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Today, at its ‘Launch Night In’ event, Google unveiled the details of its new Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 devices.
Pixel 4a 5G
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The Pixel 4a 5G is, as its name suggests, a 5G variant of the budget-friendly phone released last autumn. But it’s not just an improved cellular modem that’s been added to the 5G variant.
The Pixel 4A now has a larger OLED screen — 6.2” over the 5.8” on the 4a — as well as a slightly faster Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor (compared to the 730g found in the 4a). All of these upgrades together have increased the starting price of the 5G variant to $ 499, $ 150 more expensive than the base Pixel 4a at launch.
Pixel 5
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Compared to the improvements the Pixel 4 brought over the Pixel 3, the Pixel 5 feels like a much smaller update. While the specifications haven’t improved dramatically, Google has added a number of new and improved features, particularly in regards to the camera software.
Starting with internals, the Pixel 5 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor with an X52 5G modem that supports both sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G. This is a bit of an interesting move as more flagship devices are beginning to use the Snapdragon 865 or 865 Plus, but using a slightly older chipset means the price of the Pixel can keep it below more top-tier Android devices.
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The Pixel 5 features 8GB of RAM, starts with 128GB of internal storage, uses a 4080mAh battery. Other notable details include reverse wireless charging, IPX8 water-resistance and the newest version of Corning Gorilla Glass.
The 6” screen is a 2340 x 1080 OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. Although it retains the 8MP hole-punch front-facing camera, the lack of the Motion Sense array means the screen now stretches the full width of the device.
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As for cameras, the Pixel 5 has an optically-stabilized 12.2MP main camera with a 77-degree field-of-view (FOV) as well as a 16MP ultrawide that covers a 107-degree FOV. To make the most of the humble hardware, Google is, as it has for years, relying on its software to get the best image quality possible.
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New shooting modes include the inclusion of a Night Sight Portrait mode, improved HDR+ capture and a new AI-powered Portrait Lighting mode that will automatically adjust the lighting on subjects captured in Portrait mode. Also new are three new image stabilization modes: Locked, Active and Cinematic Pan. The new Cinematic Pan setting is designed specifically for capturing gimbal-like footage, complete with slow-motion capture.
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The Pixel 5 will be available on October 15 through Google Fi, Verizon and unlocked starting at $ 699 for the 128GB version — a $ 100 drop from the $ 799 the Pixel 4 retailed for at launch. AT&T will also offer the Pixel 5 later this autumn. Pre-orders are available starting today.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)