Pixel 4A 5G & Pixel 5 - questions

[anon(10621852)]

A few questions for you 4A 5G and 5 users. I'm re-visiting these two devices as possible purchases, but wanted to get some real world feedback first.

1) Is RAM an issue on either of these devices for someone who's a light user (I don't game at all). Does either phone feel sluggish, just doing basic tasks (scrolling, gestures, etc)? Seems like, from what I've read, both devices' RAM is perfectly sufficient for every day, light-to-medium use.

2) On the 5 ... with the top speaker under the glass ... is phone call quality at least acceptable? Seems call quality would really suffer with the speaker under the glass. I don't expect it to be STEREO-clear, as long as there's no issues carrying on a conversation.

3) How has the software experience been so far? I know it's raw Android, and the software experience should be great (in theory), but every phone has the potential to have bugs/glitches. Just curious if you've run into any catastrophic-level/show stopper bugs so far.

4) If any of you have switched from a Galaxy device to a Pixel, have you found that you really miss the over-abundance of features on Galaxy phones, or are you perfectly happy with the clean, no bloat software experience as the trade off?

5) I don't think Pixel devices have anything like Link Sharing, which I think is a Samsung exclusive feature. This allows you to share full res photos and videos via web link (particularly to an iPhone where otherwise they would just get a blurry, useless photo or video). Is there an alternative if you switch to Pixel? That's a big feature to have to go without, so that's taking some serious consideration. The rest of my family is on iOS, so having a way to somehow share full res media is kind of critical.

Thank you!

 

[thewraith420]

A few questions for you 4A 5G and 5 users. I'm re-visiting these two devices as possible purchases, but wanted to get some real world feedback first.

1) Is RAM an issue on either of these devices for someone who's a light user (I don't game at all). Does either phone feel sluggish, just doing basic tasks (scrolling, gestures, etc)? Seems like, from what I've read, both devices' RAM is perfectly sufficient for every day, light-to-medium use.

2) On the 5 ... with the top speaker under the glass ... is phone call quality at least acceptable? Seems call quality would really suffer with the speaker under the glass. I don't expect it to be STEREO-clear, as long as there's no issues carrying on a conversation.

3) How has the software experience been so far? I know it's raw Android, and the software experience should be great (in theory), but every phone has the potential to have bugs/glitches. Just curious if you've run into any catastrophic-level/show stopper bugs so far.

4) If any of you have switched from a Galaxy device to a Pixel, have you found that you really miss the over-abundance of features on Galaxy phones, or are you perfectly happy with the clean, no bloat software experience as the trade off?

5) I don't think Pixel devices have anything like Link Sharing, which I think is a Samsung exclusive feature. This allows you to share full res photos and videos via web link (particularly to an iPhone where otherwise they would just get a blurry, useless photo or video). Is there an alternative if you switch to Pixel? That's a big feature to have to go without, so that's taking some serious consideration. The rest of my family is on iOS, so having a way to somehow share full res media is kind of critical.

Thank you!

Hello, I got the 5 in November, I absolutely love it. The battery life is amazing, it's very fast, not sluggish multitasking or gaming..(pubg is the only game I play)
The top speaker is a little different to get used to.. it doesn't sound bad, and for calls absolutely no clarity problems. For music it's just not the best.(hasn't mattered because of bluetooth headphones, speakers, car). I switched from the pixel 2xl, I love the pixel experience. Software it's exactly what I want in a phone. All the basic needs met with minimal bloat and some very nice features that are pixel exclusive one of my favorites is the call screening/spam filter. If I didn't have that Id be buried in spam calls every day. Having assistant hold the phone for me when I'm on hold Is also a great touch. As far as the ability to share a link for photos, yes we can do that with google photos and with the pixel 5 you'll have unlimited High quality photo storage for life or if you need original quality you can buy it for pretty cheap.(I dont remember how much I don't do that) high quality is still very good.

 

[anon(10621852)]

Hello, I got the 5 in November, I absolutely love it. The battery life is amazing, it's very fast, not sluggish multitasking or gaming..(pubg is the only game I play)
The top speaker is a little different to get used to.. it doesn't sound bad, and for calls absolutely no clarity problems. For music it's just not the best.(hasn't mattered because of bluetooth headphones, speakers, car). I switched from the pixel 2xl, I love the pixel experience. Software it's exactly what I want in a phone. All the basic needs met with minimal bloat and some very nice features that are pixel exclusive one of my favorites is the call screening/spam filter. If I didn't have that Id be buried in spam calls every day. Having assistant hold the phone for me when I'm on hold Is also a great touch. As far as the ability to share a link for photos, yes we can do that with google photos and with the pixel 5 you'll have unlimited High quality photo storage for life or if you need original quality you can buy it for pretty cheap.(I dont remember how much I don't do that) high quality is still very good.

Good info, thanks!

One additional question ... can Google Assistant work similarly to Bixby on Galaxy phones, where, for instance, you can ask "Hey Google, turn on Do Not Disturb", or "Hey Google, silence my phone" .... ?

 

[thewraith420]

Good info, thanks!

One additional question ... can Google Assistant work similarly to Bixby on Galaxy phones, where, for instance, you can ask "Hey Google, turn on Do Not Disturb", or "Hey Google, silence my phone" .... ?

Yes. Actually google assistant works better than bixby or even siri and I'm not the only one who thinks so, check out some YouTube reviews on it. I did just for fun lol

 

[rpdc]

I've had a similar experience with the Pixel 4a5g. Coming from a Galaxy S8 Plus I do miss a few things but the smooth software experience is great on the Pixel. No lag at all. I find it very fast. So far very pleased!

 

[gebco]

We actually have the 4a, the 4a5G and the 5 in our household. All three of them perform well and battery life is excellent. The price to features ratio is excellent.

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

I have a S10+ and a 4a 5G. I like both phones but am using my pixel more. The main reason is the phenomenal battery life. The speakers are good and it is super snappy and fast to use. There is no lag with this phone and for light tasks it could last nearly 2 days on battery. I get one and a half days with around 6-8 hours screen on time.

There have been no RAM issues for me and in many ways this phone feels faster and less bloated than my Galaxy. I do like the galaxy features and still have access to them on my S10+ but the cameras on the pixel beat the galaxy hands down. With the Ultra wide camera it is versatile compared to previous pixels and 2x zoom still produces excellent photos.

I don't use wireless charging as I found it killed the battery on my S10+ so I don't miss that and the fingerprint reader is more responsive.

Hope this helps.

 

[eric002]

A few questions for you 4A 5G and 5 users. I'm re-visiting these two devices as possible purchases, but wanted to get some real world feedback first.

1) Is RAM an issue on either of these devices for someone who's a light user (I don't game at all). Does either phone feel sluggish, just doing basic tasks (scrolling, gestures, etc)? Seems like, from what I've read, both devices' RAM is perfectly sufficient for every day, light-to-medium use.

2) On the 5 ... with the top speaker under the glass ... is phone call quality at least acceptable? Seems call quality would really suffer with the speaker under the glass. I don't expect it to be STEREO-clear, as long as there's no issues carrying on a conversation.

3) How has the software experience been so far? I know it's raw Android, and the software experience should be great (in theory), but every phone has the potential to have bugs/glitches. Just curious if you've run into any catastrophic-level/show stopper bugs so far.

4) If any of you have switched from a Galaxy device to a Pixel, have you found that you really miss the over-abundance of features on Galaxy phones, or are you perfectly happy with the clean, no bloat software experience as the trade off?

5) I don't think Pixel devices have anything like Link Sharing, which I think is a Samsung exclusive feature. This allows you to share full res photos and videos via web link (particularly to an iPhone where otherwise they would just get a blurry, useless photo or video). Is there an alternative if you switch to Pixel? That's a big feature to have to go without, so that's taking some serious consideration. The rest of my family is on iOS, so having a way to somehow share full res media is kind of critical.

Thank you!

Hey how you doing! Great great questions I'll try to give you my two cents here as well:

1. The amount of RAM on the Pixel 5 is wonderful. I upgraded my 5 for my Pixel 3 XL and I had no problems with only 4 gigs of RAM on my older phone. Everything runs smoothly and efficiently and no hiccups at all!

2. As far as the top speaker which is under the glass itself. I don't really talk on the phone a lot, and when I do talk on the phone, 90% of the time I'm on my pixel buds but I've never had an issue or any complaints from anyone else that says that call quality or audio is horrible. Same thing with music. It's not earth-shatteringly loud or bass-heavy, and I usually have my pixel buds in at the gym or when I'm doing work in my house. But it's nothing to sneeze at either.

3. The software experience is the normal Google pixel experience. A couple years ago I was forced to buy the Verizon Galaxy S8 because my Nexus 6P did the boot loop and fried out. I don't miss any touch with features at all. I know that one UI from Samsung has gotten better, however I just appreciate the timely software updates, the pics of feature drops, and finally the security updates! There are still something to be said about that!

4. Google introduced a few months ago something called nearby sharing which is basically a Wi-Fi direct peer-to-peer sharing connection. However, most Android phones don't have it l unless I'm mistaken, I believe the only Android phones to support nearby sharing are Samsung Galaxy phones. I've never honestly use this feature once. If I want to share something I just text it to myself or use some other messaging platform to share with myself from my laptop to my phone. It's basically Android's version of Apple's AirDrop.

5. One thing also to keep in mind is the fact that the pixel camera software and build quality are phenomenal! They buy a resin coating on the back of the phone makes it almost fingerprint resistant. The battery life for my 4,080 MH battery can go up to 2 days without charging depending on your usage! I'm averaging about 2 days on my average battery usage. Plus, the 6-in screen is a bit narrower and smaller than my Pixel 3 XL was and it's a joy to hold in one hand and it's very pocketable!

I hope this helps you out!

 

[gebco]

Regarding Nearby Sharing, I find it useful to share pics among our Pixel phones in our household. It works well.

 

[eric002]

Yeah, I mean nearby sharing works great if you have multiple pixel phones in the same household or close by just like airdrop for Apple. Lol. I've never been in that situation as of yet. Hahaha.

 

[anon(10621852)]

Hey how you doing! Great great questions I'll try to give you my two cents here as well:

1. The amount of RAM on the Pixel 5 is wonderful. I upgraded my 5 for my Pixel 3 XL and I had no problems with only 4 gigs of RAM on my older phone. Everything runs smoothly and efficiently and no hiccups at all!

2. As far as the top speaker which is under the glass itself. I don't really talk on the phone a lot, and when I do talk on the phone, 90% of the time I'm on my pixel buds but I've never had an issue or any complaints from anyone else that says that call quality or audio is horrible. Same thing with music. It's not earth-shatteringly loud or bass-heavy, and I usually have my pixel buds in at the gym or when I'm doing work in my house. But it's nothing to sneeze at either.

3. The software experience is the normal Google pixel experience. A couple years ago I was forced to buy the Verizon Galaxy S8 because my Nexus 6P did the boot loop and fried out. I don't miss any touch with features at all. I know that one UI from Samsung has gotten better, however I just appreciate the timely software updates, the pics of feature drops, and finally the security updates! There are still something to be said about that!

4. Google introduced a few months ago something called nearby sharing which is basically a Wi-Fi direct peer-to-peer sharing connection. However, most Android phones don't have it l unless I'm mistaken, I believe the only Android phones to support nearby sharing are Samsung Galaxy phones. I've never honestly use this feature once. If I want to share something I just text it to myself or use some other messaging platform to share with myself from my laptop to my phone. It's basically Android's version of Apple's AirDrop.

5. One thing also to keep in mind is the fact that the pixel camera software and build quality are phenomenal! They buy a resin coating on the back of the phone makes it almost fingerprint resistant. The battery life for my 4,080 MH battery can go up to 2 days without charging depending on your usage! I'm averaging about 2 days on my average battery usage. Plus, the 6-in screen is a bit narrower and smaller than my Pixel 3 XL was and it's a joy to hold in one hand and it's very pocketable!

I hope this helps you out!

Huge help! Really appreciate it

 

[anon(10621852)]

I have a S10+ and a 4a 5G. I like both phones but am using my pixel more. The main reason is the phenomenal battery life. The speakers are good and it is super snappy and fast to use. There is no lag with this phone and for light tasks it could last nearly 2 days on battery. I get one and a half days with around 6-8 hours screen on time.

There have been no RAM issues for me and in many ways this phone feels faster and less bloated than my Galaxy. I do like the galaxy features and still have access to them on my S10+ but the cameras on the pixel beat the galaxy hands down. With the Ultra wide camera it is versatile compared to previous pixels and 2x zoom still produces excellent photos.

I don't use wireless charging as I found it killed the battery on my S10+ so I don't miss that and the fingerprint reader is more responsive.

Hope this helps.

Great info, thank you!!

 

[Chex313]

Being only a Pixel(Google user) I have both a 4a and 5...(Also bought daughter and SIL Pixel 3 and 3a)I always set my animations to my liking , so no other phone is going to be as fast...N^,N5,N4....I like Google.

The biggest change over Pixel 2 XL is the 5G on Tmo, it is wide spread where I am at. I wouldn't buy a phone without 5G at this point.

My calls on both are as good as any phone I ever had. Camera's are great . I basically like getting security updates early each month.

I don't game at all on my phone ..prefer my PC, RTX 3080 and a 34" 144Hz 1440 wide screen.

Never cared about battery life tho it seems good on both phones. I charge in the car or house. So 20 min. in the car me puts me back at least at 80%.

I am not much for recommending phones as they are all good enough at this point and frankly I only know what I like.

If you like specs get a S21 the base model costs the same as a P5 with way better specs...Kinda like to see my golf swing in 8K...lol

 

[eric002]

Being only a Pixel(Google user) I have both a 4a and 5...(Also bought daughter and SIL Pixel 3 and 3a)I always set my animations to my liking , so no other phone is going to be as fast...N^,N5,N4....I like Google.

The biggest change over Pixel 2 XL is the 5G on Tmo, it is wide spread where I am at. I wouldn't buy a phone without 5G at this point.

My calls on both are as good as any phone I ever had. Camera's are great . I basically like getting security updates early each month.

I don't game at all on my phone ..prefer my PC, RTX 3080 and a 34" 144Hz 1440 wide screen.

Never cared about battery life tho it seems good on both phones. I charge in the car or house. So 20 min. in the car me puts me back at least at 80%.

I am not much for recommending phones as they are all good enough at this point and frankly I only know what I like.

If you like specs get a S21 the base model costs the same as a P5 with way better specs...Kinda like to see my golf swing in 8K...lol

ha ha, yup yup! I completely agree with you. For me, I’m not a huge game at all. I have one puzzle game on my phone, and that’s about it. I set my screen animations to .5 X. Pixels have always done exactly what I need them to do when I need them to do it. No bloatware, no crap on the phones just pure stock android, and a very clean durable phone build. I’ve got nothing to complain about. Like I said, at the end of the day, there’s a phone for every person and every type of personality out there.