Google announces the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 with no surprises

Today, Google held its fall hardware event. Instead of being in New York City like it usually is, it was virtual, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than a flagship phone and an XL variant, the Mountain View firm mixed it up. This year, we got the flagship Pixel 5, and a 5G variant of the Pixel 4a.

To be clear, everything about these devices has been leaked, so there really weren't any surprises. The nice thing is that they're official, though.

First up is the Pixel 4a 5G, which was actually teased at the Pixel 4a launch. It's more than just a 5G version of the Pixel 4a though. It gets a better chipset with the Snapdragon 765G, and it has 6GB RAM, a 6.2-inch FHD OLED display, and more. Google also added a 16MP ultra-wide sensor, something that the company defended not using last year. It has a bigger battery too, at 3,885mAh

The Pixel 5 has the same Snapdragon 765G as the Pixel 4a XL, although it has 8GB RAM instead of 6GB. That makes this the first non a-series Pixel to not use the Snapdragon 8 series. The Pixel 5 also get an ultra-wide lens, replacing the 2x zoom lens of last year's Pixel 4.

It has a 6-inch 19.5:9 FHD+ OLED display, although this one has a 90Hz refresh rate, something found on its predecessor but not the Pixel 4a or 4a 5G. The battery is larger at 4,080mAh too, and of course, it supports wireless charging. In fact, Google is adding reverse wireless charging so you can charge some truly wireless earbuds.

One other thing that Google said is that it's making some camera improvements. For example, there are now three different stabilization modes. Also, Night Sight now works with Portrait Mode, and being that Google likes to update these things through software, you'll likely see that on older models as well.

The Pixel 4a 5G starts at $499, and you can check it out here. The Pixel 5 starts at $699, and you can check it out here.