I’m all for getting rid of gimmicks on smartphones, first to reduce the price and second because not everyone uses these “features” very often. That’s why I was pretty excited about the Pixel 5, which concentrates on the camera, battery life, software, and most importantly this year, the price. I’ve been using the Pixel 5 for a little while, and frustratingly, Google has gone a little too far in its normalization efforts. Gone are the quirks that made some warm to old Pixels, and while the camera is still a winner, it hasn’t moved the game forward in the way the Pixel 4 did. I’m getting a bit ahead of myself here, so let’s go into detail. Google has never been one for giving the Pixel a wild design, but it is very good at making a sensibly sized phone, and the Pixel 5 is exactly right. The metal body is welcome, as it’s warm to the touch, doesn’t get covered in fingerprints, and should be durable too. The nicely rounded sides make it easy to grip and hold, and the overall size and 8mm ...

Compact and lightweight; Detailed 90Hz screen; Highly capable camera; Two-day battery life;

Dull design; Missing that special quirky Google feature;

The Google Pixel 5 is a great smartphone but we've been spoiled with past Pixels and as a result, the Pixel 5 just doesn't have the same 'wow' factor past Pixel smartphones have had.

Price, Compact size, Easy to use camera, Metal casing (no fingerprints), Brilliant camera AI

No telephoto lens, No headphone jack, Not as ground-breaking as Pixel smartphones once were

The smartphone market, like the world at large, finds itself in a strange spot in 2020: it seems harder than ever to justify spending a four-figure sum on a smartphone, which is why we've seen a wealth of new phones at the upper mid-range of the market. With the Pixel 5, that's exactly where Google…

Less is more. The Pixel 5 is the new smartphone flagship from Google, and it turned out extremely compact at 6 inches. In addition, the Android 11 phone is not equipped with a high-end SoC but only with a mid-range processor. However, as our test shows, things work out well in the end.

compact and light case, IP68 certification, 5G & NFC, Android 11 with guaranteed updates, very good camera, bright OLED display with 90 Hz, very good battery life, wireless charging

no storage expansion, no WiFi 6, only a mid-range SoC, thin stereo sound

Google’s budget-friendly approach has changed the competition, but arguably not its place in the pecking order Punchy, clear OLED screen Class-leading camera Ergonomic, waterproof design Lacklustre sound No zoom lens

But after using the $699 Pixel 5 for nearly a month now, I can confidently say that it feels like Google is onto something with the new approach. Instead of throwing all the technological wonders the company is working on into a compact device, Google took a step back with Pixel 5, reverting to...

Strong battery life, Good performance, More affordable

The camera is starting to get left behind

Google Pixel 5: Cheaper than the Pixel 4 but just as impressive, the Pixel 5 is a class act

Cheaper than last year’s Pixel 4, Substantial battery life boost, Camera continues to impress

Utilitarian design, No face unlock, Lacks ‘XL’ version this year

This is the latest 5G SmartPhone from Google, in comparison to some recent offerings it is quite small and because of the lack of size it is also quite light. So apart from being one of the first units to have Android 11 what else does this have to offer.

Today’s review of the Pixel 5 wasn’t the usual full-fledged piece we’d dedicate to Google’s year devices, with the goal of the piece more towards making sure we’ve covered the phone ahead of the flurry of new generation devices that are coming next week.

Any other year, it would be reasonable to mistake Google's Pixel 5 for a Pixel 5a. Rather than sporting flagship-level specs with a price to match, the Pixel 5 has the midrange hardware and $699 price you typically expect from Google's more affordable a-line. But there is no Pixel 5a—at least not yet—and in 2020, the smartphone market changed rapidly. The year started with $1,000+ flagships and quickly adapted to meet our pandemic-ravaged economy with less expensive models. That makes the Pixel 5 the right phone for now, if not quite as strong a value as our Editors' Choice, the similarly priced Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G. Design and Durability  In terms of design, the Pixel 5 looks similar to the $499 Pixel 4a 5G. And at 5.7 by 2.8 by 0.3 inches (HWD) and weighs 5.3 ounces, it’s almost the same size and weight as the $349 Pixel 4a. It’s currently available in black or sage, though Google showed a gray model at its launch event that we hope will be available in the future. The fron...

The Google Pixel 5 delivers 5G connectivity, excellent cameras, long battery life, and an outstanding Android software experience for a relatively affordable price.

Excellent cameras; Top-notch software experience; Durable build; Long battery life; Approved for C-band connectivity

Lackluster audio quality; Unimpressive processor for the price