The Googel Pixel 5 was unveiled just last week, and we managed to get our hands on one for review! I’ll be publishing my full review over on XDA-Developers as soon as I’m able to, but for now, I can show you some photos of the device and talk about its specifications! The Google Pixel smartphone series is effectively the closest thing to an iPhone in the Android world. They’re made by Google themselves, and you can pre-order the Google Pixel 5 (or the Google Pixel 4a 5G, which also just launched) from Google’s own store. If you pre-order before the 13th of October, you’ll also be able to claim a free pair of Bose QC35 II headphones!
About this hands-on: We received the Google Pixel 5 from Google Ireland for review on the 8th of October, 2020. Google did not have any input in the contents of this article.
Google Pixel 5 Specifications
| Specification | Google Pixel 5 |
|---|---|
| Build |
|
| Dimensions & Weight |
|
| Display |
|
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G:
Adreno 620 |
| RAM & Storage | 8GB LPDDR4X + 128GB UFS 2.1
Non-expandable storage |
| Battery & Charging |
|
| Rear Camera |
Video:
|
| Front Camera | 8MP Sony IMX355, f/2.0, 1.12µm pixel size, fixed focus, 83° FoV |
| Ports | USB 3.1 Type-C |
| Audio | Stereo speakers
3 microphones |
| Security | Pixel Imprint (capacitive rear fingerprint scanner)
Titan M hardware security module |
| Connectivity |
|
| Sensors | Proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, barometer |
| Android Version |
|
Google Pixel 5 Design
The Google Pixel 4’s successor doesn’t really stray too far from the design language of previous Pixel smartphones. It’s compact, it’s beautiful, and it’s unique. On the back, there’s a glass square in the top left which houses the dual-camera setup. In the center is the fingerprint sensor, and that’s really it. The Google Pixel 5 features a 100% recycled aluminium back and has a hard rubber/cardboard kind of feel. I’m really not doing it justice with that description, but trust me, it’s good.
The power button on the right-hand side is metal, and nowhere near as clicky as the Google Pixel 4a’s. It’s not a bad thing, but the buttons just feel like the buttons on any other phone now. The same can be said of the haptic feedback – that is, the vibration motor. It’s very good, however, the Google Pixel 4a’s was just a tad bit better, and the Google Pixel 5 slightly disappoints as a result. Still, that’s a small gripe that I have only because of high expectations, and it still beats the vast majority of the competition in that regard. The phone itself feels great in the hands. It’s small and compact, unlike some other massive phones that I’ve used such as the OPPO Find X2 Pro or the OnePlus 8 Pro.
On the top left-hand side is the cut-out camera. The speaker grille at the top for phone calls (and which acts as a second speaker for other stuff) is under the display. All four bezels on the Google Pixel 5 are even, so you’ll find that there isn’t a chin or a forehead which stands out on the phone either.
Google Pixel 5 Usage
Sadly, there’s not a whole lot I can actually talk about yet. Currently, we’re allowed to show you what the unboxing experience is, which I’ve understood to mean whatever you can see within the first five minutes or so of unboxing the phone and switching it on. However, what I can tell you is that the phone itself (at least during setup) is extra smooth with that high-refresh-rate display, and the phone is extremely easy to use in one hand. It’s compact but it looks great, and I’m really looking forward to being able to show you more of the Google Pixel 5 in the future. For now, though, keep an eye on here and on XDA-Developers for more!
