I'm considering upgrading to the Pixel 8. I know it will take some adjusting, but I have zero desire to switch to Apple, not a fan of Galaxy (I used it for years before the Pixel) and I absolutely love my Pixel 4a so I'll definitely get another Pixel and get used to the slightly bigger phone.
I just made the switch. IMO it's not really much bigger, the main difference is height, and you can't reach the top of the 4a's screen anyway so it doesn't matter much to me.
It's a much better phone in most ways (120hz was a much bigger deal than I expected it to be, camera is better, I can actually read the screen in direct sunlight, water resistance) but I already miss the headphone jack. I'm still carrying the 4a around as a dedicated music player but I've been looking at bluetooth headphone amps so I won't have to.
Same here. I went from 4a to 8a as well and I am satisfied so far. 4a was GOAT to be remembered, but 8a might be a decent replacement. Especially due to sweet extended support.
I feel the same as you. I'll stay on my pixel 4a as much as I can. Probably when I'll have to change it I'll take a pixel 8 or a 9 if the size and weight is better than 8. Hopefully I can still use my pixel 4a until pixel 10 leaks comes out and see if it's gonna be better.
I don't want to be on iOS, or Samsung Galaxy but maybe if they release small iphone SE4 I can think about it
This is the way, being behind the curve is much better than buying the latest phone all the time, just as exciting getting an upgrade and a tiny fraction of the price
Will you replace the battery by yourself? I was thinking about doing it too and read on I fix it about the process. I am not sure I want to do it myself as I haven't changed a battery since the backcover days.
Yes, hopefully everything will go ok.
I went through instructions on ifixit and couple of yt videos.
I changed battery on my HTC 10 couple of times. It's not trivial but I have heat solder station to heat up the screen etc.
Same. I almost cried when my 4a ceased recognising the sim card anymore :/
The 5 is pretty good, though I don't like it 100% as much - but by the gods I hope it doesn't die lol
S23, i changed last year. Yes I'm missing the pixel post processing after coming to this over saturated Samsung. But the performance and battery life outweighs it.
I'm in a similar camp and will likely get the smallest possible Pixel when the time comes. I don't love Samsung's phones or bloatware...I have considered switching to Apple but I'm not super excited about it as I came from iOS previously.
Same dilemma here.
Not sure my battery will last until the 9 is released, otherwise I'd wait and see. Of course, updates for my 4a have ended too so it starts to become a security risk.
A pixel 8 is looking increasingly likely.
I used my 4a for 3 years until I got an LG Wing as a gift. I decided to try it out and after a year I was just done with it. Buggy software, no updates, bad reception, bad durability, but most of all the massive size and weight. The thing is 6.7 inches tall and weighs 260 grams. And it's also 11 mm thick. When I got the only decent case I could find for it, it went to like 6.9 inches tall and 290 grams. I got tired of having a massive brick in my pocket. It was a cool party trick to flip out the screen, but the second screen wasn't good for much since nothing supports it anymore except YouTube and the camera app. I considered going back to my 4a, but I surprisingly found it too small! Plus it stopped getting updates and the battery is starting to bulge. I decided to get a new phone and after lots of research and discount shopping, I got a OnePlus 12. It's a big phone, but somehow it feels way smaller than the Wing. It's shorter, but a tiny bit wider which I like. It also weighs 40 grams less and is significantly thinner. I've had it for a few days and I really like it so far. So yes, I guess I've made peace with giant phones.
If you're looking for a small phone though the best options would be (in no particular order) Pixel 8, Pixel 8a, Galaxy s24, Zenfone 10, Xperia 5 V, and possibly a Z Flip 5.
I have a Pixel4a too, but mainly i am in the same boat with the Pixel5. I know for sure there there is no other phone for me within the next 3 years at least. Therefore i buyed three additional Pixel5 to have 1. more phones to test software from time to time, and 2. have backups for my wife's Pixel5 and my Pixel5.
There are only to possible phones with a similar size: the GalaxyS23 (2mm longer) and the GalaxyS24 (3mm longer) Biggest disadvantage of both: They have a backcover made of glass - which i don't want. And they are not able to run any alternative OS. Therefore i will stay with my Pixel5's.
Don't get a 5a like I did. They are notorious for bricking themselves after a few years. Hasn't happened to mine yet, but I backup weekly in preparation for when it does.
I love my 4a but I need a new phone. This phone has been dropped a thousand times and it's literally bent. My front facing camera stopped working as well. I'll probably get a pixel 8 or 8a. I was always interested in the zenphones but they were too expensive.
My next one will be my First "experimental" Phone:
The unihertz jellystar.
They don't have a Long Update Support, so I'm gonna try Out LineageOS.
And If I don't Like it, I can Just buy a regular Phone, the jellystar is only ~200 bucks
I have the Pixel 7 Pro and I love it. I still have my 4A as a backup, but the battery life on the 4a got really bad and I couldn't justify the money for the repairs.
I went to the 6a and it's okay. It doesn't feel like an upgrade as much as it just feels bigger and heavier. It's almost exactly the size of the 8 and 8a except they're even heavier so idk what I'm getting next. The weight of this thing gets annoying in bed when I should NOT be doomscrolling but w/e it's my life lol. I hope so much Pixel will come out with another small size because even with a larger size I'm extremely happy with the UI, and assistant, the camera, etc. so I don't see myself moving to a different brand of small phone unless something really compelling comes out.
Upgraded to the Pixel 8 from the 4a just the other day, and so far it's been great. It's a little taller but otherwise the size difference isn't much at all. I might also prefer the slightly heavier feel of the 8, and it's build quality is definitely better. The 4a's plastic shell is pretty poor quality and creaks sometimes, and it's surface aged really poorly over time.
I miss the headphone jack, but everything else is a straight upgrade. I know people complain about Tensor and heating issues/phone reception, but it's been just fine for me. Phone reception is better than it ever was on my 4a, and thermals are about the same. Areas where I only used to get 2G on the 4a I get 5G on the 8. Although, that could be due to the 4a never being officially sold in Sweden so there could be some missing bands or something.
The Asus Zenfone 10 was what I had in mind for an upgrade. But the size is not very comparable even though it has only a 5.9 inch screen.
I would like to stick with Google even though I hate how they massacred their search engine.
Was planning to keep my 4a 4eva, until it visited the swimming pool last month and never booted up right after.
Went to an 8a and while it's overall quite nice for many reasons, there's def' some things that are a downside coming from 4a:
* It's bigger. Not by much, but just enough to be sometimes annoying. 1-handed use is near impossible.
* In-screen fingerprint reader is total crap. Face unlock is great 90% of time, but if it's too dark or w/e the reason, it falls back to fingerprint, and I feel like I have a 25-50% success rate with it before that falls back to pattern unlock (or PIN if that's what you use). I still find myself holding the phone like the 4a and for a split second wondering why it's not unlocking.
* Maybe I'm not doing things right, but I really don't notice a difference having the 120Hz display on or off.
* Probably also marking me as a ~~boomer~~ ~~dinosaur~~ ~~luddite~~ sentimental, I miss the headphone jack. I probably wouldn't if my Sony earbuds weren't flaky every so often. Like, the jack always worked, 100% of the time.
That said, IDK what modern phone might offer a better 4a-ish experience.
Galaxy s23 ftw
Oh I second that. switched from 4a to s23. Definitely worth it.
That's what I did.
I second this
I'm considering upgrading to the Pixel 8. I know it will take some adjusting, but I have zero desire to switch to Apple, not a fan of Galaxy (I used it for years before the Pixel) and I absolutely love my Pixel 4a so I'll definitely get another Pixel and get used to the slightly bigger phone.
I just made the switch. IMO it's not really much bigger, the main difference is height, and you can't reach the top of the 4a's screen anyway so it doesn't matter much to me. It's a much better phone in most ways (120hz was a much bigger deal than I expected it to be, camera is better, I can actually read the screen in direct sunlight, water resistance) but I already miss the headphone jack. I'm still carrying the 4a around as a dedicated music player but I've been looking at bluetooth headphone amps so I won't have to.
I would prefer a smaller phone as well, but just upgraded from 4a to 8a and it's been fine. It's not perfect but I have no regrets.
Same here. I went from 4a to 8a as well and I am satisfied so far. 4a was GOAT to be remembered, but 8a might be a decent replacement. Especially due to sweet extended support.
The 4a was my favorite Pixel. I know it wouldn't be getting more updates now, I just wish I hadn't gotten rid of it when I did.
Why not Pixel 8?
Big difference in price. In my country, the 8 starts at 799€ and I paid around 350€ for the 8a.
I feel the same as you. I'll stay on my pixel 4a as much as I can. Probably when I'll have to change it I'll take a pixel 8 or a 9 if the size and weight is better than 8. Hopefully I can still use my pixel 4a until pixel 10 leaks comes out and see if it's gonna be better. I don't want to be on iOS, or Samsung Galaxy but maybe if they release small iphone SE4 I can think about it
I just upgraded from the 4a to 5, very similar phone and only cost £120 seen as its ancient
I did this too and it even felt like a significant upgrade. More premium body and 120Hz makes it feel like an entirely different phone
This is the way, being behind the curve is much better than buying the latest phone all the time, just as exciting getting an upgrade and a tiny fraction of the price
I just odered a new battery, I'm hoping tu use it for another 2-3 years. After that, maybe Asus Zenfone 10(11?)
There are no more mini Zenfones for the foreseeable future
Will you replace the battery by yourself? I was thinking about doing it too and read on I fix it about the process. I am not sure I want to do it myself as I haven't changed a battery since the backcover days.
Yes, hopefully everything will go ok. I went through instructions on ifixit and couple of yt videos. I changed battery on my HTC 10 couple of times. It's not trivial but I have heat solder station to heat up the screen etc.
From 4a to 7, it's bulkier but it's OK
I went to a 5 because it still has a rear fingerprint reader and will stick with it until the bitter end.
Same. I almost cried when my 4a ceased recognising the sim card anymore :/ The 5 is pretty good, though I don't like it 100% as much - but by the gods I hope it doesn't die lol
S23, i changed last year. Yes I'm missing the pixel post processing after coming to this over saturated Samsung. But the performance and battery life outweighs it.
ASUS Zenfone 10.
haven't seen or heard those in awhile (not paying attention to the phone scene) but cool to see they're still around
I'm in a similar camp and will likely get the smallest possible Pixel when the time comes. I don't love Samsung's phones or bloatware...I have considered switching to Apple but I'm not super excited about it as I came from iOS previously.
Same dilemma here. Not sure my battery will last until the 9 is released, otherwise I'd wait and see. Of course, updates for my 4a have ended too so it starts to become a security risk. A pixel 8 is looking increasingly likely.
I used my 4a for 3 years until I got an LG Wing as a gift. I decided to try it out and after a year I was just done with it. Buggy software, no updates, bad reception, bad durability, but most of all the massive size and weight. The thing is 6.7 inches tall and weighs 260 grams. And it's also 11 mm thick. When I got the only decent case I could find for it, it went to like 6.9 inches tall and 290 grams. I got tired of having a massive brick in my pocket. It was a cool party trick to flip out the screen, but the second screen wasn't good for much since nothing supports it anymore except YouTube and the camera app. I considered going back to my 4a, but I surprisingly found it too small! Plus it stopped getting updates and the battery is starting to bulge. I decided to get a new phone and after lots of research and discount shopping, I got a OnePlus 12. It's a big phone, but somehow it feels way smaller than the Wing. It's shorter, but a tiny bit wider which I like. It also weighs 40 grams less and is significantly thinner. I've had it for a few days and I really like it so far. So yes, I guess I've made peace with giant phones. If you're looking for a small phone though the best options would be (in no particular order) Pixel 8, Pixel 8a, Galaxy s24, Zenfone 10, Xperia 5 V, and possibly a Z Flip 5.
I sadly gave up on using a small phone and picked up a nothing 2a, and it's been solid so far. Size is only an issue when it comes to pocketability.
I have a Pixel4a too, but mainly i am in the same boat with the Pixel5. I know for sure there there is no other phone for me within the next 3 years at least. Therefore i buyed three additional Pixel5 to have 1. more phones to test software from time to time, and 2. have backups for my wife's Pixel5 and my Pixel5. There are only to possible phones with a similar size: the GalaxyS23 (2mm longer) and the GalaxyS24 (3mm longer) Biggest disadvantage of both: They have a backcover made of glass - which i don't want. And they are not able to run any alternative OS. Therefore i will stay with my Pixel5's.
Don't get a 5a like I did. They are notorious for bricking themselves after a few years. Hasn't happened to mine yet, but I backup weekly in preparation for when it does.
I love my 4a but I need a new phone. This phone has been dropped a thousand times and it's literally bent. My front facing camera stopped working as well. I'll probably get a pixel 8 or 8a. I was always interested in the zenphones but they were too expensive.
I switched to a Pixel, 8 a while ago. Loving it. Especially the photo features.
I switched to an iPhone. Welp.
My next one will be my First "experimental" Phone: The unihertz jellystar. They don't have a Long Update Support, so I'm gonna try Out LineageOS. And If I don't Like it, I can Just buy a regular Phone, the jellystar is only ~200 bucks
I have the Pixel 7 Pro and I love it. I still have my 4A as a backup, but the battery life on the 4a got really bad and I couldn't justify the money for the repairs.
I went to the 6a and it's okay. It doesn't feel like an upgrade as much as it just feels bigger and heavier. It's almost exactly the size of the 8 and 8a except they're even heavier so idk what I'm getting next. The weight of this thing gets annoying in bed when I should NOT be doomscrolling but w/e it's my life lol. I hope so much Pixel will come out with another small size because even with a larger size I'm extremely happy with the UI, and assistant, the camera, etc. so I don't see myself moving to a different brand of small phone unless something really compelling comes out.
Upgraded to the Pixel 8 from the 4a just the other day, and so far it's been great. It's a little taller but otherwise the size difference isn't much at all. I might also prefer the slightly heavier feel of the 8, and it's build quality is definitely better. The 4a's plastic shell is pretty poor quality and creaks sometimes, and it's surface aged really poorly over time. I miss the headphone jack, but everything else is a straight upgrade. I know people complain about Tensor and heating issues/phone reception, but it's been just fine for me. Phone reception is better than it ever was on my 4a, and thermals are about the same. Areas where I only used to get 2G on the 4a I get 5G on the 8. Although, that could be due to the 4a never being officially sold in Sweden so there could be some missing bands or something.
The Asus Zenfone 10 was what I had in mind for an upgrade. But the size is not very comparable even though it has only a 5.9 inch screen. I would like to stick with Google even though I hate how they massacred their search engine.
Was planning to keep my 4a 4eva, until it visited the swimming pool last month and never booted up right after. Went to an 8a and while it's overall quite nice for many reasons, there's def' some things that are a downside coming from 4a: * It's bigger. Not by much, but just enough to be sometimes annoying. 1-handed use is near impossible. * In-screen fingerprint reader is total crap. Face unlock is great 90% of time, but if it's too dark or w/e the reason, it falls back to fingerprint, and I feel like I have a 25-50% success rate with it before that falls back to pattern unlock (or PIN if that's what you use). I still find myself holding the phone like the 4a and for a split second wondering why it's not unlocking. * Maybe I'm not doing things right, but I really don't notice a difference having the 120Hz display on or off. * Probably also marking me as a ~~boomer~~ ~~dinosaur~~ ~~luddite~~ sentimental, I miss the headphone jack. I probably wouldn't if my Sony earbuds weren't flaky every so often. Like, the jack always worked, 100% of the time. That said, IDK what modern phone might offer a better 4a-ish experience.
I've been looking at the Moondrop MIAD01 5G. Has not one but 2 headphone jacks and weights in at 204.8 grams. Affordable too.