Between the Phone (3a) and Pixel 9, the Phone (3a) comes out ahead in front camera and wired charging, while the Pixel 9 wins on antutu and ram. Overall, the Phone (3a) scores 62.5 and the Pixel 9 scores 63.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (62.5 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 Phone (3a) 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, screen size, 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 antutu, ram, pixel density, among others.
Both ship with comparable main camera, refresh rate, 5g support, 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) wins
- ▲Front camera — 204.76% more. 32 MP vs 10.5 MP.
- ▲Wired charging — 85.19% more. 50 W vs 27 W.
- ▲Screen size — 7.46% more. 6.77 " vs 6.3 ".
- ▲Battery capacity — 6.38% more. 5000 mAh vs 4700 mAh.
Why Google - Pixel 9 wins
- ▲AnTuTu — 51.22% more. 1240000 vs 820000.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Pixel density — 9.04% more. 422 ppi vs 387 ppi.
- ▲Weight — 3.00 g less. 198 vs 201.
- ▲Water resistance: IP68 (vs IP64).
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 3).
- ▲Wireless charging: 15 W vs 0 W.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Nothing - Phone (3a) | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 201 g | 198 glead |
| Thickness | 8.4 mmlead | 8.5 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP64 | IP68lead |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Nothing - Phone (3a) | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MP | 50 MP |
| Front camera | 32 MPlead | 10.5 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Nothing - Phone (3a) | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5000 mAhlead | 4700 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 50 Wlead | 27 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 0 W | 15 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Nothing - Phone (3a) | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Nothing - Phone (3a) | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 3 years | 7 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Phone (3a) or Pixel 9?+
Phone (3a) has 6.4% more battery — 5000 mAh vs 4700 mAh.
Which is lighter, Phone (3a) or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 is 3g lighter — 201g vs 198g.
Is Phone (3a) waterproof?+
Phone (3a) has an IP64 rating.
Does Pixel 9 support 5G?+
Yes, Pixel 9 supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Phone (3a) or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Phone (3a) or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 has a 50 MP main camera vs 50 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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