Google Pixel 4a is here: Your buying guide
Update: September 30, 2020 (15:20 AM ET): Google has detailed a new Pixel 4a series phone called the Pixel 4a 5G. For everything you need to know about the upgrade 5G model, be sure to check out our Pixel 4a 5G buyer’s guide. Likewise, check out our Pixel 5 buyer’s guide for more on the latest Google flagship phone.
We’ll fully update this guide with details regarding the new phones soon, but for now, you may want to read our comparison article below.The Pixel 4a was announced on August 3, 2020. It’s Google’s most affordable phone for the year and it’s a great pick if you want:
- A cheap-ish phone from a trusted brand
- A great camera
- A smaller size
- Quality software and guaranteed updates.
The Pixel 4a costs $349 in the US, where it’s available in only one size, one color, and one storage configuration. It competes with the iPhone SE, the OnePlus Nord (outside the US), the Samsung Galaxy A51, and a slew of other affordable phones from brands like Xiaomi and Realme.
You should avoid the Pixel 4a if you want:
- Top performance, especially for games
- Lots of bells and whistles
- A battery that holds several days
- 5G (wait for the Pixel 4a 5G version instead).
Read our Pixel 4a review for more details.
Further reading: The best Google products
Is the Pixel 4a worth buying?
We think the Google Pixel 4a is a great pick for the money, especially in the US, where value-focused brands like Realme and Poco are not present.
At $349, it’s a great phone for those who want something solid and functional for day-to-day use, with added niceties like a high-quality camera and a beautiful screen.
Now, Google doesn’t have a stellar track record as a phone maker. Some previous Pixel phones have suffered from hardware issues. Also, Google phones are rarely on the cutting edge in performance and battery life. The Pixel 4a is no exception. Keep that in mind if you want the highest reliability or the best specs for your money.The Pixel 4a is the follow-up to the Pixel 3a, which was very popular last year. The 3a was our most recommended device of 2019 and all signs suggest the Pixel 4a will follow in its footsteps.
esides the value, David highlighted the “fantastic display,” great cameras, and good performance among the selling points of the Pixel 4a. On the downside, David noted there’s no IP rating or wireless charging. Also, the single camera on the back, while really good, can’t match the flexibility of multi-camera designs.
We’ll update our Pixel 4a buyer’s guide with impressions from other reviewers from around the web soon.
What people like you think of the Pixel 4a
In a poll Android Authority ran back in May, almost 90% of the 6,000+ respondents said they’re excited for the Pixel 4a.
Some of that excitement might have been lost on the way, as Google inexplicably delayed the release of the device. Still, it’s safe to say a majority of Android fans are looking forward to the Pixel 4a.
In another poll from July 20, we asked people to choose between the heavily leaked Pixel 4a and the heavily hyped OnePlus Nord. The Google phone came out on top, with 60% of the votes. That’s impressive, considering how popular OnePlus is and how well received the OnePlus Nord has been overall.
Google Pixel 4a specs
Is the Pixel 4a camera good?
he Pixel 4a features the same 12MP camera sensor as its predecessor. There’s also only one lens on the back – no wide angle, no zoom, no depth sensors.
On paper, that doesn’t sound encouraging, but specs alone don’t paint the full picture. Like other Pixel phones, the Pixel 4a punches above its weight, thanks to great software optimization. As David put it in our review, “images from the Pixel 4a are classic Google. That is, they’ll look fantastic straight out of camera in nearly any situation.”
The Pixel 4a’s single camera is refreshingly simple, but that’s its weakness too. Other phone makers are pushing the hardware envelope, adding more lenses, bigger sensors, and more complex zoom systems. This gives users more power to capture each scene in the best way. Meanwhile, with the Pixel 4a, what you see is what you get.
Deep dive: The best Android camera phones you can get
How is the Pixel 4a battery life?
From our experience, you can expect around 6.5-7 hours of screen-on time from the Pixel 4a’s 3,140mAh battery, with medium usage. That’s a fairly good number for a battery this size, though it probably won’t be enough to get you through two days of use.
We ran the Pixel 4a through our battery test against two competitors – OnePlus Nord and LG Velvet – and two other Google devices. As you can see in the chart below, the Pixel 4a gives the Nord’s bigger battery a good run, while the 4,300mAh LG Velvet pulls ahead. The 4a clearly beats both the Pixel 3a and the Pixel 4.
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