Google Pixel 9a vs. Nothing Telephone 3a Professional: The wise and fanatic picks

Google’s reimagined midranger

The Pixel 9a is the latest 6.3-inch midranger from Google, and offers an incredible value proposition for around $500. You get perhaps the most impressive battery life from a phone at this price point, with an upgraded 5,100mAh cell. Additionally, there’s a Tensor G4 processor, Android 15, and planned upgrades and feature drops over time.

ForRedesign makes the camera bump, with new 48MP sensor, almost flush7 years of full OS upgrades and feature dropsTensor G4 processor for speed and on-device AI100-hour battery life with Extreme Battery SaverAgainstNo Qi2 or MagSafe supportCamera bump isn’t quite flush with the back of the phoneThicker overall than Google Pixel 8aSlow charging speeds

Breaking the mold

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro features a unique design with a large, circular camera housing and a transparent back. While this makes the Phone 3a Pro thick, it enables the phone’s triple-camera system that includes a periscope telephoto lens. On top of that, you get a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset and Android 15.

ForFaster performance in certain situations with Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor Packs AI features, like automatic app drawer organization and the Essential Space3 years of OS upgrades and 6 total years of security patchesPeriscope telephoto zoom lensLarge 6.77-inch LTPO OLED displayAgainstNot optimized for U.S. use with limited cellular bandsEssential Key is positioned awkwardly and could be prone to accidental presses Performs worse in gaming performance than Nothing Phone 2a

At under $500, the new Google Pixel 9a looks to be one of the best value-focused midrangers available. It’ll compete with higher-priced phones like the iPhone 16e and OnePlus 13R but also cheaper ones like the recently-released Nothing Phone 3a Pro. While the Phone 3a Pro might actually offer a better value proposition than the latest Pixel 9a, it works better in some regions than others.

For users in Europe or India, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro might edge out the Pixel 9a with its dedicated telephoto camera. But for everyone else, the Google Pixel 9a is more appealing, with full support for North American cellular bands. It also has a better processor, longer software support, and more AI features. Let’s break down how these two midrange phones compare.

Google Pixel 9a vs. Nothing Phone 3a Pro: Design and display

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Ironically, the Google Pixel 9a is the midrange smartphone with a design that could be better described as “nothing.” With a nearly flat back and the recognizable Pixel camera bar gone, the Pixel 9a doesn’t have many unique aspects of its design. It does come in four colors: Obsidian, Porcelain, Iris, and Peony. The side rails feature a satin metal finish, and the back is made out of polycarbonate plastic.

Instead of having a thinner body and a protruding camera bar, Google made the entire Pixel 9a measure 8.9mm thick, filling the extra space with a bigger battery. The phone is still more compact than the Nothing Phone 3a Pro overall, as the Pixel 9a measures 154.7mm x 73.3mm x 8.9mm. However, it is noticeably thicker. At 185.9 grams, the Pixel 9a will feel significantly lighter in the hand than the Phone 3a Pro.

(IMAGE CREDIT: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

While the Nothing Phone 3a Pro’s looks aren’t for everyone, it does appear to have a better design than the Pixel 9a. It features Nothing character elements like the lighted Glyph Interface and the transparent back cover. Then, there’s the massive circular camera bump, which looks jarring at first but may grow on you over time. Really, these two phones’ design language couldn’t be more different. One is basic, and the other is striking.

With a 6.77-inch screen, the Phone 3a Pro is bigger overall than the Pixel 9a. Nothing’s higher-end mid-ranger measures 163.52mm x 77.5mm x 8.39mm, meaning it somehow finds a way to remain thinner than Google’s offering. At 211 grams, it’s much heavier than the Pixel 9a. Google has the advantage in durability, with IP68 protection against dust and water ingress and Gorilla Glass 3 on the front. Meanwhile, the Phone 3a Pro has a lesser IP64 rating and a Panda Glass covering.

(Image credit: Michael Hicks / Android Central)

The Pixel 9a has a 6.3-inch pOLED screen, and it’s bigger and better than last year’s model. The panel has a 1080 x 2424 resolution and can hit 120Hz refresh rates, but it isn’t an LTPO display. That means it can’t fluctuate smoothly between refresh rates — it can only switch between 60Hz and 120Hz. It’s very bright, with 2,700 nits peak brightness.

By comparison, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro has a bigger screen than the Pixel 9a and uses a more advanced LTPO panel. It’s a 6.77-inch LTPO OLED screen with a 2392 x 1080 resolution and HDR10 support. It beats out the Pixel 9a with 3,000 nits of peak brightness, too. For anyone with sensitive eyes, the Phone 3a Pro’s 2160Hz PWM dimming will be appreciated.

(Image credit: Brady Snyder / Android Central)

However, one advantage of the Pixel 9a is that it isn’t a giant smartphone. The more compact form factor will be loved by fans of small phones, whereas the Phone 3a Pro is ideal for people who love big screens.

Google Pixel 9a vs. Nothing Phone 3a Pro: Hardware and specs

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While the Google Tensor G4 chip isn’t as strong of a performer as the best options from Apple and Qualcomm, it’s likely better than the midrange chip inside the Nothing Phone 3a Pro. Nothing’s midranger is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, which is a recently refreshed processor optimized for AI. However, the Pixel 9a has the exact same Tensor G4 chip as the rest of the Google Pixel 9 series, which is a key advantage.

Additionally, our tests found that the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 in the Phone 3a Pro actually performed worse in gaming tasks than the MediaTek chip in the last-generation Phone 2a. As such, depending on your workflow, the Phone 3a Pro might not be as much of an upgrade as you may expect.

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Google Pixel 9a vs. Nothing Phone 3a Pro: Cameras and software

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The difference-maker between these two phones may boil down to their camera systems, as the Pixel 9a has two rear cameras, whereas the Phone 3a Pro has three. Crucially, that third Phone 3a Pro sensor is a periscope telephoto lens, which makes lossless zoom shots possible. As someone who loves taking zoom shots at sporting events and concerts, the 3x optical zoom (6x with sensor crop) offered by the Nothing Phone 3a Pro is a key advantage.

Google’s main sensors are known for producing quality shots with the help of great computational photography, and that might help the Pixel 9a. It uses a 48MP, f/1.7 main sensor with a 1/2-inch image sensor size. That’s paired with a 13MP, f/2.2 ultrawide with a 120-degree field of view. This year, the Pixel 9a supports advanced camera modes, like Astrophotography.

(Image credit: Brady Snyder / Android Central)

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro’s main camera is a 50MP, f/1.88 sensor from Samsung, and it features a 1/1.56-inch sensor size. It’s joined by a 50MP, f/2.55 periscope telephoto lens from that can do up to 3x optical periscope zoom. Rounding out the rear camera system is an 8MP, f/2.2 ultrawide camera from Sony with a 120-degree field of view.

Putting it all together, the Phone 3a Pro has the telephoto advantage, while the Pixel 9a could win with its main and ultrawide lenses. Nothing also offers a 50MP front-facing camera, while Google gives the Pixel 9a a 13MP selfie camera.

(Image credit: Brady Snyder / Android Central)

Google’s Pixel 9a has a clear edge in terms of software, with seven years of full OS upgrades and feature drops. Meanwhile, Nothing will only give the Phone 3a Pro three years of OS upgrades and six total years of security patches. Both phones feature plenty of AI, with Google’s Gemini and the Nothing-exclusive Essential Space.

Google Pixel 9a vs. Nothing Phone 3a Pro: Which one should you buy?

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Overall, the Google Pixel 9a is likely to be the more polished option at the sub-$500 price point. It has excellent Google software and plenty of AI features, plus a reliable camera system. More importantly, users in the U.S. will notice that the Pixel 9a has full carrier support, unlike the Nothing Phone 3a Pro. As such, the Pixel 9a is the easier phone to recommend than the Phone 3a Pro, even if the latter wins a few battles on the spec sheet.

Enthusiasts will be most likely to take a chance with the Nothing Phone 3a Pro. It has an interesting, transparent design with a Glyph Interface made up of three lighted strips. Plus, getting a periscope telephoto lens on a midrange phone is a nice perk. With that being said, weak cellular support in the U.S. and nonexistent Verizon support will be a dealbreaker for many.

The sensible option

The Google Pixel 9a, with full support for 5G connectivity in North America, is the best choice at the sub-$500 price point. Add in the fast Tensor G4 processor and a full slate of Google AI and Gemini features, and the Pixel 9a figures to be a compelling package.

Excellent in certain regions

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro is ideal for use in places where it is fully supported, like Europe and India. Buyers in those markets can take advantage of the Phone 3a Pro’s capable camera system, fast processor, and unique Nothing OS 3 flavor.

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