Google Pixel 9a vs Nothing Phone (3a)
Verdict
The Google Pixel 9a scores higher in 4 of 6 sections (design & durability, connectivity & features, battery and performance), while the Nothing Phone (3a) leads in camera; they are even on display.
The biggest difference is design & durability: 80 vs 55 points.
Choose the Google Pixel 9a for design & durability and connectivity & features; choose the Nothing Phone (3a) for camera.
- Pixel 9a leads in 14 fields
- Phone (3a) leads in 10 fields
- 18 ties
42 scored fields compared
Score by section
| Section scores | Pixel 9a | Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||
| Performance | 66 | 61 |
| Camera | 53 | 77 |
| Battery | 64 | 57 |
| Display | 86 | 85 |
| Design & durability | 80 | 55 |
| Connectivity & features | 73 | 59 |
Full specifications
Performance
- Chipset performance index
- Pixel 9a: 62/100(Better)
- Phone (3a): 50/100
- Chipset
- Pixel 9a: Google Tensor G4
- Phone (3a): Snapdragon 7s Gen 3
- RAM (max)
- Pixel 9a: 8 GB
- Phone (3a): 12 GB(Better)
- Storage (max)
- Pixel 9a: 256 GB
- Phone (3a): 256 GB
- Process node
- Pixel 9a: 4 nm
- Phone (3a): 4 nm
Camera
- Main camera resolution
- Pixel 9a: 48 MP
- Phone (3a): 50 MP
- Main sensor size
- Pixel 9a: 1/2″
- Phone (3a): 1/1.57″(Better)
- Optical stabilization (OIS)
- Pixel 9a: Yes
- Phone (3a): Yes
- Ultra-wide camera
- Pixel 9a: Yes
- Phone (3a): Yes
- Telephoto camera
- Pixel 9a: No
- Phone (3a): Yes(Better)
- Periscope lens
- Pixel 9a: No
- Phone (3a): No
- Optical zoom
- Pixel 9a: No
- Phone (3a): 2×(Better)
- Video recording
- Pixel 9a: 4K 60 fps(Better)
- Phone (3a): 4K 30 fps
- Front camera
- Pixel 9a: 13 MP
- Phone (3a): 32 MP(Better)
- Front camera 4K video
- Pixel 9a: Yes
- Phone (3a): No
Battery
- Battery capacity
- Pixel 9a: 5100 mAh(Better)
- Phone (3a): 5000 mAh
- Battery endurance (EU label)
- Pixel 9a: 52:19 h(Better)
- Phone (3a): 43:56 h
- EU label cycles
- Pixel 9a: 1000
- Phone (3a): 1400
- Wired charging
- Pixel 9a: 23 W
- Phone (3a): 50 W(Better)
- Wireless charging
- Pixel 9a: 7.5 W(Better)
- Phone (3a): No
- Reverse charging
- Pixel 9a: No
- Phone (3a): No
- Reverse charging type
- Pixel 9a: No
- Phone (3a): No
Display
- Screen size
- Pixel 9a: 6.3″
- Phone (3a): 6.77″
- Panel type
- Pixel 9a: OLED
- Phone (3a): OLED
- Refresh rate
- Pixel 9a: 120 Hz
- Phone (3a): 120 Hz
- Pixel density
- Pixel 9a: 422 ppi(Better)
- Phone (3a): 387 ppi
- Peak brightness
- Pixel 9a: 2700 nits
- Phone (3a): 3000 nits(Better)
- Resolution
- Pixel 9a: 1080x2424
- Phone (3a): 1080x2392
- Screen protection
- Pixel 9a: Corning Gorilla Glass 3
- Phone (3a): Panda Glass
Design & durability
- Weight
- Pixel 9a: 186 g(Better)
- Phone (3a): 201 g
- Thickness
- Pixel 9a: 8.9 mm
- Phone (3a): 8.4 mm(Better)
- Dust & water resistance
- Pixel 9a: IP68(Better)
- Phone (3a): IP5x (splash resistant)
- Back material
- Pixel 9a: Plastic
- Phone (3a): Glass(Better)
- Frame material
- Pixel 9a: Aluminum(Better)
- Phone (3a): Plastic
- EU repairability class
- Pixel 9a: B(Better)
- Phone (3a): C
- EU drop resistance class
- Pixel 9a: A(Better)
- Phone (3a): C
- EU energy class
- Pixel 9a: B
- Phone (3a): C
Connectivity & features
- 5G
- Pixel 9a: Yes
- Phone (3a): Yes
- Wi-Fi
- Pixel 9a: Wi-Fi 6E(Better)
- Phone (3a): Wi-Fi 6
- Bluetooth
- Pixel 9a: 5.3
- Phone (3a): 5.4(Better)
- USB speed
- Pixel 9a: USB 3.x(Better)
- Phone (3a): USB 2.0
- USB port
- Pixel 9a: USB-C 3.2
- Phone (3a): USB-C 2.0
- DisplayPort output
- Pixel 9a: No
- Phone (3a): No
- NFC
- Pixel 9a: Yes
- Phone (3a): Yes
- eSIM
- Pixel 9a: Yes(Better)
- Phone (3a): No
- Ultra-wideband (UWB)
- Pixel 9a: No
- Phone (3a): No
- Satellite connectivity
- Pixel 9a: No
- Phone (3a): No
- Stereo speakers
- Pixel 9a: Yes
- Phone (3a): Yes
- 3.5 mm headphone jack
- Pixel 9a: No
- Phone (3a): No
- Fingerprint reader
- Pixel 9a: Under display (optical)
- Phone (3a): Under display (optical)
- 3D face unlock
- Pixel 9a: No
- Phone (3a): No
- Infrared blaster
- Pixel 9a: No
- Phone (3a): No
- FM radio
- Pixel 9a: No
- Phone (3a): No
- microSD slot
- Pixel 9a: No
- Phone (3a): No
- Card slot
- Pixel 9a: No
- Phone (3a): No
General
- Operating system
- Pixel 9a: Android 15
- Phone (3a): Android 15
- OS updates (major versions)
- Pixel 9a: 7
- Phone (3a): 3
- Launch price
- Pixel 9a: $ 333.84
- Phone (3a): ₹ 32,299
- Year
- Pixel 9a: 2025
- Phone (3a): 2025
Show raw spec textHide raw spec text
Original text from the source spec sheet, for reference.
| — | Pixel 9a | Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Network | ||
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 66, 75 - International 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 41, 48, 66, 71 - USA | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 41, 48, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - USA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Launch | ||
| Announced | 2025, March 19 | 2025, March 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2025, April 10 | Available. Released 2025, March 11 |
| Body | ||
| Dimensions | 154.7 x 73.3 x 8.9 mm (6.09 x 2.89 x 0.35 in) | 163.5 x 77.5 x 8.4 mm (6.44 x 3.05 x 0.33 in) |
| Weight | 186 g (6.56 oz) | 201 g (7.09 oz) |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, plastic back | Glass front (Panda Glass), plastic frame, glass back |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM IP68 dust tight and water resistant (immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min) | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM IP64 dust tight and water resistant (water splashes) 3 LED light strips on the back (notifications, camera fill light, 26 addressable zones) |
| Display | ||
| Type | P-OLED, HDR, 120Hz, 1800 nits (HBM), 2700 nits (peak) | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 2160Hz PWM, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1300 nits (HBM), 3000 nits (peak) |
| Size | 6.3 inches, 94.7 cm2 (~83.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.77 inches, 111.5 cm2 (~88.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2424 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~422 ppi density) | 1080 x 2392 pixels (~387 ppi density) |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Panda Glass Ultra HDR image support |
| Platform | ||
| OS | Android 15, upgradable to Android 17, up to 7 major OS updates | Android 15, upgradable to Android 17, Nothing OS 5, up to 3 major OS updates |
| Chipset | Google Tensor G4 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM7635 Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 (4 nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.1 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x2.6 GHz Cortex-A720 & 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A520) | Octa-core (1x2.5 GHz Cortex-A720 & 3x2.4 GHz Cortex-A720 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A520) |
| GPU | Mali-G715 MP7 | Adreno 810 |
| Memory | ||
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM UFS 3.1 | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM UFS 2.2 |
| Main Camera | ||
| Dual | 48 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.12µm | – |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Ultra HDR, panorama, Best Take | LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, gyro-EIS, OIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Triple | – | 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.57", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.0, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.74", 0.64µm, PDAF (25cm - ∞), 2x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.2, 15mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Selfie camera | ||
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.12µm | 32 MP, f/2.2, 22mm (wide), 1/3.44" |
| Features | HDR, panorama | – |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| Comms | ||
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual/tri-band (market/region dependent) | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE | 5.4, A2DP, LE |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2 | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| Features | ||
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
| Type | Li-Po 5100 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 23W wired, PD3.0 7.5W wireless Bypass charging | 50W wired, 50% in 19 min, 100% in 56 min |
| Misc | ||
| Colors | Obsidian, Porcelain, Iris, Peony | Black, White, Blue, Community Edition green |
| Models | GXQ96, GTF7P, G3Y12 | A059 |
| SAR EU | 0.99 W/kg (head) 1.39 W/kg (body) | – |
| Price | $ 333.84 / € 359.90 / £ 285.00 | ₹ 32,299 |
| EU LABEL | ||
| Energy | Class B | Class C |
| Battery | 52:19h endurance, 1000 cycles | 43:56h endurance, 1400 cycles |
| Free fall | Class A (270 falls) | Class C (90 falls) |
| Repairability | Class B | Class C |