Google Pixel 9a vs Oneplus 13R: Which Phone Is Better?

If you’re in the market for a mid-range smartphone in India, the Google Pixel 9a and OnePlus 13R are two standout options in 2025. Both devices offer impressive features, but they cater to different user preferences. Let’s delve into a comprehensive comparison to help you decide which one suits your needs best.

Google Pixel 9a vs OnePlus 13R: Specification Comparison

Breaking down both devices based on their specifications, it’s immediately evident that the two are vastly different. The Google Pixel 9a, despite being a newer device, comfortably slots itself in the mid-range. Meanwhile, the OnePlus 13R blurs the line between a flagship device and a mid-ranger, especially when it comes to its price tag.

Google Pixel 9a vs OnePlus 13R: Display

In 2025, your phone’s display isn’t just for show—it’s how you experience everything. Thankfully, both the Pixel 9a and the OnePlus 13R bring solid panels to the table, but with noticeably different specs and strengths.

The Pixel 9a finally brings a 120Hz refresh rate to Google’s A-series, featuring a 6.3-inch Full HD+ OLED display that is quite impressive. While it may not match the peak brightness or resolution of the OnePlus 13R, the Pixel 9a delivers clean, natural colors and deep contrast that enhance the overall viewing experience. However, it does lack LTPO technology, which could have improved battery efficiency. Although Google claims the phone supports HDR, it does not mention compatibility with Dolby Vision or HDR10+ like the OnePlus 13R does, leaving us uncertain about whether the Pixel 9a can play back those formats. On a positive note, its display performs better in daylight conditions compared to that of the OnePlus 13R.

On the flip side, the OnePlus 13R goes all out with its display. You’re getting a much larger 6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED panel that’s not only sharper but also brighter in HDR playback—topping out at a wild 4,500 nits of peak brightness. Additionally, OnePlus 13R supports Dolby Vision and HDR 10+.  It’s also an LTPO display, meaning it can smartly switch between 1Hz and 120Hz based on what you’re doing, helping conserve battery while still feeling superfluid.

Whether you’re gaming, streaming HDR content, or just navigating your home screen, everything looks crisp, vibrant, and incredibly smooth. Plus, the slightly curved edges give it a sleeker, more modern feel.

Google Pixel 9a vs OnePlus 13R: Performance & Software

The Google Pixel 9a features Google’s Tensor G4 chip, emphasizing AI-driven tasks and efficient performance. While it may not match the raw power of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, it excels in delivering a smooth and intelligent user experience.

Gaming, however, isn’t the Pixel 9a’s strongest suit. Its Mali-G715 MP7 GPU runs games like Call of Duty Mobile and Genshin Impact decently at medium to high settings, but not at ultra. The device heats up under stress, and frame drops do occur during extended gaming sessions. Plus, with only 60Hz gaming support in some titles due to software limitations, gamers might find it lacking.

On the bright side however, the Pixel 9a runs on Android 15 and stands out with its commitment to seven years of OS and security updates. This essentially future-proofs your device, putting it above the OnePlus 13R in this respect.

In contrast to this, the OnePlus 13R is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, delivering top-tier performance suitable for gaming and multitasking. With up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage, it ensures swift app launches and smooth multitasking.

When it comes to gaming, you’re looking at a phone that can comfortably push ultra settings on Genshin Impact, hit 90fps in BGMI, and cruise through Call of Duty: Mobile with all graphics sliders maxed out. The Adreno 750 delivers consistent frame rates with minimal thermal throttling—especially when combined with the phone’s large vapor chamber cooling system.

Running on OxygenOS 15 based on Android 15, it offers a clean and customizable user experience. OnePlus promises four years of OS updates and six years of security patches. This is solid, but not as impressive as the Google Pixel 9a’s software update roadmap.

Google Pixel 9a vs OnePlus 13R: Camera Comparison

Cameras have become a core feature for everyday users—whether you’re snapping food pics, taking selfies, or capturing spontaneous moments. The Pixel 9a and OnePlus 13R take very different approaches here, and each has its strengths.

Google Pixel 9a

Google has long been the king of smartphone photography in the mid-range space, and the Pixel 9a continues that legacy. Despite only packing two cameras on the back, it’s all about quality over quantity.

• Main Camera: 48MP f/1.89 with OIS (optical image stabilization)
• Ultra-wide: 13MP, 120° field of view
• Front Camera: 13MP selfie shooter

Thanks to the Tensor G4 chip, features like Real Tone, Night Sight, Magic Eraser, and Best Take work faster and better than ever. Low-light performance is stunning—even without a dedicated night mode, it captures detailed, natural-looking photos in dim lighting. Skin tones are beautifully accurate, dynamic range is excellent, and shots are true-to-life without going overboard on saturation.

The ultra-wide camera is also surprisingly good for the price, producing clean, distortion-free shots with great edge detail but its performance deteriorates in low-light conditions. When it comes to the front camera, the quality is once again excellent. Front camera shots are detailed, colours are accurate, and the background separation is nearly perfect, which produces shots with great bokeh effect.

The video performance of the main camera is quite impressive, supporting 4K at 60fps, providing excellent stabilization, and capturing clear audio. While it lacks features like 8K recording and extensive manual controls, it delivers consistently reliable results, making it ideal for Instagram Reels or vlogging. However, it’s important to note that the video quality from the ultra-wide camera is not as good; it tends to suffer from noise and appears soft.

OnePlus 13R

The OnePlus 13R goes for the all-rounder approach with three rear cameras:

• Main Camera: 50MP Sony LYT-700 with OIS
• Telephoto: 50MP ISOCELL JN5 with 2X optical zoom
• Ultra-wide: 8MP with 112° field of view
• Front Camera: 16MP selfie camera

On paper, that 50MP Sony sensor is very capable—it’s the same one used in many flagships. Daylight shots are vibrant, sharp, and pop with contrast. But OnePlus’s image processing still has some room to grow compared to Google’s.

Colors can be a bit oversaturated (especially reds and greens), and dynamic range sometimes struggles in high-contrast scenes. The 8MP ultra-wide is functional, but lacks detail and performs poorly in low light. OnePlus’ 50MP telephoto lens meanwhile, works surprisingly well and delivers flagship-worthy results.

Low-light shots meanwhile, are mostly excellent. The shooting mode is automatically set to Night, which boosts the clarity and sharpness of images while allowing more light in. While it does make for a nice, sharp image, it can sometimes go too far with the post-processing, resulting in artificially looking images. If you don’t have a keen eye for detail, however, it’s not a huge factor.

The main camera samples look pretty solid. They are clean, sharp, detailed, and offer a wide dynamic range. Maybe even a bit too sharp at times. The Night mode seems a bit too aggressive at times and boosts the sharpness a bit too much, creating an artificial look.

Video-wise, the 13R supports 4K at 60fps and slow-mo up to 960fps, which is impressive. Unfortunately, the actual results range from alright to underwhelming. Video from the main camera is detailed, but colours are washed out, resulting in pale footage. The 2x zoom is unimpressive, being too soft and lacking in sharpness. The same goes for the ultrawide, which has flaws, but worse.

Google Pixel 9a vs OnePlus 13R: Battery Life

The OnePlus 13R features a massive 6,000mAh battery, one of the largest in its segment. This isn’t just a number—real-world usage confirms it can easily last a day and a half, even with heavy usage. The 13R also supports 80W SuperVOOC wired fast charging, which OnePlus claims can take the battery from 1% to 100% in around 35 minutes.

There’s no wireless charging on the 13R, which might disappoint some, but with such blazing fast wired speeds, most users won’t miss it. It also lacks reverse charging, but again, this phone is clearly focused on raw performance and battery longevity.

On the other side, the Pixel 9a comes with a 5,100mAh battery, which is still plenty capable for a full day’s worth of use. Google’s software optimization, thanks to the Tensor G4 chip and Android 15, helps squeeze out efficient usage from that battery. You can expect around 6-7 hours of screen-on time, depending on your mix of activities.

Charging-wise, the Pixel 9a supports 23W wired charging—a far cry from the OnePlus’s 80W. That means a full charge will take around 80-90 minutes, which feels a little dated in 2025. However, the Pixel 9a brings in wireless charging at 7.5W, which is still rare in this price segment.

Google Pixel 9a vs OnePlus 13R: Value and Pricing

When you’re spending ₹40,000–₹50,000 on a smartphone, you want maximum bang for your buck—and this is where these two phones really diverge in value strategy.

OnePlus 13R: Feature-Packed for Less

The OnePlus 13R starts at ₹42,999 for the 12GB RAM + 256GB variant, and goes up to ₹47,999 for the beefier 16GB RAM + 512GB storage option. At this price, you’re getting flagship-level specs—Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, a 120Hz AMOLED display with 4,500 nits of peak brightness, 80W fast charging, and a triple-camera system.

Realistically, savvy shoppers could get the 13R for under ₹40,000 with offers—putting it dangerously close to budget flagship territory. If raw performance and spec-to-price ratio matter to you, the OnePlus 13R is hard to beat.

Google Pixel 9a: Premium Software, Premium Price

The Pixel 9a is priced at ₹49,999 for the 256GB variant, the 128GB variant is not sold in India. It’s a significant step up from the OnePlus 13R in terms of price, which can be hard to justify for many even if it reflects a different value proposition.

Instead of chasing specs, the Pixel 9a offers a refined software experience, stellar camera capabilities, and a guarantee of 7 years of OS and security updates. That’s unmatched in this price segment, and even rivals what Apple offers for longevity You’re essentially paying for ecosystem stability, AI integration, and the trust that your phone won’t feel outdated five years from now.

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