The sharpest and most reliable Google Pixel 5 renders are here to clear up all the confusion

Of course, the main reason why we don’t know exactly what to expect from the search giant’s next “flagship” is that there’s a lot of contradictory information floating around the interwebs. For instance, some sources claim the Pixel 5 XL will sport a 6.1-inch screen, while others don’t believe Google has a jumbo-sized variant of the Pixel 5 in the pipeline to begin with.

There was also that wild rumor of the “regular-sized” Pixel 5 featuring a gargantuan 6.7-inch or so display with state-of-the-art 120Hz refresh rate technology in tow, which a number of reliable tipsters vehemently denied. 

Although several renders were purportedly leaked more than a month ago, the king of factory CAD-based imagery is here today to help clear up some of the confusion hovering over the undoubtedly fast-approaching Google Pixel 5. Without further ado, here are all the details Steve Hemmerstoffer, aka @OnLeaks, can “confirm” in collaboration with his long-time partners over at Pricebaba.

In a nutshell, the newly leaked renders are not surprising or scandalous in any way. Predictably enough, that outlandish design depicted back in February seems to be off the table, and the same goes for the Pixel 4 and 4 XL’s top screen bezel.

Instead, the Pixel 5 is expected to look a lot like the budget-friendly 4a, with an essentially identical hole punch situated in the top left corner, a similarly thin but noticeable “chin”, and a flat display measuring around 5.7 or 5.8 inches.

The Pixel 4a comes with a 5.81-inch OLED screen and 144 x 69.4 x 8.2mm overall dimensions, so odds are you won’t be able to immediately tell the Pixel 5 apart from its lower-end and lower-cost cousin given the latter’s rumored 144.7 x 70.4 x 8.1mm measurements.

The back panel is an entirely different kettle of fish, mind you, including two cameras, a mysterious sensor, and an LED flash mounted on a larger square-shaped module than the one on the Pixel 4a, which houses a single rear-facing shooter.

The Pixel 5 will almost certainly combine an aluminum frame with a glass rear cover for a significantly more premium build than the all-plastic Pixel 4a. Rendered in black, the upcoming 5G-enabled handset should also rock a more eye-catching green color option.

We’ve suspected for a long time that Google plans to shun the high-end Snapdragon 865 SoC in favor of the 765 model for the Pixel 5, and although Steve H. has no new info to share on the handset’s specifications, there are no reasons to expect a last-minute change.

It basically looks like Big G is ready to abandon the flagship arena and challenge the upper mid-range 5G group composed of the LG Velvet, Motorola Edge, Samsung Galaxy A71 5G, and OnePlus Nord rather than taking on the iPhone 12 or Galaxy Note 20 families.

The question on everyone’s minds is whether or not the Pixel 5 will be affordable enough to justify all the rumored compromises, including a 3,000mAh or so battery. For the time being, we’re leaning towards a resounding no if the phone does indeed start at $699.

While that would be 100 bucks lower than the entry-level price tag of last year’s Pixel 4 and the Snapdragon 765 chipset has been found to perform honorably on the likes of the LG Velvet and Motorola Edge, the overall value proposition looks dubious at best. After all, the LG Velvet 5G normally costs $600 and routinely goes for much less than that with an arguably prettier design, huge 6.8-inch display, and a huge 4,300mAh battery on deck.