How Google’s Pixel 4a Compares to Other Major Smartphones

Google’s released a new budget-friendly device, the Pixel 4a,  but how it stacks up against the competition is important to consider before you take out your hard-earned cash.

Smartphone releases are never in short supply but money is. That’s why it’s always a good idea to do your research and compare what you’re getting and how much it’s going to set you back.

To help you out, we’ve pitted the Google Pixel 4a against comparable major smartphones in that range — the Pixel 4, Pixel 3a, iPhone SE and Samsung Galaxy A51.

Google Pixel 4a specs, compared

Display

• Google Pixel 4a: 5.81-inch OLED 1080×2340 display
• Google Pixel 4: 5.7-inch Full HD+ Smooth Display (up to 90Hz OLED)
• Google Pixel 3a: 5.6-inch, 2220×1080 at 440dpi resolution
• Apple iPhone SE: 4.7-inch Retina HD; 1334×750
• Samsung Galaxy A51: 6.5-inch, 1080 x 2400 (FHD+)

Size

• Google Pixel 4a: 144 x 69.4 x 8.2mm, 143g
• Google Pixel 4: 147.1 x 68.8 x 8.2mm, 162g
• Google Pixel 3a: 151.3 x 70.1 x 8.2mm, 147g
• Apple iPhone SE: 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm, 148g
• Samsung Galaxy A51: 158.5 x 73.6 x 7.9mm, 172g

Camera

• Google Pixel 4a: Rear: 12.2MP, Front: 8MP
• Google Pixel 4: Rear: 16MP (f/2.4, OIS, EIS), 12.2MP (f/1.7, OIS, EIS) Front: 8MP (f/2.0)
• Google Pixel 3a: Rear: 12.2MP, Front: dual 8MP (wide)
• Apple iPhone SE: Rear: 12MP, Front: 7MP
• Samsung Galaxy A51: Rear: 48MP + 12MP + 5MP + 5MP, Front: 32MP

CPU and RAM

• Google Pixel 4a: Snapdragon 730, 6GB RAM
• Google Pixel 4: Snapdragon 855, 6GB RAM
• Google Pixel 3a: Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 SoC, 4GB RAM
• Apple iPhone SE: Apple A13 Bionic, undisclosed RAM
• Samsung Galaxy A51: Exynos 9611, 6GB

Storage

• Google Pixel 4a: 128GB
• Google Pixel 4: 64GB (all models) or 128 GB (Just Black or Clearly White models only)
• Google Pixel 3a: 64GB
• Apple iPhone SE: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB
• Samsung Galaxy A51: 128GB

Battery

• Google Pixel 4a: 3,140mAh
• Google Pixel 4: 2,800 mAh
• Google Pixel 3a: 3,000 mAh
• Apple iPhone SE: Undisclosed
• Samsung Galaxy A51: 4,000 mAh

Colours

• Google Pixel 4a: Just Black
• Google Pixel 4: Just Black, Clearly White, Oh So Orange
• Google Pixel 3a: Just Black, Clearly White
• Apple iPhone SE: Black, white and red
• Samsung Galaxy A51: Blue, black

Price

• Google Pixel 4a: $599
• Google Pixel 4: From $1,049
• Google Pixel 3a: $649
• Apple iPhone SE: From $749
• Samsung Galaxy A51: $529

The verdict

It’s hard to say definitively which phone deserves your money just by looking at the figures on a sheet. What spec comparisons can do is give you an idea of what sort of tech is being used in your phone and whether you can sacrifice some specs in order to lower your cost.

In terms of price, the Galaxy A51 and Pixel 4a are your best bets without sacrificing too many of the features you’ll likely want. For under $600, you’ll get decent cameras, 6GB of RAM and a fast mid-range processor. The Galaxy A51 just wins out on display size if you’re big on mobile streaming with its 6.5-inch display and bigger battery.

If you want to stay in the Apple ecosystem, you’ll need to pay that Apple premium. The iPhone SE will cost you at least $749 but it’s still a steal compared to its expensive Apple counterparts.

Any way you choose will ultimately get you a solid mid-range phone. The market’s oversupply of affordable phones means we’re getting more entries without having to sell off a car for them. That’s a win in my books.