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Google Unveils New Budget Phone That’ll Launch on 26 Aug: The Pixel 5a

2021-08-18 , 2:00 pm

In the last decade or so, mobile phone prices have reached astronomical heights.

A new iPhone 12 Pro Max, for example, could cost you nearly $1,800, which you could use to buy:

Two decent laptops
A Netflix subscription for 15 years
Around 1,800 Milos from the coffee shop

Sure, 1,800 Milos from the coffee shop would only cover you for a few days, but you get the point.

There’s a reason why smartphone makers are now introducing budget options; people have realised that paying thousands of their hard-earned money is not the most prudent financial decision.

Now, it’s Google’s turn to introduce a cheaper alternative.

Google Unveils New Budget Phone That’ll Launch on 26 Aug

Step aside, iPhone SE, there’s a new player in town.

Yesterday (17 Aug), Google unveiled their new budget phone – the Pixel 5a.

Set to hit stores on 26 Aug, the new phone will cost US$449 (around S$610).

What Android fans will notice is that the Pixel 5a looks suspiciously similar to last year’s Pixel 4a 5G.

So, have they taken a leaf out of Apple’s book and simply repackaged an old phone as a new budget phone? Let’s have a look.

Design & Display Differences

When compared to the 4a, the Pixel 5a doesn’t look very different at all – they both have a punch-hole display, rear fingerprint scanner, and a square camera on the back.

But 5a’s frame is more durable than its predecessors, as it has a metal unibody and utilises Gorilla Glass 6 to cover its display, compared to the Gorilla Glass 3 used on previous Pixel iterations.

The 5a is also water-resistant, as it can be submerged in up to one metre of water for up to 30 minutes at a time, which will be great news for those who enjoy bathing their phones.

The Pixel 5a has the exact same OLED display as the Pixel 4a and 5, except that it’s slightly larger – 6.34-inches.

Hardware Differences

Both the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5a run on the same Snapdragon 765G processor, and have the same amount of RAM and storage.

The biggest hardware upgrade in the 5a is its battery, as it has a 4,680 mAh cell. This is significantly larger than the 3,140 mAh and 3,885 mAh batteries of the Pixel 4a and 4a 5G.

The cameras are exactly the same as the ones on the Pixel 4a 5g and Pixel 5, so there’s nothing much to get excited about there.

Worth the Upgrade?

To sum up, the only upgrades in the Pixel 5a is its battery, enhanced durability, and water resistance.

So, those hoping for a bigger upgrade might want to wait for the Pixel 6, which will be coming out later this year, with significant changes expected.

Interestingly, the Pixel 5a will be the last Pixel to come with a charging brick, meaning Pixel 6 buyers will have to buy one separately if they need one.

Yes, we’re now at a point where “comes with a charger” is one of the plus points of a phone.

What’s next?