Amidst all of the hype of the Nord 2 5G and Poco F3 GT and the endless comparisons being made, be it to the Realme X7 Max, iQOO 7 or to Xiaomi offerings, one thing that most people seem to have missed out on is taking a look at the Pixel 4A.
Granted it might not be the best device, nor is it a complete all-rounder but, for the basic user, it is probably the most complete device in the segment.
Why do we say this? Well, what a basic consumer needs is a good display, not something extremely extravagant, a good ergonomic feel to the handset, so as to use it one-handedly and without any fear of the device falling out and, good cameras.
Does the Pixel 4A Get Everything Right?
Miscellaneous features like the charging speeds might matter to you, but most users who might find the device appealing might not be heavy users, so the trade-in for charging watts might not matter to them.
You might be seeing a repetition to the word might, because we ought not to make assumptions and say things outright, but, from what we have observed, these above points do hold true, at least to a certain segment of users.
This segment might seem odd to some, but in reality, India as a whole has an issue of users not knowing what they exactly need, which is not exactly helped by the vast market that our country has to offer.
One basic example is that of performance, whilst we do not say that one should just buy a device with an Helio A22 chipset or something, most seem to think that the best of the best is needed for them when their use case might not even be a fraction of what the chip is capable of doing.
There are many users who face such an issue and we do not blame them, but, at times users prioritise things that they might not even need, rather it is just their misconception. So, according to us, the Pixel 4A might be the most appealing for such users. Why? Read ahead to know.
Why Do We Think the Pixel 4A Is One of the Best Offerings in the 30k Segment?
Well, a glance at the specification sheet will lead to disappointment from the side of the user. From the Snapdragon 730G chipset to the 12MP primary sensor, most key things seem to be downgraded or not at par with offerings that might even cost half as much, but, the spec sheet tells just a fraction of the story.
The Pixel 4A retails for Rs 31,999 for the 6+128GB variant and comes with a 5.81-inch FHD+ OLED panel with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 and a pixel density of 443ppi.
Just reading the spec sheet will lead you to think that this must be some kind of joke, as budget devices in this day and age offer higher-refresh-rate panels, but this is a strategic move by Google and if you are using a smartphone launched before early 2020, you might not even be aware of what high-refresh-rate displays have to offer.
Similarly, the performance side of things are handled by the Snapdragon 730G which in today's day and age of Snapdragon 870s, MediaTek Dimensity 1000 series of chips seems like a major downgrade, but, for most the chipset is more than adequate.
Yes if you plan to use the device for a longer than usual period and want 5G, this device will immediately be slashed off your list, but, if you just do regular tasks or minor gaming, the device is more than enough.
Coming to the final part of what makes a smartphone good, the cameras. The handset comes with a 12MP sensor with OIS and HDR+ and, going by the numbers, it is nothing compared to the 64MP, 48MP and 108MP sensors but in usage terms, the Pixel 4A remains the best in this list, with the only proper competitor being the iPhone SE 2020, at least as of now.
Google's software seems to be magic, as it can turn a mediocre shot into something that looks shot out of a device that should cost 3x much, which also allows for the device to take on devices that cost much more.
Overall, if you are not a heavy gamer and want a dependable smartphone that can get everything done and maybe a bit more, the Pixel 4A is a great, easy-to-use device that comes with the added benefit of bone-stock Android and rapid updates.
