I believe if Google isn’t gonna use flagship SD865 then they should at least put in a higher clocked SD768G and leave SD765G for the 4a (5G)..? I don’t see a reason to use same chipset for both of these devices when the 5 will cost much more.. and assuming that 5 will likely to come with 120hz refresh rate.. that would require more powerful chip to run it more efficiently? Really excited to see what the rest of the specs are though.. hopefully amuch bigger battery!

Hey all, fresh Pixel 9 Pro owner here - just got it in and set up last night. This device is very impressive but just a beast in hand compared to the 5, which was perfect weight and size IMO.

I'm considering downgrading to the Pixel 8 but don't know if it will really make the comfort difference I'm hoping it does.

Weights:

• P5: 151 g (5.3 oz)

• P8: 187 g (6.6 oz) - 1.23x P5 weight

• 9P: 198 g (6.98 oz) - 1.31x P5 weight

Weight not being everything, i hear the squared edges of the P9P also contribute to this feeling.

Just physically picked up the P5 for a bit after typing up this post on the P9P and i found myself wishing i didn't have to leave the older device behind. But lack of security updates, poor camera quality and continued performance issues have started making this switch inevitable.

Anybody having similar experiences? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Hey there,

I purchased new pixel 5 yesterday for 220$ and its phenomenal one, i felt downgrade on phone sound from pixel 7 and 8 pro

So what's your experience so far with Pixel 5

Whats next plan to upgrade? Pixel 9 maybe or 8a ?

edit: I think if Pixel 9 will have zoom lens i will buy it and keep pixel 5 for Photos backup

So I have been noticing that my pixel 5 likes to heat up and drain battery quite fast lately so I decided to check on the cpu usage and noticed the following (https://imgur.com/a/XmAA3zw).

My pixel has 6 cores constantly running at full speed. How's this happening? This is with all my apps closed. Does pixel 5 have some sort of task manager to see where this is going?

Edit: why the downvotes?

In addition to losing Face Unlock and Soli, which I don't think many people are going to miss, the Pixel 5 will not have the Pixel Neural Core or the Active Edge.

As someone who uses Active Edge a lot this is quite disappointing.

My pixel 5 is getting quite slow and bugging a lot. I got it when it was first out, so it's quite old by now.

I need a new phone. I cannot downgrade from rear fingerprint, so I'm looking for old pixel phones that have it. Will they also be slow and bugging, or since they're new and fall free they'll automatically be better than what I have now?

Two months ago, I purchased a Pixel 5 as a second phone to pair together with my Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G (daily driver) and I'm impress how this small phone is so good.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Details of the phone below:

Date of purchased: 29th of May 2024

Where I bought: https://shopee.com.my/sgconceptstore?entryPoint=OrderDetail

Current estimated battery health: 70% (AccuBattery App)

Processor: Snapdragon 765G 5G (https://www.gsmarena.com/google_pixel_5-10386.php)

I'll be writing this based on using it in Malaysia since it is not officially sold by Google here. I bought it second hand through online purchase from Shopee (so, it was a gamble and I'm glad it went well).

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Performance

• No problem using it daily for taking pictures and even WhatsApp. You can also do some light gaming light Clash of Clans and even Mobile Legends/Honor of Kings. As for battery, it is not the best as it usually needs a charge or two per day but it doesn't bother me since I always have a powerbank with me at all times. I might change the battery in the near future if I found any shop or learn to replace it.

Telco Communications

• As for telco, the only local telco that works reliably is Celcom. I tried to put in Digi and Maxis but face some complications along the way. It was expected since this phone is not officially released for Malaysian Market (which is sad). So, to my fellow Malaysians, if you ever want to purchase a Pixel as a daily or second phone, do be aware of the risks.

Software

• Smooth as butter and even better than my Redmi. Pixel 5 also runs the latest Android 14 but I'm aware that Google will no longer have software updates in the future for this device.

Size

• Most companies now are making 6.4++ inch sized phones and somehow this compact 6.0 inch Pixel 5 fits comfortably in my hand. It's so light that I enjoy answering my chats with my Pixel 5 compared to my Redmi.

Conclusion

I love the Pixel 5 and it is sad that Google is yet to officially launch and sell it in Malaysia. I am liking how simple the UI is compared to Samsung's and Xiaomi's UI.

Some Photo Samples:

Coming from BGR...

If this new report is accurate and Redfin and Bramble are Pixel 5 and Pixel 5 XL codenames, then these might be the first next-gen Google phones that don’t offer the best possible hardware. It’s one thing for Google to launch mid-range phones and pretend they can be iPhone replacements after the same-generation flagship hit stores, and quite another to skip flagships altogether.

https://bgr.com/2020/02/19/pixel-5-release-date-specs-mid-range-new-leak-says/

Despite the pixel 5 having a mid tier processor, it surprisingly runs smoothly. Not just with the 90hz screen, but the over all performance. I heavily play games on my phone so I didn’t see any difference or slow downs. Really happy that I gotten this phone. Only thing I wish they did, is have an XL model.

I have been thinking about getting a pixel lately ? Just wanna make sure it is good

I know this post is going to be downvoted to oblivion, but im going for it.

I am currently an owner of a Nokia 7 plus with a mid range cpu (660 snapdragon) and after 1.5 years, the phone's stutters are becoming an everyday issue and extremely annoying. Also ram keeps filling up and random reboots happening. After this im scared of purchasing mid tier cpus again.

I really really want to buy the pixel 5 but im so scared of how the cpu will age with years. I dont game on my phone and will use it only for video streaming, reddit , internet browsing and some Spotify.

But the real question is ,how can i be sure that spending so much money for the pixel 5 ,will guarantee me that the phone will not slow down in the next 2-3 years?

I am really torn between choosing the pixel 5 and the OnePlus 8. i really like pure android and i want a compact phone. I know for sure that OnePlus 8 will last 2-3 years without slowing down but i dont want a huge phone. Pixel 5 has everything i want but my only fear is for the cpu.

Any help or reassurance on the matter is highly appreciated.

Thank you

How is the experience? Is it slow to use with a midrange processor? Did it age well?

Hey guys,

So I've had the privilege to own every Pixel flagship device and I've loved every iteration despite the quirks. When the Pixel 5 was announced, I was a bit mixed on Google's decision to use midrange specs.

On paper, if you compare specs, the Pixel 5 seems worse than the Pixel 4XL. It's got a lower resolution screen, an inferior processor and GPU, no neural core chip for faster image processing, and a body covered in a material that feels more like plastic than metal.

Despite my assumptions, I decided to give it a fair chance. So, after using the phone for a few months, here are my thoughts on the Pixel 5.

Performance

The Pixel 5 has, what many may call, a midrange processor and GPU. Based on benchmarks, it's closer to the Pixel 3 when it comes to raw performance.

However, when it comes to real-world usage, it's pretty much impossible to tell that the phone is running on a mid-range processor. The phone runs very smoothly and handles pretty every task without any stutters. I must say that I don't game on my phone, so the experience might be a bit different for people who game a lot. The 8 gigs of RAM made sure apps didn't have to reload often and the fast refresh rate of the screen made for a very pleasant experience.

If I were to nitpick, I'd say the only time I noticed the phone didn't have flagship specs was when I took a bunch of photos and had to wait for the photos to process. To be honest, it's not something most people would notice.

I do have concerns about the long-term performance of the phone though. Right now, it's running flawlessly, but as apps get more demanding over time, the phone has the potential to be worse than the phones with high-end processors.

Design

As someone who prefers smaller phones, I love the Pixel 5. It's very light and super comfortable to hold. The size is great for one-handed use. Size-wise, it's close to the iPhone 11 Pro, but thinner and much lighter.

In terms of materials, the phone's back is made from recycled aluminum with cutouts for wireless charging. In terms of durability, it's fantastic as I don't have to worry about cracking the back. But it comes to in-hand feel, it doesn't feel like metal because of the bio-resin coating Google has on it. So, if you associate quality with the cold feeling of metal and glass, you might think it doesn't feel as premium and that's a fair critique. I wish Google went for brushed aluminum like the first Pixel or HTC M7/M8.

I don't mind it at this price because the pros outweigh the cons in my opinion. Also, I like how grippy the phone is due to the bio-resin texture. It won't slip out of your hands easily.

Screen

The screen is absolutely beautiful. The resolution has downgraded to 1080p though, but due to the smaller size, I can't tell the difference. It looks plenty sharp and there's no pixelation.

Also, this is one of the only phones with perfectly symmetrical bezels. It doesn't seem like a big deal, but I appreciate that attention to detail.

The 90hz refresh rate is great. It makes everything look fluid and I think that feature alone is worth it over the Pixel 4a XL. As I mentioned in my Note 20 review, the difference between 60hz and 90hz is significant, but not that much between 90hz and 120hz. So, most users would be pretty happy with the 90hz refresh rate.

It's not all perfect though. Auto brightness on this phone isn't great. Sometimes it lowers the brightness for no reason, which forces me to manually adjust the brightness.

Battery

One of the biggest reasons to get the Pixel 5 is the battery life. This is easily the longest-lasting Pixel flagship in my experience. I can easily go a full day with this and not worry about charging. The Pixel 4XL in comparison barely made it to the end of the day.

In terms of screen on time, I'm consistently getting around 6 hours on a full day of use with a bunch of standby time baked in. I'm currently daily driving the S21 Ultra and I'd say the battery life of the Pixel 5 is very close to the S21 Ultra, which is amazing.

Camera

The camera is the one thing I'm slightly disappointed by this year. Don't get me wrong. It's still one of the best cameras out there, but it's pretty much the same camera as the Pixel 4 line. Google has been using the same sensor since the Pixel 3 and improvements have only been incremental since then.

The Pixel phones have been popular because of the camera quality and I think Google is starting to lose that advantage. In terms of quality, I'd rank it at #3.

I do appreciate that Google added a wide-angle camera this time. But it's not as wide as what you get on a Galaxy or iPhone. I'd love to see an even wider wide-angle and a dedicated zoom camera in the next Pixel.

The new software features are also helpful this time. For example, I like that I no longer need to get into Night Sight each time when needed. It automatically switches to it similar to Apple. For those who don't like it, Google has now added the option to turn it off. Also, Google has added the ability to take portrait shots with Night Sight, which is pretty sweet.

And while the front camera placement is aesthetically pleasing, it's not the best place to put it for usability reasons. You have to retrain yourself to hold the phone to your side instead of the centre if you want to take a symmetrical selfie.

Sensors

There's no face unlock this time. I think the Pixel 4XL face unlock was just as good as iPhones. But, in a pandemic hit world, fingerprint is better than face unlock in my opinion. The placement is great and the circular design provides a big enough surface area. It works flawlessly and it's incredibly fast. In my experience, it works way better than the S21 Ultra.

Google removed a couple of sensors this time. First, there's no Soli, which I don't mind. I don't think it was implemented well on the Pixel 4XL. The technology is quite interesting, so I hope Google brings it back at some point when it's better.

And no squeeze functionality for the Assistant. Although I rarely used it, it was good to have for fast access to the assistant. The gesture replacement isn't that good.

Speakers

When the phone came out, most reviewers bashed the speakers. So I was expecting the speakers to be horrible. To be honest, they're not as bad as the reviews made me believe. I've had no issues taking calls or watching content. Yes, when comparing side by side with iPhone or Galaxy phones, you can tell the sound isn't as rich, but it's not nearly as bad. Also, the update in December improved the quality with adaptive sound.

Haptics

My last point is on the haptics. The vibration motor isn't as good as the 4XL or the iPhones. The iPhones are the gold standard and no Android phone comes close. I think the Pixel 4XL had one of the better vibration motors, so it was a bit sad to see the motor wasn't that good on the Pixel 5. It might not be big deal to you, but I think a good vibration motor makes a big difference. I hope Google improves it in the next generation.

Worth it?

Overall, I think the Pixel 5 is the most well-rounded phone Google has made. The price, while slightly higher than I'd like is not too bad and the user experience is flagship level despite the mid-range specs.

If you have a Pixel 4, I don't recommend getting it unless you want a better battery. But if you have an older Pixel, I think it's a pretty good buy.

I know the Pixel 4 basically just came out but I think I and a lot of people are rightfully disappointed in this year's Pixel. I have the Pixel 2 and I was planning on making the switch this year but based off everything I've heard and seen, I'm thinking I might just wait until the Pixel 5. What improvements would you want to see in the Pixel 5? What would realistically be the perfect Pixel 5 for you ? (Display, camera, video, battery, features, price etc.)

I was looking for a thread discussing the perception of the P5 post P6 launch but couldn't find one. I'm coming from a OnePlus 7 Pro, which honestly has aged well but the size has worn on me and I wanted to upgrade to 5G. I was originally looking at the P6 but it's essentially the same size as my OP7P so I've decided to go with the 5. Main decision factors were size, pixel software, 5G and a 90hz screen. I was able to snag a refurb for ~$360 which felt like a good deal after considering the 5a at $399.

Anyway, as I wait for it to be delivered I figured I'd ask how this sub felt about the 5 in 2021. Has it aged well? Have any users gone from a larger phone to the 5 and enjoyed it? Does the 6 feel like a significant upgrade to the 5?

Thanks all! Happy to finally join team pixel!