Pixel 5A: Google unveils new 5G midrange smartphone with Snapdragon 765G, IP67 rating

Google has just launched a brand new smartphone, and it’s not the much anticipated Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro. Instead, they’ve revealed the budget-friendly Pixel 5A, a midrange smartphone that looks and feels for the most part like the older Pixel 4A 5G but with a number of choice upgrades.

Google Pixel 5A specs

The first notable upgrade the Pixel 5A has over its predecessor is a slightly larger screen. You get a 6.34-inch, FHD+ OLED display with a standard 60Hz refresh rate, protected with Gorilla Glass 3. The chassis meanwhile is made of metal unlike the polycarbonate frame on the Pixel 4A 5G. The Pixel 5A also gets IP67 water and dust resistance, the first Pixel A-series device to have one.

Another big spec bump is a 4,680mAh battery, much larger when compared to the 3,885mAh battery found on the Pixel 4A 5G. The biggest battery yet on a Pixel device, Google claims that you’ll get up to two days of use on just a single charge provided that you use its Extreme Battery Saver mode. It unfortunately doesn’t have wireless charging though, instead relying on just 18W wired charging. It’s also the last Google phone that’ll come with a charger in the box.

Otherwise, the rest of the Pixel 5A is pretty similar to the Pixel 4A 5G. You get the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G system-on-chip, mated to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. There’s a 12.2MP main shooter with a 16MP ultrawide camera on the rear, while the front has an 8MP selfie camera. Furthermore, there’s a rear fingerprint scanner, a 3.5mm headphone jack and 3 years of Android updates.

The Pixel 5A comes in just one colour that Google calls ‘Mostly Black’. Users however will have a choice of four cases available in different colours that are sold separately.

Pricing and availability

As is the case with Google smartphones, the Pixel 5A won’t officially be available in Malaysia anytime soon. Instead, it’ll only be available in the US as well as Japan. It’s already available for pre-order and is priced at USD 449 (~RM1,902.64), which is USD50 cheaper than the Pixel 4A’s original retail price.

For more information about the Google Pixel 5A—or perhaps you’d like to pre-order one if you’re in the US or Japan—you can check out its product page on the Google Store.