Once rumoured to be cancelled entirely, the Pixel 5a is instead only launching in the US and Japan - but we now have the full details on the phone, which goes on sale later this month and is available to pre-order now. Here's what you need to know.
Google Pixel 5a 5G Full Reviews
The phone is available to pre-order now from the online Google store if you're in the US or Japan. It ships unlocked, and will apparently work on all major carrier networks.
In the US, the phone is also available through the Google Fi network, where you can pre-order it for full price or get it through the company's phone subscription program from just $9 per month, with a Fi data plan on top. In Japan you can get the phone from Softbank too.
We're tracking where to buy the Pixel 5a in the US separately if you want to learn more
In terms of design, Google hasn't changed much at all - the phone looks much like last year's Pixel 4a 5G, and like that phone is only available in a black finish - officially called Mostly Black.
It's a little larger than that phone, with a 6.34in, Full HD+ flat OLED display - still limited to 60Hz, unfortunately, rather than a faster refresh rate.
Once again the fingerprint scanner is located on the phone's rear - rather than under the display - and you'll see an almost identical looking rear camera module. Stereo speakers provide the audio, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack.
In fact, the only major design change is one that you can't see: the Pixel 5a 5G is water-resistant, with an IP67 rating for dust and water protection.
I'm going to keep this short because the Pixel 5a's design is virtually identical to last year's Pixel 4a 5G, and most of the inside specs are the same, too. The name Google came up with this year is "Mostly Black" as opposed to last year's Just Black, and while it may be a few shades brighter than last year, it's definitely still a black phone, though an argument could be made for deep charcoal.
The power is a lighter gray — no bright colors here like on the 4a 5G, sorry — and it has a wavy texture across it to help distinguish it from the volume rocker. All buttons are nice, firm, and clicky, with no wobble or mushiness. The USB-C port and stereo speakers are still at the bottom while the headphone jack sits up top and the SIM tray slot is on the lower left bumper.
The phone has a pleasant heft without feeling heavy, and while it's a bit big for my small hands, it was easy enough to reach the top left corner (I hold my phone left-handed), but I quickly grabbed a PopSocket to make reaching the right side of the screen easier. I wish that the Pixel 5a was small like the Pixel 4a was, but most of you like bigger screens and this was built for you. The size here is a teeny bit taller than the Pixel 4a 5G for the screen and a teeny bit thicker for the battery.
Once you move from the outside to the inside, things get even more similar. We have the same Snapdragon 765G that's been in such high demand during this year's chip shortage, and it's paired with the same memory, storage, and cameras. I've bolded the differences between the two generations to help distinguish how little has changed here:
Perhaps more concerningly, even the internals haven't changed much. Once again, the phone is powered by the Snapdragon 765G - the exact same chip used on the 4a 5G, and on the Pixel 5. It's a decent mid-range chipset, but Qualcomm has followed it up with more recent models this year, such as the Snapdragon 780G, and it's a shame not to see one of those used instead.
Google Pixel 5a Performance Reviews
It's even paired with the exact same other specs: 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. That means performance will essentially be identical to the last phone, with no meaningful advances at all.
It's the same story with the camera: the same pair of 12Mp main and 16Mp ultrawide lenses return from last year, meaning camera quality should be identical - no bad thing when the camera was so impressive originally, to be fair.
That's not true for the battery at least, which Google has bumped up to a 4680mAh cell. That's the biggest in any Pixel phone yet, and a whopping 20% increase in capacity from the 4a 5G. 18W wired charging returns (with a charger included in the box), though once again wireless charging isn't supported.
As you'd expect, it ships with Android 11, and Google is guaranteeing at least three years of OS version and security updates.
Google Pixel 5a 5G full specs Reviews 2021
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
6GB RAM
128GB storage
6.34in FHD+ OLED display
Rear camera:
12.2Mp, f/.1.7 main camera
16Mp, f/2.2 ultrawide
8Mp, f/2.0 punch-hole selfie camera
4680mAh battery
18W wired charging
IP67
Gorilla Glass 3
Stereo speakers
Headphone jack
Android 11
Mostly Black
156.2 x 73.2 x 8.8mm
183g
Google Pixel 5a 5G Price Reviews
Google is releasing the Google Pixel 5a in only two countries: the United States and Japan. It is available in both countries for preorder as of August 17 at $449 and ¥51,700, releasing on August 26. The unlocked Pixel 5a is compatible with all major American networks, but without mmWave 5G, it will not be able to use Verizon's Ultra Wideband network, only sub6 5G and LTE 4G.
If you do not live in these two countries, the Google Pixel 4a 5G will continue to be sold in your market if it's already on sale. We'll talk more about the 4a 5G in the next section, but the cliff notes version for 4a 5G owners and non-Americans is: you're not missing much here.
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