Google Pixel 5a Black 128GB

The Pixel 5a is a budget Android with a big battery, headphone jack, and IP67 rating, but the Snapdragon 765G is slow by today's standards. It's GSM-only, so Verizon users should look elsewhere. At $250, it's a decent deal for basic use, but the 2/5 customer rating on this listing is concerning.

The Snapdragon 765G with 6GB of RAM handles daily tasks fine, but it's not winning any races. Our database puts its performance in the 29th percentile, which means it lags behind most modern phones. Gaming is the weakest area at 35.7 out of 100, so don't expect smooth frame rates on demanding titles. On the flip side, the feature set ranks in the 89th percentile, which is impressive for a phone at this price. You get a headphone jack, stereo speakers, IP67 water resistance, and wireless charging, things that even some flagships have dropped.

Stacked against the competition, the Pixel 5a is outgunned in almost every category. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, Google Pixel 10 Pro, and Apple iPhone 17 are in a completely different league on performance, display, and camera, though they cost several times more. The OnePlus 15 offers a much faster processor and better display for not a huge amount more money. The Pixel 5a's only real advantages are the headphone jack, the clean Android experience, and that sub-$300 price tag.

At $250, the Pixel 5a is a solid deal if you know exactly what you're getting. The battery life, headphone jack, and IP67 rating are genuinely useful features that are hard to find at this price. But the aging processor and mediocre camera hold it back. You're essentially paying for the Pixel software experience and battery endurance, not raw performance. If those are your priorities, it's worth a look. If you want a phone that feels fast in 2025, keep scrolling.

The Pixel 5a is Google's mid-range workhorse from a few years back, and it still has a few tricks up its sleeve. You get a 6.3-inch OLED, a 4680mAh battery, and that classic Pixel camera processing in a phone that costs way less than any current flagship. The catch? This particular listing is the international GSM-only version, so Verizon folks are out of luck.

At $250, it's a budget-friendly way into the Pixel ecosystem. But the Snapdragon 765G is showing its age, and the 2/5 customer rating on this listing suggests buyers aren't exactly thrilled with what showed up at their door.

Skip this if you're on Verizon, since the GSM-only international version won't work on their network. Also skip it if you play mobile games or want a phone that feels snappy in everyday use, the Snapdragon 765G just doesn't have the horsepower anymore. And if you care about camera quality, the 48th percentile ranking means you'll get decent shots but nothing that competes with modern mid-rangers.

The Pixel 5a is for someone who wants a dependable Android phone with great battery life and doesn't care about gaming or cutting-edge speed. It's a good backup phone, a first smartphone for a kid, or a budget option for someone who just needs calls, texts, and photos. Just make sure you're on a GSM carrier like T-Mobile or AT&T, because this international version won't play nice with Verizon's CDMA network.