The Google Pixel 9a was announced today by Google, however, due to a last-minute change, it is not available for pre-order just yet. It’ll be available in April, which gives everyone a bit more time to think about their purchasing decision. And whether they should perhaps think about getting a Pixel 9a alternative, speaking of which, what are the best alternatives to Google’s newest smartphone? There are quite a few, as this price range has started to become very competitive over the last few years.
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G
The Galaxy A56 5G was announced earlier this month, and it’s actually a very worthy competitor to the Pixel 9a. It actually beats the Pixel 9a in a lot of areas. Samsung has equipped the Galaxy A56 5G with a 6.7-inch 120Hz display, the Exynos 1580 and up to 12GB of RAM. There is also 128GB or 256GB of storage on-board. Samsung also equipped this phone with three cameras – though you’ll only use two of them, really. That’s a 50-megapixel primary camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide and a 5-megapixel macro.
All of this is powered by a 5,000mAh capacity battery, which is actually smaller than the Pixel 9a’s 5,100mAh capacity battery. But perhaps the most important thing is, price. It’s priced exactly the same as Pixel 9a at $499.
OnePlus 13R
The OnePlus 13R is a fantastic option if you’re willing to spend a bit more. As the OnePlus 13R does start at $599. However, this does sport a 6.78-inch 120Hz display, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and 12GB of RAM. There’s also 128GB of storage, with three cameras. That includes a 50-megapixel primary, 5a 0-megapixel telephoto, and an 8-megapixel ultrawide. This is all powered by a 6,000mAh capacity battery, one of the largest capacities in the US.
OnePlus does also ship with Android 15 (OxygenOS 15) just like the Pixel 9a. And unless you were really looking for a smaller phone, the OnePlus 13R is definitely a much better value.
Apple iPhone 16e
Finally, if you’re not opposed to switching platforms (or want to stick with your iPhone), then the iPhone 16e is another option. Like the OnePlus 13R, it is also more expensive than the Pixel 9a, at $599. And on paper, it doesn’t look like that great of a value, and we can’t really argue that. However, it does have some pretty incredible battery life. In some of the battery life tests that we’ve seen, it outlasts many flagship phones. That’s partly thanks to Apple’s own modem developed in-house, the C1. But also due to the larger battery and more efficient processor and display.
