- A leak suggests that the Pixel 4a 5G may be using the same Snapdragon 765G as the Pixel 5.
- You’d mostly lose the 90Hz display, metal case, wireless charging, and some RAM.
- With a bigger screen and a lower price, it could be the best value.
You may not have to jump on the Pixel 5 to get a fast reference Android phone in 2020. WinFuture (about XDA developer) claims to have detailed specs for Google’s Pixel 4a 5G, and reports have reportedly getting you a processor just as fast as the handset’s high-end counterpart.
It is believed that Google will equip the Pixel 4a 5G with a Snapdragon 765G chip, as expected in the Pixel 5. You would get 6GB of RAM instead of 8GB, but that would still give the 4a 5G a significant performance advantage over the LTE Pixel 4a.
Some other specs for the Pixel 4a 5G would be relatively close as well, including the cameras (12.2 MP standard, 16 MP wide angle, and 8 MP selfie), 18 W fast charge, 128 GB of storage, and 4K video recording at 60 frames per second. You would have a slightly larger 6.2-inch 1080p OLED screen compared to the 6-inch panel that is supposedly aimed at Pixel 5.
See also: The best cell phones with wide angle rear cameras
Most of the differences would be relatively subtle. The most notable absence would be the sleek 90Hz display, but you’d also have to settle for a polycarbonate (read: plastic) case that lacks wireless charging, water resistance, and the more resilient Gorilla Glass 6 that lives with a smaller 3,885 mAh Battery, although the 60 Hz screen may be able to compensate for the lower capacity power adapter.
The differences still give you an incentive to choose the Pixel 5 over the 4a 5G, especially if the processor isn’t the only factor in your purchase decision. However, the 4a 5G has also been known to cost $ 499 while the Pixel 5 is likely to cost significantly more. If you don’t insist on the best hardware possible, the less expensive device may offer significantly better value.