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WhichPhoneToBuy

Google Pixel 9 Pro vs Nothing Phone (3a)

The Google Pixel 9 Pro comes out ahead on 6 counts and the Nothing Phone (3a) on 4.

Which should you buy?

Pick the Google Pixel 9 Pro for

  • More compact: 10.7 mm shorter
  • Longer optical zoom: 5× vs 2×
  • OS updates for longer, until Sep 2031
  • More RAM: up to 16 GB vs 12 GB
  • More storage: up to 1 TB vs 256 GB
  • Better water resistance: IP68 vs IP64

Pick the Nothing Phone (3a) for

  • Bigger battery: 5,000 vs 4,700 mAh (6% more)
  • Faster wired charging: 50 W vs 27 W
  • Bigger screen: 6.77" vs 6.3"
  • Newer: launched March 2025

Size comparison

The Google Pixel 9 Pro is 10.7 mm shorter, 5.5 mm narrower and 2 g lighter than the Nothing Phone (3a). Its screen is 0.47" smaller.

  • Google Pixel 9 Pro152.8 × 72 × 8.5 mm
  • Nothing Phone (3a)163.5 × 77.5 × 8.4 mm

Specs side by side

LaunchGoogle Pixel 9 ProNothing Phone (3a)
AnnouncedAugust 13, 2024March 4, 2025
ReleasedSeptember 4, 2024March 11, 2025
Launch price$999—
BodyGoogle Pixel 9 ProNothing Phone (3a)
Size152.8 × 72 × 8.5 mm163.5 × 77.5 × 8.4 mm
Thickness8.5 mm8.4 mm
Weight199 g201 g
Framepolished metalpolycarbonate1
Backmatte glassglass1
Water resistanceIP68 (better)IP64
ColoursPorcelain, Rose Quartz, Hazel, ObsidianBlack, White, Blue
DisplayGoogle Pixel 9 ProNothing Phone (3a)
Size6.3"6.77"
TypeLTPO OLEDLTPS Flexible AMOLED
Resolution1280 × 2856 (better)1080 × 2392
Refresh rate120 Hz120 Hz
Peak brightness3,000 nits3,000 nits
ProtectionGorilla Glass Victus 2Panda Glass
Performance and softwareGoogle Pixel 9 ProNothing Phone (3a)
ChipsetGoogle Tensor G4Qualcomm SM7635 Snapdragon 7s Gen 3
CPU1x 3.1 GHz Cortex-X4 + 3x 2.6 GHz Cortex-A720 + 4x 1.9 GHz Cortex-A5201Octa-core (1x2.5 GHz Cortex-A720 & 3x2.4 GHz Cortex-A720 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A520)
Process—4 nm
Ships withAndroid 14Android 16 with Nothing OS 4.0
OS updates7 years (to Sep 2031) (better)3 years (to Mar 2028)
Security updates7 years (to Sep 2031)6 years (to Mar 2031)
MemoryGoogle Pixel 9 ProNothing Phone (3a)
RAM16 GB (better)8 GB / 12 GB
Storage128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB (better)128 GB / 256 GB
Card slot—No
CamerasGoogle Pixel 9 ProNothing Phone (3a)
Rear50 MP Main 48 MP Ultrawide 48 MP Telephoto (5× optical)50 MP Main, OIS 50 MP Telephoto (2× optical) 8 MP Ultrawide
Main camera50 MP50 MP
Optical zoom5× (better)2×
Front42 MP32 MP
Video8K at 30 FPS4k @30 fps
BatteryGoogle Pixel 9 ProNothing Phone (3a)
Capacity4,700 mAh5,000 mAh (better)
Wired charging27 W50 W (better)
Wireless charging21 W—
Reverse wirelessYesYes1
ConnectivityGoogle Pixel 9 ProNothing Phone (3a)
5GYesYes
Wi-FiWi-Fi 7802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Bluetooth5.35.4
NFCYesYes
USBUSB-C 3.2USB Type-C
Headphone jack—No
eSIMYes—
Satellite messagingYes—
FeaturesGoogle Pixel 9 ProNothing Phone (3a)
FingerprintFingerprint Unlock1On-screen optical1
Stereo speakersYesYes

Highlighted: the better value where one is clearly better. Sources for each phone are listed on the Google Pixel 9 Pro and Nothing Phone (3a) pages.

Quick answers

Is the Google Pixel 9 Pro bigger than the Nothing Phone (3a)?
The Google Pixel 9 Pro is 10.7 mm shorter, 5.5 mm narrower and 2 g lighter than the Nothing Phone (3a). Its screen is 0.47" smaller.
Which has the bigger battery, the Google Pixel 9 Pro or the Nothing Phone (3a)?
The Nothing Phone (3a) has the bigger battery: 5,000 mAh against 4,700 mAh. Real battery life also depends on the chip and screen.
Which gets software updates for longer?
The Google Pixel 9 Pro: its maker promises OS updates until around September 2031, against March 2028 for the Nothing Phone (3a).

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