Google Pixel 9vsNothing Phone (3a)
SETTLEDUpdated September 8, 2026
Nothing Phone (3a) wins
Verdict
Nothing Phone (3a) wins 3 of 5 categories — our overall pick
Nothing Phone (3a) is the overall winner, 3 / 5 — price is its standout. At USD 379, it's also the most affordable of this group.
- Google Pixel 9 takes Performance — led by ram (12 GB).
- Nothing Phone (3a) takes Display — led by screen size (6.77 in).
- Nothing Phone (3a) takes Camera — led by telephoto (Yes).
- Google Pixel 9 takes Battery — led by wireless charging (Yes).
- Nothing Phone (3a) takes Price — led by price (379 USD).
Scores follow our published methodology · v2026.09
In plain English
Choose Google Pixel 9 if you want…
- Choose Google Pixel 9 if you want a faster phone for apps and games — 1,000,000 pts vs 700,000 pts.
- Choose Google Pixel 9 if you want more apps open at once — 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- Choose Google Pixel 9 if you want a sharper screen — 422 ppi vs 388 ppi.
- Choose Google Pixel 9 if you want better video quality — 93 pts vs 87 pts.
- Choose Google Pixel 9 if you want a better camera — 143 pts vs 126 pts.
- Choose Google Pixel 9 if you want the convenience of wireless charging — Yes vs No.
Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want…
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a bigger screen — 6.77 in vs 6.3 in.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a screen you can read in sunlight — 3,000 nits vs 2,700 nits.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want sharper selfies — 32 MP vs 10.5 MP.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want true optical zoom — Yes vs No.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want longer battery life — 5,000 mAh vs 4,700 mAh.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want faster charging — 50 W vs 27 W.
- Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if you want a lower price — 379 USD vs 799 USD.
At a glance
- Google Pixel 9
- Nothing Phone (3a)
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Best price now
The cheap alternative
Full record
Every spec, side by side — winners get a check and a proportional bar. Ties share the badge.
Performance score
Approximate benchmark score of the chipset — higher is faster for apps, games and AI.
Chipset
The processor inside — shown for reference, never decides a winner.
RAM
More RAM keeps more apps alive in the background.
Storage
Base onboard storage for photos, apps and media.
Screen size
Diagonal screen size — bigger is better for media, smaller is easier to hold.
Pixel density
Sharpness of the screen — above ~400 ppi looks crisp.
Refresh rate
How smooth scrolling and motion feel. 120 Hz is the modern standard.
Peak brightness
Peak brightness in sunlight — higher stays readable outdoors.
Main camera
Resolution of the primary rear camera — photo quality is judged by the Camera quality score, not megapixels.
Selfie camera
Resolution of the front camera.
Telephoto
A dedicated zoom lens for distant subjects without quality loss.
Video score
Composite video rating — stabilisation, 4K/8K support and colour.
Camera score
Composite camera quality from independent testing — how good the photos actually are.
Battery
Battery capacity — higher generally lasts longer.
Charging speed
Wired charging speed — higher refills faster.
Wireless charging
Whether the phone charges wirelessly.
Price
Typical MSRP in US dollars — lower is better value.
Which one should you buy?
Google Pixel 9
Choose Google Pixel 9 if battery matters most. It costs USD 799.
Nothing Phone (3a)
Choose Nothing Phone (3a) if price matters most — it wins the most categories overall. It costs USD 379, the lowest price in this group.
Pros & cons
Google Pixel 9
- Best-in-class photo processing
- Clean Android
- 7 years of updates
- Tensor chip trails rivals
- 27 W charging
- Average battery life
Nothing Phone (3a)
- Unique Glyph design
- 3x telephoto
- Clean software
- Mid-range chipset
- 50 W charging
- Average selfies