Google Pixel 4a

The Google Pixel 4a is Google’s latest mid-tier release. But as competition in the mid-tier market picks up, a good phone is all about cutting costs in smart places. Did Google make the right choices with their latest Pixel release?

Design

The Google Pixel 4a’s design is simple but effective. It has a matte black finish and a one-piece shell that’s almost bezel-less. It comes in looking small but has a surprising amount of screen real estate.

Display

The OLED screen is one of the sharpest and most color accurate in its price range. Reviewers had no issues with dim screens or muddy graphics. They loved the immersion of the sharp, bright screen.

Tom’s Guide says, “The 5.81-inch, full-HD panel in Google’s new midrange phone delivers bold yet realistic color, and gets surprisingly bright as well.”

Performance

While the device’s specs might indicate slowness or frame drops, reviewers raved about the phone’s performance. No, it won’t keep up with a smartphone twice its price. But for the price, it was alarmingly good. Some gamers might be disappointed as it seems to struggle with more beefy games but it’s plenty of phone for those everyday tasks such as checking email, scrolling through social media, or chatting with friends.

Tech Radar states, “It can handle any app or game that you run, but you may find that some take a second or two longer to load than you’d like, especially big online games or intensive applications.”

Software & Storage

Google Pixel 4a runs on Android 10. As a Pixel phone, it also comes at least 3 years of extra updates. So it will be at the leading edge of Android releases for some time. 128GB of storage also offers more than enough room for most people. However, the phone doesn’t include a Micro SD option.

Cameras

The cameras for this phone have been hailed one of the best in a mid-budget phone. Deeper shadows and brighter highlights make it very eye-catching. You may find some noise when zooming into a photo but overall, reviewers praised the phone’s camera for its color and sharpness.

Battery Life

Battery life for the phone was middling. It wasn’t good, nor was it awful. You won’t find any fancy features — like wireless charging — but the battery should last the day in most cases.

Audio

The audio was also lacking, but that’s kind of expected of a mid-range smartphone. On the upside, the phone includes a headphone jack. So whether you prefer a more intimate listening experience or you’re in a noisy room, you can plug in headphones and fix most of the issues reviewers had with the speakers.

Wired said, “The dual speakers are sufficient if you’re in a quiet room, but introduce some ambient noise and you’ll quickly be reaching for your headphones. Watching a video in the noisy outdoors of New York, I had to crank the volume up to the max, and it still wasn’t too easy to discern dialog.”

Specs at a Glance

• Plastic chassis
• 5.81-inch, full-HD panel display
• Octa-core 2.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 processor
• 6GB of RAM
• Android 10
• 128GB of storage
• 12.2MP camera/ 8MP selfie lens
• 3140mAh battery

Bottom Line

While it’s not likely that this phone will be the one to conquer them all. It’s still impressive for a mid-range smartphone. What the phone does, it does extremely well. With a camera that takes great shots and a beautifully sharp screen, there’s not a lot to be disappointed in.

Wired says, “At a time when millions of people are out of a job, this phone is a third the price of many high-end models, yet it will do everything you need. If you need a new phone, save some money and get on with more important things in your life.”

Android Authority states, “The Google Pixel 4a doesn’t have a 120Hz display. It doesn’t have the latest Snapdragon processor or multiple rear cameras, but with the Pixel 4a, none of that matters. The Pixel 4a is an affordable way to access one of the best versions of Android, with support and features that you can only get from Google.”

Tech Radar remarks, “The compact size, clean interface and great point-and-shoot camera of the Pixel 4a will appeal to those looking for an affordable, reasonably sized handset with enough grunt to handle the basics, plus the ability to capture some excellent pictures.”