Just How BAD are the Pixel 5 Speakers...? Pixel 5, Pixel 4a and Pixel 4 XL Speaker Test!

[@gavinvales8928]

I don't know why they stopped doing dual front facing speakers on the pixels. That was one of the features that made me want one. The funny thing is, they can still add them in the top and bottom bezels of the pixel 5, there are phones that have such thin speakers

[@kiyoshi.takeda]

Totally agree with you. Sony did produced few of their Xperia line with thin dual front facing speakers on the bezels like Xperia Z2, Z3+, Z5. Sometimes I wonder, why most of smartphone makers are so blind about this

[@kiyoshi.takeda]

Totally agree with you. Sony did produced few of their Xperia line with thin dual front facing speakers on the bezels like Xperia Z2, Z3+, Z5. Sometimes I wonder, why most of smartphone makers are so blind about this

[@TheAultimusPrime]

The pixel is not a premium phone anymore, it is a midrange phone and so some premium features get cut

[@Android_jimmy]

I had a Pixel 5 for 2 weeks and returned it as the audio quality and volume when making calls using the earpiece made it almost impossible to hear the person on the other end of the phone unless I was in a very quiet room or I put it on speakerphone. Please so a video on actually making phone calls in different environments and post that video. I loved everything else about the phone but if you make a lot of phone calls get the 4a 5G instead. BTW I'm a Pixel lover.

[@11evilly]

Im experiencing the same problem with the in-call sound quality. I can barely hear what's the other party is talking when I'm outside unless I'm on speaker or bluetooth earpiece. Gosh! What should I do with it?

[@philipmarlowe4682]

Probably just needs adjusting as i have that problen with my old iphone 6 plus

[@levimills1677]

I am in the process of returning now for the same reason. Very difficult with AT&T though...

[@perogy1]

Amazing that Google could screw this up so badly. Hey, let's make a phone that ... doesn't work well as a phone.

[@sirmintyclack]

Here is the real deal in regards to the sound quality on the Pixel 5. A bunch of people were pissing and moaning about how the pixel line of phones were "ugly" with asymmetrical bezels. But those "ugly" phones have 'good' sound. Google listens to the people and gives them their symmetrical bezels - the consequences of which mean the top firing speaker must be put under the glass. Now those same people are pissing and moaning about sound quality. They need to start their own company and make their own cellphone brand to see how challenging it is to make a cheap phone with as much high specs as possible. Seriously, I just can't... There is no such thing as the perfect cellphone. Not even Apple makes perfect cellphones. Life lessons... (1) There will always be some kind of compromise in life, being an adult is accepting that and making the best possible choice based on your needs/wants/etc. (2) No company will ever or has ever made the 'perfect' product that makes every consumer happy.

[@jevonsims900]

Thing is the Pixel 5 is overpriced for what it offers.

[@sirmintyclack]

@@jevonsims900 The iPhone 12 base model only has 64gb and is $699 only if one buys it from/for Verizon and AT&T... If you want 128gb iPhone 12 you have to pay $50 to $100 more. In fact, I just watched a review of how sneaky Apple was. All of their phones are more expensive if purchased unlocked. It appears that Verizon and AT&T are subsidizing iPhone 12 sales. I don't see people complaining about that... 120hz screens are just hype since the average person does not have the necessary visual processing skills to tell the difference between 90hz and 120hz. The average person who does not use resource intensive games will not notice the difference between the pixel 5, the oneplus 8t, or S20 FE during normal use. The 765G SoC performs well and does not consume as much power as the 800 series chips. The additional cost added to the Pixel 5 in the USA is for the mmWave 5g antenna. For Verizon customers, oneplus 8t isn't an option because Verizon is the worst carrier when it comes to playing nice with unlocked phones (I've been there and done that before). So that means my only option is to get the pixel 5 with one of the best software experiences or get the S20 FE with the worst software experience and full of duplicate apps and bloatware I can't delete. I have chosen the Pixel 5 because I should not have to connect my $700 brand new phone to my computer and run ADB to debloat it. Check out XDA forum for the S20 FE. The list of things to remove is very long. Some people have the opinion that the price is too high. In my opinion, the price isn't perfect but it's a lot better than the past pricing. Specs are not the only thing that affects the user experience. The price to features offered has been a constant issue that almost every reviewer has used from the first Pixel to Pixel 5. IMO, it has been used so much that I feel that it is just an obligatory thing to say at this point. Ultimately, each individual consumer should determine the price to feature ratio based on individual wants and needs. Reviewers do not understand the individual wants and needs of everyone - they are just giving people some positive and negative aspects of a device.

[@prisai03]

exactly! i am an iPhone user, i had a dilemma about getting a new android phone, was looking for the pixel 5 and oneplus 8t. But man the P5 looks so natural. and damn that battery life. but still ppl only take out the negativity of P5. it's so sad lol. but i am getting the P5. its better than the oneplus in my aspect. i dont need 65W charging lol. i dont need 120HZ lol. i dont need too much of anything, just right amount of everything. But well said!

[@prisai03]

@@jevonsims900 it isnt everywhere, its 600 bucks where i live lol

[@tentai8581]

Ehm you just ignored all the phones that have no forehead but still has proper earpiece stereo speaker. They could easily have made it just as symmetrical with a proper earpiece speaker but I think they didn't because of the size of the phone. They simply could not fit it inside with the huge battery and the rest. Even budget phones like the Poco X3 has stereo speaker and no forehead.

[@scottmckenrick]

I feel like a lot of the hate towards Pixel Devices (or any new device, really) are just people trying to justify their recent purchase or preferred device. By no means is the Pixel 5 a perfect device, but what piece of tech doesn’t have its compromises.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Exactly!

[@georgetteokeke6630]

But let's be real here guy's compare all these to the similar priced FE and it's both louder and has a better audio quality too soo....I don't know y'all.

[@georgetteokeke6630]

Note: when I say similarly priced, I mean only the 4xl and 5

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

@@georgetteokeke6630 I don't have the FE so I can't compare it 🤷‍♂️

[@georgetteokeke6630]

@@TechnicallySpeaking yeah that's a good point and comparison videos may not always be correct, but since I've seen at least 5 to 6 of them and they all went to the FE, I'm pretty sure it's better. Plus is even close to the note 20 ultra which I'd argue is at least in top 3best sounding speakers on phones

[@mwboost]

I use phone speakers a lot. Pixel 5 under display speaker is awful compared to my Pixel 4. Glass screen protector probably wouldn't help either. The bottom speaker is where you get the majority of sound from of course. So not much of an immersive experience at all.

[@sachinbhoite29]

Hiii....i want to know only vioce call ear speakers expirence ???

[@mwboost]

@@sachinbhoite29 it was pretty average. Had to have earpiece volume turned all the way up to hear someone.

[@DyadintheForce]

I have my Pixel 5 finally and honestly it's not bad at all. It gets loud enough where I can hear it among noisy environments. Beyond that, if I'm looking for sound quality, I put on my buds or headphones.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Thanks for watching!

[@hpnatised3368]

The 5 speakers were awful, it was what made me return it and go back to my pixel 4 xl speakers.

[@KR-nm6wm]

Thanks for this comparison. You convinced me... and I cancelled my Pixel 5 order. Not bad but not up to my standards. To each his own. Going with a different Pixel. I get having a bezelless screen for a great visual experience... to a point. Nothing worse than having a great, super display and whiny speakers that don't match the vibrance of the visual eye candy. I'm also concerned about calls where people sometimes speak lower or move away from their phone on speaker or their mouth away from their phone mic... with adequately loud speakers which sound FULL you can turn that sucker up and continue talking no problem. With tiny speakers you gonna be like grandma... "Sonny, can you get a little closer and speak up please?"!

[@kaleok]

Speaker quality is very important to me, as i do not like putting things in or on my ears and take most of my calls on speakerphone. This comparison is not all that helpful to me. I'd love for an audio engineer to run some tests and then give us the results with interpretation. I do, however, appreciate your even covering this aspect of a phone that many reviewers skim over.

[@nar1232007]

Got myself a pixel 4, Pixel 5 ,p30 pro and oneplus 7 pro and definitely ,the pixel 5 speakers are not garbage or hot mess. They sound a tad bit unbalanced and that's it. Good speakers given the form factor ,all the hate for the speakers comes from people generally hating pixel phones. Great comparison video by the way ,subscribed and looking forward to your future videos

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Thank you!

[@neodraig]

For me that under the screen speaker is a big disapointment and this is because I LOVE my Pixel phones. On my Pixel 3 and Pixel 4 (which I still own) the really good stereo speakers are for me one of their main assets (with the camera and the pure Android system), that's why that under the screen speaker feels so bad (you can't almost hear it anyway, most of the job is done by the bottom speaker).

[@nar1232007]

@@neodraig ya, it is a downgrade from pixel 4,but I feel the bigger issue that many of the the preordered first batch of pixels including myself have some gap in the tight corner of the screen near the camera. Waiting for Google to respond to the issue

[@Andrew-it7fb]

I love pixel phones and I'm really disappointed with the speakers.

[@Lol_A_Frog]

I currently have a P30 Pro and thinking of getting a Pixel 5? How does the pixel 5 speakers compare to the P30 Pro since both of them have a speaker at the bottom of the device and an under display speaker

[@JonniP1]

In my ears Pixel 4a had the most pleasing sound. It was most precise, you can hear it specially with the rock song. 4xl was the loudest, no doubt about that. Pixel 5 was worst, but it wasn't as bad as I would thought it will be.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

That's probably the biggest takeaway here is that the Pixel 5 is it nearly as bad as everybody's making it out to be

[@kielden]

I agree with you. 4a's playback is clean. 👌

[@weisslinkor1546]

@@kielden 1pl 4a, 2pl 4xl, last place is pixel 5

[@grantmcinnes1176]

Absolutely. It's the most balanced and very detailed. Because of this a half deaf guy like me can make things out more clearly than when I turn up the volume on the other phones. I guess some people see the difference between 60HZ and 90Hz refresh, and I don't notice at all. I do notice the audio though.

[@steveh4114]

Thanks for letting us listen and then your review at the end.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Thanks for watching!

[@selw0nk]

You should do a test when covering the bottom speaker on the Pixel 5, because the speaker under the display sounds muffled.

[@Beanjuice]

Unrealistic and completely useless test because no one in their right mind would notice that they're covering a speaker grill and keep listening to their media with the speaker covered.

[@GotronFerret]

@selw0nk Agreed. Some people may just not be noticing the muffled sound from the under-screen speaker, but it would allow him to hear what everybody else, who is saying it doesn't sound good, is hearing. And to be fair, it's still a valid review. Not everybody notices or cares much about sound quality from a phone, or elsewhere. I watch a lot of media content on my phone, and that bothers me, a lot.

[@LaDariusNorris]

The pixel 4 xl (which I'm on now) also doesn't sound good when you cover the bottom speaker because the top speaker it's not nearly as big as the bottom.

[@JulianStevens122]

@@Beanjuice That's not a useless test, at least you would know how much volume is actually coming out of the in-display speaker.

[@Beanjuice]

@@JulianStevens122 I suppose that information would be useful if you intend on purposely covering the bottom firing speaker for the entirety of your ownership of this phone. 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@NOLATechy]

Thank you so much for this video! The audio was my ONLY concern for the Pixel 5 but having heard the actual differences, I have absolutely no regrets for my order of the Pixel 5. I look forward to receiving it and will ignore all the haters out there from now on. Thanks again!

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

For sure!

[@davetime]

I thought the same untill I got a phone call, voices are so muffled. Also everything shoots from the bottom too. So you rest the phone on the bottom 75% of the sound goes.

[@NOLATechy]

@@davetime December update was just released work the new Adaptive Sound that enhances the sound volume and quality. Sound much better now on my Pixel 5.

[@R4vel]

I don't mean to squash any discussions about its speakers, but if the reviews are mixed, then that likely means it is actually on the bad side, and that the good reviews come from those who don't care that much about it and aren't very critical such as yourself. I've seen comments that people are more critical on Pixels, and if that is the case then why not? You have to be if you want their products to continue to evolve. I don't have a third eye so I might be wrong but it's not like critics are shilling and purposely steering consumers away from the Pixels.

[@MrVizziato23]

Exactly, if we don't hold these companies accountable then they'll just keep making mediocre products because we're willing to except whatever they give us. There's lots of phones this year that have dropped, in the same price range of the PIXEL and offer more. Samsung S20 FE has 5G, SD 865, Bigger and Better quality screen, Bigger battery, 3 rear cameras etc and is $699 and $599 too. One+ 8T and iPhone mini. So how Google is offering less for the same price baffles me.... And I Love Android and have had EVERY XL Variant PIXEL so it's not like I'm hating on Google from left field. I'm just disappointed this year with them so I canceled my PIXEL 5 and sticking with my 4 XL for another year. Hopefully they do a much BETTER job with PIXEL 6.

[@techyk7279]

Sounds like the Pixel 4a has the best sound

[@niktrek]

4XL? My 4XL destroys both, in a class of its own. Should not be in this comparison. 4XL - loud with good bass and wider range. 4a - loud with good range but not much bass 5 - loudish, little bass. sounds a bit muffled.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

People were asking for the 4 XL to be included

[@georgetteokeke6630]

Yeah but not everyone really cares about bass though cause some of us care about instrument separation and details and the 4XL doesn't smoke them in those aspects

[@KR-nm6wm]

@@georgetteokeke6630 He said WIDER range and he is correct it does have that over the other two especially the Pixel 5.

[@michaelmacpherson901]

The jaded pixel haters need to use a pixel for awhile to really understand the glory of a pixel. This channel understands the pixel so much

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Appreciate that so much!

[@hutchrt0596]

I think if people ever understood why iPhone people transfer to Samsung and then go crazy because of all the options and the different apps that do the exact same thing and the huge learning curve. That's pretty much what it's like to use a pixel versus any other Android phone. It's just simplistic! And this will be the Pixel battery king of the year! To be able to have 90 hz and yet still have an amazing battery. iPhone and Samsung, but especially iPhone are already starting to struggle with battery issues. People using a Pixel 5 are talking about great battery life and they've not even had it long enough for the optimization on the battery to even affect them.

[@mhausen77]

It's not about hating the pixel. I came from a 3 xl, and the 5 sounds fine for a 2008 dumb phone. It distorts everything, it's asymmetrical, and a poor experience for something that costs $700.

[@Beanjuice]

@@hutchrt0596 iphone 12 is still getting 8+ hours sot even with 5g and 11ish if you toggle LTE only. I'm not saying Pixel 5 isn't a great overall phone but to make it seem like the iPhone 12 is somehow lagging behind the Pixel is kinda disingenuous. Pixel 5 is still the stills camera king with the 12 close behind and the 12 is still the video king with the Pixel 5 right behind. I personally decided to opt out and cancelled my Pixel 5 pre order and ordered a 12 pro instead. I'll come back to Pixel when Google finally decides to launch their own soc and it's competitive with Apple's Achips. Soon as I started hearing about the Pixel 5 display gap issues and some refusing to charge I decided to not participate in this year's quality control roulette with Pixel.

[@paulrumohr]

I personally have a problem with it sounding worse than the Pixel 4a, when the 4a is half the price. I like stock Android a lot and have owned Pixel phones with front facing stereo speakers that sound great. Not a fan of the kneecapped Pixel 5 speakers.

[@MrVizziato23]

Bingo

[@olympic-ass-eater]

Idk how they f up on the pixel 5. Do they even compare at all or do test and against their current model?!

[@jlahijani]

My experience mirrors this.

[@pruje]

This is one of the most useful Pixel 5 videos so far.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Thank you!

[@Vilmir]

I just bought a 4a 5g and before opening the box I wanted to make sure I would not regret putting 170€ more for the 5. The difference I perceived in your video is big enough to make me open the 4a 5G box. I will use my phone speakers a lot to test my recording app

[@rotarydrifter]

I think I'd still prefer dual front facing speakers. But wow, Pixel 5 speakers don't sound as bad as people are claiming.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

That was the goal of the video! Thanks for watching!

[@briggm]

I can only speak for myself, but having the Pixel 5 and comparing it side by side to my S10+, the difference in quality is more noticeable than what it seems to be in this video.

[@nimitarora]

How is the call quality? Is there any trouble listening to the other side of the call?

[@GretSeat]

Yeah. Call quality is really bad. I don't know how it got passed internal testing it makes it sound like someone is muffled and low even with the volume all the way up.

[@jlahijani]

I got the Pixel 4a right when it came out and was very satisfied with it. I then cracked my screen a few months later and decided to get the Pixel 5. I thought the speakers were defective because the sound was no where near the quality of the 4a, but this video confirms my suspicions.

[@deano2024]

Stumbled across you and your videos and so glad I did. This is so useful and informative with no waffling on. I have the pixel 4A but little underwhelmed by how loud the speakers are. Will probably upgrade to the pixel 4A 5G now for the screen size, speakers, better camera and processor. Thank you for the video.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Thank you so much!

[@krishind99]

7 months later. Speakers are the worst part of this phone. I can't tolerate it. All other features are good. It certainly a tad slower. I can notice it when I compare it with my previous years iPhone and One Plus 7 pro (couple of years older). I still won't complain. Given where Pixel was in the previous years. This is a BIG improvement. I hope Google keeps improving. Don;t know why Google makes it so complicated. People don't expect magic from Pixel. Just copy OnePlus h/w (from previous year) and provide a good camera.

[@kostjan1986]

I had the pixel 5 for 2 weeks. It weren't only the speakers, that are bad. The under display speaker is really weak. Even for phone calls. The sound quality is really bad and as soon as you put a screen protector on it, it's even getting worser. It also had THE GAP, problems with the accelerator sensor, battery indicator issue and was really heavy lagging / freezing for 3-5 sek (happened 4 times in two days). None of my google smartphones had such problems straight out of the box.

[@Techvoyage777]

This is a great review. Because of exaggeration, I was close to cancelling my P5 order but it really comes down to trying it for myself. Thank you for keeping honest.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Thank you!

[@tlfromva]

Did you buy and, if so, what do you think of the sound quality during calls?

[@Techvoyage777]

@@tlfromva i did and had it for the time before returning it. I struggled with the sound on calls and all. My job revolves around it and some apps are not optimized for my job. Sadly went back to iphone.

[@tlfromva]

Thanks, Eddie. That's very helpful.

[@LuckyKnight1]

@@Techvoyage777 Did the December update help at all? Or did you return if before that.

[@martinruiz1084]

I don't know why people are complaining about it. It's a $700 device with an amazing camera for that price. Not like the Samsung's and iPhones being over priced.

[@russey2]

Haters are going to hate.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Truth!

[@judynaese]

Thank you cause I have been thinking about cancelling my pre order for Pixel 5. And go with 4aXL. But I feel like I need that waterproof. I'm still rocking my Pixel 2XL. Battery is getting weak lol...

[@MrVizziato23]

I canceled my PIXEL 5 pre-order and I don't regret it. My 4 XL is much better and just couldn't justify losing a lot of features I liked plus much BETTER sound quality.

[@ErnestoG3]

I'm also still on the 2XL. Its two front-facing speakers are just top notch.

[@darththomarius6751]

Yeah, with all the Nest Hub Max and Nest mini devices around the house, I couldn't care less if the 5A speakers can't match my Pixel 3XL with front-facing stereo speakers here in 2020

[@CFL-TECH]

I have the 4XL and P5, and the 4XL definitely has a louder and better sounding speakers. But the 5's are not too bad because I'm not setting up my phone to listen to it like an 80s boombox. We have Pixel buds and Bluetooth speakers for that. Sure you're going to use your phone to listen to something on the fly when you're not near a Bluetooth speaker, and these speakers are definitely adequate enough for the average user when you're just listening to something like video clips for news or a few songs.

[@zrrifle.]

It is more noticeable when talking to someone on the phone - a muffled plastic-like sound. Wondering if the screen protector makes it worse. I did find one company that makes one with a speaker cutout at top next to the camera cutout, might be worth looking into.

[@cdfox85]

I'm really on the fence between the Pixel 5 and the Galaxy S20 FE to replace my aging Pixel 2. I really love the Pixel software, but I feel like the Pixel 5 is underspec'd for the price compared to the S20 FE. The Samsung, on the other hand, is a great price for the hardware, but I don't want all the extra bloatware that they include with their phones. Sure, you can jump through some hoops to disable or uninstall that stuff, but it's still not the same as the stock-ish experience of the Pixel phones. Also, I use my phone one-handed more than 90% of the time, and I'm not sure if the S20 FE is just too big for me.

[@Lol_A_Frog]

Get a popsocket and you can use almost any non folding phone with one hand

[@iar1980]

Great video. Quick question what is the haptic feedback when typing like on the Pixel 5 compared to the 4a and 4, and also throw in an iPhone for comparison. Thanks

[@Android_jimmy]

The haptic feedback on the Pixel 5bid fucking awful. I ended up turning off all vibration in accessibility settings

[@owuaarontsi]

I don't think the 5 sounded thaaaaat bad. But everything mid to low end completely dropped out when playing on it. It's definitely pretty bad compared to the other two, though. But I'm not looking for a great experience with phone speakers. As long as I can hear clear enough for normal videos, I'm fine. If I want a better listening experience I'm going to put headphones on regardless of phone speaker quality.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Bingo!

[@marieyong9746]

How about the call quality sir? Without putting it on speaker. Just the normal.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Totally fine for me, but I have the volume all the way up

[@davelospinoso9022]

Dude, love watching you videos. Keep it up!

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Thank you!

[@David_DY]

The pixel 5 sounds great! Great test People are either spoiled or just hating! Thanks for actually doing a test and letting us decide 😊 edit: I started reading comments so l watched this video 3 more times 4 total The sound quality of the 5 sounds great to me It's not as loud as the 4xl but IMO it's got better highs mids and lows than the 4a It's just crazy to me that someone would not get the 5 over loudness.. The overall quality of the 5 sounded great!

[@georgetteokeke6630]

Wait is it just me or was the 4a's sound quality better than both the 4xl and 5.( Just to be very clear, I don't mean how loud they are but I'm referring to the instrument separation and sound vibrancy only). I switched the audio to my WHF1000XM3 and I still noticed the same thing please tell me if you feel I'm wrong

[@heardistance]

4XL is the best in this comparison.

[@paulrumohr]

I agree with you, Georgette, my ears hear that too

[@georgetteokeke6630]

Yeah that's what I'm saying...the sound quality is better but not louder

[@paulrumohr]

@@georgetteokeke6630 yes. It's a shame, there's a lot of other things to like about the phone. I like to keep my phone 2 to 3 years, and it would just kill me everytime I used it knowing I had years to go before I got back decent sound from built in speakers.

[@Rehnstrand]

I've recently upgraded from the 4a to the Pixel 5 and while I still had both i compared them against each other and the 4a sounds clearly better because if the real top speaker. It wasn't louder though but the quality of sound is higher and the balance between top and bottom speaker is much better.

[@rickeykoga2312]

The test itself is a good representation of how we should view the industry, performance, and specs. The test wasn't scientific to the nth degree, but it was...good enough. It did the job. Many phones and their speakers are perfectly fine and the differences aren't noticed by the general population, especially when you only hear your phone the majority of the time. One exception would be if your phone speaker is pure shit. But I am getting a new phone and laptop and when doing research, I've found that many are obsessed with maxing out specs when it's not needed. It really depends on the individual. Some people only need enough power to watch KZbin vids and play candy crush, while others multitask or play resource-heavy games. For me, the hand-feel, battery life, and screen refresh rate are top priority. I love Pixels and the 5 checks all the boxes. Mine is supposed to arrive today and I'm so stoked. But we as consumers need to spend our money where products address our real-world needs vs looking good in a table or graph.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Welcome to Team Pixel!

[@EmblemParade]

Let's be very honest: they ALL sound terrible. There's just no way we can get much better within the form factor we want for our phones. The only reason people use them is convenience, and then they convince themselves that they sound better than other phones so that they can feel good about their decision. But in all cases it's a bad audio experience.

[@rockyelbrodi]

I have a Pixel 4 XL, iPhone 11, and iPad 7th gen. Pixel 4 XL has the best speakers out of the three and it's my go to for watching stuff around the house.

[@user-qg9rp1ci9m]

Heard that Duo images were blurry during video chat. Did you experience any Duo issues?

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

I use Duo a lot and never had an issue.

[@huh28]

Can you do this with the pixel 4a 5g? From pics looks like the top speaker on 4a 5g isn't under the glass...would love to know how it stacks up against Pixel 3xl 🙏

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

That's the plan!

[@zicoabhidey]

Pixel 5 is ok ish speaker as long as you do not have another top device to compare with. However in case you compare, bottom speaker is over compensating for the top under display speaker to achieve desired loudness level. I honestly do not blame google for that. Its the consumer who wanted minimal bezel around the display. Engineering is much harder than any consumer can imagine. However, what google should have done is to provide another speaker grill on the top of the phone. Again you have to alter design and added cost for cnc machining which eventually hike the price. Its really hard to stage a balance act, I guess.

[@michaelmansour8934]

I am wondering what about when you do phone calls? How does it sound given that you depend more on the underscreen speaker?

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Actually find the sound to be just fine :)

[@goose4342]

Giving up good front facing audio is worth it for a edge to edge display with small bezels, this is a step (finally) in the right direction for pixel devices.

[@David_DY]

I totally agree and after hearing this test the pixel 5 quality is good it might not get as loud but the overall quality sounded great to me

[@bigben2493]

Are you planning on putting a screen protector on the pixel 5? I'm wondering how that's gonna affect the under display speaker.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

I'm not but now I might just to see what happens

[@bigben2493]

@@TechnicallySpeaking Yeah I think people would be curious to know also if it vibrates the screen to make sound makes me wonder if it would break the screen protector in time...interesting stuff

[@carlosgomezenriquez283]

What about the phone call audio quality from the top speaker?

[@heroinwaltz5267]

Cannot complain. Seems ok, no real issues.

[@AndresValeriano]

Complete garbage. Can't stand it. I have to be on speaker phone

[@davetime]

Horrible, voices are muffled and hard to hear, even in a quiet room. Probably impossible in a loud setting. Had to return.

[@TekweksTV]

With a compressed video sound, like the ones from KZbin video, the sound from pixel 5 is further subdued. Thnx for review.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Thanks!

[@hutchrt0596]

There is a difference and probably the most simplistic way to explain it would be to say it's similar to comparing mono versus stereo. Would we want it to sound better? Of course! But it's a compromise phone! We are compromising certain things to get the phone a certain way and for many those compromises are worth it. When I make this statement it definitely pertains to battery life. Now when it comes to the stereo speakers, there are so many people who play their games on mute or they use headphones and this is a no-brainer to them. For those of us that use the phone to watch KZbin videos without headphones, it may be a deal breaker. But to have a screen that you're going to look at all day that's bezel-less and beautiful, is it worth that sacrifice. I would much rather the attention go to the speaker needing improvement, it would be amazing if there was a update that they could do to help the speaker. But I'm hoping we're not making such a big deal out of this that Google does the opposite and give us a screen with bezels and speakers. I would rather have this beautiful screen and them improve on this technology. The phone is loud enough and it's not the type of phone you would hate the sound of, it's just noticeable when you do play it next to something else or if you're used to hearing it really high. Wasn't this $1,000 phone last year?

[@shiddyboy]

I really like the like the pixel 5 but I watch KZbin on my phone a lot so idk shit

[@Premyy.M]

Going from my pixel 2 to pixel 5 is definitely a downgrade. Having said that they are both the same size pixel 2 has front firing speakers, pixel 5 has an inch bigger screen. Also I noticed sound only comes out of the right bottom speaker only and in screen speaker but not the left bottom grill

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

That bottom grill part is common on lots of other phones, not just pixels

[@SheilaHensley]

4a is the best. Not hating the other two but 4a is just a better sound.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Thank Ms Sheila!

[@michaelmacpherson901]

I mean I use headphones 95% of the time so as long as they are above average it's still a win. I'm coming from a pixel 3 xl and am really hoping the 5 is a nice step up on all fronts

[@KR-nm6wm]

What about the 5% of the time that you don't use bluetooth headphones bruh? I can't pay my hard earned 💰 for compromise. Can't carry around wireless speakers all the time and bluetooth headphones may lose power when you least expect it... happens to me 5% of the time... and when they do there is NO headphone jack on the Pixel 5. Good luck to you.

[@alnoorvirani1]

@@KR-nm6wm can I ask if you make all your financial decisions based on the 100% factor? There's no product out there that is 100% perfect. For example, I'm a pixel fan hands down. But held the iPhone 12 pro and hated the sound on it. I had to return it in a week. The bass was bad. I use bose quiet comfort 2 and it still was bad.

[@drnanard9605]

I just got my Pixel 5. The speakers are worse than the speakers on my LG G4 who's 6 years old. This is unacceptable.

[@kenfuciusfpv2800]

The pixel 5 speaker is extremely fragile. Mine no longer works. I found this video while searching for a repair how-to.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Oh no! :(

[@craqerjaq]

the speaker sits in the palm of your hand completely covered if you're gaming horizontal...

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

It does on the iPhone as well tho for the bottom firing speaker

[@jimv1983]

The Pixel 5 certainly is the worst of the three but honestly not that big of a difference. I have a Pixel 2 XL and I never thought the speakers were really very good but honestly I don't listen to stuff on the speakers enough to care much. I'm using headphones or casting to be TV most of the time anyways. Speakers are way down the list of things I care about. I am still curious to compare my Pixel 2 XL to the Pixel 5 when it gets here next Friday.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Thanks for watching!

[@robertliccardo6029]

@jimvr1983 I'd be interested to hear your comparison

[@jimv1983]

@@robertliccardo6029 the Pixel 2 XL has better balance between the left and right and is actually stereo. The Pixel 5 is very unbalanced with the down facing speaker on the bottom and under glass speaker. However I do think the overall sound quality of the bottom speaker on the Pixel 5 is louder and clearer than the speakers on the Pixel 2 XL. If a phone had stereo front facing speakers like the Pixel 2 XL but using the speakers from the Pixel 5 I think it would be really good. Just my opinion.

[@robertliccardo6029]

@@jimv1983 Thanks for the info. Any regrets on the purchase? How does the size of the phone compare when you hold it? I actually really love my 2XL but the lack of future updates making me look at the Pixel 4a 5g and the Pixel 5

[@lloydm2883]

Just bought a NEW Google Pixel 5 as the price has dropped (November 2021). My biggest disappointment right now is just how AWFUL the loud speaker is. Had I known this before I would NEVER have bought it as I use my phone's loud speaker immensely. Very bad Google, very bad. If anyone looking to buy a Pixel 5 contact me.

[@mattrc77]

I would like to know how it compares to the LG G8 which also had the Top front facing speaker under the glasse?

[@melk2601]

I have the LG G7 and the speakers are amazing! The bass is superb. I heard the LG G8 is the same. I have the same question about the pixel 5 as I'm considering upgrading but not if the speakers are horrible

[@ruzlan369]

nice test. gives a pretty good idea about the difference in output.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Thank you!

[@abibgraphy]

Idk my speaker on pixel 5 sometimes glitch when i play song is it connected with any sensor cause it never happened in android 12

[@neodraig]

What your test doesn't show is the stereo separation which is totally absent with Pixel 5.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Doing the best I can with what I got!

[@johannesp.1159]

True. A mono recording of stereo sound is not really helpful.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

@@johannesp.1159 again, doing the best that I can with what I got. Folks were asking to have some sort of audio to compare and now it's out there

[@styles_mufasa3106]

I'm using 4a in India but I would say that pixel 4a sounds better than other two phones. But my pixel speakers sounds are better than iPhone 11. I personally feel that.

[@djhayes575]

P4XL sounds the best of the group but the P5 is not the POS people are griping about. Thanks for this video bruh, it's what I needed to NOT cancel my P5 pre-order

[@fadynaffa3]

Everyone is having issues with the Pixel 4a 5g and people are returning their devices as a crackling sound and noise will start on playback anything for more than 5 minutes

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

I haven't noticed that at all

[@ChromeStrand]

Can understand the reason behind being Pixel 5 is worst, but case of 4a, is just weird one. It even have a speaker grill yet worse than 5. I guess they cut the corner in every division.

[@StylinEffect]

Hey, thanks for the video! How is the call quality? I love the pixel experience. However with my current Pixel 3, I have had to replace it about 4 different times before I gave up. The call quality is terrible. Whenever I answer the phone, it takes a few seconds before the other person can hear me. Then after that I sound very choppy and robotic. Putting on speaker phone is worse. I have also swapped sims and put my sim in another phone and it works fine. Have you or anyone here had any call issues? Thanks!

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

I haven't had any issues with calls, but honestly most of the time my calls are through headphones so I probably have less than 10 phone calls as my sample size

[@They.b.]

@@TechnicallySpeaking so pls.. Answer the phone with your speakers.. It is so shit man... And for me this phone is super perfect. Only this.... So big downside

[@ijatthullah9234]

Yes i have same prob

[@kataclysmic-alt]

i have the pixel 5 and i think the speaker is amazing, but my last phone was the iphone 6 so its objectively better than that hands down.

[@jackd3527]

So glad I found your comment I’m looking to upgrade from an iPhone 6 too and was worried about this 😃

[@kataclysmic-alt]

@@jackd3527 i can say after about 3 weeks with the pixel it was probably the best switch i could have made. not only for the sound, but its a nice bridge between apple and samsung because my muscle memory isnt as much of a hinderance from iphone, lol

[@aaronkurz864]

how is the 4a for listening to podcasts on speaker phone?

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Works perfectly fine for me

[@thomasloewen1075]

I just got my pixel 5 coming from a pixel 3. Speakers aren't great but I can live with them for sure, the screen is the main reason I wanted it because I have massive fingers and typing is so much easier on this device then the 3

[@ChadH2023]

Thank you for making this video and I will not be getting a Pixel 5 based on this. As someone who works 8 plus hours in a work van everyday I rely on my phone for ESPN radio and various podcast. We are not allowed to have any Bluetooth speaker equipment in our work fans so I have to use my phone. The Pixel 5 sounds very muffled compared to the other two which is a shame. I've never owned a Pixel phone maybe if they come out with a 5XL or a 6 I will give it a try if improved upon.

[@paulrumohr]

Yup. Maybe the 4a 5G that has an actual forward facing front firing speaker on the top of the phone. Or pop the extra $$ for the iphone 12, faster processor, water resistance, and (presumably) excellent stereo sound.

[@ChadH2023]

@@paulrumohr definitely not stepping down to the 4a 5G. If I'm going to get a pixel I'm going to wait for the best pixel model available. And there is a zero chance I go with an iPhone. Whenever the Pixel 5 XL or Pixel 6 comes out I'll look at it and if it's close to my S10 plus then I might give it a try.

[@MrVizziato23]

@@ChadH2023 why not get the 4 XL, I have it and really enjoy it. Speakers are REALLY good and the phone is heavily discounted right now. Still a Great Pixel device.

[@ChadH2023]

@@MrVizziato23 That's too much of a step down to go from a Galaxy S10 plus to a Pixel XL 4. That would be given up too much I have no problem being patient and waiting for the next pixel or Pixel XL.

[@freedomwriter201]

Listening to streams for 8+ hours a day would be enough reason for a Bluetooth speaker, in my opinion.

[@iomuffin]

I was looking for a phone upgrade and I’ve wanted a pixel phone for a long time so this helped thank you

[@christopherstaples6758]

well I can not hear the damn thing or even able to make out words from it , every other phone I have had in the last 2 decades had no issues .... and yours sounds way better than mine ...

[@0megalul309]

I miss the pixel 3 full sized stereo speakers. The huge bezels had it's advantage

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Agreed!

[@robertclarkguitar]

My pixel 4xl sounds like a tin can and vibrates often in ear piece. Looks clean so idk what's wrong. But it hurts my head the tinny sound. The Facebook notifications sound nice and full but it messes with the audio. I reset and still screwy.

[@TechOdyssey]

The phones are just too expensive 🤣

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Hahahahah

[@Riz_]

I agree with you Scott. Yes it's not the best but it's not that bad either. It stood out to me for a little while but I got used to it. Honestly considering how much else this phone gives you, I don't mind it, and I am vision impaired so sound means allot to me.

[@dwightmyers5862]

Great, honest review.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Thank you!

[@Fayrbrant]

Hey thanks for the video man, that was pretty informative :) From what I can hear, yes Pixel 4 XL wins hands down in terms of volume and clarity Yes, Pixel 5 is more muffled than 4a, but in terms of clarity, I think Pixel 5 was better than the 4a -- with exception on the Rock category Maybe the glass hinders the top speaker from emitting concise high frequency notes? The last track was pretty mangled on P5

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Thanks for watching!

[@davidmccarthy6061]

They sound different but I don't expect it to sound like a Sonos or something. If you're playing music and NOT listening with buds, you're already setting yourself up for a lessor experience.

[@MukeshShah247]

Going to order Pixel 5 on Nov 22nd because 50$ Black Friday discount on Google Store .

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Nice!

[@TagmatonDomestikon]

I've just come off a galaxy note 9 and the pixel 5's speakers are louder and just as clear. I don't think the pixel 5 sounds bad at all.

[@chrissmith2963]

This helps thanks! 👍

[@nakkadu]

I have never chosen a phone based on speakers. Why would you need great speakers on a phone?

[@anguineus_vir]

to listen while doing the dishes or while taking a shit... duh?!

[@dosbaddel7436]

No, it's not, they're ok, not superior, but enough for smartphone speakers.

[@vitju0]

it sound really bad even from this simple test lol. does it even sound stereo?

[@michal4736]

Pixel 4 speakers are outstanding even compared to the iphone's 13 :O

[@oleb.7146]

Thanks a lot for this video. I´ve sent my Pixel 5 back cause of the speakers, they are awful, sounds like the phone is in an empty tin can. And making phone calls is no fun at all. But these are my personal preferences, gonna keep my Galaxy S20 w/ SD865.

[@adamszostek]

Pixel 5 doesn't sound that bad but it's nowhere near Pixel 4XL. Why Google didn't put the top speaker on the top edge like OnePlus or Samsung?

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

They were going for a more edge to edge display

[@tobycaunt9257]

The 5 almost sounds hollow yt compresses the crP out audio but can definitely tell somethings not a balanced

[@freddie1991d]

Let me say, I have had every google phone there has been, I just got it and let me tell you, as long as you have the bottom speaker working your ok. Not loud but just ehh....cover the bottom speaker and it sounds like a bad speaker under water. Not loud at all....hardly any sound.

[@jtal19]

No offense but you should include songs that have more base or low end frequencies because that is where the Pixel 5 suffers the most. Plus the pixel 5 sounds too loud at lower volume settings. In other words the Pixel 5 can't do low levels of volume with as much range as say the Pixel 2.

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

No offense taken! I picked random songs from a few genres so I wasnt sure what to expect from them :)

[@AndrewPSmith]

I already played this game last Wednesday...

[@victorrumyantsev3718]

Pixel 5 speakers aren't bad at all. But they are just not as good as the proper speakers on previous models like Pixel 3 or 4.

[@Grandpa_Grinch]

Pixel 5 is a nice phone but the sound quality is dreadful so if you want to watch a lot of KZbin or play music on the phone I wouldn't recommend it, there's no depth to sound, very little bass & overly tinny

[@GeorgeOkenyehike]

Not for me too. People tend to be finicky about such Insignificant things. I completely agree with you

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Thank you for watching!

[@RELubber]

Wouldn't the Pixel Buds take care of the speaker issue?

[@TechnicallySpeaking]

Sure would