The Pixel 4a 5G matches a lot of features Google introduced in its Pixel 5 flagship, but for $200 less. So phone shoppers looking for an affordable 5G device may have been holding out for the less expensive of Google's 5G-ready handsets to arrive.
That time is approaching, as Google has already started taking pre-orders on the Pixel 4a 5G, with wireless carriers set to follow suit. You can buy a Pixel 4a 5G for $499 at Google Store, where you can either buy it unlocked or tied to Verizon or Google Fi. There's no ship date listed, but Google has suggested the Pixel 4a 5G will ship in November in the past.
- Google Pixel 5 vs. Pixel 4a 5G: What's different?
- The best 5G phones you can buy
- Plus: Pixel 5 Pro could be the flagship that takes on the iPhone 12, Galaxy S21
Google Pixel 4a 5G pre-orders are also underway at Verizon. Place your order now and you'll have your phone by Nov. 19. Unlike the Google Store, which is only selling a black version of the Pixel 4a 5G, Verizon offers the phone in black and white.
AT&T will sell the Pixel 4a 5G, as well, but it won't start taking pre-orders until next Friday (Nov. 6) with the device arriving in stores on Nov. 19. T-Mobile will sell the phone, too, but it's only listed as coming soon as of this writing.
Note that if you buy the Pixel 4a 5G through Verizon, you'll be paying more for the phone. The $599 Pixel 4a 5G UW works with Verizon's high-speed Ultra Wideband network, which delivers the fastest 5G speeds, though only in certain parts of 51 cities. Verizon's version of the Pixel 4a 5G also works with its just-launched nationwide 5G coverage, which runs at slower speeds than Ultra Wideband, but carries much greater distances.
Google is offering a price break on the Verizon version of the Pixel 4a 5G. If you activate a new Verizon line through Google and sign up for one of Verizon's unlimited data plans, you can save $239 on the phone via bill credits applied over 24 months.
Best Buy is taking pre-orders on the Pixel 4a 5G as well. It will take $50 off the cost of the $499 Pixel when you activate with wireless service instead of leaving the phone unlocked.
AT&T is already publicizing a Pixel 4a 5G deal. Buy the phone on an installment plan and sign up for an unlimited data plan, and the carrier will take $375 off the Pixel 4a 5G when you trade in an eligible device; without a trade-in you can save $225. Note that the savings are applied via bill credits over 30 months.
The Pixel 4a 5G mirrors some of the most important features of the Pixel 5, including 5G connectivity. You won't get the faster 90Hz refresh rate of the Pixel 5's display, but the 4a 5G's 6.2-inch screen is larger, and it's got the same great camera that impressed us in our Pixel 5 review for a few hundred less.
