DECEMBER 2020 PCWorld 81Even that 5G feature has
its caveats. If you want
Verizon’s speedier mmWave,
it’ll cost you an extra $100,
bringing the phone’s cost
even closer to that of the
$699 Pixel 5. 5G
connectivity places a higher
demand on battery life, too.
Basically, Google has
made it so buyers need to
check a very specific set of
boxes before they decide to
buy a 4a 5G. While anyone
who opts to buy one probably won’t regret
it, the Pixel 4a 5G isn’t as clear-cut of a
purchase as the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE or
Apple’s iPhone 12.
DESIGN: BIGGER,
SOMETIMES BETTER
Based on its design, the Pixel 4a 5G is
basically the Pixel 4a XL that we didn’t get in
August. It closely resembles the 4a, right
down to the plastic back and colored power
button, just with a bigger 6.2-inch screen.
It’s a touch heavier than the 4a (151 grams
versus 143 grams), but it still feels incredibly
light compared to other all-glass phones.
Let’s talk about that screen first. While it is
bigger than the 4a’s, it has the same Full
HD+ resolution as the 4a (versus the Quad
HD resolution on previous Pixel XLs). As a
result you’re getting a slightly lower pixel
density—413ppi, compared to 443ppi for
the 4a and 432ppi for the Pixel 5. It’s subtle,
but a downgrade nonetheless.
The image quality is typical for a Pixel,
with relatively muted colors and brightness,
even after my usual switch to “Boosted”
mode. It’s good, but compared to the
iPhone 12 or OnePlus 8T, it’s a bit dull and
underwhelming. I wish Google would
change its display calibration to amp up the
colors and the vibrance, but after five
generations, that seems unlikely.
For cameras, the front of the 4a 5G has
the same hole-punch selfie cam and bit of
chin as the 4a. The square camera array on
the back differs—the 4a has just one lens,
while the 4a 5G adds an extra ultrawide lens.
fits two lenses. We’ll talk about camera
image quality later on.
Working our way around the phone, theThe Pixel 4a 5G is the awkward middle child in Google’s Pixel family.