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WhichPhoneToBuy

Google Pixel 9 vs Nothing Phone (3a)

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

Which should you buy?

Pick the Google Pixel 9 for

  • Lighter: 198 g vs 201 g (3 g less)
  • More compact: 10.7 mm shorter
  • OS updates for longer, until Aug 2031
  • 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"
  • Brighter display: 3,000 vs 2,700 nits peak
  • Optical zoom (2×), which the other lacks
  • Newer: launched March 2025

Size comparison

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

  • Google Pixel 9152.8 × 72 × 8.5 mm
  • Nothing Phone (3a)163.5 × 77.5 × 8.4 mm

Specs side by side

LaunchGoogle Pixel 9Nothing Phone (3a)
AnnouncedAugust 13, 2024March 4, 2025
ReleasedAugust 22, 2024March 11, 2025
Launch price$799—
BodyGoogle Pixel 9Nothing Phone (3a)
Size152.8 × 72 × 8.5 mm163.5 × 77.5 × 8.4 mm
Thickness8.5 mm8.4 mm
Weight198 g (better)201 g
FramePolished metalpolycarbonate1
BackSilky matte glassglass1
Water resistanceIP68 (better)IP64
ColoursPeony, Wintergreen, Porcelain, Obsidian1Black, White, Blue
DisplayGoogle Pixel 9Nothing Phone (3a)
Size6.3"6.77"
TypeActuaLTPS Flexible AMOLED
Resolution1080 × 24241080 × 2392
Refresh rate120 Hz120 Hz
Peak brightness2,700 nits13,000 nits (better)
ProtectionGorilla Glass Victus 2Panda Glass
Performance and softwareGoogle Pixel 9Nothing 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 Aug 2031) (better)3 years (to Mar 2028)
Security updates7 years (to Aug 2031)6 years (to Mar 2031)
MemoryGoogle Pixel 9Nothing Phone (3a)
RAM12 GB8 GB / 12 GB
Storage128 GB / 256 GB128 GB / 256 GB
Card slotNo1No
CamerasGoogle Pixel 9Nothing Phone (3a)
Rear50 MP Main 48 MP Ultrawide50 MP Main, OIS 50 MP Telephoto (2× optical) 8 MP Ultrawide
Main camera50 MP50 MP
Optical zoomNone2× (better)
Front10.5 MP32 MP
Video4K4k @30 fps
BatteryGoogle Pixel 9Nothing Phone (3a)
Capacity4,700 mAh5,000 mAh (better)
Wired charging27 W150 W (better)
Wireless charging15 W—
Reverse wirelessYes1Yes1
ConnectivityGoogle Pixel 9Nothing Phone (3a)
5GYes1Yes
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 jackNo1No
eSIMYes—
Satellite messagingYes—
FeaturesGoogle Pixel 9Nothing Phone (3a)
FingerprintUnder display1On-screen optical1
Stereo speakersYes1Yes

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

Quick answers

Is the Google Pixel 9 bigger than the Nothing Phone (3a)?
The Google Pixel 9 is 10.7 mm shorter, 5.5 mm narrower and 3 g lighter than the Nothing Phone (3a). Its screen is 0.47" smaller.
Which has the bigger battery, the Google Pixel 9 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: its maker promises OS updates until around August 2031, against March 2028 for the Nothing Phone (3a).

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