Pixel 9a vs Pixel 9 preliminary comparison: Immense value meets unbeatable price tag
Intro
We are expecting the Pixel 9 to arrive in March 2025 with many intriguing upgrades, elevating Google's classic affordable phone line to new levels. We expect a new design language, a larger display, and a significantly larger battery to strengthen Google's affordable phone lineup.
Meanwhile, the Pixel 9 is already available as the most affordable latest Pixel phone, with all the exciting bits and pieces that make it such a decent competitor to the iPhone 16 and the Galaxy 24.
Pixel 9a vs Pixel 9 expected differences:
| Phone X | Phone Y |
|---|---|
| A 6.3-inch Actua 60/120Hz OLED display with potentially high brightness | Same 6.3-inch Actua OLED with 60/120Hz refresh rate and high peak brightness |
| Design changes with a new flat design, plastic and aluminum materials | Flat design with aluminum and glass materials |
| Tensor G4 chipset | Same Tensor G4 chipset |
| 48MP main camera | 50MP main camera |
| 13MP ultrawide camera | 48MP ultrawide camera |
| 5,000mAh battery | 4,700mAh battery |
| 18W wired and 7.5 wireless charging | 27W wired and 15W wireless charging |
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Design and Size
Synergy
We expect that Google to almost bring the Pixel 9a and Pixel 9 to design parity. Rumors point out that the Pixel 9a's display will grow from 6.1 inches to 6.3 inches large, just as much as the Pixel 9.
This screen bump will come along with all the associated size increases: the rumor mill claims the upcoming device will measure 154.7 x 73.2 x 8.9mm in size, which will be ever so slightly taller, wider, and thicker than the Pixel 9, which stands at 152.8 x 72.0 x 8.5mm. The Pixel 9a will weigh 186gr, slightly less than the Pixel 9's 198gr.
The Pixel 9a will also adopt a similar design language as the Pixel 9, with a completely flat side frame, front and rear panels. The camera island at the back will also be redesigned, with the side-to-side 3D Visor of old substituted with a more detached camera island.
A pretty significant difference between the premium and affordable Pixels will be the materials used: the Pixel 9 employs an aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 glass at the front and back, whereas it's largely expected that the Pixel 9a will only use aluminum for the frame and will adopt a plastic back.
Water and dust resistance will be another area in which both will differ. The Pixel 9a will score IP67 water and dust resistance, while the Pixel 9 carries an IP68 rating. The main difference is how long and deep either can survive in freshwater: IP67 allows submersion up to a meter for as long as 30 minutes, while an IP68-rated gadget will survive in up to 3 meters of water for longer.
Display Differences
We largely expect the Pixel 9 to "donate" its display to the Pixel 9a.
Thus, we expect the same 6.3-inch Actua FHD+ OLED panel with adaptive refresh rate that renders content at either 60 or 120Hz (not as smooth as 1-120Hz screens but still better than the iPhone 16's 60Hz).
We also expect the Pixel 9a to have the same peak brightness that we measured in our Pixel 9 review of around 2,000 nits, which could be a great feature to have in an affordable device like the Pixel 9a!
As per our display benchmarks of the Pixel 9, it features a pretty decent and color-accurate screen, which is usually the case with high-end OLED panels.
The Pixel 9 has an optical in-display fingerprint scanner, while the Pixel 9a will most certainly resort to a capacitive fingerprint embedded straight into the power button.
Performance and Software
Same chip, possibly similar performance
As it is now tradition, we expect Google to put the Tensor G4 inside the Pixel 9a, the same flagship-grade chipset that clicks and ticks in just about every other Pixel 9 phone. This is great because it gives you the flagship processor at a much more affordable price tag.
The Tensor G4 is manufactured on a 4nm process, making it competitive with most current flagship chips.
While the 3nm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset will soon flood the flagship phone market, Google is committed to its Tensor lineup and will only transition to a 3nm architecture with the custom Tensor G5 chip, but we digress.
While the 3nm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset will soon flood the flagship phone market, Google is committed to its Tensor lineup and will only transition to a 3nm architecture with the custom Tensor G5 chip, but we digress.
Back to the Tensor G4, it holds its own as a solid performer. It’s mostly tuned for AI and machine learning rather than excelling in synthetic benchmarks, but handles real-world tasks effortlessly, so you'll most certainly be just enough for regular tasks, especially at the unbeatable price tag of $499.
Memory-wise, the Pixel 9a will arrive with 8GB of RAM and either 128 or 256GB of on-board storage, which is a decent memory configuration. The more premium Pixel 9 arrives with 12GB of RAM, which should be useful when on-device AI processing is factored in. The storage configurations are similar: 128GB and 256GB; you will have to go with the more expensive Pixel 9 Pro XL for extra 512GB and 1TB storage options.
Both devices will enjoy Google's seven-year software support policy, with the Pixel 9 being supported until 2031 and the upcoming Pixel 9a until 2032.
Camera
New camera alert!
We've heard it through the grapevine that the Pixel 9a will feature a 48MP camera, slightly lower resolution than the 64MP one on the Pixel 8a. However, it's expected that the Pixel 9a will score the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's main camera, which is also a 48MP one and arrives with an F1.7 aperture, a 1/2.0" sensor, 0.8µm pixels, and dual-pixel autofocus and OIS.
This is a superb camera setup; we definitely loved the main camera of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which delivered very realistic colors, balanced dynamics (though it struggled with the highlights in some scenes), and an overall pretty decent camera performance. Should the Pixel 9a come with the same hardware and software, we'd be happy campers.
Meanwhile, the Pixel 9 comes with 50MP main and new 48MP ultrawide cameras. The Pixel 9 fared significantly better in the PhoneArena Camera Score test, outpacing the Pixel 9 Pro Fold in both still photos and video-recording, so we expect the same to transpire with the Pixel 9a and Pixel 9, too.
Battery Life and Charging
5,000mAh for the win
Rumors have it the Pixel 9a might arrive with a 5,000mAh battery on deck, which could easily propel it to the top of the Pixel battery life charts. The only other device in the same family with a larger battery would be the Pixel 9 Pro XL, which comes with a 5,060mAh battery.
Paired with the efficient Tensor G4 chip, the Pixel 9a will likely outlast the Pixel 9, which "only" has a 4,700mAh battery on board. That said, the Pixel 9 fared extremely well in our custom battery tests (17 hours 34 minutes in our web browsing test, 8 hours and a half in our video streaming test, and 10 hours in our gaming test), so we have high hopes for the Pixel 9a.
One area in which the Pixel 9a will lag are charging speeds. We expect the same old 18W wired and 7.5W wireless charging to make the cut on the new affordable phone. That's not great, but par for the course for a $499 phone.
The Pixel 9, on the other hand, boasts 27W wired and 15W wireless charging. It takes an hour and 40 minutes to bring the Pixel 9 from 0 to 100%, but a brief 30-minute charging session delivers a 51% charge.
Specs Comparison
Although unofficial, most of the Pixel 9a's specs have leaked out. This means we can sort of compare the Pixel 9a vs Pixel 9 specs already. We've summarized the gist of it in the table below:
| Google Pixel 9a | Google Pixel 9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Size, weight | 154.7 x 73.2 x 8.9mm, 186gr | 152.8 x 72.0 x 8.5mm, 198gr |
| Screen | 6.3" Actua FHD+ OLED 60/120Hz | 6.3" Actua FHD+ OLED 60/120Hz |
| Processor | Tensor G4, 4nm | Tensor G4, 4nm |
| RAM, Storage | 8GB/128GB 8GB/256GB | 12GB/128GB 12GB/256GB |
| Cameras | 48MP main 13MP ultrawide 13MP front | 50MP main, f/1.68, 1/1.31" sensor 48MP ultra, f/1.7, 1/1.25" sensor 10.5MP front |
| Battery | 5,000maAh | 4,700mAh |
| Charging | USB-C 18W wired 7.5W wireless | USB-C 27W wired 15W wireless |
Summary
Provided that the Pixel 9a arrives with those specs at a $499 price tag, it will be a smash-hit success story for the affordable phone market. The Pixel 9 normally costs $799, mind you.
Judging from what we're seeing, the Pixel 9a will be the same phone as the Pixel 9 minus a high-res ultrawide and with potentially much better battery life at a significantly lower price tag.
This is probably the reason why Google is releasing it so in March: it would eat up most of the new Pixels' market share for a snack.
We can't help but be pretty excited for what Google's affordable lineup has in store for us. It sounds like the Pixel 9a could be a spectacular and very competitive release.
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