Between the ThinkPhone and Pixel 9a, the ThinkPhone comes out ahead in wired charging and front camera, while the Pixel 9a wins on pixel density and antutu. Overall, the ThinkPhone scores 64.6 and the Pixel 9a scores 63.2 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (64.6 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 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.
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.
Both ship with comparable ram, 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
- ▲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
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.
Spec-level deep dives
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