The Google Pixel 4a 5G is difficult to place as it's not a premium smartphone but it's too expensive to be considered a true mid-range or budget smartphone. However, if we did have to pigeon hole it, it would certainly be a good mid-range option or as it shares several of the Pixel 5's features, you...

Price, Great display that's bigger than the Pixel 5 screen, Easy to use camera, Headphone socket, Brilliant camera AI

No telephoto lens/optical zoom, Not waterproof

There’s a thing magicians do called misdirection, where they catch your eye with one thing while something more important happens elsewhere. Whether modern smartphones count as magic is probably a little too philosophical for here, but I certainly got the misdirection feeling from the Pixel 4a 5G.

Affordably priced, Excellent camera performance, Android has some truly useful features, Great battery life

You pay more for faster 5G, No waterproofing or wireless charging, Plastic design is unremarkable

If Google did not release the Pixel 5, I would have given you a clear recommendation to buy the Pixel 4a 5G. But this is not a fault of the Pixel 4a 5G, which is not only convincing as a smartphone, but as an overall concept.

Camera quality, Look and feel, Vibration motor and speaker, Performance, Android 11

No IP certification, 60 Hz refresh rate, A Pixel 5 clone

The Google Pixel 4A 5G is pretty good at everything, but it lacks a standout feature to set itself apart from the crowd.

Google has heard us and made the Pixel 4a 5G a battery life champ! And no, we're not joking.

Big, bright screen, Impressive battery life, 128GB of storage out of the box, The famous Pixel camera, Ultra-wide camera finally, Big battery that can finally last all day, No more gimmicks like Motion Sense & Active Edge, There's a headphone jack

No IP rating, Available in two different 5G models (Sub-6 or mmWave), Only one storage variant - 128GB, Available in one color - Black, Face Unlock is gone

The Pixel 4a looks to have hit the sweet spot in terms of price and performance, offering a very capable phone and an excellent camera at a bargain price. There are some compromises along the way though, so be sure to weigh up the competition as well.

Another great camera, Really appealing price, Pure Google experience

No 5G, Relatively small screen, No telephoto zoom

But they are pricier, and for what you’re paying the Pixel 4a is a great handset. Though if you look beyond Google’s offerings you can get some very tempting alternatives for similar money, such as the OnePlus Nord and Moto G 5G Plus.

Flagship-quality camera, Great interface, Good value

Plastic back, 60Hz refresh rate, Average battery life

Google's latest affordable Android puts software first - for better or worse

Streamlined Android experience with guaranteed updates, Camera quality competes with flagship rivals, All-day battery life

Few standout features on the hardware front, Plastic build gives away budget nature, Expandable storage still a no-go

The Pixel 4a is Google’s affordable and entry-level smartphone with a £349 price tag and, of course, it features the Pixel camera.

Lightweight design, Smooth and fluid software experience, Great camera software and processing

No wireless charging, Only one camera lens, Portrait mode not always accurate

The Apple iPhone 14 is no match for the just-released iPhone 14 Pro, but if you ignore that, it’s one of the most effective phones around.

Great cameras, front and back, Fast performance, Good battery life, Innovative safety features

Design too familiar, Some average features