Google's Pixel 5 might be the search giant's flagship offering in 2020, but it comes in at under a thousand bucks, making it an ideal pick for our best mid-range phone in Australia.
Although the handset loses some of its predecessor's features, it must be celebrated for what it does offer: an experience that approaches premium-level at a fraction of the cost of other flagships.
Following on from the Pixel 4a, Google has opted to ditch the huge top and bottom bezels for a more edgeless design. This allows for its stunning 6-inch display to all-but fill the face of the phone, making way only for a punch hole selfie camera.
While this means that you'll lose the Pixel 4 face unlocking capability (replaced with a fingerprint scanner) and motion gestural control, it's arguably worth it from a design perspective.
The lack of huge bezels also means we get a larger display without impacting the phone's overall size, making it friendlier on the pocket and for one-handed operation.
Admittedly, it's a shame to see that Google has dumped the headphone jack this time around, however, the addition of IP68 weather resistance makes this omission an easier pill to swallow.
Surprisingly, Google has not used the top Snapdragon chipset for its latest flagship, opting instead for the Snapdragon 765G, which is the SoC powering numerous other handsets on this list. We suspect the decision has a lot to do with keeping Pixel 5's price down in comparison to flagships from the likes of Samsung and Apple.
The chipset is designed with an integrated 5G modem, helping it to be more power efficient and (obviously) giving it access to the 5G network. With this efficiency along with a more modest screen specification, the Pixel 5's 4,080mAh battery will comfortably last a day of heavy use, and can easily squeeze out two full days if you need it to.
With regards to its camera, Google has once again delivered a snapper that produces incredible photos and video. While the Pixel 4's telephoto lens hasn't made the cut this time around, the ultrawide lens that replaces it is arguably much more useful for the average user hoping to capture group shots, landscapes and generally wider scenes.
Sensing that consumers are tired of spending exorbitant amounts of money on new flagship phones each year, Google has delivered an excellent handset that boasts all the most important features we've come to expect from the Pixel name. That it's done so at under AU$1000 will surely prove to be a brilliant move in the long run.
Read the full review: Google Pixel 5
See the best Google Pixel 5 telco plans
See the best Google Pixel 5 outright deals
