Google Pixel 5a buyer's guide: Everything you need to know

Google’s A-series is where the company puts its budget-friendly phones. This includes the Google Pixel 5a, which offers a lot of value for money.

As with previous phones in the series, the Pixel 5a offers the core features users expect from a Pixel while keeping the price comparatively low. However, unlike previous A-series devices, this phone’s price might not be quite as low as you may have hoped.

See also: All Google Pixel phones released so far

Google Pixel 5a at a glance

Google launched the Google Pixel 5a on August 17, 2021. As with the 2020 launch of the Google Pixel 4a, the company didn’t do a big streaming event or give much fanfare. Instead, it announced the phone with a basic press release.

Don’t let that apparent lack of excitement belittle the phone’s appeal, though. All in all, the Pixel 5a is like a slightly watered-down version of the Google Pixel 5 (or a beefed-up version of the Pixel 4a 5G, take your pick) with a bigger display, bigger battery, and better build quality. Sure, it’s missing a few significant features of the Pixel 5 — including wireless charging and a high-refresh-rate display — but you still get a lot for what you’ll spend.

See also: Google Pixel 5 review | Google Pixel 4a 5G review

Speaking of which, the Google Pixel 5a starts at $449, or $50 less than the Pixel 4a 5G. However, that’s also $100 more than the Pixel 4a, which is a pretty big ask. Pixel fans should find a lot to love here, though.

The Pixel 5a is only available in two countries: the United States and Japan (where it launched at 51,700 Japanese yen).

Is the Google Pixel 5a worth buying?

The Pixel 5a is a good phone for its price. If you have never owned a Pixel phone before and are looking for a cost-effective entry point, this is worth a look.

However, if you already own a recent Pixel device, such as the Pixel 5 or Pixel 4a 5G, there isn’t any reason to upgrade. Your Pixel 5 is going to be better than this in more than a few ways, and your Pixel 4a 5G is going to be so similar that upgrading would be a waste. If you already own one of those phones, the newer Pixel 6 series is a better option. So is the new Pixel 6a, which goes for $450.

Our verdict: Google Pixel 5a review

The biggest roadblock with this phone, though, is its limited availability. Since it only landed in two countries, there are probably loads of people reading this who would buy the phone but simply can’t get one. Unfortunately, those buyers would be better served by purchasing a different Pixel.

The bottom line here is that buyers in the US and Japan who don’t already own a recent Pixel and want something reasonably inexpensive will do well to check out the Google Pixel 5a. If you don’t fit those criteria, this isn’t the phone for you.

What experts are saying

Here at Android Authority, we gave the Google Pixel 5a high praise. We gave it a score of 4.5/5 and labeled it with our Recommended badge.

We loved a lot about the phone, including its amazing battery life, crisp display, long software updates promise, and stellar photography skills. We also loved the IP rating, which you don’t often see on phones in this price bracket. However, we didn’t like that it still has a 60Hz display refresh rate and a year-old processor.

Around the web, here’s what some other sites have to say on the Google Pixel 5a:

• Eli BLUmenthal from CNET: BLUmenthal gave the phone a score of 4/5, praising its overall value and similarities to other Pixel phones. However, he criticized the confusing 5G support (the 5a doesn’t support mmWave 5G).
• Jordan Palmer from Tom’s Guide: Palmer gave the Pixel 5a the same score we did (4.5/5). He called it “the king of affordable phones” and praised the camera, display, and water resistance. He did ding the phone for its aging chipset, lack of wireless charging, and limited availability, though.
• David Lumb from Tech Radar: Here, we have another 4/5 review score. Lumb praised the cameras, software, value, and battery life. He didn’t care much for the 18W wired charging speeds, wishing they were faster. He also pointed out how few improvements there are over other Pixel phones.

All in all, it is difficult to find negative reviews for the Google Pixel 5a from reputable sites. Keep that in mind if you are thinking about buying this phone.

Google Pixel 5a specs

Objectively, the Pixel 5a is better than the Pixel 4a 5G. However, it’s not quite as good as the Pixel 5 and definitely not as good as the Pixel 6 phones. Check out the specs for the device below, which includes the Pixel 4a 5G specs so you can see how similar they are:

What’s up with the Pixel 5a’s IP rating?

For the first time in Google’s budget series, the Pixel 5a comes with an official IP rating. Its IP67 certification means it is resistant to dust particles and water.

The “6” in an IP67 rating represents the highest possible against particle ingress. That means it offers complete protection against dust, dirt, and other particles entering the phone. The “7” in the rating refers to water resistance. Although this isn’t the highest rating, it represents a safe immersion level of 1m for a specific length of time (usually 30 minutes).

Required reading: Everything you need to know about IP and ATM ratings

This all means you don’t need to worry about dropping the Google Pixel 5a in a puddle. It also means you won’t need to worry about lint from your pocket or beach sand getting into the phone.

An IP67 rating is only one notch below the gold standard for flagship smartphones, which is IP68. For what it’s worth, the Google Pixel 5 offers this rating and is much more expensive. At the Pixel 5a’s price point, an IP rating of any kind is unusual — but certainly welcome.

Is the Google Pixel 5a camera any good?

The camera hardware within the Pixel 5a is identical to the hardware in the Pixel 4a 5G — which, in turn, is identical to the hardware in the Pixel 5. As such, the camera experience you’ll see from the Google Pixel 5a will match that of those two phones.

We have numerous articles related to the photography prowess of the Google Pixel 5. We also have a full review of the Pixel 4a 5G that goes over its camera. We highly suggest checking those out along with our main review for the Pixel 5a.

See also: The best camera phones you can get

In a nutshell, the Pixel 5a’s camera is excellent for what it is. You don’t get a telephoto lens, but the standard and wide-angle lenses produce some great results. When you consider you’ll pay half as much for the Pixel 5a as you would some flagships, the photo quality you’ll see will be pretty astounding.

That said, Google’s software is doing the bulk of the work. Since the hardware in the Pixel 5a is quite old at this point, you’re simply not going to get the power and versatility you would from more recent flagships.

At this price point, though, that probably isn’t a big deal. This phone launched at $449, but you’re going to get photos that look like they came from something much more expensive than that.

How is the Pixel 5a’s battery life?

The battery in the Google Pixel 5a was the biggest of any Pixel phone until the Pixel 6 Pro arrived. At 4,680mAh, it’s roughly 13% larger than the battery in the Pixel 5 and approximately 17% larger than that of the Pixel 4a 5G. Depending on your usage, the Pixel 5a will be able to last you two, maybe even three days.

Related: The best Android smartphones with the best battery life

The Pixel 5a charges at a maximum speed of 18W. You can see those speeds with the charger and USB-C cable that come in the box with the phone. Unfortunately, the Pixel 5a does not have wireless charging, so you’ll need to stick to wired charging with this one.

How is the Pixel 5a’s performance?

The chipset in the Pixel 5a is the same as what we saw in both the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G, namely the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G. This 2020 chipset supports 5G connections and is pretty powerful for mid-range processors. However, it will not produce results akin to a high-end chip, such as the Snapdragon 888 or the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. It’s also got successors in the form of the more powerful Snapdragon 768G and 778G.

Related reading: Everything you need to know about smartphone chipsets

In general, the processing speeds and stability you’ll see with the Google Pixel 5a will be more than adequate for day-to-day use. If you plan on doing a lot of heavy gaming, emulation, video editing, or other processor-heavy tasks, you’ll likely face some hiccups. In general, power users should try to grab a phone with a more powerful chip, but the average user will probably have no issues with the Snapdragon 765G.

Pixel 5a software, updates, and more

One of the biggest reasons people buy Pixel phones is for software updates. As one would expect, the Pixel 5a will be one of the very first devices to get the latest versions of Android. That includes Android 12, which landed not too long after the Pixel 6 launch.

Theoretically, the Pixel 5a should also get Android 13 and Android 14. It should also see monthly security patches and quarterly feature drops. The bottom line is that if software updates are important to you, the Pixel 5a is a great choice.

Pixel 5a vs Pixel 4a 5G vs Pixel 5: What’s new?

You can look at the Google Pixel 5a in one of two ways. Its name suggests it is a “lite” version of the Google Pixel 5. However, you could instead look at it as a direct sequel to the Google Pixel 4a 5G. Either view would be valid.

Read next: Pixel 5a vs older Pixel phones

Really, though, the phone is a dead ringer for the Pixel 4a 5G but features some of the internals and build materials of the Pixel 5. In essence, it’s like a hybrid of the two. Here are the core differences. If you don’t see something listed here, that means it’s the same across all three devices.

What are some good Google Pixel 5a alternatives?

One of the more obvious alternatives to the Pixel 5a is the Pixel 5. However, that phone has been discontinued. The Pixel 4a 5G is objectively inferior to the Pixel 5a, so that’s not worth investing in anymore. Below, you’ll find the devices that might deserve a look if you’re not sold on the Google Pixel 5a.

• Google Pixel 6 ($599): Sure, it costs $150 more, but you get a lot more for the money as well. Google’s latest Pixel offers excellent bang for the buck and is a better phone overall than the Pixel 5a.
• Google Pixel 6a ($449): The Pixel 6a is powered by Google’s Tensor chipset, which is an upgrade over the SoC of the Pixel 5a. It also has an arguably better design, an in-display fingerprint scanner, and a slightly different camera system.
• Samsung Galaxy A53 ($449): If you’re not locked to the Pixel ecosystem, one of the best competitors is the Galaxy A53. Jumping ship will get you more camera lenses on the rear, a bigger display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a microSD card slot, and an under-display fingerprint sensor. It also offers better software support.
• iPhone SE (2022) ($429): Finally, if you’re not locked to Android, you should check out the latest iPhone SE. Sure, it’s going to have a weaker battery and only one rear camera lens, but its processor will be incredibly powerful, and its compact size will be refreshing for those sick of big phones. Plus, it’s a bit cheaper.

Where to buy the Google Pixel 5a

• Google Pixel 5a: $449 / 51,700 Japanese yen

The Google Pixel 5a is available now. You can buy it directly from Amazon via the links below. The phone is only available in the United States and Japan.

The Pixel 5a will see full carrier support within the US and Japan, but no US carriers will actually sell it. Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and their various MVNOs and subsidiaries support the phone in the US.

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