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The Google Pixel 9A and the Nothing Phone 3a were released in similar timelines, with the Phone 3a being released in March 2025, and the Pixel 9A launched a month later, in April. Both are impressive mid-range smartphones, featuring superb displays, a great set of cameras, and high-end performance.
While they aren't exactly priced the same, it's easy to see why these phones are compared and why they'd make for an excellent mid-range smartphone. If you are in the market for either of these phones, you may be confused between choosing the less expensive Nothing phone or the more premium-looking Pixel.
In this article, we'll compare the two phones based on their specs, performance, and more, and see which one is worth buying in 2025.
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Google Pixel 9A vs Nothing Phone 3a: Specs and features
Both the Google Pixel 9A and the Nothing Phone 3a are solid mid-range smartphones. They're both packed with the latest technologies that make them excellent daily drivers, especially appealing to those who aren't keen on spending a premium on a smartphone.
Here's a detailed specs comparison:
Also read: 5 best gaming phones to buy in 2025
Performance
As you can see from the table above, the Pixel 9A features the latest Google Tensor G4 chipset. The Tensor G4 isn't entirely designed for power or speed but rather efficiency, which is what makes it stand out among other phones. This greatly helps with the battery, which we'll discuss in the section below. Benchmarks also suggest that it should be great for high-end gaming as well.
The Google Pixel 9A can run most modern mobile games at relatively high settings without any performance-related issues. Its 120 Hz screen can handle many games like PUBG or Call of Duty at 60-90 FPS. Demanding games like Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves easily run at the highest settings.
The Nothing Phone 3a comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, which is a great mid-range processor for multitasking and gaming. It handles BGMI, COD, and PUBG at 90 FPS. Thus, it will run most modern titles at the highest settings without performance issues.
That said, the Google Tensor G4 chip will undoubtedly be the better option here in terms of raw performance. Tensor chips usually rank lower than Snapdragon processors. However, in this case, games run at a max of 90 FPS on both devices, but performance on the Pixel 9A is slightly smoother and more efficient.
Display
Both phones have beautiful displays, with the Google Pixel 9A featuring a smaller 6.3-inch OLED display, and the Nothing Phone 3a featuring a slightly larger 6.7-inch AMOLED screen. The Pixel's OLED screen produces bright color tones and is perfect for watching content and playing games. AMOLED is considered to be better than the standard OLED display, but the difference is quite minute.
The refresh rate of both phones is 120 Hz, so watching movies and gaming on either of these devices will be super fluid and lag-free. Both devices also feature HDR, so you can enjoy media with increased brightness and much more vibrant color levels.
The Pixel 9A features a 2700 nits peak brightness, while the latter comes with a whopping 3000 nits peak brightness. Both of these numbers are extremely high, and users of either of these devices will have no issues viewing the screen in even the brightest locations.
Battery
While Google claims that the Pixel 9A's 5100 mAh battery lasts 30 hours, user reviews suggest it lasts around 13-14 hours of moderate use, which is also super impressive. You may get a few hours extra with lighter use, but runtimes will significantly differ based on your activities. Moreover, it also features Extreme Battery Saver, which turns off additional features, pauses apps, and slows down the processing speeds for extended battery life.
The Nothing Phone 3a, on the other hand, features a 5000 mAh battery, which lasts around 10-11 hours based on usage. This is great too, as most users suggest the phone lasts all day, even with moderate use.
The Google Pixel 9A's efficient processor and larger battery give it the edge in terms of device runtime and would be the better option if you're a power user.
Also read: Pixel 10 series renders leaked: Everything you need to know
Google Pixel 9A vs Nothing Phone 3a: Which has the better camera?
The Google Pixel 9A comes with three cameras, including a 48MP wide and a 13MP ultrawide camera capable of shooting extremely sharp pictures with great color tones. It shoots excellent high-quality videos as well and can shoot up to 4K video at 60 FPS. The front camera can shoot up to 4K at 30 FPS, thus, the 9A will come in handy if you're a content creator.
Pixel phones have always made great use of AI to enhance images. Add Me is a feature that uses AI to combine two pictures taken in the same scene, allowing everyone to be included in the shot.
The new Nothing Phone 3a has three cameras, featuring a 50MP OIS main lens, a 50MP telephoto, and an 8MP ultrawide. Nothing's OS has always been known to be great at optimizing pictures, and the same goes for the Phone 3a, which is capable of shooting vibrant pictures with great depth. It shoots up to 4K video at 30 FPS on the rear camera and up to 1080p at 30 FPS on the front camera.
As always, the Google Pixel 9A takes the win when it comes to camera quality. Despite having fewer cameras, it shoots far more realistic images with brighter color tones and darker shadows. The pictures on the Phone 3a look incredibly realistic, but lack the vibrance in comparison. It's not that the images on the Nothing Phone look bad, but the Pixel takes it away with the brighter color tones and wider dynamic range.
Final verdict
In conclusion, the Google Pixel 9A wins this comparison, as it beats the Nothing Phone 3a in terms of performance, camera quality, and battery life. It runs the most demanding Android games at the best settings, while being capable of capturing high-res pictures, and features an all-day battery.
While it is a little more expensive, it delivers when it comes to features. Most importantly, its bloat-free OS makes it the perfect daily driver.
However, those a little tight on budget can consider the Nothing Phone 3a, as it is a beast for the price. One of its standout features would be its bright, colorful display and the stunning pictures captured by its cameras. While it's slightly inferior in terms of performance, it still delivers great results for a phone of its price.
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