Google Pixel 5A

The Google Pixel 5a isn’t much different than its predecessor aside from a bigger battery and a rating for water and dust resistance, making it an underwhelming upgrade, but still a solid mid-range phone with fantastic cameras. If you don't mind going without the Pixel 5's zoom camera, it’s a good if unexciting choice.

The Google Pixel 5A gets some strategic upgrades, including an IP67 water resistance rating, bigger 6.34-inch screen, and a larger battery, making a good midrange phone even better.

The Google Pixel 5a delivers the same experience as the Pixel 5 or Pixel 4a 5G, but for only $449. It’s also got the biggest battery ever in a Pixel — at least until the Pixel 6 Pro came along — and it’s the first A-series Pixel to sport water resistance. The phone’s big OLED display, two rear cameras, and decent amount of power are great for the price.

The Google Pixel 5a is a whole lot of the same old thing. It’s still rocking a Snapdragon 765G, doesn’t meaningfully alter the cameras, and has modest tweaks to the screen, battery, and design. The few changes are good, but what matters most is they come alongside a lowered price that seats the Pixel 5a as a budget smartphone option to be reckoned with.