Google Pixel 9a vs Samsung Galaxy A36 5G
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Google Pixel 9a and the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Google Pixel 9a | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G |
|---|
| Our rating | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Battery | 5,100 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Wired charging | 23W | 45W |
| Storage (max) | 256 GB | 256 GB |
| Screen size | 6.3 in | 6.7 in |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Main camera | 48 MP | 50 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 186 g | 195 g |
| Released | Apr 2025 | Mar 2025 |
Summary: Google Pixel 9a is ahead on battery, weight (lower is lighter). Samsung Galaxy A36 5G is ahead on wired charging, screen size, main camera.
Display
| Google Pixel 9a | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G |
|---|
| Type | pOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 1200 nits (HBM), 1900 nits (peak) |
| Size | 6.3 inches | 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~86.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2424 pixels (FHD+) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~385 ppi density) |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ |
| Brightness | 1800 nits (HBM), 2700 nits (peak) | — |
Platform
| Google Pixel 9a | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G |
|---|
| OS | Android 15, upgradable to Android 16 and beyond (7 years of updates) | Android 15, One UI 7 |
| Chipset | Google Tensor G4 (4 nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (4 nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.1 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x2.6 GHz Cortex-A720 & 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A520) | Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| GPU | — | Adreno 710 |
Memory
| Google Pixel 9a | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G |
|---|
| RAM | 8GB LPDDR5X | 6GB, 8GB, 12GB |
| Internal Storage | 128GB / 256GB UFS 3.1 | 128GB, 256GB (UFS 2.2) |
| Card Slot | No | No |
Main Camera
| Google Pixel 9a | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G |
|---|
| Dual | 48 MP, f/1.7, (wide), 1/2" sensor, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS | — |
| Ultrawide | 13 MP, 120˚ (ultrawide) | — |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama, Super Res Zoom (up to 8x digital) | LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Video | 4K@60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, OIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Triple | — | 50 MP, f/1.8, 25mm (wide), 1/1.96", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS; 8 MP, f/2.2, 16mm, 108.7˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm; 5 MP, f/2.4 (macro) |
Selfie Camera
| Google Pixel 9a | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G |
|---|
| Single | 13 MP | 12 MP, f/2.2, 25mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm |
| Features | Auto-HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps |
Battery
| Google Pixel 9a | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G |
|---|
| Type | Li-Po 5100 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | 23W wired, 7.5W wireless | 45W wired, 1-50% in 20 min (advertised) |
Body
| Google Pixel 9a | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G |
|---|
| Dimensions | 154.7 x 73.3 x 8.9 mm | 162.9 x 78.2 x 7.4 mm (6.41 x 3.08 x 0.29 in) |
| Weight | 186g | 195 g (6.88 oz) |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back, plastic frame |
| SIM | Nano-SIM and eSIM | Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| IP Rating | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | — |
| Durability | — | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) |
Comms
| Google Pixel 9a | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | v5.4 (expected) | 5.4, A2DP, LE |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Radio | No | — |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2 | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
Launch
| Google Pixel 9a | Samsung Galaxy A36 5G |
|---|
| Announced | March 2025 | 2025, March 02 |
| Status | Released 2025, April 10 | Available. Released 2025, March 10 |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Google Pixel 9a or Samsung Galaxy A36 5G?
Google Pixel 9a — 5,100 mAh for the Google Pixel 9a versus 5,000 mAh for the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G.
Which is lighter, Google Pixel 9a or Samsung Galaxy A36 5G?
Google Pixel 9a — 186 g for the Google Pixel 9a versus 195 g for the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G.
Which is newer, Google Pixel 9a or Samsung Galaxy A36 5G?
Google Pixel 9a — Apr 2025 for the Google Pixel 9a versus Mar 2025 for the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G.
Is the Google Pixel 9a or the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G rated higher?
We rate the Google Pixel 9a 8/10 and the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G 8/10.
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