Between the Pixel 9a and 13 Pro+, the Pixel 9a comes out ahead in antutu and weight, while the 13 Pro+ wins on wired charging and front camera. Overall, the Pixel 9a scores 63.2 and the 13 Pro+ scores 65.2 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (63.2 vs 65.2). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the Pixel 9a if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. The biggest gaps in its favor are antutu, weight, promised os updates, among others.
Pick the 13 Pro+ if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. Its strongest claims are wired charging, front camera, ram, 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 Google - Pixel 9a wins
- ▲AnTuTu — 5.08% more. 1240000 vs 1180000.
- ▲Weight — 4.00 g less. 186 vs 190.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 3).
- ▲Wireless charging: 7.5 W vs 0 W.
Why Realme - 13 Pro+ wins
- ▲Wired charging — 247.83% more. 80 W vs 23 W.
- ▲Front camera — 146.15% more. 32 MP vs 13 MP.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Pixel density — 9.00% more. 460 ppi vs 422 ppi.
- ▲Screen size — 6.35% more. 6.7 " vs 6.3 ".
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲Battery capacity — 1.96% more. 5200 mAh vs 5100 mAh.
- ▲Water resistance: IP69 (vs IP68).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Google - Pixel 9a | Realme - 13 Pro+ |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 186 glead | 190 g |
| Thickness | 8.9 mm | 8.0 mmlead |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP69lead |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Google - Pixel 9a | Realme - 13 Pro+ |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.3 " | 6.7 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 422 ppi | 460 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2700 nitslead | 2000 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Google - Pixel 9a | Realme - 13 Pro+ |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MP | 50 MPlead |
| Front camera | 13 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Google - Pixel 9a | Realme - 13 Pro+ |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5100 mAh | 5200 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 23 W | 80 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 7.5 Wlead | 0 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Google - Pixel 9a | Realme - 13 Pro+ |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Google - Pixel 9a | Realme - 13 Pro+ |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 7 yearslead | 3 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Pixel 9a or 13 Pro+?+
13 Pro+ has 2.0% more battery — 5100 mAh vs 5200 mAh.
Which is lighter, Pixel 9a or 13 Pro+?+
Pixel 9a is 4g lighter — 186g vs 190g.
Is Pixel 9a waterproof?+
Pixel 9a has an IP68 rating.
Does 13 Pro+ support 5G?+
Yes, 13 Pro+ supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Pixel 9a or 13 Pro+?+
13 Pro+ offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Pixel 9a or 13 Pro+?+
13 Pro+ has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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