Much of the money spent advertising smartphones typically centers around flagships, and that makes sense for the most part. It’s the bleeding-edge tech, heavy with hardware and coupled with the latest software. It’s big sexy designs with curves and gorgeous colors.

There’s a good chance you already know the Google Pixel 4a is cheap at $350, that the Android software is often upgraded and easy to use, and that the little phone is a solid enough everyday companion. You’ve probably also heard the camera is good too, but are you aware exactly how good it is? It’s so good that it’s really the only reason you should consider buying the Pixel 4a. Because here’s something else you may not know about the Pixel 4a: It’s a bit dull otherwise. I’ll explain. The Google Pixel 4a’s camera is staggering to the point of disbelief in terms of its ability, and it embarrasses cameras on phones that cost two or even three times what the Pixel 4a costs. There’s just one 12.2-megapixel camera on the back of the Pixel 4a. It’s a no-nonsense sensor with optical image stabilization (OIS), and that’s about it. There’s no wide-angle mode, no optical telephoto mode (although it will digitally zoom in by cropping the image), and no fancy features like 8K video recording. Inst...

Superb camera; Great software; Regular software updates; Long battery life;

Dull, cheap design and materials; Screen disappoints;

The Pixel 4a is a great starting point for anyone looking for a basic, capable smartphone. You get a modern design, a great camera, a headphone jack, good enough performance, and a great software build with timely, day-one updates direct from Google.

The $350 price tag. You could buy three of these for the price of a $1000 smartphone., From the front, it's the best-looking phone Google has ever produced, with slim bezels, a hole punch camera, and no crazy design decisions. It's a rare Pixel phone that just looks... normal.

It's a budget phone, so don't expect wireless charging, water resistance, or a fast 90Hz or 120Hz display., The back, which is plain and cheap-looking, and not because it's plastic. An exact copy of the Pixel 3a back would have been a huge improvement.

Surprisingly nice design with lots of screen; Incredible results from just a single camera; Amazing price with more storage than the Pixel 4; Stellar battery life;

Performance can be pokey at times; No color or storage options;

The excitement around the Google Pixel 4a - and the iPhone SE 2020 for those committed to Apple's ecosystem - leads me to feel like a real shift is taking place in the smartphone business.

Compact design, Great camera, Clean, optimized software, 3.5mm headphone jack

No 90 or 120Hz display, Weak gaming performance, Easily scratchable polycarbonate back

The simplicity of design flows through to the software which is clean, proactive, free from bloat and a joy to use, especially compared to other lower-price Androids. The device focuses on delivering everything you need and very little extra, with Google's services and AI doing the heavy lifting...

The Google Pixel 4a is an inexpensive smartphone with a camera that's ideal for 'point-and-click' photographers who aren't too fussed about multiple cameras and lots of options.

Price, Compact size, Easy to use camera (point-and-click), Headphone jack

Battery life, Photos quality drops when using the zoom, No wireless charging, Feels less expensive

The Google Pixel 4a has now been announced, and we've been lucky enough to spend time with it. Here's what we think so far.

Stupidly cheap for what you get, great camera, solid battery, impressive software, nice design

No 4a XL this year, no water resistance, no wireless charge

The Pixel 4a is in a tight corner of the handset market. Its main competitor in the UK is probably the recently released OnePlus Nord, which is larger and has a bigger screen, supports 5G, and more cameras.

Three years of Google updates, Compact and lightweight, Unfussy design, Good rear camera, Good OLED screen, 3.5mm headset jack

No MicroSD card slot, Screen might be too small for some users, Sound quality could be better, No IP rating for dust/water resistance

With 2020 being a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ of a year, on the tech side of things – it hasn’t been as bad. The industry has been bringing the mid-range smartphone back up to speed while the budget smartphones have been getting some amazing options.