycled aluminum | Plastic |
| Size | 144.7 x 70.4 x 8.0mm 151g |
153.9 x 74.0 x 8.2mm 168g |
| Colours | Black, Green | Black, White |
In the end the differences between the two devices are relatively small but there may be something more important to one person more than another in one or other of the devices. Whether it is enough to justify what is likely to be a $200+ difference is up to you — is it?
