Why You Can Trust CNET How Google Pixel 4A's specs compare with its rivals: iPhone SE 2020, Galaxy A51
At $349, Google's new Pixel 4A is cheaper than Apple's and Samsung's competing phones.
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Google's Pixel 4A has a plain, polycarbonate body and a 5.81-inch OLED display.
Google took the wraps off its second-generation Pixel 4A phone last month (also announcing the Pixel 4A 5G and Pixel 5), joining Samsung's Galaxy A51 and Apple's new iPhone SE in the increasingly crowded budget-friendly segment. For $349, you get a 3,140-mAh battery, a headphone jack and a standout 12-megapixel camera that CNET's Lynn La says in her review of the Pixel 4A "raises the bar for how good a budget phone's camera can be."
At that price, the Pixel 4A undercuts its closest competitors, the iPhone SE and the Galaxy A51, by $50.
But Apple's and Samsung's recent budget offerings are popular for good reason. The 2020 iPhone SE rocks Apple's top-of-the-line A13 Bionic processor, also found in its fancy iPhone 11 Pro . Apple's proprietary chipset comfortably outperformed the Pixel 4A's Snapdragon 730G in our benchmark tests. The iPhone SE 2020 also has an IP rating for water and dust resistance, which the Pixel 4A lacks.
The Galaxy A51, meanwhile, sports the largest battery of the pack (4,000 mAh) along with a more versatile quad-camera setup that includes a wide-angle shooter. That's a feature not present in the Pixel 4A or the iPhone SE. For more information, check out the chart below, where we compare the three phones' specs.
Read more: Pixel 4A specs vs. Pixel 3A vs. Pixel 4 vs. Pixel 4 XL: What's new and different?
Google Pixel 4A vs. rivals
| Google Pixel 4A | Apple iPhone SE (2020) | Samsung Galaxy A51 (4G) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display size, resolution | 5.81-inch OLED; 2,340x1,080 pixels | 4.7-inch LCD; 1,334x750 pixels | 6.5-inch FHD AMOLED; 2,400x1,080 pixels |
| Pixel density | 443ppi | 326ppi | 405ppi |
| Dimensions (inches) | 5.7x2.7x0.3 in | 5.45x2.65x0.29 in | 6.24x2.90x0.31 in |
| Dimensions (millimeters) | 144x 69.4x8.2mm | 138.4x67.3x7.3mm | 158.5x73.6x7.9mm |
| Weight (ounces, grams) | 5.04 oz; 143g | 5.22 oz; 148g | 6.07 oz; 172g |
| Mobile software | Android 10 | iOS 13 | Android 10 |
| Camera | 12.2-megapixel (standard) | 12-megapixel (wide-angle) | 48-megapixel (standard), 12-megapixel (wide-angle), 5-megapixel (macro), 5-megapixel (depth-sensing) |
| Front-facing camera | 8-megapixel | 7-megapixel | 32-megapixel |
| Video capture | 4K | 4K | 4K |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G | Apple A13 Bionic | Samsung Exynos 9611 processor (Octa-core) |
| Storage | 128GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB | 128GB |
| RAM | 6GB | Not disclosed | 6GB |
| Expandable storage | No | No | Up to 512GB |
| Battery | 3,140 mAh | Not disclosed, but Apple claims it has the same battery life as the iPhone 8 | 4,000 mAh |
| Fingerprint sensor | Back | Home button | In-screen |
| Connector | USB-C | Lightning | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | Yes | No | Yes |
| Special features | Dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM) | Water-resistant (IP67); dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging | 15W fast charging |
| Price at launch (USD) | $349 | $399 (64GB), $449 (128GB), $549 (256GB) | $400 |
| Price (GBP) | £349 | £419 (64GB), £469 (128GB), £569 (256GB) | £329 |
| Price (AUD) | AU$599 | AU$749 (64GB), AU$829 (128GB), AU$999 (256GB) | AU$599 |
