The Google Pixel 4 is a solid phone. It has a 90 Hz screen and has one of the best smartphone cameras on the market. In terms of design, it is quite similar to the Pixel 3. With a starting price that is lower than the Pixel 3, this device is one that you should consider, especially if you love snapping pictures.
List of Specifications
Dimension: 147.1 x 68.8 x 8.2 mm (5.79 x 2.71 x 0.32 in)
Weight: 162 g (5.71 oz)
Display: 5.7 in P-OLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors. 1080 x 2280 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~444 ppi density)
Storage Options: 6GB RAM, 64GB Internal Storage / 128GB Internal Storage, no memory card slot
Software: Android 10
Rear Camera: Dual: 12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55”, 1.4um, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 16 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (telephoto), 1/3.6”, 1.0um, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom, Dual-LED flash, Auto HDR, panorama
Front Camera: Dual: 8 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1.22um, no AF. TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor). Auto-HDR
Battery: Non-Removable Li-Po 2800 mAh, Fast Charging 18W, USB Power Delivery 2.0, QI Wireless charging
Other Features: Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Pros
- Amazing camera
- Face Unlock works really well
- Easy to grip
Cons
- Lack of unlimited cloud storage
- Battery life is so-so
- No Fingerprint Sensor
Design and Layout
The design of the Pixel 4 is nothing spectacular. It just doesn’t seem to match up to the Samsung Galaxy S10 or the iPhone 11. It has a big bezel on the front and on the back, a block camera lens.
Having said this, the phone is actually not an ugly piece, especially if you have the ones in white or other colors. The sides of the phone are textured for added grip.
Instead of a fingerprint sensor, Google is following Apple’s footsteps in biometrics.The Pixel 4 has a Face Unlock that works fantastically well. Additionally, there is also the backup PIN code. The downside of using face recognition biometrics is that you will have to type in your password manually for apps that require your fingerprint for security purposes.
Another feature on this phone is Motion Sense. Motion Sense is a fun feature that allows you to skip songs, and silence songs by waving your hand. Your hand motion is picked up by a tiny built-in radar in the phone.
The radar is able to pick up on your presence, reach and gesture. It is an excellent feature to have when you are in the middle of a task that does not allow you to hold the phone. The downside is your phone thinking that you want to get in with the face unlock feature when all you wanted was to check the time on your display.
There is also a Recorder app on this phone that transcribes spoken audio. It is the perfect app for boring lectures and long meetings. With the phone’s AI, this app can function offline as well as online, making life easier even when you do not have Wi-Fi or data.
Its waterproof and dustproof design doesn’t only protect it from spills and splashes. This phone is able to survive for half an hour submerged at a depth of up to 1.5 meters.
Display
Google Pixel 4 has a 5. Inch P-OLED display with 1080 x 2280 resolution and 90 Hz refresh. As far as screens go, this phone has quite a small screen. However, the Full HD+ resolution means that it actually gives good viewing experience.
Colors are bright and images are sharp with fine details. If you want to change the way the colors appear, there are two other calibration modes.
Additionally, the 90Hz display updates on-screen content more often than phones with the usual 60Hz display. Animations are much smoother and there is a sense of ‘fluidity’. The high refresh rate also results in a speedier response to the user’s inputs.
The only downside to the display is in its brightness. While it’s okay indoors, the screen is hard to read outdoors on a sunny day, even at peak brightness.
Battery Life
The Pixel 4 has a 2,800 mAh battery, which is actually smaller than the Pixel 3’s 2,915 mAh battery. This is a bit disappointing as this phone has several more power-draining features such as the 90 Hz display and the Motion Sense feature.
A day of moderate use, which includes plenty of text messaging, browsing and app use will give you about a day of battery life. Note that there was no gaming or photography included. This means that you will probably have to reach for your charger before the end of the day if there is heavy phone use.
The only upside is the 18-watt USB-PD charger. 30 minutes of charging took the phone from 0% to 47% of charge. Besides this, wireless charging is supported through Google’s Pixel Stand or Qi pads.
Overall, Google could have done much better for Pixel 4’s battery. If you wish to have a phone with similar features with longer battery life, the Google Pixel 4 XL is an option to consider. Seeing that there are many brands out there that can offer phones with the battery life that is much longer, Google had better pick up its game in this department to remain competitive.
Software and Performance
The Pixel 4 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset. It has 6GB RAM, which is an improvement from the 4GB RAM in other Google phones. Performance on this phone is fast and smooth. It is a phone that is able to load games and apps without any difficulty.
This phone runs on Android 10, which has been upgraded when compared to its older counterparts. The Google Assistant is now smarter and is able to respond to more complicated instructions. In addition to the existing ways in which Google Assistant can be activated, it can now also be activated with a swipe up gesture from the bottom of the screen.
Unfortunately, Pixel 4 does not have unlimited cloud storage. It’s quite a disappointment as all previous Pixels have this perk, albeit a perk that will expire in 2021 for the Pixel 2 and Pixel 3.
If you have been using an Android, it will not take much for you to get used to the Android 10 as it is very easy to use.
Camera Performance
Google’s phones have always had excellent cameras and the Pixel 4 is no exception. In fact, there are few phones that have a better camera on the market.
This phone captures pictures that are rich in color and detail in all situations. The telephoto lens is an added advantage when it comes to zooming in. Together with the Super Res Zoom digital processing, Pixel 4 enables you to take detailed close-ups.
Google has not only retained the Night Sight mode from its previous phones but has improved on it. Night Sight is now able to capture enough detail when it comes to astrophotography. It really is one of the best when it comes to taking pictures in low light environments.
The only thing missing from the camera is an ultra-wide-angle lens.
Competition
Pixel 4’s main competition is the Pixel 4a. Both have the same 12.2 MP camera which produces excellent pictures. However, the Pixel 4a has Smart HDR and Super Res Zoom. The Pixel 4a is priced lower than the Pixel 4, and still has an OLED display, 128GB built-in storage, Recorder transcription app and Call Screen. The only main trade-off is that it has less processing power.
Bottom Line
Google Pixel 4 is the phone for you if you are looking for a solid phone with an excellent camera. The camera on this phone performs really well in almost every situation. It is also the phone for you if you prefer a phone that is smaller in size. It will definitely fit easily into your pocket. If you need a little bit of convincing, its 90 Hz screen might tip the fence for you.
However, you may want to look elsewhere if you are used to the fingerprint sensor and/or need a phone with long battery life.
Google’s latest mobile launch is the Pixel 5.
Check out the Google – Pixel 5 5G 128GB on BestBuy.com today!
