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Release Date (UK): October 2019 |
With its latest offering, the Pixel 4, Google is pushing the camera as its headline feature. With a host of intelligent photography modes and settings, it’s undeniably impressive - but the phone’s highlights are somewhat let down by poor battery life.
As with the Pixel 3 before it, Google has focused its efforts on giving the Pixel 4 and its larger counterpart, the Pixel 4XL, a market-leading camera. Reviewers agreed that the result is superb, with TechRadar calling it ‘undeniably one of the very best camera phones you can buy right now’. Elsewhere, it has an upgraded screen with a 90Hz refresh rate to provide smoother viewing, a powerful processor that offers solid performance and a clean Android 10 install. However, its battery life doesn’t match up to the competition - reviewers were universally disappointed, with The Guardian calling it ‘a good phone ruined by poor battery life’.
The camera is the Pixel 4’s standout feature. For the first time, Google has added a second lens to the rear camera setup: it now has a 12MP main sensor and a 16MP telephoto lens. This new lens enables a better zoom, improved low-light photography and enhanced portrait shots.
As with previous models, Google has focused on software rather than hardware to give its camera the edge over the competition. The Pixel 4 has an upgraded AI chip for improved image manipulation, enabling features like ‘Dual Exposure’, which allows you to adjust background brightness and foreground shadows independently.
Google has improved its ‘Night Sight’ mode this time around, which gives bright, clear photos even in ultra-low light. TechRadar found this feature worked ‘fantastically well’.
Forbes thought the camera took ‘glorious photos with class-leading dynamic range, colour accuracy and detail’, but was disappointed by the lack of an ultra-wide camera, as seen on the likes of the iPhone 11. Trusted Reviews found the camera app ‘wonderfully snappy with no noticeable lag’ and thought photos taken in regular light had decent contrast without being over-sharpened.
On the front it has an 8MP selfie camera, which The Guardian thought was ‘relatively wide angle and pretty good’.
The Pixel 4 has seen a significant design update from the Pixel 3. It has an aluminium frame with a black rubberised coating. TechRadar thought this felt less premium than the shiny glass or metal sides found on other smartphones, but found it provided a much more secure grip on the phone.
The phone has a glass back that comes in different finishes depending on which colour you choose. The orange and white versions of the phone have a matte, ceramic-esque finish, while the black version is glossy.
The Pixel 4 is on the small side compared to most flagship phones, making it easy to use one-handed. Google has removed the fingerprint scanner, which sat on the rear in previous models, and replaced it with facial recognition technology.
At 5.7 inches, the Pixel 4 has a smaller screen than many of its flagship competitors. TechRadar found this big enough to do most things, but found it felt ‘a little cramped when you’re watching videos or playing games’.
It has a Full HD+ resolution and an OLED panel, making it bright, colourful and sharp. The highlight of the screen is its higher-than-usual refresh rate. At 90Hz (rather than the typical 60Hz) it refreshes 1.5 times faster than most phones, resulting in a smoother experience when playing games or scrolling through social media.
The Guardian thought the display had ‘good viewing angles, inky blacks and bold colours’ but that it lacked brightness. Trusted Reviews found the screen quality ‘generally excellent’ in its test, but also found that the brightness level was lower than key rival flagships.
The Pixel 4 is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 855 chipset, coupled with 6GB of RAM - an upgrade from the 4GB that came with previous Pixel models.
TechRadar thought the phone was ‘speedy’ and ‘able to load apps and games with ease’ and found in its tests that it was ‘good but not great’ compared to other top-end phones. The Guardian found it ‘fast and fluid’ but again, not quite as fast as some of its top rivals.
Reviewers agreed that the Pixel 4’s poor battery life was its main issue, which is arguably down to its smaller 2,800mAh battery.
TechRadar thought the battery life was ‘frustratingly short’, finding that it died by the early evening with normal usage, or by early afternoon with intensive usage. The Guardian found it ‘really poor’, lasting just over 14 hours between charges. Forbes called the poor battery life a ‘recall-level bad decision’ and found the phone would die by 4-5pm.
While the battery evidently drains quickly, it also charges quickly. TechRadar found it charged ‘impressively fast’, getting from zero to 50% in around 38 minutes. It also supports wireless charging.
What the critics say (scores are out of 100)
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phoneArena | Eugene Jeong Overall, the Pixel 4 and 4 XL are the best phones Google has made yet. The internet giant doubled down on its strengths this year, and the blend of great hardware, excellent software, and incredible cameras may prove hard to beat. Read full review |
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PC Mag | Steven Winkelman The Google Pixel 4 offers powerful hardware, innovative software that actually makes your life easier, and the best cameras you'll find on a smartphone. Read full review |
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Neowin | Rich Woods And while the Pixel 4 is a confusing mix of cool new features and strange omissions, I fell in love with it. The camera is fantastic for a number of reasons, and the Live Transcribe feature is super useful. It's also just an all-around comfortable smartphone to use. Read full review |
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NotebookCheck | Daniel Schmidt Google's Pixel 4 offers a great camera and the latest software. Unfortunately, its small battery is a major drawback. Read full review |
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Engadget | Chris Velazco Ultimately, the Pixel 4 phones feel like something of a transitional step between the status quo and the future of smartphones. They were bound to be a little awkward, sure, but they get enough right that they're worth embracing, shortcomings and all. Read full review |
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CNET | Lynn La The Pixel 4 has one of the best cameras around, but it's expensive given its limited amount of storage. If you want more storage and a comparable camera, consider the OnePlus 7T or Galaxy S10, or the Pixel 3 Read full review |
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Tom's Guide | Adam Ismail The Pixel 4's industry-leading cameras, super-smooth display and intuitive Face Unlock help it stand out, but short battery life holds it back. Read full review |
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Input | Raymond Wong As a smartphone the Pixel 4 is as bland as it gets, which probably means it will remain a phone for the most diehard Google fans. But even for them, there's better Android phones to get. Read full review |
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Mobile Syrup | Ted Kritsonis ... it's no longer a clear leader running neck-and-neck with Huawei. Competitors closed the gap this year, and Google didn't pull further away from the pack. Virtually all the new camera software features and modes were shipped out to Pixel 3, 3 XL and 3a devices via software updates, lessening the incentive to get the Pixel 4. Read full review |
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Trusted Reviews | Max Parker Featuring an excellent camera and a completely clean Android 10 install, Google's Pixel 4 is an excellent phone that matches if not beats key competitors in a number of areas. Read full review |
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Expert Reviews | Nathan Spendelow Pros Best Android software to date Pixel camera continues to impress Comprehensive range of new features Cons Battery life still not improved No fingerprint sensor or microSD expansion Potential face unlock vulnerabilities Read full review |
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news.com.au | Jack Gramenz The trade-off with the new camera features is that Google has ended its past inclusion of unlimited backups of original resolution pictures to Google Photos. Read full review |
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Digital Trends | Simon Hill If you prize the software experience above all else, and you crave that awesome camera, the Pixel 4 deserves a place in your pocket. Read full review |
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TechRadar | James Peckham If you're in the market for one of the very best camera phones out there, the Pixel 4 should be at or close to the top of your list. If you're looking for an all-round feature-packed phone, you may be a bit disappointed, and the battery life is mediocre at best, but it's a solidly built device with an interesting design and powerful internals. Read full review |
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VentureBeat | Kyle Wiggers That's all to say the Pixel 4 series targets those on the hunt for no-nonsense, performant phones with appreciable (but not earth-shattering) quality of life improvements. Read full review |
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Tech.co | Conor Cawley Despite the poor battery life and the absence of a wide angle lens, the Pixel 4 is a solid phone with an intuitive interface and remarkable camera. Read full review |
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Wired | Matt Burgess If you want one of the best Android phones around, sure, buy the Pixel. It won't do you wrong and you'll be wondering why more people don't have the phone. Read full review |
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What Hi-Fi? A substantially improved camera and small upgrades across the board all add up to a better phone than Google has produced in previous years, but it isn't one that will necessarily cause Pixel 3 owners to rush out and upgrade. Read full review |
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SlashGear | Chris Davies I wanted to love the Pixel 4, but instead I can only bring myself to like it, and if it sounds like I'm being demanding then you may not have been keeping up with smartphones in 2019. Read full review |
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Pocket-lint | Cam Bunton We love almost everything about the Pixel 4. It takes great photos, it looks and feels great, and has a brilliant camera. But its battery life definitely needs improving and the Motion Gestures are virtually useless. Read full review |
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Wired UK | Matt Burgess If you want one of the best Android phones around, sure, buy the Pixel ... but, just be aware that you can get a lot more features for your money if you go elsewhere the OnePlus 7T is just one example: has greater storage as default and minimal Android bloat. Read full review |
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Stuff | Andrew Williams The purist's Android choice, with clean software and a terrific camera but it's not the most dynamic flagship phone around. Read full review |
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IT PRO | Adam Shepherd The Pixel 4 is a clever little phone that's undermined by a series of rather basic flaws, including one of the worst battery lives we've seen on a modern flagship. The camera is still outstanding, but you'll have to look past a few irritations to get the most out of it. Read full review |
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Gizmodo UK | Sam Rutherford ... if you're not someone who typically gets bogged down with specs, I'd argue the Pixel 4 is the best pocket computer or should I say pocket companion to buy right now. Read full review |
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T3 | David Nield There's lots to like about the Pixel 4: the camera (of course), the AI, the software. But it also has its flaws, and the competition has got much stronger this year. Read full review |
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Android Central | Rene Ritchie If you really want a Google phone this year, the Pixel 4 XL will at least mitigate the battery issues. Otherwise, OnePlus and Samsung have both had really good years and might be worth checking out instead. Read full review |
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The Verge | Dieter Bohn The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are the best argument that specs don't tell you everything you need to know about a phone - because the experience of using a Pixel 4 is better than any other Android phone. Read full review |
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ZDNet | Matthew Miller Samsung sets the bar for reception so if you need a phone to stay connected at all times, don't look to the Pixel 4. Read full review |
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AndroidPit | David McCourt The Pixel 4 is a smartphone that, as a professional reviewer, I struggle to recommend. From a technical point of view, it's impressive. The radar-based Motion Sense stuff is cool, but it's half baked at the moment and what you are really investing in here is the future potential rather than the functionality you get out of the box today. Read full review |
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Forbes | Ben Sin What I'm trying to say is that I want to love a Google phone. But the Pixel 4, like previous Pixels, just makes too many baffling hardware decisions for me to love it. Read full review |
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The Guardian | Samuel Gibbs The Google Pixel 4 is a potentially great phone hampered by really poor battery life. It doesn't really matter how good you make a phone if it dies before the day is out. Read full review |
Every day, we search through thousands of tariffs and offers from UK online retailers to find the best Google Pixel 4 deals and contracts across a selection of price points and needs.
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Form factor: Touchscreen bar Dimensions 147.1 x 68.8 x 8.2 mm (5.79 x 2.71 x 0.32 in) Weight: 162 g (5.71 oz) |
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Size: 5.7 inches diagonal Resolution: 2280 x 1080 pixels Screen Density: 443 ppi Screen-to-Body Ratio: 80.1 % Display Type: P-OLED |
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Chipset: Qualcomm SDM855 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) CPU: Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) GPU: Adreno 640 RAM: 6GB |
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Main Camera: 16 megapixels (wide-angle) + 12.2 megapixels (telephoto) with LED flash Secondary Camera: 8 megapixels |
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Built-in Storage: 64GB, 128GB Expandable Storage: Not Available |
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Capacity: 2800 mAh
Removable Battery: No Wireless Charging: Yes Quick Charge: Quick Charge |
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IP68 Rating: Protection from contact with harmful dust, and protection from immersion in water up to a depth of 30m for up to 30 minutes |
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Official website GSMArena specs page |
We've used Flickr to find a selection of pictures taken by the Google Pixel 4 camera. Here is a selection of photos taken by users from around the world so you can see what kind of picture quality you can expect from real-world use of the Google Pixel 4.
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