Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G: Google's 5G smartphones are more similar than their names suggest
With the Pixel 5 and the Pixel 4a 5G, Google has unveiled two very similar smartphones, where the question ultimately remains: Are the differences worth the extra price for the Pixel 5?
Instead of a big event with guests and live presentations, Google's "Launch Night In" consisted of a product presentation lasting around half an hour, which had something of a premium teleshopping feel to it. In addition to the two Pixel smartphones, Nest Audio and the Chromecast with Google TV, a new smart speaker and a dongle for your TV were also presented.
You can watch the entire event here or quickly read the text for all the important information.
Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G
Both of the new Pixel smartphones have 5G on board. There are differences in the display and housing, among other things: the Pixel 5's six-inch touchscreen is slightly smaller than the Pixel 4a 5G's Full HD+ OLED display. However, it can increase its refresh rate to up to 90 hertz. While the housing of the Pixel 4a 5G is made of plastic, the Pixel 5 also uses Gorilla Glass. And Google only promises IPX8 water resistance for this model.
At 4080 mAh, the Pixel 5's battery is slightly larger than the Pixel 4a 5G's 3885 mAh, but both should offer longer battery life than the Pixel 4 or Pixel 4a. The Pixel 5 can be charged wirelessly and can also charge other devices wirelessly. There is another difference in the RAM: 6 gigabytes of RAM in the Pixel 4a 5G and 8 gigabytes in the Pixel 5, but it lacks the 3.5 mm audio connection that the Pixel 4a 5G still has.
The other features are identical. 128 gigabytes of internal memory and the Snapdragon 765G is a powerful chipset. There are dual cameras on the back with a 12-megapixel main camera and a 16-megapixel ultra wide-angle lens. According to Google, it has further improved its camera software and added a portrait mode to the night mode and a night mode to the portrait mode. If the hardware is sufficient, the new software features will also be available on older Pixel models.
A fingerprint sensor is again located on the back. It replaces facial recognition via Soli chip and radar technology, which was the only biometric unlocking option on the Pixel 4, but has fallen behind due to the current widespread use of face masks. The Titan-M security chip on the device is designed to keep your data secure.
Android 11 is installed ex works and Google promises to provide the devices with software updates for three years.
In terms of technical features, the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G are not among the top smartphones. Other manufacturers pack more superlatives into their devices. However, they also charge a significantly higher price and, to be honest, the performance of the Pixel devices is perfectly adequate. For me, pure Android without add-ons is also a weighty argument.
The Pixel 5 will be available in Germany from 15 October and the Pixel 4a 5G will follow in November. Due to the reduced VAT, the recommended retail prices are still at 613.15 and 486.40 euros until the end of 2020. In Switzerland, they are 699 and 529 francs. You can find more information for Switzerland here.
Nest Audio: Smart speaker with more volume and bass
Nest Audio is the successor to the Google Home. The new smart speaker is said to be 75 per cent louder and have 50 per cent more bass. A 19 mm tweeter and 75 mm mid-woofer as well as software for automatic sound tuning are responsible for this. Two Nest Audio can be paired as a stereo pair. Voice control is via the Google Assistant. You can use Google Home to connect it to other smart speakers and other smart home gadgets or control them via it.
The Nest Audio will also be available in Germany from 15 October. RRP: 97.47 euros and 109 francs in Switzerland.
Chromecast with Google TV makes every TV smart
The new Chromecast can do what the old one can do, only better. The small stick plugs into the back of the TV's HDMI port and makes it smart, or rather gives it an additional user interface. The Chromecast connects to the internet with Google TV via Wi-Fi and brings all kinds of streaming services to your screen: Netflix, Prime Video, ARD, ZDF, Joyn, Waipu, Disney Plus and all the rest. Its hardware is capable of up to 60 frames per second with 4K HDR resolution. It also supports Dolby Audio formats via HDMI (Pass Through). A remote control is included and rounds off a cosy evening in front of the TV, as you don't have to send the stream to the TV via your smartphone - but you can still do so, of course.
The Chromecast with Google TV will be available in Germany from mid-October. RRP: 68.23 euros. Switzerland: both still open.
When I was but a young student, I'd sit in my friend's living room with all my classmates and play on his SuperNES. Since then I've had the opportunity to test out all the newest technology for you. I've done reviews at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, and have now arrived at Galaxus.de.