Long story short, Google just dropped its new flagship: the Pixel 5. However, along with the fifth-generation Pixel, the company also unveiled a new Pixel 4a called the Pixel 4a 5G.

We can bet you can tell what the difference is there.

But just how do all three phones stack up against each other? Let’s take a look.

Google Pixel 4a vs Pixel 4a 5G vs Pixel 5 Quick Comparison

Design

Pixel 4a – The Pixel 4a has a 5.8in display. Its industrial design features a polycarbonate unibody body and comes in a single color – black.
Pixel 4a 5G – The Pixel 4a 5G has a 6.2in display. Its industrial design features a soft-touch polycarbonate unibody and it comes in only one color as well–black.
Pixel 5 – The Pixel 5 has a 6in display. Its industrial design features a Corning Gorilla Glass 6 covered glass body and comes in two color options – black and sage.

Winner? Pixel 5 – Design-wise the Pixel 5 reigns supreme thanks to its all-glass body–and that beautiful sage color option.

Displays

Pixel 4a – The Pixel 4a features a 5.8in (1080 x 2340) display and features a 100,000:1 contrast ratio.
Pixel 4a 5G – The Pixel 4a has a 6.2in display (1080 x 2340) and features a greater than 100,000:1 contrast ratio.
Pixel 5 – The Pixel 5 features a 6in (1080 x 2340) display and features a greater than 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio.

Winner? Pixel 5 – A million to one contrast ratio is up to ten times better than what the other two phones have.

CPU/Processor

Pixel 4a – the Pixel 4a features the Snapdragon 730G chipset.
Pixel 4a 5G – the Pixel 4a 5G features the Snapdragon 765G chipset.
Pixel 5 – the Pixel 5 features the Snapdragon 765G chipset.

Winner? Draw between the 4a 5G and 5 – Both use the exact same Snapdragon 765G SoC.

Camera

Pixel 4a – The Pixel 4a features a 8MP front-facing camera. On the rear camera you get a single-lens 12MP wide.
Pixel 4a 5G – The Pixel 4a features a 8MP front-facing camera. On the rear camera you get a dual-lens 12.2MP wide and 16MP ultrawide.
Pixel 5 – The Pixel 5 features a 8MP front-facing camera. On the rear camera you get a dual-lens 12.2MP wide and 16MP ultrawide.

Winner? Draw between the Pixel 4a 5G and 5 – The Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 finally both have dual-lens rear cameras.

Storage Options

Pixel 4a – 128GB
Pixel 4a 5G – 128GB
Pixel 5 – 128GB

Battery Life

Pixel 4a – The Pixel 4a’s battery is 3140 mAh. That should get you over a day’s use with mixed usage.
Pixel 4a 5G – The Pixel 4a’s battery is 3885 mAh. That should get you over a day’s use with mixed usage, too.
Pixel 5 – The Pixel 5’s battery is 4080 mAh, which should get you over a day’s use with mixed usage. But the Pixel 5 also features wireless charging.

Winner? Pixel 5 – The wireless charging feature is a must in 2020. It’s baffling the other two don’t sport it.

Price

Pixel 4a – $349
Pixel 4a 5G – $499
Pixel 5 – $699

Verdict?

The obvious loser here is the Pixel 4a. It’s obvious the phone is so 2019. It lacks 5G, it lacks a dual-lens camera, and it’s got a slower processor. What the Pixel 4a does offer is a nice price tag. At just $349 it’s a compelling buy for what it is.

However, the real competition is between the Pixel 5 and the Pixel 4a 5G. Both sport 5G and the same dual-lens rear camera setup. But the Pixel 5 wins out on some fronts, including the gorgeous glass body, the wireless charging, and the extra gigabytes of RAM.

Is that worth an extra $200? Honestly, I’m not so sure. After all, for two hundred bucks less, the Pixel 4a 5G gets you 5G and that dual-lens setup. It also features the same CPU. Given that, I’m calling the Pixel 4a 5G the winner this time around.

Google Pixel 4a vs Pixel 4a 5G vs Pixel 5: Specs

Here are the specs for the Pixel 4a:

Display: 5.8in (1080 x 2340)
Dimensions: 144mm x 69.4mm x 8.2mm
Weight: 143 grams
Storage: 128GB
Processors: Snapdragon 730G
RAM: 6GB
Front camera: 8MP
Rear camera: 12MP wide
Battery: 3140 mAh
Other: Back-mounted fingerprint reader, NFC, USB-C, 4G

Here are the specs for the Pixel 4a 5G:

Display: 6.2in (1080 x 2340)
Dimensions: 153.9 x 74mm x 8.2mm
Weight: 168 grams
Storage: 128GB
Processors: Snapdragon 765G
RAM: 6GB
Front camera: 8MP
Rear camera: 12.2MP wide, 16MP ultrawide
Battery: 3885 mAh
Other: Back-mounted fingerprint reader, NFC, USB-C, 5G

And here are the specs for the Pixel 5:

Display: 6in (1080 x 2340)
Dimensions: 144.7mm x 70.4mm x 8mm
Weight: 151 grams
Storage: 128GB
Processors: Snapdragon 765G
RAM: 8GB
Front camera: 8MP
Rear camera: 12.2MP wide, 16MP ultrawide
Battery: 4080 mAh
Other: Back-mounted fingerprint reader, wireless charging NFC, USB-C, 5G

Michael Grothaus

Apple expert and novelist, Michael Grothaus has been covering tech on KnowYourMobile for the best part of 10 years. Prior to this, he worked at Apple. And before that, he was a film journalist. Michael is a published author; his book Epiphany Jones was voted as one of the best novels about Hollywood by Entertainment Weekly. Michael is also a writer at other publications including VICE and Fast Company.

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