Pixel 5 review: Google’s 2020 5G compact — mid-range chip, flagship camera.
Google’s odd "mid-flagship" experiment.
Pixel 5 traded raw power for camera, recycled aluminium and a clean Android. Polarising in its day, now a cult favourite.
01Display
76/10076/100 — right at the average for premium phones of 2020.
02Camera
84/10084/100 — right at the average for premium phones of 2020.
03Performance
66/10066/100 trails the 70-point cohort average for premium phones of 2020.
04Battery
74/10074/100 — right at the average for premium phones of 2020.
05Build
78/10078/100 — right at the average for premium phones of 2020.
06Value
72/10072/100 trails the 76-point cohort average for premium phones of 2020.
- Compact 6.0″ frame.
- Pixel camera computational still magical.
- Reverse wireless charging.
- Light at 151 g.
- SD 765G is mid-tier.
- 90 Hz not 120 Hz.
- No telephoto.
- No flagship feel for the price.
How this review is built: every section score, spec row and comparison on this page comes from SpecEagle's tracked catalogue — scores weight measured specs against the 2-phone cohort of premium devices released around the same time. We don't publish invented lab anecdotes. Spot an error? .