Google Pixel 5a 5G vs Pixel 5
49
out of 100
VS
50
out of 100
Here we compared two smartphones: the 6.34-inch Google Pixel 5a 5G (with Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G) that was released on August 17, 2021, against the Google Pixel 5, which is powered by the same chip and came out 11 months before. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.
Key differences
Reasons to consider the Google Pixel 5a 5G
- Shows 15% longer battery life (23:33 vs 20:28 hours)
- Has a 0.34 inch larger screen size
- Delivers 24% higher peak brightness (869 against 702 nits)
- The phone is 11 months newer
- 11% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 851 and 765 points
- Includes a 3.5 mm headphone audio jack port
Reasons to consider the Google Pixel 5
- Higher display refresh rate โ 90 Hz
- Handles wireless charging up to 12W
- Waterproof body (IP68 classification)
- Has 33% more RAM: 8GB versus 6GB
- Reverse charging feature
- Weighs 32 grams less
Review
Display
Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness
Camera
Photo and video recording quality
Performance
CPU and memory performance (apps, system)
Gaming
Capabilities for playing modern games
Battery
Battery life, charging type and speed
Connectivity
Networks, ports, data transmission
Scores with a red asterisk (*) are approximate and may change in the future as we gather more data.
Select your primary usage scenario to get a more accurate NanoReview Score
Value for money (Beta)
Tests and specifications
Comparison table of technical specifications and testsDisplay
| Type | OLED | OLED |
| Size | 6.34 inches | 6 inches |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels | 1080 x 2340 pixels |
| Aspect ratio | 19.5:9 | 19.5:9 |
| PPI | 413 ppi | 432 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 90 Hz |
| Adaptive refresh rate | No | No |
| Max rated brightness | 500 nits | 700 nits |
| Max rated brightness in HDR | 800 nits | - |
| HDR support | Yes, HDR10 | Yes, HDR10+ |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Screen-to-body ratio | 86.3% | 86.8% |
| Display features | - DCI-P3 - Always-On Display |
- Always-On Display |
| RGB color space | - | 97.4% |
| PWM | - | 367 Hz |
| Response time | - | 5 ms |
| Contrast | - | โ Infinity |
Screen space comparison
Pixel 5a 5G
6.34โณ (19.5:9 ratio) = 15.3 in2
Pixel 5
6โณ (19.5:9 ratio) = 13.7 in2
~11% more screen space
Peak brightness test (auto)
Design and build
| Height | 156.2 mm (6.15 inches) | 144.7 mm (5.7 inches) |
| Width | 73.2 mm (2.88 inches) | 70.4 mm (2.77 inches) |
| Thickness | 8.8 mm (0.35 inches) | 8 mm (0.31 inches) |
| Weight | 183 g (6.46 oz) | 151 g (5.33 oz) |
| Waterproof | IP67 | IP68 |
| Rear material | Metal | Metal |
| Frame material | Metal | Metal |
| Colors | Black | Black, Green |
| Fingerprint scanner | Yes, rear | Yes, rear |
Screen-to-body ratio
Performance
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G |
| Max clock | 2400 MHz | 2400 MHz |
| CPU cores | 8 (1 + 1 + 6) | 8 (1 + 1 + 6) |
| Architecture | - 6 cores at 1.8 GHz: Kryo 475 Silver (Cortex-A55) - 1 core at 2.2 GHz: Kryo 475 Gold (Cortex-A76) - 1 core at 2.4 GHz: Kryo 475 Prime (Cortex-A76) |
- 6 cores at 1.8 GHz: Kryo 475 Silver (Cortex-A55) - 1 core at 2.2 GHz: Kryo 475 Gold (Cortex-A76) - 1 core at 2.4 GHz: Kryo 475 Prime (Cortex-A76) |
| Manufacturing | Samsung | Samsung |
| Lithography process | 7 nanometers | 7 nanometers |
| Neural processor (NPU) | Hexagon 696 | Hexagon 696 |
| Graphics | Adreno 620 | Adreno 620 |
| GPU shading units | 384 | 384 |
| GPU clock | 750 MHz | 750 MHz |
| FLOPS | ~480 GFLOPS | ~480 GFLOPS |
Benchmarks
Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)
Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)
| Single-core score | 851 | 765 |
| Multi-core score | 2078 | 1944 |
AnTuTu Benchmark 11
| CPU | 235764 | 247674 |
| GPU | 68267 | 68842 |
| Memory | 122137 | 129273 |
| UX | 170985 | 176731 |
| Total score | 597153 | 622520 |
| Samples | Less than 3 | [2 tests] |
3DMark Wild Life Extreme
| Stability | 99% | - |
| Graphics test | 2 FPS | - |
| Graphics score | 446 | - |
PCMark 3.0
| Web score | 6739 | - |
| Video editing | 5699 | - |
| Photo editing | 19870 | - |
| Data manipulation | 7976 | - |
| Writing score | 11348 | - |
Recent User Tests
Google Pixel 5a 5G
| Date | Benchmark | Result |
|---|---|---|
| ๐ 2025-11-15 (ะัััะผ) | AnTuTu | 597153 |
Google Pixel 5
| Date | Benchmark | Result |
|---|---|---|
| ๐ 2026-04-23 (Guitar91) | AnTuTu | 622520 |
| ๐ 2025-11-22 (Artreg) | AnTuTu | 566323 |
Memory
| RAM size | 6 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory type | LPDDR4X | LPDDR4X |
| Memory clock | 2133 MHz | 2133 MHz |
| Channels | 2 | 2 |
| Storage size | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| Storage type | UFS 2.1 | UFS 2.1 |
| Memory card | No | No |
Software
| Operating system | Android 11 (Can be upgraded to Android 14) | Android 11 (Can be upgraded to Android 14) |
| ROM | Stock Android | Stock Android |
| OS size | - | 16.6 GB |
Battery
| Capacity | 4680 mAh | 4080 mAh |
| Max charge power | 18 W | 18 W |
| Battery type | Li-Po | Li-Po |
| Replaceable | No | No |
| Wireless charging | No | Yes (12 W) |
| Reverse charging | No | Yes |
| Fast charging | Yes (42% in 30 min) | Yes (30% in 30 min) |
| Full charging time | 1:40 hr | 1:45 hr |
| Web browsing | 09:17 hr | 07:33 hr |
| Watching video | 14:15 hr | 13:33 hr |
| Gaming | 05:59 hr | 04:59 hr |
| Standby | 114 hr | 98 hr |
General battery life
Main camera
| Matrix | 12.2 megapixels | 12.2 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 4290 x 2800 | 4290 x 2800 |
| Zoom | Digital | Digital |
| Flash | LED | LED |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
| 8K video recording | No | No |
| 4K video recording | Up to 60FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| 1080p video recording | Up to 60FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| Slow motion | 240 FPS (1080p) | 240 FPS (1080p) |
| Angle of widest lens | 119ยฐ | 107ยฐ |
| Lenses | 1) Standard: 12.2 MP 2) Ultrawide: 16 MP |
1) Standard: 12.2 MP 2) Ultrawide: 16 MP |
| Camera features | - Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support |
- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support |
| Image resolution | 12.2 MP | 12.2 MP |
| Aperture | f/1.7 | f/1.7 |
| Focal length | 27 mm | 27 mm |
| Sensor | Sony IMX363 Exmor RS | Sony IMX363 |
| Sensor size | 1/2.55" (โ 0.39 inch) | 1/2.55" (โ 0.39 inch) |
| Pixel size | 1.4 micron | 1.4 micron |
| Autofocus | Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) | Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
| Image resolution | 16 MP | 16 MP |
| Aperture | f/2.2 | f/2.2 |
| Focal length | 24 mm | 24 mm |
| Sensor | Sony IMX481 | Sony IMX481 |
| Sensor size | 1/3.09" (โ 0.32 inch) | 1/3.09" (โ 0.32 inch) |
| Pixel size | 1 micron | 1 micron |
| Stabilization | Digital | Digital |
DxOMark main camera tests
Photo quality
Video quality
Generic main camera score
| Bokeh | - | 60 |
| Preview | - | 58 |
| Zoom | - | 71 |
| Samples | - | Photo samples of Google Pixel 5 from DxOMark |
Selfie camera
| Megapixels | 8 megapixels | 8 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 3264 x 2448 | 3264 x 2448 |
| Aperture | f/2.0 | f/2.0 |
| Focal length | 24 mm | 24 mm |
| Sensor | CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor size | 1/4.0" (โ 0.25 inch) | 1/4.0" (โ 0.25 inch) |
| Pixel size | 1.12 micron | 1.12 micron |
| Autofocus | No | No |
| Stabilization | Digital | Digital |
| Video resolution | 1080p (Full HD) at 60 FPS | 1080p (Full HD) at 30 FPS |
| Depth sensor (TOF 3D) | No | No |
DxOMark front camera
| Photo | - | 117 |
| Video | - | 142 |
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac) | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac) |
| Wi-Fi features | - Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display |
- Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display |
| Bluetooth version | 5 | 5 |
| Bluetooth features | LE, A2DP | LE, A2DP |
| USB type | USB Type-C | USB Type-C |
| USB version | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| USB features | - Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG |
- Charging - USB-Storage mode |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS |
| NFC* | Yes | Yes |
| Infrared port | No | No |
| Number of SIM* | 1 | 1 |
| Type of SIM card | Nano | Nano |
| Multi SIM mode | - | Standby |
| eSIM support* | Yes | Yes |
| Hybrid slot | No | No |
| LTE Cat* | 15 | 15 |
| 5G support | Yes | Yes |
Sound
| Speakers | Stereo | Stereo |
| Headphone audio jack | Yes | No |
| FM radio | No | No |
| Dolby Atmos | No | No |
Speakers test
Max loudness
Other
| Category | Mid-range | Flagship |
| Announced | August 2021 | September 2020 |
| Release date | October 2021 | October 2020 |
| Launch price (MSRP) | $449 | $700 |
| Successor | - Google Pixel 10a | - Google Pixel 10 Pro |
| SAR (head) | - | 0.96 W/kg |
| SAR (body) | - | 1.39 W/kg |
| Sensors | - Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint |
- Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint |
| Bundled charger | Yes, 18 W | - |
*Disclaimer! NFC, GSM network support, and some other specs can be different depending on the country.
Conclusion
If the display and connectivity are more important to you, then choose the Google Pixel 5. But if the gaming and battery life are more of a priority โ go for the Google Pixel 5a 5G.
Cast your vote
Total votes: 773