The new Google Pixel 5 looks great, but it's not available in Singapore (yet)
PHOTO: Google
PUBLISHED ONOctober 02, 2020 1:01 AMByMarion Frayna
After months of leaks, Google has finally lifted the lid on the new Google Pixel 5. The American tech company has made leaps and bounds forward with its smartphones, and it looks like the Pixel 5 may the best version of the series yet.
Given how many mobile companies are now gradually moving towards 5G networking, it’s only natural for the Google Pixel 5 to support 5G as well (the newly-announced Pixel 4a 5G does this too, as its name suggests).
This is thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset with an integrated X52 modem for 5G support. While this processor isn’t that big of a leap from the Pixel 4, the Pixel 5, when coupled with 8GB of RAM, should be more than capable of handling day-to-day tasks for even power users.
What is an actual upgrade to the Pixel 4, however, is the new 6-inch FHD OLED display, stretched out all the way from top to bottom, thanks to the removal of the Motion Sense camera from the Pixel 5’s predecessor.
Yes, no more Megamind-style forehead as seen on the Pixel 4, just all screen on the front, which should have been the case a year ago.
The display boasts a 90Hz refresh rate, which means scrolling through apps and the general UI should feel like a breeze. The selfie camera, like many other Android devices today, is now relegated to the top corner via a cutout, to minimise any distractions on the screen.
On the back, the Pixel 5 retains the two-camera setup as seen on the Pixel 4. The first is a 12.2-megapixel wide with optical and electronic image stabilisation for smoother captures, and a 16-megapixel ultrawide (it’s finally back!) with a 107-degree field of view.
In terms of shooting modes, Google has quite a smattering for photographers. It added its beloved Night Sight feature to portrait mode, as well as added a Cinematic Pan for those sweeping panning shots on video, as well as a new Portrait Light mode that lets users adjust the lighting in portrait mode.
Rounding off the features on the Google Pixel 5 are 128GB storage, IP68 water resistance, 18W USB-C fast charging, which also comes with reverse wireless charging (perfect to charge the Pixel Buds with), the return of the fingerprint sensor (also seen in the Pixel 4a) and a snazzy new 4,080mAh battery, which should let it last a full day (unlike the Pixel 4, which could only last about three quarters with moderate use).
The Google Pixel 5 is available for pre-order now only in the US, UK, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, and Australia. It will retail for US$699 (S$954), and will be available in either Sorta Sage and Just Black.
Google has yet to announce whether the Pixel 5 will be available outside these select countries, though we imagine it’s only inevitable; it’s just a matter of when.
This article was first published in Geek Culture.