Phone Comparisons: Google Pixel 4 XL vs Google Pixel 5

We’ve already compared the Google Pixel 4 with the company’s new flagship, and now it’s time to do the same with the ‘XL’ model. In this article, we’ll compare the Google Pixel 4 XL vs Google Pixel 5. Some of you are probably considering updating to the Pixel 5, and we’ll try to help you reach a decision. The Pixel 5 doesn’t exactly come with a flagship processor this year, so some of you may we wondering whether it’s worth upgrading.

Google did a lot of things right this time around. The Pixel 5 is a compelling device, that’s hard to deny. It is, however, coming with a different approach to the Pixel 4 XL. The Google Pixel 5 also has a slightly smaller display compared to the Pixel 4 XL, so that’s also something that we’ll talk about. These two phones are similar in some ways, and for some of you upgrading may not be worth it.

As per usual, we’ll kick things off by listing the specs of both phones. Following that, we’ll compare their designs, display, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance. There’s plenty to talk about here, so, let’s get started, let’s compare the Google Pixel 4 XL vs Google Pixel 5.

Specs

Google Pixel 4 XL vs Google Pixel 5: Design

The Google Pixel 4 XL’s display is only 0.3 inches larger than the Pixel 5’s, and yet that device is considerably larger than the Pixel 5. The Google Pixel 5 does have considerably thinner bezels, so that is why. The Pixel 4 XL is about 15mm taller than the Pixel 5, while it’s also almost 5mm wider, and 0.2mm thicker. The Pixel 4 XL is also considerably heavier at 193 grams, while the Pixel 5 weighs 151 grams.

Many people would say that such tradeoffs are not worth it for a 0.3-inch difference in display size, well, that’s probably true. Still, if you can’t stand the Pixel 5’s display camera hole, the Pixel 4 XL doesn’t have it, but it has a thick ‘forehead’. The Pixel 5 also comes with a back side that is curved towards the edges, the Pixel 4 XL takes a different approach, as its back is flatter. The Pixel 4 XL also doesn’t have a fingerprint scanner at all, while the Pixel 5’s is located on the back.

Rear camera setups of both of these phones are placed in the top-left corner. Both of those do protrude a bit. The Pixel 4 XL is made out of aluminum and glass, while the Pixel 5 is made out of aluminum, but it comes with a plastic-like coating on its back. Both devices come with IP68 certification for water and dust resistance, by the way, so you don’t have to worry about getting stuck in the rain or something of the sort. Both phones are quite sturdy, and well-built.

Google Pixel 4 XL vs Google Pixel 5: Display

Both of these phones feature OLED displays, but they’re not identical, not at all. The Google Pixel 4 XL sport a 6.3-inch QHD+ (3040 x 1440) P-OLED display, which is flat. The Pixel 5, on the other hand, features a 6-inch fullHD+ (2340 x 1080) OLED display, this display is also flat. Both of those displays run at 90Hz, by the way, and both support HDR content. The Pixel 5 also supports HDR10+, by the way.

It is worth noting that both displays are protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass, but not the same one. The Gorilla Glass 5 is included with the Pixel 4 XL, while the Gorilla Glass 6 comes on top of the Pixel 5’s display. The Google Pixel 5 also offers a higher screen-to-body ratio than the Pixel 4 XL, though that’s obvious when you look at the two devices. So, is the Pixel 4 XL’s display worth it for that added resolution? Well, probably not, as the difference is not really visible.

The Google Pixel 5 may have a lower-res display, but it has better protection, and a regular display, not a P-OLED one. Truth be said, however, both the Gorilla Glass 5 and 6 are excellent, and you won’t exactly have direct contact with the P-OLED display due to that glass protection, so… it probably doesn’t matter. The point is, both of these displays are excellent. They have great viewing angles, the colors are quite vivid, and both displays are great to look at and use. A high refresh rate only helps things, so no matter which one you end up using, chances are you’ll be quite happy with the results.

Google Pixel 4 XL vs Google Pixel 5: Performance

So, what about the performance? Is the Snapdragon 855 much faster than the Snapdragon 765G? Well, the answer is… no, it is not. You will be hard-pressed to see any difference in the performance of these two chips, to be quite honest. Both of those processors are great performers, despite the fact neither one of them is flagship-grade at this point. They are both 7nm chips, and are power-efficient, the Snapdragon 765G more than the Snapdragon 855, though.

Thanks to these chips, and more than enough RAM (even though the Pixel 5 offers more in this regard), the two devices do perform really well. Google’s software only helps things, of course. They can run through basically anything you throw at them, gaming included. You won’t have any issues gaming with these chips, though the Snapdragon 855 may do a bit better in that regard. Multitasking is extremely fast, as is opening apps, consuming multimedia, and whatever else you want, basically.

Google Pixel 4 XL vs Google Pixel 5: Battery

In terms of battery life, well, you’ll get more out of the Pixel 5. The Google Pixel 4 and 4 XL really failed in terms of battery life when they launched, though they did improve in time. The Pixel 4 XL still doesn’t offer excellent battery life, though, so you’ll be better off with the Pixel 5 if you’re a heavy user. The Pixel 5 delivers a 4,080mAh battery, compared to the Pixel 4 XL’s 3,700mAh unit. On top of that, it has a more power-efficient SoC, and a smaller, lower-res display. So, it’s no wonder it offers better battery life.

The Google Pixel 5 will easily be able to provide over 6 hours of screen-on-time for the vast majority of you. Do note that gaming may affect things quite a bit, as could other processor-intensive tasks. Also, your usage probably differs from ours, so different people will get different results. One thing is for sure, the Pixel 5 should be able to offer better battery life than the Pixel 4 XL no matter what way you look at it.

In terms of charging, both devices offer both wired and wireless charging. You will get 18W fast wired and wireless charging on both of these phones. The Google Pixel 5 also offers reverse wireless charging, by the way, which is a feature the Pixel 4 XL cannot offer you. 18W is not exactly the fastest charging out there, but it’s fast enough for most people. Wireless charging is only an added bonus.

Google Pixel 4 XL vs Google Pixel 5: Cameras

The Google Pixel 4 XL and Pixel 5 have the exact same main camera. Google has been using this 12.2-megapixel sensor for years, and has only been improving the software. For the most part, you shouldn’t see much difference in terms of camera performance between the two phones. The results should be really similar, though that doesn’t mean they’re not good. You can expect excellent images out of both of these devices. Both cameras are capable of capturing really sharp, and detailed images, with great dynamic range.

Even when the light goes away, these cameras strive. If you fire up the Night Sight mode, you’ll be able to pull a lot of detail out of the shadows during the night. The Pixel 5 does include more camera options, but those changes will come to the Pixel 4 XL as well. The difference between these two phones lies in their secondary lens on the back. The Pixel 4 XL includes a telephoto unit, while the Pixel 5 comes with an ultra-wide camera. The Pixel 5’s solution is arguably more useful. The digital zoom on the device is excellent hanks to Google’s algorithms, so you’ll get more use out of that ultrawide lens which the Pixel 4 XL cannot replicate.

The front-facing camera performance is good on both phones. Images turn out sharp and detailed, though do note that we’re only looking at 8-megapixel images. The video performance is great on both phones, though the Pixel 5 has an advantage as things stand right now.

Audio

In terms of audio, these two phones offer extremely similar performance, to be quite honest. They may even have the same hardware on the inside. First and foremost, they do not have an audio jack. They do, however, have stereo speakers. The main speaker is placed at the bottom, while the secondary one sits above the display. Those speakers are quite powerful, and they do provide pleasant sound. The distortion is not noticeable unless you turn the volume all the way up, and they’re quite loud and sharp.

The sound via a solid pair of headphones is also good, across the spectrum. It isn’t mind-blowing or anything of the sort, but the vast majority of people will be more than happy with the results. The lows, mids, and highs are well-balanced, though bass could be a bit more powerful. All in all, very few people will have complaints about the audio side of things.