Between the OnePlus 12 and Pixel 9a, the OnePlus 12 comes out ahead in wireless charging and wired charging, while the Pixel 9a wins on weight and water resistance. Overall, the OnePlus 12 scores 69.6 and the Pixel 9a scores 63.2 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The OnePlus 12 edges ahead on the Mars Score (69.6 vs 63.2), but the 6.4-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the OnePlus 12 if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. The biggest gaps in its favor are wireless charging, wired charging, front camera, among others.
Pick the Pixel 9a if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. Its strongest claims are weight, water resistance, promised os updates.
Both ship with comparable refresh rate, 5g support, optical image stabilization, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the OnePlus 12 is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why OnePlus 12 wins
- ▲Wireless charging — 566.67% more. 50 W vs 7.5 W.
- ▲Wired charging — 334.78% more. 100 W vs 23 W.
- ▲Front camera — 146.15% more. 32 MP vs 13 MP.
- ▲AnTuTu — 66.13% more. 2060000 vs 1240000.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Pixel density — 20.85% more. 510 ppi vs 422 ppi.
- ▲Screen size — 8.25% more. 6.82 " vs 6.3 ".
- ▲Battery capacity — 5.88% more. 5400 mAh vs 5100 mAh.
Why Google - Pixel 9a wins
- ▲Weight — 34.00 g less. 186 vs 220.
- ▲Water resistance: IP68 (vs IP65).
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 4).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | OnePlus 12 | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 220 g | 186 glead |
| Thickness | 9.15 mm | 8.9 mmlead |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP65 | IP68lead |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | OnePlus 12 | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.82 "lead | 6.3 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 510 ppilead | 422 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 4500 nitslead | 2700 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | OnePlus 12 | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MPlead | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 32 MPlead | 13 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | OnePlus 12 | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5400 mAhlead | 5100 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 100 Wlead | 23 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 50 Wlead | 7.5 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | OnePlus 12 | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | OnePlus 12 | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 4 years | 7 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, OnePlus 12 or Pixel 9a?+
OnePlus 12 has 5.9% more battery — 5400 mAh vs 5100 mAh.
Which is lighter, OnePlus 12 or Pixel 9a?+
Pixel 9a is 34g lighter — 220g vs 186g.
Is OnePlus 12 waterproof?+
OnePlus 12 has an IP65 rating.
Does Pixel 9a support 5G?+
Yes, Pixel 9a supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, OnePlus 12 or Pixel 9a?+
OnePlus 12 offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, OnePlus 12 or Pixel 9a?+
OnePlus 12 has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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