For years most of our attention has been focused on flagship handsets from companies like Apple, Google and Samsung. But since last year’s release of the excellent Pixel 3a, midrange devices have gotten a lot more interesting. Today Google finally announced the Pixel 4a, which cuts a few corners but still delivers fast performance and even a flagship-level camera for the low price of $350. But it isn’t your only choice if you want a great phone in the midrange. We lined up the Pixel 4a’s specs against those of the iPhone SE and Samsung’s Galaxy A51 to see how these devices measure up under the hood. (We didn’t include the OnePlus Nord since it’s not available on the US.) If you want the full scoop on the Pixel 4a, though, be sure to check out our full review.

	Pixel 4a	Galaxy A51	iPhone SE (2020)
Pricing	$349	$350	$399 / $449 / $549
Dimensions	144 x 69.4 x 8.2 mm (5.7 x 2.7 x 0.3 inches)	158.5 x 73.6 x 7.9 mm (6.24 x 2.89 x 0.31 inches)	138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm (5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 inches)
Weight	143g (5.04 ounces)	172g (6.07 ounces)	148g (5.22 ounces)
Screen size	5.81 inches (147.6 mm)	6.5 inches (165.1 mm)	4.7 inches (119.38 mm)
Screen resolution	2340 x 1080 (443 ppi)	2400 x 1,080 (405 ppi)	1,334 x 750 (326 ppi)
Screen type	FHD+ OLED	FHD+ Super AMOLED	Retina HD LCD
Battery	3,140 mAh	4,000 mAh	1,821 mAh
Internal storage	128GB	128 GB	64 / 128 / 256 GB
External storage	None	None	None
Rear camera(s)	12.2MP, f/1.7	Quad camera: Wide: 48 MP, f/2.0 Ultrawide: 12 MP, f/2.2 Macro: 5 MP, f/2.4 DoF: 5 MP, f/2.2	12MP, f/1.8
Front camera(s)	8 MP, f/2.0	32 MP, f/2.2	7MP, f/2.2
Video capture	1080p at 30 fps	4K at 120 fps	4K at 60 fps
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G	Samsung Exynos 9611	Apple A13 Bionic
CPU	2.2 GHz octa-core	2.3 GHz octa-core	2.65 GHz hexa-core
GPU	Adreno 618	Mali-G72 MP3	unnamed quad-core
RAM	6 GB	4 GB	4 GB
WiFi	Dual band, 802.11ac	Dual band, 802.11ac	Dual band, 802.11ax
Bluetooth	v5.1	v5.0	v5.0
NFC	Yes	Yes	Yes
Operating system	Android 10	Android 10	iOS 13
Other features	USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack	USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack	IP67 certified, Lightning connector, Qi wireless charging

Durability

Speaking of that lightweight feel, our users largely approved of the phone’s materials. Some, like Maddie, thought that “even though it uses a plastic case, it feels sturdy and brilliantly light.” Kyle concurred, saying the polycarbonate body “doesn’t feel cheap or plastic-ish in any way,” adding that the decision to use the material “goes a long way in preserving the body of this phone for your lifetime of ownership.” 

Others, like Kyle, were more focused on durability, saying “it resists scuffs and obvious scratches, remaining reliably dependable inside and out of your pockets.” Travis “dropped this phone to hell and still not even a cracked screen, just the plastic corners getting beat up.” Dustin said the cheaper materials made the 3a “easier to damage” but it “can take a fair amount of abuse; just don’t expect it to look pretty unless you cover it in a case.” Dwight said he wasn’t worried about dropping the device because it’s made out of plastic. Finally, Kevin shared that “we have many 3a handsets in our fleet of company-owned devices — they are trouble-free and reliable and we don’t worry about employees that accidentally damage them.” 

Display

The 3a’s 6-inch OLED display runs at a 2,140 x 1,080 resolution and our reviewer, Chris, enjoyed the punchy ‘Adaptive’ color mode that was the default setting. But he also wished the display was brighter (especially in outdoor lighting). Readers agreed with him: Billy found the colors vivid and the blacks deep and felt the display resolution was more than enough, and “had to scale the DPI settings up due to my eyesight. I don’t think having a higher resolution display would bring any benefits.” He also felt the OLED display was an excellent value for a phone in the 3a’s price range, and that it was much easier on the eyes to read text in dark surroundings from a non-backlit display. 

When it came to screen brightness, Peter, Kyle and Kenshin11 all agreed with Chris Velazco. Peter said the only negative “is that the screen won’t go bright enough outside in the sun, but that impacts pretty much any non-Apple phone.” Kyle felt the “screen brightness does suffer when in full sunlight,” but that it was manageable. This drawback was also Kenshin11’s main complaint. “The resolution for the screen size is fine. It’s a $399 phone, I don’t think you’re going to get a decently bright screen at this price. Besides the lack of maximum screen brightness, this is a solid phone for the price range.” 

Battery

The 3,700mAh battery in the 3a was a noticeable improvement to our readers. Billy felt that battery life was one of the areas where the 3a excelled, and he was “regularly amazed at how at the end of the day the phone can have up to 80 percent of the battery left. Even if I use the phone heavily, it will have 60 percent battery left. In fact, I don’t think my 3a has ever run out of battery so far.” James said battery life was great (but should be swappable), and appreciated the quick charge feature as well. Dergolem found the battery management very good and that it has “gotten smarter as I use it. I get a couple of days’ use before a recharge.” The only users who had a less than stellar experience were Iebe, who called the battery life mediocre, and Dwight noted the battery management is “normal, but not so good that it can last for a full day.” 

Camera

Google didn’t skimp on the camera here; the 3a features the same 12.2-megapixel camera and Sony IMX363 sensor as the more expensive Pixel 3. Users raved about the performance, and across the board had no criticisms. Billy said the camera “is superb, much better than in any of my previous phones, or even my friends’ flagship phones. Night sight even allows me to take photos in what I would before consider impossible lighting conditions.” Peter said he’s “found the camera to be fantastic,” and he “rarely digs out my mirrorless unless I’m vacationing.”  Kenshin11 felt the camera system on the 3a was “leagues above the Note 8. This has taken the best portrait photos of any phone I’ve tried.” Dergolem said the camera “knocks me out. The photos are amazing.” And Kyle, who called the camera unbelievable, thought the Night Sight feature was “mind-blowing, capturing what no other phone can do.” He also said, “As I have kids, my camera is subjected to constant use in all conditions,” and “colors stay true while the bokeh effect can sometimes be overly aggressive, though simply taking an extra photo seems to allow the AI to compensate and correct without any fiddling of setting.” 

Pure Android

One of the main reasons users cited for purchasing a Pixel phone was getting the Android operating system directly from Google itself. As Billy phrased it, “this phone does not have any manufacturer’s second-rate features and apps that just annoy me – everything is pure Android, which is great.” Dustin felt similarly, stating “the pure Android experience is a welcome change to all the skins the big manufacturers put on their Android phones.” Kenshin11 added, “you get vanilla Android, and being directly from Google you’ll get the Android updates very quickly.” 

Fast updates were another big reason why users said they went with a Google-made smartphone, with Ken appreciating the fast OS updates. Billy said he valued that the “software received security updates each month, and new Android versions are made available immediately (within hours) of when they are publicly released.” Dergolem said these were why they stuck with the 3a for as long as possible: “My primary reason for updating [my handset] is OS update support and security patches.” 

Price/Value

In a world where flagship smartphones often cost upwards of $1,000, the 3a’s low price made it stand out even more. Multiple users mentioned they felt they were getting a high quality smartphone on a budget ($299 for the 3a and $479 for the 3a XL). Ken, who said he couldn’t justify a $1,000 purchase price for a smartphone, said the 3a “exceeded all of my expectations and shattered my preconceived notions of what a mid-range smartphone is capable of. This feels like a high-end phone to me.” Page said it was “by far the best budget phone I have ever purchased. For everything you get with this phone there is really nothing at all you can complain about.” Dergolem deemed it a “perfect balance of price and features,” while Dwight called it “the best device you can have in this price range.” User Chris explained that “part of the love is the value people feel they’re getting from such a relatively inexpensive phone,” and Dustin, Billy, Kevin and James all commented on the fair price and good value of their 3a handsets. Kyle said “at $399, Google brought a mid range phone that feels and operates just as reliably as any top tier phone My pocket feels happy, which is not to be understated.” 

Overall

Aside from a few users who reported some snags with Bluetooth connections, our user reviewers had nothing but positive feedback about their experiences with the 3a. Travis had a fantastic experience with his handset, while Ken said “honestly, I have zero complaints. Can’t recommend this phone enough.” Reader Chris declared the 3a his “ideal phone in basically every sense,” and Peter said “after about nine months of use, I really don’t have much to complain about.” Kyle, who had eight months of use with his device, felt it had “exceeded any expectations I had prior to purchase” and that “the team behind Google nailed it out of the park with their 2019 mid-range phones.” Kenshin11 confessed that “this phone does most things very well, so much so, that I’m able to delay getting a new ‘flagship’ phone for even longer – if ever again.”

 

The update, which includes fixes for a number of issues affecting Pixel devices, was first pushed out Monday. But, a day later, Google lists the Pixel 4 version of the release as available for all carriers “except AT&T.”

The company hasn’t officially commented on why it pulled its software for AT&T, but Reddit users have reported that Google Pay no longer functions following the update. According to 9to5Google the source of the problem is that Google didn’t properly certify the build for AT&T. If that’s the case, it’s likely that other apps will also run into issues, though Google Pay is the only major one that’s been reported so far. The good news for Pixel owners, at least, is that it should be a relatively easy fix, but no word yet on when the updated update might drop.

Google said last month it’d make Recorder available for older Pixels. On Thursday, it updated the app, which should now pop up in the Play Store for other supported Pixels, namely Pixel 2 and later devices. However, it doesn’t seem to work on the original Pixel — at least not officially.

As is the case with many other apps, it might run just fine on other Android devices. Some users have been sideloading the Recorder APK to their phones. The app crashed when some of them tried to launch it, though Android Police suggests the update might have resolved the issue.

You’ll be able to use the app, which will eventually be available on iOS and other Android devices, to manage your account and controllers, buy titles and start games on Chromecast Ultra. Once you’ve signed in with a Google account, it’ll ask you for an invite code from the Stadia Founders or Premiere Edition package before you can go any further.

The Play Store listing notes that you can access your games library from the Home tab. An Explore tab, meanwhile, seems as though it’ll feature community posts as well as links to Stadia’s presence on YouTube, Reddit, Twitter, Facebook and Discord. You’ll also be able to see which of your friends are online and what they’re playing.

Stadia will work with some Chrome OS tablets, Pixel 2, Pixel 3, Pixel 3a and Pixel 4 at launch, along with browsers and Chromecast Ultra. The service will be available more broadly next year.

In case you’ve forgotten since the last time we all talked about Android 10, there are plenty of new features to try out here. Android now has a system-wide dark mode, for one, which should ease the strain on your eyes and on your Pixel’s battery. Google also overhauled its gesture navigation scheme (again), and while you don’t have to use these tweaked controls, it’s still interesting to see how Google thinks we should be interacting with our Android devices.

Sharing links and content should be a lot more elegant this time around, and Google’s new Focus Mode should make it easier to silence certain apps while you’re trying to get work done. Oh, and this version of Android packs full support for foldable like the Galaxy Fold, though it’ll be a while yet before we actually get to see what’s new on that front.

Of course, Google baked a slew of new security and privacy features into Android’s core too. Some, like more insistent permission controls for your device’s location, will be pretty hard to ignore. Many others, though, like Google’s push to compartmentalize certain Android components for faster updates through the Play Store, should be much less intrusive.

Unfortunately, even Pixel owners will have to wait a little longer to try out some of the features Google showed off at its developer conference earlier this year. Live Caption, which automatically converts audio into on-screen text, will launch later this fall on Pixels before rolling out to a handful of other devices. At this point, we’re not exactly sure what’s going on with the super-fast, shrunken-down Google Assistant the company demoed on-stage in May either — we’re installing the final build to see for ourselves, but we’re not holding our collective breath. All told, though, there’s a lot to dig into once you’ve installed the update, and we wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve stopped reading by now to get a feel for everything yourself.

Display

The Pixel Slate’s 3,000 x 2,000 display made a good first impression on Nathan, who said it was bright and pixel-dense. Users also enjoyed the screen; Victor called it fantastic and Markus said it looked “gorgeous” during his gaming and minor writing or coding sessions. Trenton was also appreciative, deeming the screen “the best I’ve seen on any Chromebook or tablet to date. It is a pleasure to use.” Not a single user reviewer noted any drawbacks when it came to this part of the hardware.

Keyboard

But when it came to the Brydge Bluetooth keyboard, feedback was mixed. Cody felt it “could have been done a lot better. It’s too flexible by the point it connects and seems to make the tablet heavier and as thick as a laptop.” Shirko also thought the keyboard could use improvements, as it wasn’t “connected well-enough to not wobble when using it on the laptop (you know, the whole purpose of a laptop).” Andy came around eventually, saying it “was weird at first but now that I’m used to it. I much prefer the round keys and solid feel of it. I actually prefer it to my old Surface Pro cover.” And jRodd66 said the Brydge keyboard “makes it feel like a full laptop.”

Another standout feature for users were the speakers, which Nathan called “extremely powerful and clear.” Trenton said they were “awesome,” while Joel went so far as to say that the speakers are one of the things that set the Pixel Slate apart from the competition. But Shirko said they had some QC issues with their Slate speakers, which “not only buzz, but also completely change the way they sound in the higher volumes, which is weird.”

Chrome OS

The Pixel Slate disappointed the most when it came to software: Chrome OS with Android apps, a pairing that Nathan found cumbersome and “a letdown at every turn.” The tablet interface was slow, with very few apps built for the screen’s size. What’s more, choosing between a web app or an Android app became an exercise in frustration.

Users echoed this experience: Shirko noted that “apps like YouTube are clearly not properly optimized for the Chrome OS tablet experience” and that the UI “feels like a beta build due to too many bugs.” Erik said the “Android and Chrome OS integration often leave me confused with each app and their capabilities” and admitted that Google “has gotten me used to living with software that is terrifyingly close to beta.” Iason was more pragmatic, stating that “Chrome OS still needs a lot of work, but one can perform the majority of daily functions with no hiccups.”

Android

When it came to the Android apps themselves, responses were still critical. Mark couldn’t get them to function properly, and found “the way the apps keep jumping into the Chrome browser the most irritating tech failure that I have encountered in a long time.” srslywtf said there was “a sharp learning curve for Android apps and tablet mode,” and recommended that the “users stay in Chrome as much as possible and use Android second” for a great experience. Trenton was matter-of-fact with regard to the apps, stating “the lack of tablet optimized Android apps remains as an issue but it did not upset me. It is what it is.”

The competition

However, Pixel Slate owners were split on how the device stood up to the competition. Shawn said it “replaced my iPad Pro and I don’t miss it a bit … I’ve had a Surface Pro and iPad Pro and for what I do the Pixel Slate is hands-down better.” John replaced his iPad Pro and Mac Mini with the tablet, and T said the Pixel’s “USB and memory card support clinched the deal for me.” Despite that, T also said that the “Slate’s interface doesn’t compare to the iPad.” Shirko agreed with “the argument that you can do more stuff with a Surface and a MacBook is significant — it’s one of the main reasons why I’m writing this on a Surface Pro 6.”

Like Nathan, who wanted to love the Pixel Slate but couldn’t due to the combination of a high price and buggy software, some users were unable to recommend the tablet. Mark “wanted to love it and hated it” so much that he returned it to Google after a week, while Shirko balked at the “unjustified” cost: “If I’m buying what’s essentially a low-powered Core-Y and e MMC memory, $1000 is a ridiculous price.” But Victor wasn’t dissuaded, saying he “gave this product a chance even after all the criticism, and am very glad I did. It did not disappoint.” Trenton likewise was “very impressed with the i5 Pixel Slate model…It meets all of my needs and then some.” And jRodd66 said it was “the first tablet that I would consider for my only device when traveling.”

When it comes to the design of the phone, users were split between admiring its premium feel and having concerns about its durability. Lyubomir says the 3 is “light, very well balanced and the frosted back feels entirely different to what I imagined. It’s really soft and if I didn’t know better I wouldn’t guess that it was glass.” Brett agreed, stating he “really likes the size and weight of the Pixel 3. Google nailed it here.” User mk2 felt the 3 XL’s build quality was “much improved over the 2XL, this thing is premium, through and through.”

The screen also earned praises. Warren thought it “absolutely gorgeous,” while Lyubomir said it had a “much brighter screen” and the colors were “much more vibrant without being oversaturated.” mk2 said, “The first thing I noticed on the 3XL is the massive improvement that the screen represented in comparison to my 2XL.”

However, users also encountered some minor drawbacks. Lyubomir said the metal frame of the 3 “picks up fingerprints and grease a lot more than I expected.” Bryson concurred, noting the glass back “is extremely susceptible to deposition of material, making it appear that the back is scratched.” Nathan had a similar experience with his 3 XL, writing “the frosted glass can scratch easily which is too bad,” while El said “my old 6P felt much sturdier due to its aluminum body.”

A surprising trend amongst the XL reviews was that no one seemed bothered by the (admittedly large) notch. David said it “isn’t as big of an eye sore as you might expect. You don’t notice it 99 percent of the time.” El concurred, sharing “after about an hour of actual use, the notch pretty much disappeared for me. It never gets in the way of any app I’ve used.”

Users were more divided over the battery life. Some, like Stephen, found it phenomenal, while others like Matthew felt “the main negative” of the phone was its weak endurance. Dave said a single charge “will last me all day with moderate use,” and Tom added the 3 “will make it through the day on single charge (including three-plus hours of Waze with my daily commute while listening to Podcasts).” However, Jeffrey “noticed significant battery drain” leading him to assume “I’m not doing some things right.” Brett felt the runtime was “ho-hum and could be better,” while Tim said his “one complaint for the devices has been standby battery life.”

But most users were also appreciative of the wireless charging. Chris considered it “a plus if you have the home base or a vehicle that has that capacity.” El was pleased to “finally have wireless charging,” and felt it “makes up for the glass body.” Opticron said the wireless charging “brings charging options back up to par even if high power wireless charging requires a dock (yuck).”

On the software side, the camera updates were easily the standout component for users. Vincenzo, a 3 XL owner, exclaimed “WOW. This is where the phone excels.” Rob said the camera is “bang on awesome,” and Stephen, a self-described former professional photographer, doesn’t “even take one of my good cameras to events with me” because of the powerful camera. Likewise, Pixel 3 users were also impressed: Tom enjoyed its photo capabilities “more than my Samsung S7,” while Opticron said the new features were “pretty amazing for low light photography and enhanced zoom.” David found “from low light shots to portraits to shot selection, the myriad of photo features add up to a top tier experience.”

Other popular software features included the gesture controls, which El deemed “really easy to use.” David agreed, saying “the Gesture Controls get a lot of hate, but I find it quick and intuitive.” Another aspect of the handset that impressed users was the squeeze feature to activate Assistant, which Bill loved on the 3 XL and Matthew felt was “much quicker and easier to activate” on the 3.

A negative theme running through many of these user reviews was the prevalence of bugs and glitches before the December software update rolled out. Users found their camera software unusable across multiple apps; Alan said “I was traveling abroad to Switzerland, and every time I wanted to get a shot [I saw a] black camera screen.” Meanwhile Amy discovered “the camera wouldn’t work in any third-party apps — Instagram, Snapchat, my banking app, etc. All useless.”

Call quality was also an issue. Thomas noticed an “electrical clicking/buzzing noise in earpiece when on calls,” while Jeremiah heard an “occasional electric feedback sound during calls from the top speaker.” Rosie complained, “I can hear my caller fine, most of the time, but to them, I often sound robotic or I cut out completely. I constantly have to repeat myself. Other times it sounds like the line has gone dead.” Karamijt likewise had “a lot of issues with reception, with the phone cutting in and out making it difficult to have a conversation on the phone that’s longer than two minutes.” Beverly stated she’s “had lots of issues with the speakers.”

Fortunately, it appears the December bug fixes solved most, if not all, of these issues. mk2 said their speakers “rattled a little before the update” but with the latest update “sound great.” David likewise stated the speaker issues and memory management were fixed by the security patch. But there’s no doubt the problems influenced the scores users gave the smartphones: Ryan, who experienced a screen defect and camera issues felt the 3 XL was “hard to recommend.” And Beverly said she “really, really wants to love this phone!!! I just wish it wasn’t so buggy.”

Despite these snags, many users felt there was still plenty to love about the new Pixels, with 3 user David claiming “I came to the Pixel 3 from iOS, and I’m not sure I could ever go back.” bassdude7 stated he was so glad “someone is still making high-end phones that you can use with one hand,” and technologiq said they “enjoyed my Pixel 3 XL far more than the Samsung S8+ and S7 Edge that I had before it.”

Bill said what he likes most about his 3 XL is “is that it has all native apps,” and kurohouou gushed “I love the vanilla Android OS and I know I’ll always have the latest OS/Security updates.” Rob was also enthusiastic: “I was wanting a pure Android experience and the Pixel 3 XL delivers it. It’s fast, clean, and for the most part gives me what I’m looking for.” Truyen summed up their experience with the 3 XL by saying “the Android OS experience on this phone is hard to beat.”