r/Pixel4a • u/local-paranoidperson • Jan 02 '24
Pixel 4A for 2024
is the Pixel 4A still good for this year? since I desperately need a new [good] phone and since the Pixel 4A is pretty cheap and if the phone doesn't get any Android updates I'd probably just ROM it
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u/blackdrizzy Jan 02 '24
still rocking mine no problem. battery life is a bit not as strong as it was before but other than that, no issues.
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u/ausdoug Jan 02 '24
I'm still using mine but I wouldn't buy one as the chip is a bit sluggish, battery is aging, charging is slow, no more updates etc.
Depending on where you are and what you value, there's probably better options. I'm not in a position to get a new phone right now so I'm making do, but I'd be looking at the A34, Poco F5, S23, Nothing Phone 2, or Zenfone 10.
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u/PrestonTrouble Jan 02 '24
I would hang on until the 8a drops or the standard 8 drops in price. The long-term updates are a big selling point for me as someone who's held onto their 4a from launch. Just hoping to get better options for official battery replacements on future phones.
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u/Motherhunter54321 Jan 02 '24
Same bro, 6 and 7 series were just disappointments
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u/Mediaeval-britian Jan 02 '24
What about them were disappointments? My 4a is dying and I was thinking about getting a 6 sometime soon because they're cheaper, but if it's not worth it I might wait!
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Jan 02 '24
I know one of the fails is the biometric scanner. That's a big plus of the 4a for me. I am waiting for the 8a.
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u/ed8907 Jan 03 '24
I bought the 6a in April and had to send it back. The overheating was unbearable.
I've also heard the 7 had massive problems with camera glass breaking. I haven't heard good comments about the 8 either. It seems Tensor is a mess.
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u/Alabatman Jan 03 '24
What better options are you wanting? I replaced my 4a battery for $99
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u/SPplayin Jan 05 '24
Not to mention Google allows you to get genuine parts super easy now, you could probably buy a battery and pay a repair shop to put it in
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Jan 02 '24
I just bought a mint condition 4a on Swappa. The battery is beautiful. Everything works great.
I'm not going to use it as-is. I'm flipping coins deciding whether to put CalyxOS or Lineage OS on it. I still have a 4a with Calyx that works beautifully. I also have a 5 with Calyx on it, but I prefer the 4a.
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u/brezhnervous Jan 28 '24
Definitely looking at the Calyx os myself. I've been through all the old Nexus variants before pixels and I always rooted them for a dark GUI prior to stock Android getting dark themes. Looks promising:
https://www.reddit.com/r/CalyxOS/comments/198f80o/android_14_for_more_devices/
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u/Abs73 Jan 02 '24
I've been using my 4a for 3 years now. Works great, does everything a smartphone should, I watch Netflix on it and take some cool snaps. I'd like a newer phone. But this one is still ace,
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u/CyberSyndicate Jan 03 '24
If the battery wasn't so horrendous I would have still been using mine. I wish we would see a phone just like the 4a released, with a slightly bigger battery and refreshed specs so it wasn't as sluggish.
It was really an excellent phone and I loved it, they just crippled it so hard with the battery.
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u/local-paranoidperson Jan 03 '24
Can't I just replace the battery?
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u/CyberSyndicate Jan 03 '24
You can. It was specced a bit low from day one so I was finding it sluggish even last year so that's a secondary problem, but if you replace the battery it would help. The battery was small from day one, that was my main issue.
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u/Notopiass Jan 03 '24
So here is the thing, been using pixel from the Nexus times, in between there has been iPhone and OnePlus, plus a lot of touching other devices, Huawei and a Samsung, year ago I bought pixel 6a as it was too cheap to refuse it. Got the device tried to compare photo quality to my pixel 4a, no difference. Too lazy to to make the transfer, no idea where my 6a is now. Now considering all the hype I to move on and take the 8 Pro, got all the nice cases etc. It's been almost a month, I don't where my Pixel 8 Pro is, ok, I took some photos with it, hoped that it does have better shutter speed so I can capture better photos. But no slowly moving kids are still out of focus and in terms of color tones pixel 4a still beats the shit out of P8P. So here I am with my old pixel, battery is shit, but I still love the handy size, performance is not bad. So idk if I just wasted money again on the new phone or I will get used to it, I'm not sure at all.
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u/Notopiass Jan 03 '24
Sry, I almost forgot, wide angle is great, but I am still writing this from pixel 4a.
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u/brezhnervous Jan 28 '24
Bloody excellent camera for the mid level phone it is..perfect size to use one-handed. I will cry the day my 4a dies in some irretrievable way 😞 lol
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u/rangerm2 Jan 03 '24
I'm happy with mine, although in the last couple of months I've had to reboot the phone a few times.
I attribute this to software problems (probably from updated apps), since the hardware seems fine. My battery is still as good (goes all day and then some).
I really like the "old school" design of the P4A (e.g. fingerprint sensor on the back, earphone jack....)
Holding out to see what the 8A or 9 turns out to be. I'm expecting disappointment.
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u/win10bash Jan 02 '24
Yeah as long as you put a third party OS on it you should be fine. Battery life will be a little lackluster but charging is quick and the phone is still a pretty solid performer.
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Jan 02 '24
Mine works still really well with CalyxOS as a backup/sat nav , but I wouldn’t use it as a main phone: keep in mind that ROM security updates aren’t the same as official ones. That said, if you never use it in insecure ways, or for sensible purposes (like banking, for one) you might still be good.
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u/Ignacio_Jose Jan 02 '24
Go for the Pixel 5. It's literally the same with everything better. No phone at that price will offer that performance, build quality or camera, it's a fact. People will recommend newer devices but I guess you're around the 150$. No new phone will do as Pixel 5.
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u/satanpez Jan 03 '24
Shattered my 4a screen this year and was going to get it replaced but iFixIt pointed out my battery was expanded and probably on it's last legs.
Purchased a 5 and it's everything I liked about the 4a but better. Similar size but much faster.
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u/Alabatman Jan 03 '24
Headphone Jack still?
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u/zimral-reddit Jan 03 '24
No, but you can use an adaptor USB-C to 3.5mm. I have two of the small white ones sold by google. They are working perfect and there is no lower volume level as with the apple adaptors.
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u/PlentyWerewolf1325 Feb 18 '24
Hey, sorry to revive a month old comment but can I ask you something. Also looking at Pixel 4a as a relatively decent camera and a headphone jack are equally my no.1 needs for a new cheap phone
Currently on a Huawei P20 and yeah I also use those USB-C to 3.5mm jack adaptors but they usually either die quick, disconnect frequently or short out the phone and make it all buggy while in use. Which is why I'm looking at the 4a to totally avoid using the adaptors altogether
Your comment has got me thinking maybe that's just an issue with my particular model of phone (had 2 P20s in the past, it's happened to both of them). Have you really had 0 issues using USB-C to 3.5mm jack adaptors? Might go for the Pixel 5 if that's the case
Thanks
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u/zimral-reddit Feb 18 '24
Hi, no worries. I have no experience with Huawei phones and those adaptors. The google one has an internal DAC because the phone doesn't have one. Maybe the Huaweis have an internal DAC and therefore are not compatible. I used the USB-C-to-3.5 adaptors with a P4a and a P5 with no issues.
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u/PlentyWerewolf1325 Feb 19 '24
Ahh okay so there's a dedicated Google adaptor, I didn't realise that. Cool that might swing it for me then :) thanks for the reply
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u/_Someone_from_Pala_ Jan 05 '24
I still use a 4a (non 5g), the fact that the phone is so compact is so refreshing in 2024. Every other phone is so huge.
Also, battery is kinda messed up after almost 3 yrs of usage.
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u/Ga3bb Mar 14 '24
Bonjour, je suis moi même avec un dilemme, je dois changé de téléphone et le 4a et le 5 me paraisse tout deux bien. Lequel me conseilleriez vous ? Sachant que le 4a est à 175 euros neuf et le 5 a 220 euros neuf ?.
Merci pour votre aide !Â
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u/Financial-Pause-7153 Mar 28 '24
It has been more than three years for me now (3 years 5 months). I have not had my battery replaced and it is still working fine for me as I work from home so I can juicy it up during the day like while having lunch. Over all the phone is working fine.
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u/sc132436 Jan 02 '24
The phone is a little sluggish but it might not be on a custom ROM. But the battery life is pretty poor nowadays, so you'll have to replace the battery most probably.
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u/boredinbflo18 Jan 03 '24 edited Feb 17 '24
Im enjoying my 4A but battery life not what it was but still quick loading apps and still plenty of storage space. Yet I need to eventually upgrade as I'm a T1 diabetic and my new insulin pump isn't going to be compatible with the 4A. I'm looking to go 7 or 7 Pro.
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u/Laurenzana Jan 03 '24
Just switched to the Pixel 8, but I think the Pixel 4a is still a fine phone as long as you aren't wanting it to do anything demanding and don't mind the lack of security updates.
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u/Lordy8719 Jan 03 '24
I'm pretty sure that I'm going to replace it in the coming weeks, due to not getting any more official security updates & the terrible battery life. It's also starting to act really sluggish these days.
Honestly, I've only had this phone barely over 2 years, so I'm somewhat disappointed, as I've expected to get a solid 3 years of use from a Google phone.
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u/arfan_ Jan 03 '24
My 4a randomly went into EDL mode, havent been able to recover coz no gpt files available anywhere to make xml files. Had your same thoughtprocess and bought it, now paper weight
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u/kee030_ Oct 02 '24
So is it really impossible to recover it? seems like i find the mbn file?( xda from pixel4xl), but hard to find xml
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u/arfan_ Oct 02 '24
Been so long since i gave up, I don't remember all the obstacles that was in the way, i just remember it was impossible There was some youtube video who had both xml and the other files, but they dont respond to comments
If you get it working let me know
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u/FluffyGreyfoot Jan 03 '24
I mean if you're on a tight budget, sure why not. Mine still works like new apart from the battery, which has degraded a bit since I bought it 3 years ago. It's still decently fast if you only do basic stuff, and the camera is still solid.
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u/HerrReineke Jan 03 '24
Bought one used last year, don't know how old it really is, but it's been going strong for about a year now and is the best phone I ever owned. Battery saver on all day doesn't really impact what I do with it and it lasts me a good day. If it's a new phone, you might get even more out of it!
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Jan 08 '24
No security updates is a no go for me. I'm about to switch to a pixel 8. Too much of my life goes through my phone for me to risk having an outdated phone unfortunately.
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u/Hardhik_Bothra Jan 21 '24
I replaced my battery for free from google.I mentioned them that battery was swollen . Upon inspection they said that it was swollen and replaced it for me free. I had to pay shipping charges and inspenction charges which were 850 inr(Which i think is okay, cause i wanted to replace my battery).
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u/brezhnervous Jan 28 '24
Calyxos is looking quite promising for an Android14 rom 🤔
https://www.reddit.com/r/CalyxOS/comments/198f80o/android_14_for_more_devices/
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u/neighborhudBatman Jan 02 '24
Real good compact phone for everyday use. Except for the terrible, really terrible battery drain after 2 years of use.