Case roundup for the Pixel 4a 5G

As usual for my case roundups, I'll cover a variety of styles, with most samples supplied by MobileFun, kind people that they are. See their complete range of Pixel 4a 5G cases and covers.

But on with the individual cases, each link goes to the relevant product page, of course.

Olixar Ultra-thin, £7

I've been a fan of this minimalist design for years. OK, the clear TPU is thin and the case is more about grip than protection, but the system works. Your Pixel 4a 5G doesn't really get any thicker and yet it becomes 10 times grippier, so you're far less likely to drop it in the first place.

There's a ridge around the camera island and there are even very slight increases in depth at the top and bottom of the design.

In all, top notch as long as you don't want to take your Pixel around on bike or hiking trails. This is a case for the office and for suburbia and it does its minimalist job superbly.

Score: 9/10

Olixar Carbon Fibre, £13

One of my all time favourite designs, albeit slightly generic in terms of similar cases from the likes of Spigen, this is hard to fault. Tough,  matt black plastic, prominent button covers, raised ends, face drop protection, the Carbon Fibre design has the lot.

Add in the wonderful aesthetics, at least if you like black! The 'carbon fibre' texture is quite beautiful and the Pixel looks stunning. Again... if you have a black 4a 5G and if you're happy to be 'Back in Black'!

Score: 10/10

Olixar NovaShield, £13

The soft-finish, slab-sided NovaShield design is well known and established - and, as always, it's very ...solid. It's black (in this case, like the Pixel 4a 5G), it's smooth, it's protective, there's nothing to dislike.

Except that there's little be wowed by either. The Pixel feels perfectly fine in this, but I'd always go for a bit more grip on the sides and I like having textured button covers that I can activate by feel and don't have to look, which is the case here.

On the plus side, the screen face protection and the camera glass ridge are all top notch. The design inlays into the transparent back don't add much in terms of durability, but they're a hallmark of the NovaShield design, so why not?

At £13, it's good value though. And a cut above the usual market place offerings.

Score: 8/10

Spigen Liquid Air, £9

Now for a genuine Spigen design and, as expected, it's top notch. From materials and texture, all in black(!), to button covers and fingerprint recess, this fits just beautifully.

The grippy texture is usefully missing from the long edges, meaning that the phone still slides easily out of a pocket, yet with a small strip of grip in the centre of each edge, so that fingers don't lose the phone.

Unlike many other designs, there's no explicit drop protection in terms of raised top and bottom, but then this design really doesn't need them, since there's significant drop protection all round.

Perhaps not the very sleekest case in the world, adding 1-2mm to the front and 2-3mm to the back, but it's super secure and well thought out. Absolutely nothing to complain about, other than perhaps wishing a few colour options?

Score: 10/10