Google Pixel 4

Google Pixel 4 Review

Design

The Google Pixel 4 features a compact design with dimensions of 147.1 mm in height, 68.8 mm in width, and 8.2 mm in depth. Weighing 162 grams, it feels relatively lightweight. The phone comes in three color options: Clearly White, Just Black, and Oh So Orange. It forgoes a notch, opting for a top bezel to house the front-facing camera and sensors. The body doesn't appear to use premium materials but provides a solid feel.

Display

The Pixel 4 boasts a 5.7-inch P-OLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2280 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of 444 ppi. The display supports a 90Hz refresh rate, which contributes to smoother animations and scrolling. HDR support is present, though it's not specified as HDR10, HDR10+, or Dolby Vision. The screen features Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for scratch resistance and includes features like Always-On Display and multi-touch capabilities. The aspect ratio is 19:9.

Performance

Internally, the Pixel 4 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) chipset, featuring an octa-core CPU with a configuration of 1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485, 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485, and 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485 cores. The GPU is an Adreno 640, clocked at 600MHz. The phone comes with 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM. Benchmark scores, specifically an Antutu v10 score of 574100, indicate good performance. The device is available with either 64GB or 128GB of storage, and there is no SD card slot for expansion. The device uses a 7 nm manufacturing process.

Camera

The Pixel 4 has a dual-camera system on the rear. The primary camera is a 12MP shooter using a Sony IMX363 Exmor RS sensor with an f/1.7 aperture, 1.40 µm pixel size and 1/2.55" sensor size, alongside a 16MP telephoto lens that uses a Sony IMX481 sensor with an f/2.4 aperture, 1.00 µm pixel size, and a 1/3.09" sensor size. The camera features autofocus with dual pixel phase detection, optical and electronic image stabilization and a spectral flicker sensor. The front-facing camera is an 8MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture and 1.22 µm pixel size. Video recording capabilities include 4K at 30fps and 1080p up to 120fps, all with EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization). Additional camera features include dual-LED flash, 4K video, digital and optical zoom, OIS, autofocus, touch focus, and various modes like panorama and HDR. The front camera has a 90° field of view and uses NIR flood and dot projection.

The device has a selfie camera DxOMark score of 124 with photo score of 116 and video score of 136.

Battery Life

The device has a 2800 mAh Li-Polymer battery. It supports 18W fast charging. The battery is non-removable. There is no information regarding wireless charging capabilities.

Software

The Pixel 4 launched with Android 10 and can be updated to Android 13. It supports NFC and uses a dual SIM configuration consisting of a Nano SIM and an eSIM.

Connectivity It supports Wi-Fi standards up to 802.11ac with features like dual-band, hotspot, direct, display and MiMO. Bluetooth version 5.0 LE comes with A2DP, LE and APT-x. The phone has GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, and Galileo for navigation, including L1+L5 GPS and E1+E5a Galileo. The device has a USB Type-C 3.1 port that supports charging, mass storage, OTG and host capabilities. There is no video output via the port. Network bands include a wide variety of 4G LTE, 3G and 2G frequencies.

Pricing

The Google Pixel 4 is positioned in the low-price range. The 6GB/128GB variant has recent prices ranging from $107.99 to $162.96.

Overall Verdict

The Google Pixel 4 offers a smooth experience with its 90Hz display and capable Snapdragon 855 processor. The camera system, known for its image quality, is a strong point. However, the relatively small 2800 mAh battery might be a limiting factor for some users. Its compact design is a plus for those who prefer smaller phones. The device, though now a few years old, can still be a viable option at its current price point. However, the lack of expandable storage and a small battery compared to newer devices are potential drawbacks.