OnePlus and Google have released brilliant exchange premium smartphones in the form of the OnePlus 13 and Pixel 9 Pro XL . But how do their respective midrange option compare ?
While theOnePlus 13Rreceived an admirable four - star rating from us , and was hailed as having the best screen on a mid - range phone , theGoogle Pixel 9aearned a near - perfect 4.5 - virtuoso rating .
If you ’re not certain how this translate to material - Earth use , we ’ve compared our reviews of the two phone below to help you resolve which is well suitable for your needs . Keep read to see who comes out on top in this struggle of the mid - rangers .
OnePlus 13R snap. Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)
If you desire more stirring , take a feel at our hand - piece selection of thebest mid - range smartphonesthat strike the balance between being functional and premium .
Price and Availability
The OnePlus 13R is the pricier of the two phones , with an RRP of £ 679 for its 12GB+256 GB French telephone . However , it ’s worth note that we have already seen damage driblet and deals for the OnePlus 13R , so it is possible to pluck it up for a cheaper cost .
The Google Pixel 9a starts at £ 499 for its 128 GB poser and rises to £ 599 for double the storage at 256 gibibyte . Unlike the OnePlus 13R , which is only usable in black or white , the Pixel 9a is usable in four colours : Iris , Peony , Porcelain or Obsidian .
Design
The OnePlus 13R is the larger of the two , as it weighs 206 g and sport a 6.78 - inch screen , while the Pixel 9a librate just 186 g and has a 6.3 - inch video display . Otherwise , the two sport flat sides that make them both well-fixed to hold .
flip out the sound over , and you ’ll see a percipient difference between them . While the OnePlus 13R sports a huge round camera faculty that jut out from its rear , the Pixel 9a ’s duple camera housing sit down about - wealthy on the back .
If you ’re intimate with the Google Pixel series , from thePixel 9 Pro XLway back to thePixel 6 , all have sported an iconic ( or divisive ) camera bar , so the omission here with the Pixel 9a marks a huge alteration .
OnePlus 13R snap. Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)
Although both are mid - range phones , the Pixel 9a boasts flagship - layer lastingness with anIP68rating , which means it ’s both dust - tight and water insubordinate . The OnePlus 13R , rather surprisingly , fall quite far behind in this regard . It comes with anIP65rating , meaning it ’s only protected from “ water projecting in jets against the enclosure ” .
Having say that , it ’s deserving name that the OnePlus 13R swash the inviolable Gorilla Glass 7i , while the Pixel 9a relies onGorilla Glass 3 , which first launched in 2013 .
Design : Google Pixel 9a
Screen
For a mid - ranger , the OnePlus 13R has a superb silver screen that we found looks brilliant across many environments . With a 2780×1264 resolution , pixel compactness of 450ppi and a peak luminance of 4,500 nit , the OnePlus 13R render vibrant color and detail , even when used outdoors .
It also sports feature like RadiantView , which cleverly discover thedisplay ’s greyscale value and boosts the brightness level consequently , andAquaTouch , which ensures the exhibit answer to your cutaneous senses even when it ’s blind drunk .
Comparatively , the Pixel 9a ’s concealment lets the phone down . Although it does have a solid 2,700nits superlative brightness , and its pOLED display means colours look vivacious , the projection screen itself is hem in by very thick bezels that gravely date stamp the sound .
Not only that , but despite anticipate an adaptative refresh pace of 60 - 120Hz , we find it tends to cling towards the latter which felt frustrating at clip .
Winner : OnePlus 13R
Cameras
Unlike theOnePlus 12R , you ’ll be pleased to know the OnePlus 13R does n’t boast a pointless macro camera . While it still has three rear lense , the phone is now made up of a 50MP main , 50MP telephotograph sensing element with 2x optical zoom and an 8MP ultrawide .
Although you ’ll omit out on the Hasselblad collaboration of theOnePlus 13 , the trio does an excellent job of tuning and processing , result in generally consistent shots with mountain of detail and accurate colours .
Although the Pixel 9a may not be as unattackable as pricier option like thePixel 9 Pro XL , in rightful Google pattern , it ’s still a brainy center . While at 48MP , its chief electron lens is pocket-size than its predecessor , thePixel 8a , the size of the sensor has increase up to 1/2.0 in . This offers a boost to light , item and colour .
Its accompany ultrawide lense is also splendid at capture vibrant shots , although it does tend to struggle in low - light condition .
We do wish the Pixel 9a come with a zoom genus Lens , especially as we ’ve go steady one on the cheaperNothing Phone 3a . Even so , overall the Pixel 9a is undoubtedly an impressive photographic camera speech sound for its price tag .
Otherwise , the OnePlus 13R has a 16MP selfie lens , while the Pixel 9a ’s is slightly smaller at 13MP . We launch that both are capable of taking the odd selfie and video call in near ignition conditions , but for the good photo , we ’d recommend using the primary lenses instead .
success : Google Pixel 9a
Performance
Unlike its pricier sibling , the OnePlus 13R does n’t flow on the flagshipSnapdragon 8 Elite , instead choose for last year ’s Qualcomm flagship : Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 . While this means the OnePlus 13R ca n’t go toe to toe with the best flagships of 2025 , like theSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra , it ’s still a knock-down earphone that saw enough benchmarking resultant role .
The OnePlus 13R is also fitted with a Dual Cryo - Velocity Vapor Chamber system that ’s 9 % larger than the OnePlus 12R ’s own . This system monitors and reduces heat energy during gambling and other intensive task . Plus , there ’s the OnePlus processor Scheduler , which serve to pinch out excess carrying out when playing compatible game too .
While hardcore gamers will probably prefer one of thebest gaming phones , if you ’re more of a casual user and require a phone that can do it all , the OnePlus 13R is undoubtedly a good option .
While theTensor G4chip in the Pixel 9a , and the residuum of the Pixel 9 series for that matter , favours AI smarts over performance , it ’s still a joy to use in routine use of goods and services . Even when gaming , we found minimal interim or stutter , although we did note that the sound incline to get red-hot after a while .
Software and AI
Both the OnePlus 13R and Pixel 9a run Android 15 and are packed with numerous AI prick . With the OnePlus 13R , most AI features are build into the operating system and apps;Geminisits on the ignition lock screen , while the AI exposure editing tool are find in the television camera edit mount .
Like the Pixel 9a , you ’ll also have access toCircle To Searchand PassScan on the OnePlus 13R , alongside an AI Notes app for summarize and format text .
Plus , the Pixel 9a benefits from up to seven years of OS upgrades , among the good in the market . The OnePlus 13R , on the other hand , offer only up to four yr of software update and six old age of security patches .
Winner : Pixel 9a
Battery life
With a monumental 6,000mAh shelling capability , the OnePlus 13R could easy exercise as a two - day phone , calculate on your usage . In fact , we found that during busy day , the handset still had around 40 % of battery remaining at the end of the day .
Although the Pixel 9a ’s shelling is smaller , at 5,100mAh , we found it to be one of the most long - lasting Pixels we ’ve ever tested , which is surprising study it ’s a mid - ranger .
Whether the Pixel 9a let itself down is its charge support . The OnePlus 13R has reenforcement for 80WSuperVOCC , although you will need a compatible OnePlus or Oppo adaptor to really benefit from these speeds . The Pixel 9a only supports a measly 23W.
However , it ’s worth noting that without a SuperVOOC charger , there is n’t a vast discrepancy between the two , as the OnePlus 13R contract an hour and 30 minutes to reach 100 % while the Pixel 9a took an 60 minutes and 48 transactions .
Finally , while the OnePlus 13R does n’t have wireless charging support , the Pixel 9a has support for 7.5W Qi charge .
Verdict
It ’s fair to say that both the OnePlus 13R and Pixel 9a are brilliant mid - range Android phones . However , with strong photographic camera , telling AI capability and up to seven year of OS upgrade , the Pixel 9a is a brilliant choice for anyone who want a phone that survive .
Having said that , the OnePlus 13R has the border when it total to play , thanks to its cooling chamber , and bluster one of the best filmdom we ’ve seen in a mid - Texas Ranger . The Pixel 9a does tend to heat up , and really let itself down with its deep bezel .
If you still are n’t convinced by the two , then ensure you visit ourbest mid - range smartphonesandbest smartphonesguides to see your substitute options .
OnePlus 13R snap. Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)
Pixel 9a image. Credit (Trusted Reviews)
OnePlus 13R snap. Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)
Pixel 9a image. Credit (Trusted Reviews)
