Google’s new budget Android phone, the Pixel 4A, has been released today and costs $349. The highlights of the phone is its flagship-tier camera among others. Its the younger brother to last year’s Pixel 4.
The 4A is late, though: Google says the delay is due to the pandemic. The August 20th shipping date is awkwardly close to the usual October Pixel launch, so Google is going ahead and pre-announcing its next phones: the $499 Pixel 4A 5G and Pixel 5 (price TBD). If you were hoping for something other than a single 5.8-inch screen option, you will need to wait for those phones.
The Pixel 4A has a one-size-fits-all 5.8-inch display. Google is using a hole-punch for the first time, which allows the screen to go closer to the edges. The bezels are still bigger than what you’ll get on a flagship, but they’re smaller than many phones at this price point.
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It’s an OLED screen, which used to be a rarity at this price range. As OLED screens go, it’s not able to stand up to the screens on phones that cost more. There’s some red shift in the dark, significant drop-off when viewed at an angle, and it barely manages to get bright enough to stand up to direct sunlight. It’s also covered by Gorilla Glass 3, which is four generations old at this point.
It has a 1080p screen which is more than acceptable. If you aren’t the sort of person who immediately knows pixel density and high-refresh rates when you see them, you’ll probably be fine with it. I didn’t have any major problems.
The body itself is plastic with the fingerprint sensor on the back. It feels sturdy enough, but the lack of wireless charging is a little bit frustrating. However, Google kept the 3.5mm headphone jack, and I’m happy to see it as always. I’m also glad to see stereo speakers, something that’s often cut at this price point. You can’t squeeze the phone for Google Assistant, but you can swipe in from the bottom corners or say “Hey Google.”
The Google Pixel 4A Specs
- Display: 5.81-inch 1080 x 2340 OLED, 443 ppi with hole punch camera
- Dimensions & weight: 5.7 x 2.7 0.3 inches; 144 grams
- Battery: 3,140mAh
- RAM and storage: 6GB; 128GB
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G
- Rear camera: 12.2-megapixel, 1.4 μm pixel width, dual pixel phase detection autofocus, OIS and EIS, f/1.7 equivalent aperture, 77-degree field of view
- Video: 1080p at 30, 60, or 120fps; 720p at 30, 60, or 240fps; 4K a 30fps
- Front camera: 8-megapixel, 1.12 μm pixel width, ƒ/2.0 equivalent aperture, 84-degree field of view
- Other: Stereo speakers, headphone jack, USB-C, no wireless charging
- Supports 4G but not 5G
- Includes 18W USB power adapter and cable in box, no headphones in box
