Google Pixel 4a Review: One Month Later
Product Specs +
- 5.81 inch 1080 x 2340p
- 443ppi
- OLED display
- Snapdragon 730G
- 6GB of RAM
- 128 GB of storage
- 3,140 mAH battery
- Android 10
Camera Specs +
Rear Cameras
- 12.2 MP F/1.7 Main
Selfie Cameras
- 8 MP F/2.0
Video
- Shoots 4k at up to 30 FPS
I’ve been using the $350 Google Pixel 4a for about a month now and honestly, there's a lot of really good things I like about this phone. I know public perception may have been that it's simple and a little bland, but I feel like this no frills device packs a pretty big punch. Let's talk.
Look & Feel
First, let's talk about the aesthetics. The Google Pixel 4a has a plastic body that isn't necessarily premium, but still feels sturdy. There's a matte texture on the back cover that is thankfully not a fingerprint magnet and feels great in the hands. The 4a is sold in only one color (Just Black) and you'll see throughout this review that there's minimal options when it comes to Google's latest mobile phone. The rest of the phone is also pretty straightforward: there's only one camera on the back and a very snappy fingerprint scanner that is oftentimes overly sensitive. The phone also possesses a mint-colored power button, clicky volume rockers, a headphone jack, stereo speakers and the USB-C charging port.
The front of the device houses a 5.8 inch 1080p OLED screen protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. There's more than 400 pixels per inch on the 4a so viewing angles are pretty good, especially considering the $350 price tag. The screen is flat, which I'm a fan of because curved displays are honestly unnecessary in my opinion. The bezels are minimal and I think many people will enjoy the look here without the awkward chin or forehead that some of the 4a's predecessors had. The 4a has a 60 Hz refresh rate and if you've used a device that has a higher refresh rate you may notice the 4a isn't as buttery smooth yet playing games and watching videos is still enjoyable, especially when paired with the stereo speakers.
On the inside of the 4a is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. There's no expandable memory slot here but as is, the device multitasks really well especially when paired with the stock Android experience. Speaking of Android, the Pixel comes with Android 10 and is guaranteed to have 3 years of security updates.
One of my biggest concerns with the Pixel 4a was battery life. Battery life on Pixel phones have never been a strong suit. This year, Google put a 3,140 mAh battery into the 4a and although it is a noticeable improvement from previous generations, I still would like to see even more progress here. On average, I'm able to get about four hours of screen-on time while averaging approximately 800 notifications a day.
Camera
Google's crowning feature to the Pixel series is the camera. The year is now 2020 and in a world where OEMs are trending towards a plethora of camera sensors thus adding unsightly camera humps, Google went the complete opposite direction by using their advanced AI software to empower the single 12.2 MP camera sensor on the back and holepunch 8 MP selfie on the front. Although this means there's no ultrawide or macro lens, I didn't find myself missing either of those. Google has continued to use the incredible algorithms they've created to make the camera just as good without adding additional hardware and increasing the price of the device. The photos I took with the phone were clear and vibrant, yet true to color. Portrait mode on the Pixel captures depth very well when it comes to subjects such as human faces and objects but may look more unrealistic when it comes to animals. For day to day use, the Pixel camera is great in itself but still no match compared to a DSLR. You also still get features like Night Sight and Astrophotography Mode that really make the Pixel stand out among its competitors.
Give and Take
The $350 price point makes it a great option for those interested in a budget or mid-range device. But for this price point, there are some sacrifices to be made. There's no frills on the Pixel 4a, so features like Qi charging, squeeze for Assistant and water resistance are not going to be found on here. If it's important to you, there's also no 5G capabilities, but Google did announce they're releasing a 5G compatible 4a model later this year. At this point in time, I personally do not feel 5G is a must-have but that may vary depending on where you live and your overall preferences. The price point will no doubt cost more for a 5G option.
The Google Pixel 4a is up against some noteworthy competitors this year including the Apple iPhone SE and OnePlus Nord. Here in the US, the OnePlus Nord is harder to purchase but I speculate that Google priced the 4a at a competitive $350 to undercut the iPhone SE at $400. In case you missed it, I'll link Alex's review on the iPhone SE but it will be interesting to see how Google does in the current competitive budget phone market. I'm also very curious to see how they approach future devices too. The Pixel 3a was the first budget device Google released in the Pixel line and now with the 4a, I think they have a good chance at succeeding in this mid-level tier. By discontinuing the Pixel 4 and 4 XL earlier than expected in its life cycle, I'm left to believe Google may be approaching a new strategy with the Pixel lineup. The Pixel 5 is rumored to have a Snapdragon 765G and flagship Qualcomm processors are continuing to increase in price. It’s reasonable to assume that Nexus priced Pixels may be the future.
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Lida
Always the number cruncher, the former narrative journalist turned data scientist, can’t help but find herself bursting with excitement with each new generation of tech gadgets. After all, predicting future trends is Lida’s forte. Any gadget that survives Lida’s torturous, adult working woman itinerary of over 700 notifications a day deserves praise!