As smartphones become more expensive and the best smartphones outperform $ 1,000 , a division of earpiece target to proffer the best knock for your dollar without break the bank . The top phones at this damage tip offer everything the bigger phones do , but with trade - offs that do n’t affect the overall price and set aside companies to hit a lower sale price .

TheOnePlus 12is the epitome of this , with few trade - offs and a price tag that belies opinion . It offers everything from the Plus or unconstipated Pro earphone that other earpiece Creator do , but with a few things that make it a true OnePlus smartphone . This includes a magnanimous assault and battery , superfast charging , telling performance , a triple television camera , and a gorgeous show .

TheGoogle Pixel 9takes a slimly different approach . It keeps many of the thing that make thePixel 9 Prosuch a compelling phone , but it drops the telephoto photographic camera in favor of a lower price . That ’s not the full depiction , however , as Google ’s camera prowess can copy the effect of a forcible telephoto lens of the eye .

Each is a scramble example of an excellent phone that does n’t need to give way the coin bank , but how do they compare , and which should you buy ?

Google Pixel 9 vs. OnePlus 12: specs

120Hz refresh rate , 1,800 nits in high spirits luminance , 2,700 nits flower light

120Hz refresh rate , 1,600 nit eminent brightness , 4,500 nits peak luminance

48MP ultra - wide , f/1.7 aperture , 123 ° plain of view

10.5MP front

48MP ultra - all-encompassing , f/2.6 aperture , 114 ° subject area of opinion

64MP telephoto , 3x optical rapid growth , OIS

32MP front

27W wired charging

15W wireless buck

12W inverse radio charging

80W wire charging

50W radio shoot down

10W overrule wireless charging

Obsidian ( gray ) , Porcelain ( white ) , Wintergreen , Peony ( pink )

Flowy Emerald ( green ) , Silky Black , Glacial White ( atomic number 47 )

Google Pixel 9 vs. OnePlus 12: design and display

While most phones prioritise a big screen over in - hired hand serviceableness , the Google Pixel 9 is easy to use with one hand . It ’s reminiscent of theSamsung Galaxy S24 , with flat position and a squared - off design that feels fantastic in the helping hand . The rear sport a deoxyephedrine goal and a photographic camera bar invention that might not attract to everyone .

It features a 6.3 - inch AMOLED presentation insert into a body that will feel small to those who use the biggest devices , but is perfectly design to grant you to reach the corners with just one hand . The display offers up to a peak brightness of 2,700 nit and is protect with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and an aluminum frame .

The OnePlus 12 have a larger 6.82 - inch showing , but still feels prosperous when using it with one hand . Much of this is down to the curved display and curved edges , which make the phone edges well-to-do to reach . The display offer up up to 4,500 nit peak brightness and is paired with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and an Al frame .

The rear features a triple tv camera in the iconic BBK / OnePlus circular tv camera regalia and either a Methedrine or a matte- and marble - textured finish . The former experience very similar to the glass on the Pixel 9 , while the latter establish the OnePlus 12 much more easy in the hired hand .

The Pixel 9 ’s one - deal tone gives it an edge , while the OnePlus 12 ’s splendid textured finish on the rear and the much nicer display are orbit where that earpiece radiancy . Some may prefer the Pixel 9 ’s in - hand feel and one - hand usability , but , for us , the OnePlus 12 has a better overall design and video display .

Winner : OnePlus 12

Google Pixel 9 vs. OnePlus 12: performance and battery

Both phones have big electric battery , the in style mainframe , and lots of RAM , but the similarity end here .

The Pixel 9 is powered by Google ’s new Tensor G4 processor , paired with 12 GB of RAM and either 128 GB or 256 GB of storage . The starting repositing is paltry by current smartphone touchstone , and while you could offload your photos to Google Photos to save space , you ’ll want to future - test copy it by corrupt the eminent storage option .

The OnePlus 12 takes a different approaching . It pair off the recent Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor with between 12 gibibyte and 24 GB of RAM and between 256 GB and 1 TB of storage . Unlike the Pixel 9 , there are several storage and RAM combinations , with 16 GB of RAM available for every depot pick .

The keystone here is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 . It ’s the same processor as get hold in the best Android phones , admit the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Galaxy Z Fold 6 . The Tensor G4 processor is Google ’s processor , and while it ’s the New of the two , the voguish money is on a Qualcomm - power twist . Previous Tensor - power phone had barrage and power business organization , and while the Tensor G4 is almost for sure better , it ’s improbable to beat the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 . However , we have n’t tested the new Google check yet , so that impression may change after our revue period .

The OnePlus 12 ’s battery aliveness is significantly better than that of the Pixel 9 . Its 5,400mAh shelling is geminate with 80 - watt charging , it comes with a charger , and it supports 50W wireless charging . It can bear down your phone to full in around 45 moment , and in our testing , the battery lasted for multiple days . Meanwhile , the Google Pixel 9 feature a respectable 4,700mAh battery paired with 30W charging , but it does n’t come with a charger . The battery hold up at least a Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , and often more , but it ’s not as ripe as the OnePlus 12 ’s .

The OnePlus 12 has the latest mainframe , stacks of random-access memory and storehouse , and a proved phone experience that stays tranquil and debauched for long time . This an easy winnings for the OnePlus 12 — for the import .

Google Pixel 9 vs. OnePlus 12: cameras

The companies take different approaches to photographic camera . OnePlus pack the OnePlus 12 with a triple - photographic camera setup desirable of any flagship phone , while the Pixel 9 reiterates Google ’s belief that software program is just as crucial as computer hardware .

The OnePlus 12 features a 50 - megapixel ( MP ) main camera with an f/1.6 aperture , optical trope stabilization ( OIS ) , and laser autofocus . The ultrawide camera has a 64MP sensing element and a 114 - degree battlefield of view , while the telephotograph lens is a 64MP periscope lens capable of extend 3x optic soar . The OnePlus 12 also has a Hybrid Zoom feature that offer up to 6x lossless rapid growth by combining the telephoto lens of the eye computer hardware with impressive software program smarts .

Impressive software package smarting are the best mode to describe Google ’s approach to the camera . Since the first Pixel , Google has proven that you do n’t need the best hardware to get the dear overall camera experience , and the Pixel 9 is no elision . Although it lack a telephotograph genus Lens on report , Google has been able-bodied to use telling image algorithm to imitate the 5x telephoto found on many phones , include last year’sPixel 8 Pro .

While the more expensivePixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XLget a novel 42MP front - facing camera , the Pixel 9 keeps the same 10.5MP sensor found in last class ’s Pixel 8 Pro . This means it supports autofocus for the first sentence and can take great overall exposure . The OnePlus 12 have a 32MP front - front camera , but it is only fixed focus , meaning it will only focus when at specific focal lengths .

It ’s a close comparison , but Google ’s software system smarts and an autofocus front camera give it the edge . The OnePlus 12 ’s rear camera is corking — one of the best around — but Google ’s software smartness bear witness once again that it ’s not the computer hardware , but what you do with it that matters . Of naturally , all of this is based on former impressions , so that may change after our review .

Winner : Google Pixel 9

Google Pixel 9 vs. OnePlus 12: software and updates

One of the best reason to grease one’s palms a Google Pixel phone is related to the software and update , and the Pixel 9 is no different . The Pixel Launcher is widely regard as the good overall software experience on a smartphone , and each newfangled Pixel usually ushers in the next version of the Android OS .

We say usually , as this year is different . The Pixel 9 launched two calendar month before Google ’s usual launching windowpane , soAndroid 15is not yet available . As a result , the Pixel 9 launches withAndroid 14 , but it will almost sure as shooting get the Android 15 update as soon as it ’s released . This will be the first of seven years of software updates , security patches , and Pixel feature drops .

The OnePlus 12 also die hard Android 14 out of the box and has Color OS . It ’s an improbably fluent and feature - rich user experience , but OnePlus is n’t the skilful with updates . The OnePlus 12 is guaranteed four geezerhood of software package version update and five years of security system plot . While OnePlus has gotten respectable at rolling out updates in a timely way , Google is still the aureate standard .

Google Pixel 9 vs. OnePlus 12: price and availability

The Pixel 9 come in four semblance and starts at $ 799 for 128 GB of store and 12 GB of RAM . The OnePlus 12 come in two colors and cost $ 899 for 256 GB of storage and 12 GB of RAM . The 256 GB edition of the Pixel 9 cost $ 100 more , while the OnePlus 12 is commonly available with a $ 100 discount . Effectively , these phones are the same Mary Leontyne Price .

The OnePlus 12 is available from OnePlus directly or via Best Buy , but not via carriers . The Pixel 9 is available via most retailers and carrier , with wide - ranging availability on equivalence with Apple or Samsung twist . If you want to experience the speech sound before you purchase it and do n’t live near a Best Buy store , the Pixel 9 is the obvious choice , but if you want a telephone set that you could often buy for even cheaper , the OnePlus 12 is worth consider .

Google Pixel 9 vs. OnePlus 12: verdict

These two earpiece may seem passably close on paper , and the OnePlus 12 may appear to have a better tv camera , but the old byword is true : user experience is about more than just the numbers . As a result , this becomes a harder competition to judge .

The OnePlus 12 stand for one of the politic smartphone experiences you’re able to get today . It ’s build up for speed and survival and delivers on every layer . As a result , it ’s still supremely fast eight months later . If battery life , public presentation , and endurance weigh most to you , the OnePlus 12 is the phone for you .

The Google Pixel 9 shows that software can replace hardware in many ways . Google ’s camera optimisation are 2d to none , and it does n’t feel like it ’s missing a telephotograph camera . The Pixel 9 has some excellent AI features , is guaranteed three more long time of software updates , and has a phenomenal tv camera . If you value length of service , an excellent camera , bang-up AI lineament , and a small phone , look no further than the Google Pixel 9 . It ’s the sound regular - sized phone you may buy in good order now .