Google Pixel 5 Black 128GB

The Google Pixel 5 is a compact 5G phone with a 90Hz OLED display, 8GB of RAM, and a 4080mAh battery. It still takes great photos and has clean Android, but the Snapdragon 765G performance is well behind modern phones. At $270 USD, it's a niche pick for GSM users who want a small Pixel with a rear fingerprint sensor.

The Snapdragon 765G is a 7nm octa-core chip with an Adreno 620 GPU. In our database, the Pixel 5's performance lands in the 34th percentile, which means it's well behind most modern phones. That's not surprising for a 2020 mid-ranger, but it's worth being honest about. Apps will open fine, and day-to-day scrolling is smooth thanks to the 90Hz display, but don't expect to run Genshin Impact at high settings or edit 4K video without some stuttering.

For everyday tasks like messaging, browsing, and social media, the 8GB of RAM helps keep things feeling responsive. The 90Hz OLED panel makes the phone feel snappier than the raw benchmark numbers suggest. But if you're coming from anything released in the last two or three years, you'll notice the difference when things get heavy.

Compared to something like the OnePlus 13R, the Pixel 5 gets absolutely smoked on performance and display quality. The 13R is a much newer phone with a faster chip and better screen, though it costs more. The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro is another alternative that offers a more modern design and better specs for not much more money. And if you're already in the Google ecosystem, a newer Pixel A-series phone would give you the same camera magic with better performance and longer software support.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max are in a completely different league, so comparing them to the Pixel 5 isn't really fair. But it does highlight how far the Pixel 5 has fallen. It was a mid-range phone when it launched, and now it's a budget option that's mostly for people who want a small phone with a rear fingerprint sensor and don't care about raw power.

At $270 USD, the Pixel 5 is in a strange price bracket. You can find newer budget phones with better performance for around the same money, but you won't get the Pixel camera processing or the clean Android experience. The wireless charging and 90Hz display are nice touches that many budget phones skip. But the GSM-only limitation and aging processor make this a tough sell unless you specifically want a compact Pixel and you're on a compatible carrier.

The Google Pixel 5 sits in a weird spot in 2025. It's a mid-range phone from 2020 that's still floating around at about $270 USD, and it's got a 6.0" OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. The Snapdragon 765G inside was never a flagship chip, but it was a solid pick for the price back then. Now? It's more of a nostalgia pick for people who want a smaller Pixel with clean Android and a rear fingerprint sensor.

People searching for this phone usually want to know if it's still worth buying in 2025, or if it's a good cheap 5G phone. The short answer is that it depends on what you need. The Pixel 5 still takes great photos for a 12MP shooter, and the battery life is decent at 4080mAh. But the performance is showing its age, and the camera setup is pretty basic by today's standards.

One thing to watch: this listing is GSM only, no CDMA. So if you're on Verizon or another CDMA carrier, this phone won't work for you. Check your carrier before you buy, because that's a dealbreaker for a lot of people.

Skip the Pixel 5 if you're on Verizon or any CDMA carrier, since this listing is GSM only. Also skip it if you care about performance, gaming, or future-proofing. The Snapdragon 765G is in the 34th percentile, so it'll feel slow compared to anything recent. If you want a compact phone with better performance, look at a newer Pixel A-series or a Nothing Phone instead. And if you need dual SIM support, this single SIM model won't cut it.

Should you buy the Google Pixel 5 in 2025? If you're on a GSM carrier, want a compact phone, and mostly care about camera quality and clean software, it's still a decent pick at $270 USD. The 90Hz OLED display and wireless charging are genuinely nice to have at this price. But the performance is a real weak spot, and the GSM-only limitation cuts out a big chunk of potential buyers.

For most people, we'd say look at a newer budget phone or a Pixel A-series instead. The Pixel 5 is a good phone from 2020, but it's not a great phone in 2025 unless you have very specific needs.