Between the ThinkPhone and Pixel 9, the ThinkPhone comes out ahead in front camera and wired charging, while the Pixel 9 wins on ram and pixel density. Overall, the ThinkPhone scores 64.6 and the Pixel 9 scores 63.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (64.6 vs 63.5). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the ThinkPhone 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, refresh rate, among others.
Pick the Pixel 9 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 ram, pixel density, antutu, among others.
Both ship with comparable main camera, 5g support, water resistance, 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 Motorola - ThinkPhone wins
- ▲Front camera — 204.76% more. 32 MP vs 10.5 MP.
- ▲Wired charging — 151.85% more. 68 W vs 27 W.
- ▲Refresh rate — 20.00% more. 144 Hz vs 120 Hz.
- ▲Weight — 9.00 g less. 189 vs 198.
- ▲Battery capacity — 6.38% more. 5000 mAh vs 4700 mAh.
- ▲Screen size — 4.76% more. 6.6 " vs 6.3 ".
Why Google - Pixel 9 wins
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Pixel density — 4.98% more. 422 ppi vs 402 ppi.
- ▲AnTuTu — 3.33% more. 1240000 vs 1200000.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 3).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Motorola - ThinkPhone | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 189 glead | 198 g |
| Thickness | 8.3 mmlead | 8.5 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Motorola - ThinkPhone | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.6 "lead | 6.3 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 402 ppi | 422 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 144 Hzlead | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 1200 nits | 2700 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Motorola - ThinkPhone | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MP | 50 MP |
| Front camera | 32 MPlead | 10.5 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Motorola - ThinkPhone | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5000 mAhlead | 4700 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 68 Wlead | 27 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 15 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Motorola - ThinkPhone | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Motorola - ThinkPhone | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 3 years | 7 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, ThinkPhone or Pixel 9?+
ThinkPhone has 6.4% more battery — 5000 mAh vs 4700 mAh.
Which is lighter, ThinkPhone or Pixel 9?+
ThinkPhone is 9g lighter — 189g vs 198g.
Is ThinkPhone waterproof?+
ThinkPhone has an IP68 rating.
Does Pixel 9 support 5G?+
Yes, Pixel 9 supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, ThinkPhone or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, ThinkPhone or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 has a 50 MP main camera vs 50 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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