Google’s Pixel 5a 5G is shaping up to be even more underwhelming than previously expected

Officially, it’s because unofficially a Google-made handset looks almost identical to last year’s Pixel 4a 5G leaked fully two whole months ago. Of course, a number of key things can certainly change between then and August or September, when we expect the completely-not-canceled Pixel 5a 5G to finally see daylight.

If a new discovery made by the typically reliable people over at 9To5Google believe it or not, the make and model of the phone’s processor may already be etched in stone. Like the Pixel 5a (5G) design, the chip said well known, further reducing our enthusiasm for an increasingly redundant-sounding product.

True, all recent characters, including those released by recently released Android 12 Developer Preview 3 files, point to the use of a Snapdragon 765 SoC … once again. If this ultimately turns out to be the processor under the hood of the Pixel 5a 5G (codenamed Barbet), it would make the as yet unreleased phone as powerful as the 2020s Pixel 5, but also Pixel 4a 5G.

It is, of course, in theory and at first glance because Google could always leverage its software magic to better optimize this year’s stock Android running mid-ranger, thus enhancing the real-world user experience in meaningful ways that cannot be accurately represented by synthetic benchmarks.

There is also a possibility (albeit slim) that the search giant this time chooses an 8 GB RAM number, up from 6 on Pixel 4a and 4a 5G and on par with Pixel 5. It can provide a more noticeable improvement than e.g. A modest leap from a Snapdragon 765 to an ever so slightly faster one 768 chipset with 5G support.

5G support may be why Big G needs to settle for the same processor as last year, where the only viable alternative manufactured by Qualcomm is The Snapdragon 780 was unveiled just last month. Given the global chip crisis that threatens to affect virtually all major smartphone vendors, it is probably not wise to rely on such a new model, especially when you are far from Qualcomm’s largest client.

All in all, this decision certainly makes sense (and the Snapdragon 765 is not a bad processor by any standard), but something tells us that lots of hardcore Google fans will still be disappointed to hear all this.

With Pixel 4a and 4a 5G is expected to be held at least by the end of the year and The Pixel 5a 5G looks so easy to be forgotten on paper, one has to wonder how you will be able to tell the difference between all these budget-friendly mid-end devices.

More importantly, we’re curious to see how Google can price the three to maintain their regular appeal intact. Will Pixel 4a and 4a 5G fall to $ 300 and $ 400 respectively when $ 500 Pixel 5a 5G for sale?

If so, what can the new guy bring to the table to justify a $ 100 premium over his Snapdragon 765-powered predecessor? Will the dual rear-facing camera system get such important upgrades to make the difference worth it all? Could Google challenge OnePlus or Samsung’s huge battery capacity figures? We look at a smooth 6.2-inch screen with 120 or at least 90Hz refresh rate technology this time?

Of course, all these questions will be answered in good time, and the same goes for how strong Google’s first internal processor could create the advanced Pixel 6.