Between the Phone (3a) Pro and Pixel 9a, the Phone (3a) Pro comes out ahead in front camera and wired charging, while the Pixel 9a wins on antutu and weight. Overall, the Phone (3a) Pro scores 63.8 and the Pixel 9a scores 63.2 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (63.8 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 Phone (3a) Pro if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. The biggest gaps in its favor are front camera, wired charging, ram, among others.
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, weight, pixel density, among others.
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: 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 Nothing - Phone (3a) Pro wins
- ▲Front camera — 284.62% more. 50 MP vs 13 MP.
- ▲Wired charging — 117.39% more. 50 W vs 23 W.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Screen size — 7.46% more. 6.77 " vs 6.3 ".
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
Why Google - Pixel 9a wins
- ▲AnTuTu — 45.88% more. 1240000 vs 850000.
- ▲Weight — 25.00 g less. 186 vs 211.
- ▲Pixel density — 9.04% more. 422 ppi vs 387 ppi.
- ▲Battery capacity — 2.00% more. 5100 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
- ▲Water resistance: IP68 (vs IP64).
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 3).
- ▲Wireless charging: 7.5 W vs 0 W.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Nothing - Phone (3a) Pro | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 211 g | 186 glead |
| Thickness | 8.4 mmlead | 8.9 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP64 | IP68lead |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Nothing - Phone (3a) Pro | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.77 "lead | 6.3 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 387 ppi | 422 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 3000 nitslead | 2700 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Nothing - Phone (3a) Pro | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MPlead | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 50 MPlead | 13 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Nothing - Phone (3a) Pro | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5000 mAh | 5100 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 50 Wlead | 23 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 0 W | 7.5 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Nothing - Phone (3a) Pro | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Nothing - Phone (3a) Pro | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 3 years | 7 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Phone (3a) Pro or Pixel 9a?+
Pixel 9a has 2.0% more battery — 5000 mAh vs 5100 mAh.
Which is lighter, Phone (3a) Pro or Pixel 9a?+
Pixel 9a is 25g lighter — 211g vs 186g.
Is Phone (3a) Pro waterproof?+
Phone (3a) Pro has an IP64 rating.
Does Pixel 9a support 5G?+
Yes, Pixel 9a supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Phone (3a) Pro or Pixel 9a?+
Phone (3a) Pro offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Phone (3a) Pro or Pixel 9a?+
Phone (3a) Pro has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
More from the same brands
vsMars is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.