There are two categories of phones that is every day more impossible to find in the actual market. We are talking about compact phones and affordable phones with flagship-class cameras. With people searching for big phablets with huge displays and due to the high costs of high-end camera modules and R&D, a lot of people struggle to find such devices. But it seems some companies understood it and they released two models which fit this kind of demand perfectly. We are referring to the atypical Google Pixel 3a which is the first affordable device from the Pixel series, and the Xiaomi Mi 9 SE which comes as an affordable variant of the Mi 9 flagship. Through this specs comparison, we will try to let you know which one fits your needs the most.
Google Pixel 3a vs Xiaomi Mi 9 SE
| Google Pixel 3a | Xiaomi Mi 9 SE | |
|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 151.3 x 70.1 x 8.2 mm,
147 grams |
147.5 x 70.5 x 7.5 mm,
155 grams |
| DISPLAY | 5.6 inches, 1080 x 2220p (Full HD+), 441 ppi, 18.5:9 ratio, OLED | 5.97 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 432 ppi, 19.5:9 ratio, Super AMOLED |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, octa-core 2 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 712, octa-core 2.3 GHz |
| MEMORY | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB | 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB |
| SOFTWARE | Android 9 Pie | Android 9 Pie, MIUI |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS |
| CAMERA | 12.2 MP f/1.8 8 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Triple 48 + 13 + 8 MP f/1.8 and f/2.4 and f/2.4 20 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 3000 mAh Fast charging 18W |
3070 mAh, Fast Charging 18W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | / | Dual SIM slot |
Design
Just like its older sibling Pixel 3, the Google Pixel 3a shows a very original design, especially on its rear side composed of two pieces of slightly different colors. Despite that, it is not among the devices with the most premium look and builds quality, and it has a cheap polycarbonate body as well as a display with pretty thick bezels. On the other hand, Xiaomi Mi 9 SE has a premium and flagship-like design, it is hard to distinguish it from the vanilla Mi 9. It is equipped with a glass back, it has a very high screen-to-body ratio and it comes in stunning gradient color variants. Further, it is even more compact, despite Google Pixel 3a has a smaller display.
Display
While there are big differences in build quality between the Google Pixel 3a and Xiaomi Mi 9 SE, it is not the same with their displays. They both feature compact AMOLED panels which are easier to use with one hand than most of the smartphones out there. Further, they even come with the OLED technology providing brilliant colors and deep blacks. I personally prefer the Xiaomi Mi 9 SE for its more narrow bezels, a great color reproduction thanks to the HDR10 standard, and its in-display fingerprint reader. On the other hand, Google Pixel 3a is a better handset for music lovers as it features stereo speakers and a 3.5 mm audio jack.
Specs & Software
Both Google Pixel 3a and Xiaomi Mi 9 SE are equipped with an upper-midrange hardware department, but Xiaomi Mi 9 SE is superior. Indeed, it has a more powerful chipset (Snapdragon 712 vs Snapdragon 670) boasting a better GPU (so better graphics performance), as well as a higher amount of RAM (6 GB) and internal storage (128 GB) in its most expensive variant. Last but not least, it has expandable storage. Google Pixel 3a is better only when it comes to software, as its stock Android version will get updated quicker by Google and will make it a safer device.
Camera
On the camera side, there is a very hard battle. Google Pixel 3a has just a single camera on its rear side, but it is the same sensor as the vanilla Pixel 3 which is one of the best camera phones actually in the market, especially in low light conditions thanks to its advanced algorithm. It even has optical stabilization and it can record 4K videos. Xiaomi Mi 9 SE has a triple camera setup which includes the same 48 MP main sensor found on the Mi 9, an ultrawide lens and a telephoto lens. And it can shoot awesome photos as well in every light condition. I personally prefer the Google Pixel 3a due to its main camera and algorithm allowing to shoot amazing photos with low light, as well as its astonishing 8 MP selfie camera.
Battery
Unfortunately, we still had no chance to test the battery life of the Google Pixel 3a. And given that it comes with more or less the same capacity of the Xiaomi Mi 9 SE, it is hard to understand which one will last more on a single charge. If we base on previous Google device, Pixel 3a might be optimized better and it may last more in most of the scenarios, but we can not give a verdict right now.
Price
In the global market, Xiaomi Mi 9 SE has a starting price tag of €350/$392, while Google Pixel 3a starts from €399/$399. Whatever you choose it will be a very good choice, but the Xiaomi Mi 9 SE is my favorite one due to its more beautiful aesthetics, higher-end hardware, UD fingerprint scanner, and micro SD support.
Google Pixel 3a vs Xiaomi Mi 9 SE: PRO and CONS
Google Pixel 3a
PRO
- Amazing cameras
- Stereo speakers
- Software gets updated quicker
- Original rear design
CONS
- No dual SIM
Xiaomi Mi 9 SE
PRO
- Bigger display
- Better design and build quality
- Higher performance
- More affordable
- Awesome cameras
- UD fingerprint scanner
CONS
- Nothing particular
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