Google Pixel 4a vs Pixel 3

44 out of 100

VS

42 out of 100

Here we compared two smartphones: the 5.81-inch Google Pixel 4a (with Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G) that was released on August 3, 2020, against the Google Pixel 3, which is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and came out 1 year and 11 months before. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.

Select the amount of RAM to evaluate performance and value for money more precisely

Key differences

An overview of the main advantages of each smartphone

Reasons to consider the Google Pixel 4a

Delivers 103% higher peak brightness (810 against 399 nits)
Shows 18% longer battery life (17:58 vs 15:14 hours)
Newer Bluetooth version (v5.1)
Has a 0.31 inch larger screen size
Has 50% more RAM: 6GB versus 4GB
More recent OS version: Android 13 versus 12
Has 2 SIM card slots
The phone is 1 year and 11 months newer
More energy-efficient CPU – Snapdragon 730G
Includes a 3.5 mm headphone audio jack port

Reasons to consider the Google Pixel 3

Waterproof body (IP68 classification)
Handles Qi wireless charging up to 10W
14% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (564K versus 495K)
Slow-motion recording at 240FPS
8% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 734 and 680 points

Review

Evaluation of Google Pixel 4a and Pixel 3 crucial features

Display

Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness

Pixel 4a

59

Pixel 3

54

Camera

Photo and video recording quality

Pixel 4a

50

Pixel 3

49

Performance

CPU and memory performance (apps, system)

Pixel 4a

29

Pixel 3

29

Gaming

Capabilities for playing modern games

Pixel 4a

18

Pixel 3

17

Battery

Battery life, charging type and speed

Pixel 4a

41

Pixel 3

33

Connectivity

Networks, ports, data transmission

Pixel 4a

69

Pixel 3

71

NanoReview Score

Final comparison evaluation

Pixel 4a

44

Pixel 3

42

Select your primary usage scenario to get a more accurate NanoReview Score

Value for money (Beta)

I'm choosing between these two smartphones I already have Google Pixel 3. Is it worth upgrading?

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Avg. Price*

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Avg. Price*

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Pixel 4a

6 / 128 GB

VS

✅ Pixel 3

4 / 64 GB

86.9

(Very good)

Value Index

180.9

(Excellent)

Display

Type	OLED	OLED
Size	5.81 inches	5.5 inches
Resolution	1080 x 2340 pixels	1080 x 2160 pixels
Aspect ratio	19.5:9	18:9
PPI	443 ppi	439 ppi
Refresh rate	60 Hz	60 Hz
Adaptive refresh rate	No	No
Max rated brightness	700 nits	420 nits
HDR support	Yes, HDR10	Yes, HDR10
Screen protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 3	Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Screen-to-body ratio	82.9%	78.7%
Display features	- Always-On Display	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display

Display tests
RGB color space	95.3%	99.6%
PWM	255 Hz	245 Hz
Response time	6.2 ms	4.4 ms
Contrast	∞ Infinity	∞ Infinity

Peak brightness test (auto)

Pixel 4a +103%

810 nits

Pixel 3

399 nits

Sources: NotebookCheck [3], [4]

Design and build

Height	144 mm (5.67 inches)	145.6 mm (5.73 inches)
Width	69.4 mm (2.73 inches)	68.2 mm (2.69 inches)
Thickness	8.2 mm (0.32 inches)	7.9 mm (0.31 inches)
Weight	143 g (5.04 oz)	148 g (5.22 oz)
Waterproof	No	IP68
Rear material	Plastic	Glass
Frame material	Plastic	Metal
Colors	Black	White, Black, Pink
Fingerprint scanner	Yes, rear	Yes, rear

Screen-to-body ratio

Pixel 4a +5%

82.9%

Pixel 3

78.7%

Performance

Chipset specifications of Google Pixel 4a and Google Pixel 3

SoC
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Max clock	2200 MHz	2500 MHz
CPU cores	8 (2 + 6)	8 (4 + 4)
Architecture	- 6 cores at 1.8 GHz: Kryo 470 Silver (Cortex-A55) - 2 cores at 2.2 GHz: Kryo 470 Gold (Cortex-A76)	- 4 cores at 1.8 GHz: Kryo 385 Silver (Cortex-A55) - 4 cores at 2.8 GHz: Kryo 385 Gold (Cortex-A75)
L3 cache	-	2 MB
Manufacturing	Samsung	Samsung
Lithography process	8 nanometers	10 nanometers
Neural processor (NPU)	Hexagon 688	Hexagon 685

GPU
Graphics	Adreno 618	Adreno 630
GPU shading units	256	512
GPU clock	825 MHz	710 MHz
FLOPS	~422.4 GFLOPS	~727 GFLOPS

Benchmarks

Benchmark comparison of Google Pixel 4a and Google Pixel 3

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Pixel 4a

680

Pixel 3 +8%

734

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Pixel 4a

1816

Pixel 3 +4%

1882

Single-core score	680	734
Multi-core score	1816	1882

AnTuTu Benchmark 11

Pixel 4a

495785

Pixel 3 +14%

564887

CPU	207965	230869
GPU	63453	64444
Memory	79928	118989
UX	144439	150585
Total score	495785	564887
Samples	Less than 3	[2 tests]

3DMark Wild Life Extreme

Pixel 4a

n/a

Pixel 3

445

Stability	-	88%
Graphics test	-	2 FPS
Graphics score	-	445

Sources: 3DMark [5], [6]

PCMark 3.0

Pixel 4a

n/a

Pixel 3

8977

Web score	-	7215
Video editing	-	6392
Photo editing	-	18641
Data manipulation	-	6714
Writing score	-	9480

Submit your benchmark results

Recent User Tests

The latest benchmark tests that have been submitted by users

Google Pixel 4a

Date	Benchmark	Result
📘 2026-09-22 (Hlopni)	AnTuTu 12	585625

Add View all (1)

Google Pixel 3

Date	Benchmark	Result
📘 2026-03-01 (Ivan)	AnTuTu 11	564887
📘 2026-01-31 -> GamingLu	AnTuTu 11	540317

Add View all (2)

Memory

RAM
RAM size	6 GB	4 GB
Memory type	LPDDR4X	LPDDR4X
Memory clock	2133 MHz	1866 MHz
Channels	2	2

Storage
Storage size	128 GB	64 GB
Storage type	UFS 2.1	UFS 2.1
Memory card	No	No

Software

Operating system	Android 10 (Can be upgraded to Android 13)	Android 9.0 (Can be upgraded to Android 12)
ROM	Stock Android	Stock Android
OS size	15 GB	12 GB

Battery

Capacity	3140 mAh	2915 mAh
Max charge power	18 W	18 W
Battery type	Li-Po	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Wireless charging	No	Yes, Qi (10 W)
Reverse charging	No	No
Fast charging	Yes (50% in 25 min)	Yes, Quick Charge 4 (50% in 40 min)
Full charging time	1:27 hr	2:00 hr

Battery life tests
Web browsing	06:35 hr	05:20 hr
Watching video	11:24 hr	09:37 hr
Gaming	04:08 hr	03:31 hr
Standby	90 hr	78 hr

General battery life

Pixel 4a +18%

17:58 hr

Pixel 3

15:14 hr

Add your battery life

Main camera

Matrix	12.2 megapixels	12.2 megapixels
Image resolution	4000 x 3000	4032 x 3024
Zoom	Digital	Digital
Flash	Dual LED	Dual LED
Stabilization	Optical	Optical
8K video recording	No	No
4K video recording	Up to 30FPS	Up to 30FPS
1080p video recording	Up to 60FPS	Up to 60FPS
Slow motion	120 FPS (1080p)	240 FPS (720p)
Lenses	1) Standard: 12.2 MP	1) Standard: 12.2 MP
Camera features	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support

Standard lens
Image resolution	12.2 MP	12.2 MP
Aperture	f/1.7	f/1.8
Focal length	27 mm	28 mm
Sensor	Sony IMX363	Sony IMX363
Sensor size	1/2.55" (≈ 0.39 inch)	1/2.55" (≈ 0.39 inch)
Pixel size	1.4 micron	1.4 micron
Autofocus	Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel)	Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel)
Stabilization	Optical	Optical

DxOMark main camera tests

Photo quality

Pixel 4a +13%

116

Pixel 3

103

Video quality

Pixel 4a +2%

100

Pixel 3

98

Generic main camera score

Pixel 4a

100

Pixel 3 +1%

101

Bokeh	55	-
Preview	47	-
Zoom	48	-
Samples	Photo samples of Google Pixel 4a from DxOMark	Photo samples of Google Pixel 3 from DxOMark

Selfie camera

Megapixels	8 megapixels	8 megapixels
Image resolution	3264 x 2448	3264 x 2448
Aperture	f/2.0	f/1.8
Focal length	24 mm	28 mm
Sensor	Sony IMX355	Sony IMX355
Sensor size	1/2.8" (≈ 0.36 inch)	1/3.2" (≈ 0.31 inch)
Pixel size	1.12 micron	1.4 micron
Autofocus	No	Phase autofocus
Stabilization	Digital	Digital
Video resolution	1080p (Full HD) at 30 FPS	1080p (Full HD) at 30 FPS
Additional lens	-	8 MP, f/19
Depth sensor (TOF 3D)	No	No

DxOMark front camera

Pixel 4a

n/a

Pixel 3

123

Photo	-	124
Video	-	121

Connectivity

Wi-Fi standard	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac)	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac)
Wi-Fi features	- Dual Band - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display	- Dual Band - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot
Bluetooth version	5.1	5
Bluetooth features	LE, A2DP	LE, A2DP
USB type	USB Type-C	USB Type-C
USB version	3.1	3.1
USB features	- Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG	- Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG
GPS	GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS	GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo
NFC*	Yes	Yes
Infrared port	No	No

Network
Number of SIM*	2	1
Type of SIM card	Nano	Nano
Multi SIM mode	Standby	Standby
eSIM support*	Yes	Yes
Hybrid slot	No	No
LTE Cat*	15	16
5G support	No	No

Sound

Speakers	Stereo	Stereo
Headphone audio jack	Yes	No
FM radio	No	No
Dolby Atmos	No	No

Speakers test

Max loudness

Pixel 4a +1%

86 dB

Pixel 3

84.9 dB

Other

Category	Mid-range	Flagship
Announced	August 2020	October 2018
Release date	October 2020	November 2018
Launch price (MSRP)	$350	$800
Successor	- Google Pixel 10a	- Google Pixel 10a
SAR (head)	1.37 W/kg	-
SAR (body)	1.39 W/kg	-
Sensors	- Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint	- Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint

Conclusion

If the display, gaming, battery life, software, and sound are more important to you, then choose the Google Pixel 4a. But if the design is more of a priority – go for the Google Pixel 3.

Cast your vote

So, which phone would you choose?

Google Pixel 4a

114 (45.1%)

Google Pixel 3

139 (54.9%)

Total votes: 253

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Google Pixel 4a vs Pixel 3

Key differences

Review

Value for money (Beta)

Tests and specifications

Display

Design and build

Performance

Benchmarks

Recent User Tests

Memory

Software

Battery

Main camera

DxOMark main camera tests

Selfie camera

Connectivity

Sound

Other

Conclusion

Cast your vote

Related comparisons

User opinions