The budget smartphone market is fiercely competitive, offering incredible value for your money. Today, we're pitting two contenders against each other: the Sharp Aquos Sense 5G and the Google Pixel 3a. Both promise a solid experience without breaking the bank, but which one comes out on top?
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Pixel 3a wins overall thanks to its superior camera and clean Android experience. While the Aquos Sense 5G boasts a slightly faster chipset and 5G connectivity, the Pixel's software and camera quality are hard to beat in this price range. It's a classic case of software over raw specs.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 28, 78 SA/NSA | - |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (3CA) Cat11 600/75 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| | - | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2020, September 25. Released 2021, June 10 | 2019, May 07. Released 2019, May 15 |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | Glass front, aluminum frame, aluminum back | Glass front (Asahi Dragontrail), plastic back, plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 148 x 71 x 8.9 mm (5.83 x 2.80 x 0.35 in) | 151.3 x 70.1 x 8.2 mm (5.96 x 2.76 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 178 g (6.28 oz) | 147 g (5.19 oz) |
| | IPX5/IP6X/IPX8 water/dust resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
MIL-STD-810H compliant | - |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Asahi Dragontrail Glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2280 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~435 ppi density) | 1080 x 2220 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~441 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.8 inches, 84.0 cm2 (~79.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.6 inches, 79.6 cm2 (~75.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IGZO IPS LCD, HDR10 | OLED |
| | - | Always-on display |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.0 GHz Kryo 560 Gold & 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 560 Silver) | Octa-core (2x2.0 GHz 360 Gold & 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 360 Silver) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM6350 Snapdragon 690 5G (8 nm) | Qualcomm SDM670 Snapdragon 670 (10 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 619L | Adreno 615 |
| OS | Android 11 | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM |
| | UFS | eMMC 5.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 12.2 MP, f/1.8, 28mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/2.0, (wide), AF
8 MP, f/2.4, (telephoto), AF
12 MP, f/2.4, 121˚ (ultrawide) | - |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 27W wired | 18W wired, PD2.0 |
| Type | Li-Ion 4570 mAh | Li-Po 3000 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Satin Gold, Titanium Black | Just Black, Clearly White, Purple-ish |
| Models | SHG03 | G020A, G020E, G020B, G020G, G020H |
| Price | About 250 EUR | About 120 EUR |
Sharp Aquos sense5G
- 5G Connectivity
- Faster Processor (Snapdragon 690)
- Larger Battery
- Faster Charging (27W)
- Less impressive camera
- IPS LCD display (not as vibrant as OLED)
- Less polished software experience
Google Pixel 3a
- Excellent Camera (Google's computational photography)
- Clean Android Experience
- Guaranteed Software Updates
- Vibrant OLED Display
- Slower Processor (Snapdragon 670)
- Smaller Battery
- Slower Charging (18W)
Display Comparison
The Aquos Sense 5G features a 6.1-inch IPS LCD display, while the Pixel 3a has a 5.6-inch OLED display. OLED generally offers better contrast and more vibrant colors, giving the Pixel 3a a slight edge in display quality. Both have FHD+ resolution, ensuring sharp visuals.
Camera Comparison
This is where the Pixel 3a truly shines. Google's computational photography is renowned, delivering exceptional image quality, especially in low light. The Aquos Sense 5G's camera is decent, but it can't match the Pixel 3a's consistently impressive results. The Pixel 3a also has a better front-facing camera.
Performance
The Snapdragon 690 in the Aquos Sense 5G is marginally faster than the Snapdragon 670 in the Pixel 3a. However, in real-world usage, the difference is often negligible. The Pixel 3a's optimized software ensures smooth performance despite the slightly older chipset.
Battery Life
The Aquos Sense 5G has a larger battery capacity (4500mAh vs 3000mAh in the Pixel 3a) and faster charging (27W vs 18W). This translates to longer battery life and quicker top-ups for the Aquos Sense 5G.
Buying Guide
The Sharp Aquos Sense 5G is ideal for users prioritizing 5G connectivity and a slightly more powerful processor for gaming or demanding apps. The Google Pixel 3a is perfect for those who value a fantastic camera, a clean and bloat-free Android experience, and guaranteed software updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Does the Aquos Sense 5G support NFC?
Yes, the Sharp Aquos Sense 5G supports NFC for contactless payments.
❓ How long will the Pixel 3a receive software updates?
The Google Pixel 3a received guaranteed software updates until October 2021, but may still receive security updates for a limited time.
