Google Pixel 5, reviewed

The Google Pixel 5 followed quite soon after the 4a came out, and in some ways it does suggest that Google are taking their phone section seriously. This could be a good thing, as the more iterations we see, the more potential users will become familiar with the brand, and the models as a high spec’d but competitively priced phone relative to the world of iPhones and Samsing among others. See more at the store here.

There is a lot to like about the Pixel phone series in general, and the concept of an ‘A’ version, slightly cheaper, following after the flagship new launch, is a good idea (ie the 3A after the 3, the 4A after the 4, you get the idea!). However when the next number in the series follows relatively soon after the previous ‘A’ edition, then it can result in less favourable comparisions in pricing, versus power and bang in the new iteration. Which is something the new 5 has had to deal with.

There are some cool features that are unique to the 5, and of course in many areas it does some things clearly better than what came before. In terms of sustainability it is positive to hear that the shell is made from recycled aluminum,and it is also seemingly water resistant too, though we plan to do a little more research into that before we test that aspect.

There has been some differing opinions on the phone’s finish, the version we got came in a matt green, which we didn’t hate. It has a nice feel to it for sure, though better still was the snug textured phone case that came with it, and that we promptly popped the phone into. If you are going to have an expensive piece of gear, then why not give a case with it, rather than making the consumer have to go track down. This was a win for us, it might not be pretty, but it immediately protects the phone from the get go.

Which is in our case a good thing, as we loved the 4, excellent photos, but we dropped it and cracked the screen instantly to our chagrin. This time around a case supplied with the phone seems a smart addition and gold stars for this by us.

The phone is also a decent size, and has not succumbed to the size creep that is in evidence with some other new high end phones currently coming onto the market. This is a good thing because it means you can have it in your front pocket without feeling like it is going to disembowl you.

It is probably fair to say that the Pixel range is on a journey, and four years in, it is gradually building an audience. This phone may not be the end of the journey but it is certainly a fun ride already. The fact that the software is top end, and links with your google suite is pretty cool, when  it is too creepily accurate in terms of knowing who you are, but the auto setup information that you receive is pretty good.

Google Pixel 5 Phone specs

Full screen 151 mm (6.0″) display with transmissive hole

Dimensions and weight2
144.7 height x 70.4 width x 8.0 depth (mm) 151 g

Battery
Minimum 4000 mAh
Memory and storage
8 GB LPDDR4x RAM

Processors
Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 765G 2.4 GHz + 2.2 GHz + 1.8 GHz, 64-bit Octa-Core Adreno 620

Rear camera
12.2 MP dual-pixel • 1.4 ?m pixel width

Front camera
8 MP • 1.12 ?m pixel width • ƒ/2.0 aperture

Video
1080p @ 30 fps, 60 fps, 120 fps, 240 fps • 4K @ 30 fps, 60 fps

Sensors
Proximity/Ambient light sensor • Accelerometer/Gyrometer • Magnetometer

Charging
USB-C® 18 W adaptor with USB-PD 2.0 • 18 W fast charging5

Buttons and ports
USB Type-C® 3.1 Gen 1 • Power button

SIMs
Single nano SIM • eSI

Media & Audio
Stereo speakers • 3 microphones • Noise suppression

Wireless and Location
Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2×2 MIMO

Network8
Up to 4CC (12 layers) DL and 2CC UL9

Colours
Just Black • Sorta Sage

Hearing Aid Compatibility
M4/T3 HAC rating

Security and OS Updates
The latest Android 11

Materials
100% recycled aluminium enclosure12

AR/VR
ARCore

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