Between the Galaxy A36 and Pixel 9a, the Galaxy A36 comes out ahead in wired charging and screen size, while the Pixel 9a wins on antutu and pixel density. Overall, the Galaxy A36 scores 61.5 and the Pixel 9a scores 63.2 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (61.5 vs 63.2). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the Galaxy A36 if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. The biggest gaps in its favor are wired charging, screen size, main camera.
Pick the Pixel 9a if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. Its strongest claims are antutu, pixel density, weight, among others.
Both ship with comparable ram, refresh rate, 5g support, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Samsung - Galaxy A36 wins
- ▲Wired charging — 95.65% more. 45 W vs 23 W.
- ▲Screen size — 6.35% more. 6.7 " vs 6.3 ".
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
Why Google - Pixel 9a wins
- ▲AnTuTu — 93.75% more. 1240000 vs 640000.
- ▲Pixel density — 9.61% more. 422 ppi vs 385 ppi.
- ▲Weight — 9.00 g less. 186 vs 195.
- ▲Front camera — 8.33% more. 13 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲Battery capacity — 2.00% more. 5100 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
- ▲Water resistance: IP68 (vs IP67).
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 6).
- ▲Wireless charging: 7.5 W vs 0 W.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 195 g | 186 glead |
| Thickness | 7.4 mmlead | 8.9 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP67 | IP68lead |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.7 "lead | 6.3 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 385 ppi | 422 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 1900 nits | 2700 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MPlead | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 13 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5000 mAh | 5100 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 Wlead | 23 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 0 W | 7.5 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy A36 | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 6 years | 7 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy A36 or Pixel 9a?+
Pixel 9a has 2.0% more battery — 5000 mAh vs 5100 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy A36 or Pixel 9a?+
Pixel 9a is 9g lighter — 195g vs 186g.
Is Galaxy A36 waterproof?+
Galaxy A36 has an IP67 rating.
Does Pixel 9a support 5G?+
Yes, Pixel 9a supports 5G.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy A36 or Pixel 9a?+
Galaxy A36 has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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