Google’s Pixel 4A has a plain, polycarbonate body and a 5.81-inch OLED display.
Angela Lang/CNET
Google took the wraps off its second-generation Pixel 4A phone on Monday (announcing the Pixel 4A 5G and Pixel 5 at the same time), joining Samsung’s Galaxy A51 and Apple’s new iPhone SE in the increasingly crowded budget-friendly segment. For $349, you get a 3,140-mAh battery, a headphone jack and a standout 12-megapixel camera, which CNET’s Lynn La says “raises the bar for how good a budget phone’s camera can be” after reviewing the device. At that price, the Pixel 4A undercuts its closest competitors, the iPhone SE and Galaxy A51, by $50.
But Apple and Samsung’s recent budget offerings are popular for good reason. The 2020 iPhone SE, which also has a headphone jack, rocks Apple’s top-of-the-line A13 Bionic processor — also found in its fancy iPhone 11 Pro. Apple’s proprietary chipset comfortably outperformed the Snapdragon 730G found in the Pixel 4A in our benchmark tests. The iPhone SE 2020 also features an IP rating for water and dust resistance, which the Pixel 4A lacks.
The Galaxy A51, meanwhile, sports the largest battery of the pack (4,000 mAh) along with a more versatile quad-camera setup that includes a wide-angle shooter. That’s a feature not present in the Pixel 4A or the iPhone SE. For more information, check out the chart below, where we compare each phone spec by spec.
Read more: Pixel 4A specs vs. Pixel 3A vs. Pixel 4 vs. Pixel 4 XL: What’s new and different?
Google Pixel 4A vs. rivals
| Google Pixel 4A | Apple iPhone SE (2020) | Samsung Galaxy A51 (4G) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display size, resolution | 5.81-inch OLED; 2,340×1,080 pixels | 4.7-inch LCD; 1,334×750 pixels | 6.5-inch FHD AMOLED; 2,400×1,080 pixels |
| Pixel density | 443ppi | 326ppi | 405ppi |
| Dimensions (Inches) | 5.7 x 2.7 x 0.3 in | 5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 in | 6.24 x 2.90 x 0.31 in |
| Dimensions (Millimeters) | 144 x 69.4 x 8.2 mm | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm | 158.5 x 73.6 x 7.9 mm |
| Weight (Ounces, Grams) | 5.04 oz; 143g | 5.22 oz; 148g | 6.07 oz; 172g |
| Mobile software | Android 10 | iOS 13 | Android 10 |
| Camera | 12.2-megapixel (standard) | 12-megapixel (wide-angle) | 48-megapizel (standard), 12-megapixel (wide-angle), 5-megapixel (macro), 5-megapixel (depth sensing) |
| Front-facing camera | 8-megapixel | 7-megapixel | 32-megapixel |
| Video capture | 4K | 4K | 4K |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G | Apple A13 Bionic | Samsung Exynos 9611 processor (Octa-core) |
| Storage | 128GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB | 128GB |
| RAM | 6GB | Not disclosed | 6GB |
| Expandable storage | No | No | Up to 512GB |
| Battery | 3,140mAh | Not disclosed, but Apple claims it has the same battery life as iPhone 8 | 4,000mAh |
| Fingerprint sensor | Back | Home button | In-screen |
| Connector | USB-C | Lightning | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | Yes | No | Yes |
| Special features | Dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM) | Water resistant (IP67); dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging | 15W fast charging |
| Price at launch (USD) | $349 | $399 (64GB), $449 (128GB), $549 (256GB) | $400 |
| Price (GBP) | £349 | £419 (64GB), £469 (128GB), £569 (256GB) | £329 |
| Price (AUD) | AU$599 | AU$749 (64GB), AU$829 (128GB), AU$999 (256GB) | AU$599 |