Google Is Bucking Trends with the Pixel 5, and It’s Awesome

Ever since Google bought abig ball of HTCand begin desegregate its U.S. and Taiwan team ( thePixel 3awas the first Pixel primarily contrive in Taiwan ) , it ’s feel like Google has been a scrap confused about the Pixel ’s direction . Two years ago we got a largePixelwith dual selfie River Cam and a fingerprint sensor in back , but thenlast class ’s Pixel 4featured one cam in front , two cams in back ( include one with a zoom lens ) , and 3D facial recognition instead of a fingermark reader .

With the Pixel 5 , we get a processor that ’s a level below what most flagships are rocking , an ultra - broad camera in back or else of zoom , and no XL version to complement the standard model with its relatively small 6 - inch screen . And price at just $ 700 , the Pixel 5 also costs hundreds less than top - oddment phone from Samsung , Apple , and even OnePlus . compare to the relaxation of the industriousness , Google is zagging where everyone else is zigging , subverting expectations , and bucking a bunch of trends with almost reckless abandon . And you know what ? It ’s freaking working , because in a lot of ways , the Pixel 5 is the ultimate Google earphone : It ’s a good value and one of the most unique sound of the year .

Google Pixel 5

Photo: Sam Rutherford

What is it ?

Google ’s latest flagship earpiece

Price

Photo: Sam Rutherford

Photo: Sam Rutherford

start at $ 700 for 128 GB of storage

Unique aim with bio rosin finish ; extremely good assault and battery life story ; capital camera quality ; ready to hand Modern picture stabilization modes ; rearward fingermark sensing element ; reverse wireless charging ; Pixel software

Photo: Sam Rutherford

Photo: Sam Rutherford

No like

No microSD card one-armed bandit , phone jack , or zoom camera ; no XL model ; speaker quality is just o.k.

Compared to handsets from just a couple years ago , a phone with a 6 - in screen might not sound that small , but it is . The Pixel 5 is smaller than basically every phone relinquish this last year away , from theiPhone SEand the upcomingiPhone 12 Mini . In fact , despite having slightly more screen genuine estate of the realm thanks to its slim bezel , the Pixel 5 is actually small-scale than thePixel 3 . In a post - OG Galaxy Note world where phones have been steadily growing ever larger for the better part of a decade , it shoot some serious chutzpa to downsize .

Photo: Sam Rutherford

Photo: Sam Rutherford (In-House Art)

So even though I wish Google had made an XL interpretation of the Pixel 5 , the standard model ’s dimensions are downright invigorating . As someone who care with a lot of with child - blind titan , it ’s really skillful to have a petite short speech sound that never feels heavy , bulky , or unwieldy .

On the top edge of the Pixel 5 , or else of drop dead with a slim earphone loudspeaker like you get on practically every other telephone , Google built a talker into the Pixel 5 ’s display , which vibrates the screen and bring forth noise when you make a call . The Pixel 5 ’s vibrating screen also works with the phone ’s bottom - fire loudspeaker to produce a variety of pseudo - stereo audio . Overall quality is a minute lacking in bass part , but booming depression are something that almost no phone can meaningfully pump out . Because it does n’t take to use a traditional earphone speaker , the Pixel 5 has a thin , unblemished bezel ( well , away from that gob - punch selfie River Cam ) , which envelop around the entire twist and termination in a neat and sleek front facade .

Google has even antecede the 3D face electronic scanner it used on the Pixel 4 , along with the fancy in - exhibit fingermark sensing element so many premium phones have adopted , in favor of a good ‘ ole dactyl reader in back . It ’s fast , it ’s round-eyed , and in a time when stuff like Face ID and face unlock are essentially useless when you ’re wearing a mask , it ’s gracious to see that former - school biometric systems still have their merit .

queerly , perhaps the most interesting thing about the entire Pixel 5 is its back . rather of glass or polycarbonate , the Pixel 5 technically has an aluminium body , though you ’d never know it because Google has covered the Pixel 5 ’s rearward in “ bio - resin . ” It not only feel different than any other earphone ( and makes slap a case on the sound somewhat unneeded ) , it also build the phone less slippery and allowed Google give the Pixel 5 ’s signature Sorta Sage color more depth and prolificacy than normal .

But the back of the Pixel 5 is weird for two reasons . First , because of the bio - resin , which feels more like leather or paper than your mediocre plastic . But the other reason is that most phone Divine avoid using aluminium back because metal panel generally do n’t play overnice with wireless charging , though that did n’t quit Google . So to make wireless blame work , Google made accurate cut in the Pixel 5 ’s aluminum back to accommodate wireless institutionalise scroll , leave in something that ’s more long-wearing than both traditional plastic and Methedrine , with well-nigh none of the drawbacks . The Pixel 5 even support reverse wireless charging ( Google call in it Battery Share ) , so you could power up other gimmick that support Qi on the fly ball . How that ’s for ingenuity ?

moreover , with the Pixel 5 ’s extremely long barrage life , using Battery Share is something that ’s a joy to use . That ’s because , despite its sizing , the Pixel 5 ’s 4,000 mAh shelling is really the biggest stamp battery Google has ever put in a Pixel . In our video recording rundown test , the Pixel 5 lasted 16 hr and 48 second . That ’s the third long time I ’ve seen on a earphone this year , behind the Moto Edge+ ( 17:18 ) , and the Asus ROG Phone 3 ( 16:56 ) . This is quite impressive because , historically , length of service has never been one of the Pixel line ’s biggest force . But it by all odds is now on the Pixel 5 .

Photo: Sam Rutherford

Google ’s counter - lucid design thinking does n’t stop when it come in to the telephone set ’s exterior , either . Instead of using a Snapdragon 865 bit like a lot of other premium Android phone , the Pixel 5 feature a chip from Qualcomm ’s next rung down : the Snapdragon 765G. It ’s a savvy move , because the Snapdragon 765 G still offer documentation for all the major tone of 5 G and ample performance , while also lower the Pixel 5 ’s monetary value .

With the Pixel 5 ’s screen door featuring a seemly but not super high 2160 x 1080 resolution , much of the spare functioning of a Snapdragon 865 probably would have been languish . The Pixel 5 is more than snappy as is . Also , by cut costs with its microchip , it became easier for Google to incorporate other premium feature of speech like a rich organic light-emitting diode show , which also features a 90Hz refresh rate to help make plot , websites , and animations look extra smooth . It ’s not quite as salutary as 120Hz or 144Hz like you get some some more expensive earphone , but it is obtrusive and a worthy inclusion . Google even doubled up the Pixel 4 ’s 64 GB of bag reposition to 128 GB on the Pixel 5 , an upgrade I ’m happy to take every time .

But one of the most fuddle decision ( at least for casual beholder ) that Google made with the Pixel 5 is to use the same Sony IMX363 sensor it used in the Pixel 4 and the Pixel 3 instead of pick out the in style and keen camera sensor . In an industry where gadget makers are expected to push out annual refreshes , sticking with the same camera sensor for three class in a row might seem bizarre , but once again , there ’s a method to the madness . alternatively of make to reinvent its image processing and camera algorithms every 12 calendar month , Google has had a reproducible weapons platform that it ’s been able to truly optimise , and the consequence address for themselves .

In brilliant light , the Pixel 5 produces pics with deep , saturated colors and more point than you get on pretty much any other phone , regardless of Mary Leontyne Price . And in darker environments , thanks to Night Sight ( which now works on Portrait Mode shots ) , you get the good low - calorie-free photographic camera character around too . I also like that Google has leaned into its expertness with software program to add three young television stabilisation modes ( locked , combat-ready , and cinematic pan ) , making the Pixel 5 a good putz to tape special moments , both stills and video .

That said , Google did ignore one major smartphone camera movement I really wish it had n’t : only including two rearward cams instead of three . I totally understand the reasoning behind perish with an radical - wide River Cam instead of a rapid climb cam on the Pixel 5 , as it ’s easy to give people more reach using software package via Google ’s Super Res Zoom than it is to increase a earpiece ’s field of view . But if Google just included three rear cams — a wide angle , ultra - wide , and a telephotograph — the Pixel 5 would heap up much well against its contender .

Compared to the 5x optical zoom on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra , Super Res Zoom at 5x just ca n’t really flow . Now I admit that ’s not a very fairish comparison because the Note 20 Ultra price almost twice the Pixel 5 ’s terms , but I ’d still really love to see Google supplement Super Res Zoom with even just a 2x or 3x optical soar to help capture sharper telephoto pics .

Also , while Google ’s strategy of stick with the same icon sensor for three years has worked up until now , I ’m not sure how much longer that scheme can continue . Yes , the Pixel 5 manages to edge out the iPhone 11 and the in style Galaxy Note in most situations ( particularly blue brightness level ) , but that gap is closer than ever , and in bright visible radiation , Google definitely is n’t dunking on Apple and Samsung across the board . Other features like Portrait Mode with Night Sight do n’t look as good as they should , and I ca n’t serve but wonder if the Pixel 5 ’s sensor is holding the earpiece back a moment in those situations . And let ’s not forget , theiPhone 12 Pro Maxwith its sophisticated photography feature is due out next month , which could shift that balance even more .

However , not including a zoom cam is mostly a minor offense on a phone that only cost $ 700 , and turn over how many ad-lib rules Google is direct up thrashing this sentence around , the Pixel 5 is kind of magnificent . It ’s fetch great camera quality , more than sufficient performance , and a sneakily innovative design — not to mention all of the Pixel sole software feature article like Duplex , Call Screener , automatic captions , and , my personal pet , the Pixel Recorder app . So while not offer a Pixel 5 model with a bigger covert mean this earpiece might not be a slap-up fit for everyone , for people who opt a more thick gadget , the Pixel 5 is legitimately the best small Android phone around and a pretty good overall value . This year , Google said : Screw the playbook . The Pixel 5 is sound for it .

README

Because there ’s no Pixel 5 XL , if you desire a new Pixel with a bigger silver screen , you ’ll have to go with the Pixel 4a 5G.

I really wish well Google would just put three cam on the back of its top - end Pixel .

The Pixel 5 does n’t use a traditional earpiece speaker . alternatively , it vibrates its screen ( which is also used for regular audio frequency , too , alongside the bottom speaker ) .