Released just a year apart, the Google Pixel 3a and the Google Pixel 4a 5G have plenty in common, but the newer Google pixel 4a 5G has a tad bigger price tag (£499 compared to £399). However, it isn't always correct that price means better performance. In case you suspect you might be spending more than necessary, just remember you can save money on either phone if you buy a refurbished one instead.

The Google Pixel 3a has a nice 5.6-inch OLED screen and is a good lightweight option at 147g. The phone itself measures 151.3 x 70.1 mm.  It’s powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 and has 4 GB of memory, all wrapped up in an Asahi dragontail glass and plastic case. It has decent cameras for all your photos and selfies with 12 MP at the rear and 8 MP at the front. Style-wise it’s starting to look a little outdated with large bevels and a sizeable camera notch, but on the whole, it’s good value for money. It runs Android 9 and can be upgraded to Android 11.

The Google Pixel 4a 5G, as the name suggests, is ready for 5G. It’s bigger, and a little heavier than the Google Pixel 3a, measuring 153.9 x 74 mm and weighing 168 g, but for the extra size, you get a much bigger 6.2-inch OLED HDR screen. It has 50% more memory too with 6GB and 128 GB of storage compared to 64 GB on the Google Pixel 3a. The Google Pixel 4a 5G has Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 making it a bit faster and its battery life is longer too. As for cameras, you get the same 12 MP rear and 8 MP front as the Google Pixel 3a, but the 4a has additional software which enhances its capabilities somewhat. Being a newer phone, the Google Pixel 4a 5G runs Android 11 and can be upgraded to Android 13. Its case is also plastic and glass, but it is made with tough Gorilla Glass.

If you want more storage and a faster phone then you’d be best with the Google Pixel 4a 5G. But if you’re content with a good all-rounder and a slightly smaller screen, then you can save a bit of cash with the Google Pixel 3a.