Google Pixel 6a vs Nothing Phone 3
The Verdict
The Google Pixel 6a and Nothing Phone 3 sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Google Pixel 6a is the cheaper of the two at $449 versus $799, a difference of about $350. The Nothing Phone 3 is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Google Pixel 6a stands out for same tensor chip as pixel 6 at $449, while Nothing Phone 3 is praised for unique glyph interface design with customizable led patterns. Use the side-by-side spec table below to compare cameras, displays, battery life and connectivity in detail and decide which one fits your priorities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Google Pixel 6a if…
- →Same Tensor chip as Pixel 6 at $449
- →Excellent computational photography
- →Five years of security updates
Buy the Nothing Phone 3 if…
- →Unique Glyph Interface design with customizable LED patterns
- →50 MP triple camera with 3x periscope telephoto
- →Clean Nothing OS with 5 years of Android upgrades
Pros & Cons
Google Pixel 6a
Pros
- Same Tensor chip as Pixel 6 at $449
- Excellent computational photography
- Five years of security updates
- Compact and lightweight design
- Clean stock Android experience
Cons
- 60Hz display feels dated
- Slow 18W charging
- No wireless charging
- Only 128 GB storage option
- 12.2 MP camera hardware behind Pixel 6
Nothing Phone 3
Pros
- Unique Glyph Interface design with customizable LED patterns
- 50 MP triple camera with 3x periscope telephoto
- Clean Nothing OS with 5 years of Android upgrades
- 65W fast charging and 15W wireless charging
- IP68 water and dust resistance
Cons
- 218g is on the heavier side
- USB 2.0 instead of USB 3.x
- Camera post-processing behind top flagships
Full Specifications
| Spec | Google Pixel 6a | Nothing Phone 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Android 12 | Android 15, Nothing OS 3.5 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 178 g | 218 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 3 | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus back |
| IP rating | IP67 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9 mm | 160.6 x 75.6 x 9.0 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12.2 MP, f/1.7, OIS | 50 MP, f/1.7, 24mm, 1/1.3", OIS, PDAF |
| Front camera | 8 MP, f/2.0 | 50 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps | 4K@30/60fps |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP, f/2.2 | 50 MP, f/2.2, 114-degree |
| Telephoto | — | 50 MP, f/2.7, 3x optical zoom, periscope, OIS |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 6 GB | 12 GB / 16 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4410 mAh | 5150 mAh |
| Charging | 18W wired | 65W wired |
| Wireless charging | No | 15W wireless, 5W reverse |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.1 inches | 6.67 inches |
| Type | OLED | OLED, HDR10+ |
| Resolution | 2400 x 1080 | 1260 x 2800 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 800 | 4500 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz + 2x2.25 GHz + 4x1.80 GHz) | Octa-core (1x3.21 GHz Cortex-X4 + 3x3.0 GHz A720 + 2x2.8 GHz A720 + 2x2.0 GHz A720) |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP20 | Adreno 825 |
| Chipset | Google Tensor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.1 | USB-C 2.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 (tri-band) |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 6.0 |
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Related Comparisons
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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