Google Pixel 5 smartphone review: Powerful mid-range with Android 11

[Redaktion]

The Pixel 5 is the new smartphone flagship from Google, and it turned out extremely compact at 6 inches. In addition, the Android 11 phone is not equipped with a high-end SoC but only with a mid-range processor. However, as our test shows, things work out well in the end.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Google-Pixel-5-smartphone-review-Powerful-mid-range-with-Android-11.500889.0.html

[Stan]

Have I understood it right? This phone OLED grey to grey response time is 7ms. That actually means the screen can refresh at maximum 1000ms / 7ms = 143Hz. But locked at 90Hz.
Consequently, that means that IPS screens can't even refresh at 30Hz, since average grey to grey response is 40ms, which translates to 1000ms / 40ms = 25Hz.
That means that the default 60Hz refresh manufacturers state is a bogus number. Hence 25Hz explains IPS ghosting issues during as simple dynamic scenes as text scrolling.

[Adam_F]

I'm also a bit confused by some of the test results. If the average power efficiency is so good (probably due in part to detuned 765G), shouldn't we be seeing even better Wi-Fi battery life results for 4000mah and relatively small screen? Not saying battery life is bad by any means, but hoped for more like Mi 9T when I saw efficiency figures.

[vertigo]

This is "pure" Android 11, so a system without any bloatware or apps from third-party vendors.

Key words there being "from third-party vendors," because there is plenty of bloatware on this, it's just from Google. I hate that all Android phones come preloaded with a bunch of apps I don't want, won't use, that waste valuable space and, most importantly, can't be removed. Hopefully this is just one of the things that will be addressed in the coming months with the hearings and lawsuit.

[DougJudy]

This is "pure" Android 11, so a system without any bloatware or apps from third-party vendors.

Key words there being "from third-party vendors," because there is plenty of bloatware on this, it's just from Google. I hate that all Android phones come preloaded with a bunch of apps I don't want, won't use, that waste valuable space and, most importantly, can't be removed. Hopefully this is just one of the things that will be addressed in the coming months with the hearings and lawsuit.

It comes with some google applications which can be disabled but are expected it being a google phone. I'd like it to be more vanilla and to be less dependant on google services (play services) but let's see what the anti-thrust lawsuits can do about it.

I any case it's better than the alternatives like samsung with facebook pre installed

[Cat4]

"The OLED flickering occurs at a relatively low frequency range (188 - 367.6 Hz) in the Pixel 5 and should not be noticed as an annoyance by most users."

"The frequency of 367.6 Hz is relatively high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering."

Which is it? Because 188Hz is pretty likely to cause issues. Reviews for other devices with frequencies well over 200Hz include warnings for likely sensitivity, so I don't understand why the Pixel doesn't get the same warning. In what situations does the PWM go as low as 188Hz? Why is the 367.6Hz number the one that's highlighted? As far as I can see, the German review doesn't even mention 188Hz.

[Geo]

Nice review!
Waiting for your review on pixel 4a 5g...

[vertigo]

I any case it's better than the alternatives like samsung with facebook pre installed

Yeah, well, that kind of crap is just one reason why I won't buy any more Samsung devices, but mainly because they tweak Android by making lots of their own modifications, some of which are good but many that make things worse and because pretty much every Samsung device I've had or used has had good hardware but terrible software/drivers/firmware. I've given up on them, and as far as I'm concerned they should just stick with making SSDs, memory, CPUs, and hardware only for phones, tablets, TVs, etc.

[Pit]

The screen is a terrible pwm stroboscope even at maximum brightness, so software dimming wouldn't do much.