Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Motorola - ThinkPhone | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| Wired charging | 68 W | 23 W |
| Front camera | 32 MP | 13 MP |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 7.5 W |
| Refresh rate | 144 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Pixel density | 402 ppi | 422 ppi |
| Screen size | 6.6 " | 6.3 " |
Between the ThinkPhone and Pixel 9a, the ThinkPhone comes out ahead in wired charging / front camera, while the Pixel 9a wins on pixel density / antutu. Overall, the ThinkPhone scores 64.7 and the Pixel 9a scores 65.3 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (64.7 vs 65.3). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is 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 wired charging, front camera, wireless charging, among others. The single most decisive one: Wired charging — 195.65% more. 68 W vs 23 W.
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 pixel density, antutu, weight, among others. The single most decisive one: Pixel density — 4.98% more. 422 ppi vs 402 ppi.
Both ship with comparable ram, 5g support, water resistance, so those specs do not 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 says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Motorola - ThinkPhone or Google - Pixel 9a?
Google - Pixel 9a leads the current Mars Score by 0.6 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare screen size, pixel density, battery capacity against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Motorola - ThinkPhone if…
Motorola - ThinkPhone has the measurable edge on wired charging w, front cam mp, wireless charging w.
Choose Google - Pixel 9a if…
Google - Pixel 9a has the measurable edge on pixel density ppi, antutu score, weight g.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Motorola - ThinkPhone wins
- ▲Wired charging — 195.65% more. 68 W vs 23 W.
- ▲Front camera — 146.15% more. 32 MP vs 13 MP.
- ▲Wireless charging — 100.00% more. 15 W vs 7.5 W.
- ▲Refresh rate — 20.00% more. 144 Hz vs 120 Hz.
- ▲Screen size — 4.76% more. 6.6 " vs 6.3 ".
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
Why Google - Pixel 9a wins
- ▲Pixel density — 4.98% more. 422 ppi vs 402 ppi.
- ▲AnTuTu — 3.33% more. 1240000 vs 1200000.
- ▲Weight — 3.00 g less. 186 vs 189.
- ▲Battery capacity — 2.00% more. 5100 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 3).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Motorola - ThinkPhone | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 189 g | 186 glead |
| Thickness | 8.3 mmlead | 8.9 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Motorola - ThinkPhone | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| 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
| Spec | Motorola - ThinkPhone | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| RAMⓘ | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Storageⓘ | 256 GBlead | 128 GB |
| AnTuTuⓘ | 1200000 | 1240000lead |
| CPU total clockⓘ | 14.8 GHzlead | 14.6 GHz |
Cameras
| Spec | Motorola - ThinkPhone | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MPlead | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 32 MPlead | 13 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Motorola - ThinkPhone | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacityⓘ | 5000 mAh | 5100 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 68 Wlead | 23 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 Wlead | 7.5 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Motorola - ThinkPhone | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Motorola - ThinkPhone | Google - Pixel 9a |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 3 years | 7 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, ThinkPhone or Pixel 9a?+
Pixel 9a has 2.0% more battery — 5000 mAh vs 5100 mAh.
Which is lighter, ThinkPhone or Pixel 9a?+
Pixel 9a is 3g lighter — 189g vs 186g.
Is ThinkPhone waterproof?+
ThinkPhone has an IP68 rating.
Does Pixel 9a support 5G?+
Yes, Pixel 9a supports 5G.
Which has a better camera, ThinkPhone or Pixel 9a?+
ThinkPhone has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.