The Google Pixel 4a 5G occupies a confusing spot in Google’s confusing 2020 Pixel lineup. It’s boring, bland, and unexceptional. And I love it.

Next week, I’ll publish my review of this most recent Google handset. Here, I’d like to just focus on how it meets my own needs. What’s most curious about the affection I have for this device is that I’m not sure I’d have felt the same way about it two, four, or six months ago. But being confronted with the various compromises in the far more expensive and luxurious Samsung Note 20 Ultra, Apple iPhone 12, and OnePlus 8T was a nice level-set. At the end of all that, I was ready for something a little boring. Something that just worked like I wanted it to.