Google Pixel 9a vs Xiaomi 13 Ultra

Google Pixel 9a

48MP main camera (f/1.7, OIS, smaller sensor than Pixel 9 but bigger than Pixel 8a's 64MP) + 13MP ultrawide. Pixel image processing produces 'classic Pixel HDR look' that reviewers consistently rate the best camera in the under-$500 price bracket. Macro mode, Add Me, Night Sight, and Magic Editor all included; video capped at 4K 60fps rear / 4K 30fps front and ultrawide.

• 48MP main camera 'is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best camera on a phone in its price category' per The News Minute long-term review.
• Main sensor is smaller than Pixel 9 — 'a substantially smaller sensor than the one on the Pixel 9, but this compromise is what has allowed Google to make the camera bump so tiny' per Tech Chap.
• Macro mode now built into the main camera as a Pixel 8a upgrade — newly added at the 9a price tier.
• Add Me feature included from flagship Pixel 9 — combines two photos into a group shot via AI overlay.
• Ultrawide camera is 'pretty weak and something that has been an issue on previous Pixel A cameras' per Dave2D — secondary lens still trails the flagship Pixels.
• Video output capped: rear records 4K 30/60fps, front camera limited to 4K 30fps. Ultrawide only does 4K 30fps. iPhone 14 supports 4K 60fps from front and ultrawide at this price tier.

Xiaomi 13 Ultra

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is a camera-first phone — four 50MP cameras with Leica tuning, a 1" variable-aperture main sensor, and an accessory grip that turns it into a proper mirrorless workflow. The consensus across Wired, PetaPixel, Phone Arena, Android Authority, and Android Headlines: best camera phone of 2023.

• 50MP f/1.9-f/4.0 variable-aperture 1"-type main sensor (Sony IMX989) — first phone with mechanical variable aperture on a 1-inch sensor.
• Triple 50MP telephoto chain: 75mm 3.2× + 120mm 5× periscope + 12mm 122° ultrawide — every camera at 50MP with shared processing, unmatched system consistency.
• Phone Arena: 'might just be the best camera phone of the year' — Xiaomi's attempt to reclaim 'real phone camera' status.
• PetaPixel verdict: 'A camera that happens to have a phone attached' — one of the most feature-rich camera phones available.
• Wired caveat: 'It takes practice and know-how to squeeze the best results' — Auto mode doesn't always match iPhone 15 Pro Max / Pixel 8 Pro point-and-shoot quality.

Google Pixel 9a

5,100 mAh battery is the largest in any Pixel ever — bigger than the $1,299 Galaxy S25 Ultra's. Tom's Guide measured 13h 8m web surfing on a single charge; reviewers consistently report 7-8 hours of screen-on time and comfortable two-day light usage. Charging is the obvious weak point: 23W wired (full charge in ~1h 41m) and 7.5W Qi wireless are slow vs midrange competitors hitting 50W+.

• 5,100 mAh battery 'exceeds even that of the premium $1,299 Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra' — per MacRumors, the largest battery ever in a Pixel.
• Tom's Guide measured 13h 8m on single charge — 'a significant jump from the Pixel 8a, which topped out at 11 hours and 21 minutes.'
• Active use score 12h 30m in lab tests — 'solid active use score' per Tom's Guide review; comfortable two-day life under light use.
• Real-world: 'continues to give me between 8 and 10 hours, sometimes a little bit more, of screen-on time' per long-term Linus Tech Tips review.
• 23W wired charging is slow — 'a full charge took an hour and 41 minutes' per Tom's Guide; way behind midrange OnePlus 100W or Xiaomi 50W charging.
• 7.5W Qi wireless charging is slow and non-Qi2 — no Pixelsnap, no magnetic accessories; takes 2-3 hours to fully charge wirelessly.
• Battery Health Assistant kicks in at 200 charge cycles to gradually reduce max voltage — 'designed to extend battery lifespan' per Google but reviewers report 'slight charging-speed drops' afterward.

Xiaomi 13 Ultra

5,000mAh battery + class-leading 90W wired and 50W wireless charging — Reddit's drain shootout placed it ahead of S22 Ultra, OnePlus 11, and Pixel 7 Pro at 10h 26min total SOT.

• 5,000mAh battery + 90W wired (full in ~35 min per Xiaomi) + 50W wireless (full in ~49 min) + 10W reverse wireless.
• Wired charge test: 34% to 63% in just 10 minutes — fantastic real-world charging speed.
• GSMArena endurance: 15h 29min web browsing, 19h 13min video looping — par with Find X6 Pro, ahead of Vivo X90 Pro.
• Reddit drain shootout: 10h 26min total SOT — beat S22 Ultra (9h 43m) and OnePlus 11 (10h 16m); narrowly beaten by S23 Ultra (11h 15m) and iPhone 14 Pro Max (11h 25m).
• Camera-heavy use drains battery noticeably faster per r/Android — the photography workflow is the biggest endurance hit.

Google Pixel 9a

At $499 retail (with frequent sale pricing of $349-$399), the Pixel 9a is the consensus best value in the midrange. Reviewers position it favorably against the iPhone 16e ($599), Samsung A56, Nothing Phone 3a Pro, and Xiaomi Poco F7 Pro. The $300 price gap with the flagship Pixel 9 makes the 9a 'almost comical' to choose against, per Trusted Reviews.

• Trusted Reviews: 'The Pixel 9a closes the gap between it and the flagship Pixel 9 more than any 'a' series device that came before it, so much so that the £300/$300 price difference between the two seems almost comical.'
• Currently selling at all-time low of $399 (128GB) and $349 (sale) per Gizmodo — 'Save over $100 on an unlocked Google Pixel 9a' makes it among the best deals in midrange Android.
• vs iPhone 16e ($599): 'Look at any Android smartphone at the same price point and you get a punch hole camera, which gives the display a far slicker and more contemporary look than the iPhone 17e's notch.'
• Wired's verdict: 'Google Pixel 9a: Still the Best Smartphone' — full headline endorsement after months of comparison testing.
• vs Pixel 10a: '10a now charges faster at 30W versus 23W on the Pixel 9a, and it does have a newer modem' but '9a remains a more financially-reasonable upgrade, unless you can find a deal on the 10a that brings its price down massively.'
• Linus Tech Tips final verdict: 'If you want a $300 value beast, absolutely 100% yes' — at sale prices the Pixel 9a is the no-brainer recommendation.

Xiaomi 13 Ultra

The 13 Ultra's value proposition depends entirely on region — at 5,999 yuan ($870) in China it's a steal; at €1,500 European import or US grey-market it's premium-priced and a niche purchase. Galaxy S23 Ultra at $1,199 wins the official-availability + 4+5-year update fight.

• China launch: 5,999 yuan (~$870) for 12GB/256GB; €1,499 (~$1,613) European import via Trading Shenzhen.
• Notebookcheck: at €1,100 (~$1,216) import, the price difference of €400+ vs Galaxy S23 Ultra is 'a good incentive' for camera enthusiasts.
• Reddit r/OnePlus user verdict: 'Xiaomi has the best hardware, BBK (OnePlus/Oppo) wins in software' — the import trade-off summary.
• Official global version still not available in 2026 — Xiaomi's distribution gap remains the biggest barrier to mainstream Western buyers.