Google’s New Pixel 5a 5G is Here and Costs $449

A new Google Pixel phone has been launched, and no, it’s not yet the Pixel 6. Instead, Google has pushed out the Pixel 5a 5G, a somewhat-upgraded version of last year’s Pixel 4a 5G, only it has a price cut to go with the new goods.

Up for pre-order today and launching August 26, the Pixel 5a 5G brings 3 new areas of focus if you are trying to decide what’s new here. Those 3 things are water resistance for the first time in an A-Series phone, a much bigger battery than last year’s 4a 5G, and a slightly bigger display. The rest of the situation is almost identical.

So what we’ve got is a 6.34″ FHD AMOLED display (60Hz), Snapdragon 765G processor, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage, 4680mAh battery, stereo speakers, 3.5mm headphone jack, Titan M security chip, fingerprint reader, IP67 water and dust resistance, and a dual camera. The camera consists of the same setup we found in the 4a 5G and Pixel 5, with 12.2MP main and 16MP ultra-wide shooters.

In software, the Pixel 5a launches with Android 11, but will undoubtedly see Android 12 in a couple of weeks when it goes stable. This phone will also see monthly security patches, 3 years of updates, and get new features with Pixel Feature Drops.

And that’s really the story here. It’s, as I mentioned earlier, a somewhat-upgraded phone from the Pixel 4a 5G. The rest of this story we know, because we reviewed both the Pixel 4a 5G and the Pixel 5. Oh, I’ve also spent the past 7 days with the Pixel 5a 5G and can confirm this to be the case.

You should watch our Pixel 5a 5G review if you haven’t already.

The Pixel 5a 5G is up for pre-order now through the Google Store – it ships August 26 for $449. The phone is unlocked and works on all major US carriers with sub-6 5G. Google Fi will also sell it.

• PRE-ORDER Pixel 5a 5G from Google Store