The Google Pixel 4a and the OnePlus Nord have both achieved the nearly impossible by making budget smartphones exciting again. While they lack the sizeable price tags of their premium counterparts, they manage to offer many of the features you’d expect to find on a Pixel 4 or OnePlus 8. The Pixel 4a boasts a camera that’s every bit as capable as anything on a flagship device, while the OnePlus Nord offers 5G support and strong battery life.
They’re both great phones, but which one is better? We break down their specs and compare how they perform across a variety of categories, which will hopefully help you decide which one offers you the most value for your money.
Specs
| Pixel 4a | OnePlus Nord | |
| Size | 144 x 69.4 x 8.2mm (5.67 x 2.73 x 0.32 inches) | 158.3 x 73.3 x 8.2mm (6.23 x 2.89 x 0.32 inches) |
| Weight | 143 grams (5.04 ounces) | 184 grams (6.49 ounces) |
| Screen size | 5.81-inch OLED | 6.44-inch Fluid AMOLED |
| Screen resolution | 2,340 x 1,080 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (443 pixels per inch) | 2,400 x 1,080 pixels (408 ppi) |
| Operating system | Android 10 | Android 10 (under OxygenOS) |
| Storage | 128GB | |
| MicroSD card slot | No | No |
| Tap-to-pay services | Google Pay | Google Pay |
| Processor | Snapdragon 730 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G |
| RAM | 6GB | 6GB, 8GB, 12GB |
| Camera | 12.2-megapixel rear, 8MP front | Quad-lens 48MP, 8MP ultrawide angle, 5MP depth, and 2MP macro rear, dual-lens 32MP and 8MP ultrawide angle front |
| Video | 4K at 30 frames per second, 1080p at 120 fps | 4K at 60 fps, 1080p at 240 fps, 720p at 480 fps |
| Bluetooth version | 5.1 | 5.0 |
| Ports | USB-C, headphone jack | USB-C |
| Fingerprint sensor | Yes, rear-mounted | Yes (in-display) |
| Water resistance | No | No |
| Battery | 3,140mAh
Fast charging (18W) |
4,115mAh
Warp Charge 30W (up to 70% in 30 minutes) |
| App marketplace | Google Play Store | Google Play Store |
| Network support | Most major U.S. carriers | Most major U.S. carriers |
| Colors | Just Black | Blue Marble, Gray Onyx |
| Prices | $350 | 379 British pounds ($480) |
| Buy from | Google, Verizon, US Cellular | OnePlus |
| Review score | 4 out of 5 stars | 3.5 out of 5 stars |
Design, display, and durability
The Google Pixel 4a improves on the design of its direct predecessor, the Pixel 3a. Gone is the outdated forehead bezel — in its place is a more pleasing edge-to-edge display, featuring a corner-mounted punch-hole selfie camera. The OnePlus Nord also sports a clean edge-to-edge display, although in its case, it features a dual-lens selfie camera in the corner. This is less discreet than a single-lens camera. However, the potentially negative impact on the Nord’s look is balanced by slightly narrower borders around the screen.
The Nord also features Gorilla Glass on its rear, whereas the Pixel 4a makes do with cheaper — and less attractive — plastic. As we argued in our review, this really drags down the overall look and feel of Google’s phone, giving it a dated aesthetic. The plastic also gives it an unfortunate tendency to get greasy with regular use. To top everything off, the side buttons feel unsatisfyingly cheap, undermining the sense that you’re holding a state-of-the-art phone.
The OnePlus Nord houses a larger, 6.44-inch AMOLED display, in contrast to the 5.81-inch OLED screen of the Pixel 4a. Compared to the 4a’s resolution of 2,340 x 1,080, the Nord’s is slightly bigger at 2,400 x 1,080. That said, the larger screen means that it actually packs fewer pixels per inch, at 408 instead of 443. This may make it seem a little less vivid in practice, although the difference won’t be that significant.
One advantage the Pixel 4a has over the OnePlus Nord is its size and weight. It’s just over 40 grams (over an ounce) lighter and is also thinner and less tall. Most users are, therefore, likely to find it more comfortable to hold and to use, although the Nord is hardly a pain in the wrist.
Lastly, both phones lack an IP durability rating, so it’s hard to say which will last the longest. Even so, we’re going to give this round to the OnePlus Nord, since its use of glass (rather than cheap plastic) provides it with a more sophisticated and pleasing design than the Pixel 4a.
Winner: OnePlus Nord
Performance, battery life, and charging
The Pixel 4a is powered by the Snapdragon 730, while the OnePlus Nord comes with the Snapdragon 765G under the hood. The difference between the two processors is slight, with the 765G having improved GPU performance, meaning graphics and visuals will be rendered more quickly by the Nord.
Both phones come with 6GB of RAM as standard, which should be enough to handle the vast majority of games and apps likely to come your way. That said, you can buy the OnePlus with either 8GB of RAM or 12GB of RAM, making it noticeably more powerful than the Pixel 4a if you have the extra cash to spare. The 12GB version of the OnePlus Nord also provides 256GB of internal storage, whereas the 8GB and 6GB versions come with 128GB and 64GB, respectively. The Pixel 4a gives you a generous 128GB as standard.
The Pixel 4a’s battery is also surprisingly generous. On paper, you wouldn’t expect too much from it, given that it has a 3,140mAh capacity compared to the Nord’s 4,115mAh. This doesn’t hinder the Pixel’s performance in practice, however, since you can comfortably get two days of moderate use out of it, whereas the OnePlus Nord will last just over a day.
The tables are turned when it comes to charging. The Pixel 4a supports fast charging at 18W, while the OnePlus Nord goes up to 30W. This enables OnePlus’ device to charge to 70% in around 30 minutes, although it doesn’t make a massive difference in filling up to 100%.
While the OnePlus Nord has a better processor and faster charging capabilities, the Pixel 4a does have a more enduring battery. As a result, we’re calling this round a tie.
Winner: Tie
Cameras
The camera is where the Google Pixel 4a truly excels. It employs the same 12.2MP main lens as the Pixel 4 and operates using the same software (such as Night Sight), which makes full use of Google’s artificial intelligence (A.I.) prowess. This might not sound like much on paper, but the 4a takes great photos in virtually every condition.
The OnePlus Nord, on the other hand, has more impressive specs but less impressive results. Its main camera is a 48MP Sony IMX586, topped off by an 8MP ultrawide camera, a 5MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro sensor. Such hardware sets it up to be a highly versatile camera phone, yet the reality is quite different. We found that it often underexposes shots and can’t use HDR as well as the OnePlus 8, producing photos that too frequently lack detail.
To be fair, the OnePlus Nord does let you capture 4K video at 60 fps, while the Pixel 4a can muster only 30 fps. This isn’t quite enough to counterbalance the 4a’s superior camera, though, so this round is a decisive victory for Google’s phone.
Winner: Google Pixel 4a
Software and updates
The OnePlus Nord runs on OxygenOS 10, which is OnePlus’ own version of Android 10. It’s one of the best Android skins around, offering a fast and smooth user interface that’s not overly crowded with features. One of its main additions to Android that you can find elsewhere is Zen Mode, which helps preserve your sanity by giving you a 20-minute time-out, during which your calls and notifications are muted and you can’t access various apps.
It may not be as novel, but the Pixel 4a runs on Android 10. The advantage it has is that, being a Google phone, it will be the first in line to receive security and core software updates. This puts it ahead of the OnePlus Nord, which won’t benefit as frequently from new software releases.
Winner: Google Pixel 4a
Special features
The Pixel 4a and OnePlus Nord have one headline special feature each, and which one is more special will depend on your priorities as a phone user. The Pixel comes with the aforementioned flagship-level camera, which basically lets even inexperienced photographers point their phone at a person or scene and capture a quality photo. Meanwhile, the Nord comes with support for 5G, which will let you surf the web and download media at a much higher speed.
There’s not much else to write home about other than that, although the Pixel 4a provides a few Google-exclusive features you don’t normally have on other Android devices. Its Google Maps augmented reality directions mode comes in handy if you find yourself lost in an unfamiliar location, while A.I.-based features such as Call Screen can help you save time.
This round could go either way, though the Pixel 4a’s Google-only extras may swing it for some. Then again, 5G brings a level of future-proofing that others may value more than anything else, so we’re going to declare another tie.
Winner: Tie
Price and availability
The OnePlus Nord is now available in the U.K. from OnePlus, Amazon, Three, and John Lewis stores. Prices start at 379 British pounds (approximately $480). OnePlus has said it won’t launch the phone in the United States beyond a restricted beta program.
The Google Pixel 4a is available now from $350. Google has confirmed that it’s being sold from Verizon, U.S. Cellular, and Google Fi. It hasn’t yet confirmed whether the phone will be available from T-Mobile, Sprint, or AT&T.
Overall winner: Google Pixel 4a
It’s a close call, but the Google Pixel 4a does trump the OnePlus Nord as a budget smartphone. It doesn’t quite look as good, and it’s slightly less powerful, but its camera produces noticeably better pictures in most environments. It also has better software and will receive more regular updates, something which will keep it running securely for longer. Its display is at least as sharp as the OnePlus Nord’s, while it’s also the cheaper and more available (at least in the U.S.) smartphone.
The OnePlus Nord will be more attractive to anyone who wants 5G, of course. It’s a great budget smartphone in its own right, but in the end, the Pixel 4a gets the win for making premium features available at such a low price.
