Pixel 5 specs revealed in photo leak — and there are big surprises

(Image credit: Reddit)

Google is set to launch the Pixel 5 in the coming weeks but we still don't know what the phone looks like. Fortunately, a photo allegedly showing the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G gives us an idea of what to expect later this year. 

The two phones appeared in a now-deleted post on Reddit. Seen above, the Pixel 5 is actually the black phone on the left while the Pixel 4a 5G is the larger white model on the right side. Both phones will be made out of plastic and feature a fingerprint sensor on the rear. This marks a change from the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, which abandoned the fingerprint reader in favor of facial recognition. 

The mysterious Redditor removed their post, but not before the folks at XDA Developers jotted down some specs. If they are accurate, then the rumors are true: the Pixel 5 won't be a flagship killer and will, instead, fit somewhere between a midrange and premium phone. 

It will follow the path of its Nexus predecessors in providing a good value when compared with other flagship devices, but it won't go toe-to-toe against them on the specs sheet. 

Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a specs

So, what do we know about the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G's specs? Based on the leak, the Pixel 5 will have a dual-camera setup with a 12.2MP main camera and a secondary 0.5x superwide-angle lens (possibly a 16MP lens). The front-facing camera has an 8MP lens. 

It will supposedly be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC, not the flagship Snapdragon 865+ found in other premium devices, like the Samsung Galaxy Note 20. This chip, however, does support 5G. Also found within the Pixel 5 is 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. 

The screen is rumored to be a 6-inch, OLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate similar to the one on the Pixel 4 XL (it has a 6.3-inch display). 

Google faced heavy criticism for disregarding battery life in the previous generation of Pixel phones. This time, the Pixel 4 will have a 4,000 mAh battery, which is even larger than the one in the Pixel 4 XL (3,700 mAh). Interestingly, the back will be plastic and there is no headphone jack, unlike the Pixel 4a. 

The Pixel 4a 5G will supposedly have a larger 6.2-inch display but a smaller 3,800 mAh battery, 6GB of RAM and a 60Hz panel. The 4a 5G is otherwise identical to the Pixel 5 except the cheaper phone will have a headphone jack. 

Google hasn't provided an official release date for the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G, however, reliable leaker Jon Prosser says to mark your calendars for September 30. That means we're only five weeks away from the launch of Google's flagship smartphone.

Phillip Tracy

Phillip Tracy is the assistant managing editor at Laptop Mag where he reviews laptops, phones and other gadgets while covering the latest industry news. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Phillip became a tech reporter at the Daily Dot. There, he wrote reviews for a range of gadgets and covered everything from social media trends to cybersecurity. Prior to that, he wrote for RCR Wireless News covering 5G and IoT. When he's not tinkering with devices, you can find Phillip playing video games, reading, traveling or watching soccer.