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And OnePlus has worked hard to steadily improve camera performance on its phones.
Still, thePixel 9aenjoys some advantages out of the gate over the OnePlus 13R.
Pixel 9a
And that’s before we talk about Google’s reputation for producing thebest camera phonesamong midrange devices.
That gets you a 128GB phone, with a 256GB model available for $100 more.
The OnePlus 13R is at a slight disadvantage here, since it costs $599.
Pixel 9a
We’re still waiting for the Pixel 9a to go on sale.
Google says that will happen in April.
Google’s phone abandons the prominent camera bar that’s characterized recent Pixel releases.
Contrast that with the OnePlus 13R and its “Hey, look at me!”
approach to its camera array.
(The Pixel 9a uses the older Gorilla Glass 3.)
That’s because the Pixel 9a offers iP68 water resistance, so it can be submerged in water.
The OnePlus 13R’s IP64 rating protects it against splashes, but that’s it.
Those last two colors look pretty bright when compared to more staid monochrome tones.
Both phones feature OLED screens, which have adaptive refresh rates.
The Pixel 9a scales between 60Hz and 120Hz depending on your on-screen activity.
Just hand the Pixel model the camera phone crown and move on.
But OnePlus’s efforts to bolster its cameras are paying off, and the OnePlus 13R is proof.
The Pixel 9a features just two rear cameras.
The Pixel 9a does pick up a few more tricks, like a macro mode and astrophotography support.
Pixel 9a
That sets up a tricky comparison with the OnePlus 13R.
All right, the super-sized 6,000 mAh battery inside the OnePlus 13R helps, too.
For starters, the Tensor G4 is more power efficient than the G3 chip running the Pixel 8a.
OnePlus 13R
The Pixel 9a features faster wired charging times than its predecessor, speeding up things to 23W.
That’s a far cry from the 80W the OnePlus 13R supports in the U.S.
However, the Pixel 9a includes wireless charging support.
Pixel 9a
That’s missing from the OnePlus phone.
I like the auto-formatting capabilities of AI Notes, but not the rewriting capabilities.
You also get access to Gemini Live and the Pixel Studio for generating images with text prompts.
OnePlus 13R
Not every Pixel 9 AI feature appears on the 9a.
The Pixel Screenshots app is missing, as is the Call Notes tool for auto-generating summaries of phone calls.
Still, the seven years of software and security updates Google provides the Pixel 9a beats what OnePlus offers.
OnePlus 13R
And the difference in storage size could wipe out that advantage for Google.
We’ll have the full verdict soon.
Pixel 9a
OnePlus 13R
Pixel 9a
AI Notes on the OnePlus 13R
Pixel Studio on a Pixel 9 Pro
