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Google Pixel 6 vs OnePlus 9: Which should you buy?
Google swung for the fences when it decided to revamp the Pixel phone lineup in 2021. The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro represent a tonal shift of the lineup, offering flagship smartphone specs at affordable prices. But just how do they stack up against the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro, which also come with high-end hardware and relatively affordable prices? Let’s find out in this Google Pixel 6 vs OnePlus 9 comparison.
Google Pixel 6 vs OnePlus 9
Specs
| OnePlus 9 | OnePlus 9 Pro | Google Pixel 6 | Google Pixel 6 Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Display | OnePlus 9 6.55-inch flat AMOLED 20:9 aspect ratio 2,400 x 1,080 at 402ppi 120Hz refresh rate (static) | OnePlus 9 Pro 6.7-inch curved LTPO AMOLED 20.1:9 aspect ratio 3,216 x 1,440 at 525ppi 120Hz refresh rate (adaptive) | Google Pixel 6 6.4-inch OLED 20:9 aspect ratio FHD+ resolution 2,400 x 1,080 411ppi 90Hz refresh rate HDR support 24-bit depth Gorilla Glass Victus front Gorilla Glass 6 back | Google Pixel 6 Pro 6.7-inch OLED 19.5:9 aspect ratio QHD+ resolution 3,120 x 1,440 512ppi 120Hz adaptive refresh rate HDR support 24-bit depth Gorilla Glass Victus front and back |
Processor | OnePlus 9 Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 | OnePlus 9 Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 | Google Pixel 6 Google Tensor Titan M2 security | Google Pixel 6 Pro Google Tensor Titan M2 security |
RAM | OnePlus 9 8GB/12GB LPDDR5 | OnePlus 9 Pro 8GB/12GB LPDDR5 | Google Pixel 6 8GB LPDDR5 | Google Pixel 6 Pro 12GB LPDDR5 |
Storage | OnePlus 9 128GB/ or 256GB UFS 3.1 | OnePlus 9 Pro 128GB or 256GB UFS 3.1 | Google Pixel 6 128GB or 256GB UFS 3.1 | Google Pixel 6 Pro 128, 256, or 512GB UFS 3.1 |
Power | OnePlus 9 4,500mAh battery Warp Charge 65T 65W charger in box 15W Qi-compatible wireless charging (Wireless only in NA/Europe) | OnePlus 9 Pro 4,500mAh battery Warp Charge 65T 65W charger in box Warp Charge 50 Wireless 10V/6.5A, 20V/3.25A Output: 50W (with prop. charging stand) | Google Pixel 6 4,600mAh (typical) 30W wired charging USB-PD 3.0 (PPS) 21W wireless charging (w/ Pixel Stand) 12W Qi wireless charging Battery share No charger in box | Google Pixel 6 Pro 5,000mAh (typical) 30W wired charging USB-PD 3.0 (PPS) 23W wireless charging (w/ Pixel Stand) 12W Qi wireless charging Battery share No charger in box |
Ports | OnePlus 9 USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 No 3.5mm headphone jack No microSD card slot | OnePlus 9 Pro USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 No 3.5mm headphone jack No microSD card slot | Google Pixel 6 USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 Power button Volume rocker Dual SIM (single nano and eSIM) No expandable storage No 3.5mm port | Google Pixel 6 Pro USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 Power button Volume rocker Dual SIM (single nano and eSIM) No expandable storage No 3.5mm port |
Connectivity | OnePlus 9 5G support Wi-Fi 6 support 2x2 MIMO Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax NFC support Bluetooth 5.2 | OnePlus 9 Pro 5G support Wi-Fi 6 support 2x2 MIMO Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax NFC support Bluetooth 5.2 | Google Pixel 6 5G support (no mmWave) Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) Bluetooth 5.2 NFC support | Google Pixel 6 Pro 5G support Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) Bluetooth 5.2 NFC support UWB chip |
Cameras | OnePlus 9 Rear: 1) 48MP main (Sony IMX689) 1/1.43-inch sensor 1.12μm/46MP or 2.24μm/12MP ƒ/1.8, EIS 2) 50MP ultra-wide (Sony IMX766) 1/1.56-inch sensor ƒ/2.2 3) 2MP monochrome Front: - 16MP single (Sony IMX471) 1.0μm with EIS ƒ/2.4, fixed focus | OnePlus 9 Pro Rear: 1) 48MP main (Sony IMX789) 1/1.43-inch sensor 1.12μm/46MP or 2.24μm/12MP ƒ/1.8, EIS, OIS 2) 50MP ultra-wide (Sony IMX766) 1/1.56-inch sensor ƒ/2.2 3) 8MP telephoto 1.0μm, ƒ/2.4 4) 2MP monochrome Front: - 16MP single (Sony IMX471) 1.0μm with EIS ƒ/2.4, fixed focus | Google Pixel 6 Rear: - 50MP main 1.2 μm, ƒ/1.85, 82-degree FoV 1/1.31-inch sensor LDAF, OIS, and EIS - 12MP ultra-wide 1.25 μm, ƒ/2.2, 114-degree FoV - Laser AF Front: - 8MP single 1.12 μm, ƒ/2.0, 84-degree FoV | Google Pixel 6 Pro Rear: - 50MP main 1.2 μm, ƒ/1.85, 82-degree FoV 1/1.31-inch sensor OIS and EIS - 12MP ultra-wide 1.25 μm, ƒ/2.2, 114-degree FoV - 48MP telephoto 0.8 μm, ƒ/3.5, 23.5-degree FoV 1/2-inch sensor 4x optical zoom OIS and EIS - Laser AF Front: - 11.1MP single 1.22 μm, ƒ/2.2, 94-degree FoV |
Audio | OnePlus 9 Bluetooth 5.2 aptX, aptX HD, LDAC, AAC Dual stereo speakers Dolby Atmos | OnePlus 9 Pro Bluetooth 5.2 aptX, aptX HD, LDAC, AAC Dual stereo speakers Dolby Atmos | Google Pixel 6 Stereo speakers Triple mics Bluetooth 5.2 | Google Pixel 6 Pro Stereo speakers Triple mics Bluetooth 5.2 |
Security | OnePlus 9 No IP rating against water/dust In-display fingerprint sensor Face unlock (insecure) | OnePlus 9 Pro IP68-rated In-display fingerprint sensor Face unlock (insecure) | Google Pixel 6 In-display fingerprint Titan M2 chip 5 years security updates | Google Pixel 6 Pro In-display fingerprint Titan M2 chip 5 years security updates |
Software | OnePlus 9 Android 11 Oxygen OS 11 | OnePlus 9 Pro Android 11 Oxygen OS 11 | Google Pixel 6 Android 12 Pixel UI | Google Pixel 6 Pro Android 12 Pixel UI |
Dimensions and weight | OnePlus 9 NA/Europe: 160 x 74.2 x 8.7mm 192g India/China: 160 x 73.9 x 8.1mm 183g | OnePlus 9 Pro Global: 163.2 x 73.6 x 8.7mm 197g | Google Pixel 6 158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9mm 207g | Google Pixel 6 Pro 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9mm 210g |
Colors | OnePlus 9 Winter Mist, Arctic Sky, Astral Black | OnePlus 9 Pro Morning Mist, Pine Green, Stellar Black | Google Pixel 6 Stormy Black, Kinda Coral, Sorta Seafoam | Google Pixel 6 Pro Stormy Black, Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny |
Design and display
The Google Pixel 6 series is a page-one rewrite of the Pixel smartphone lineup. Design-wise, Google has ditched the rear square camera module found on previous Pixel phones. Instead, there’s a raised black horizontal row placed near the top of the smartphones that holds the camera sensors. Also, Google has gotten rid of its old-school rear-mounted fingerprint sensor in favor of a more modern in-display fingerprint scanner. The front camera sensor has also been moved from the upper-left side to the top center of the Pixel 6 displays.
The OnePlus 9 series also looks a bit different than previous phones in the OnePlus family. Both handsets have a rectangle-shaped vertical camera housing bump at the back, while the front-facing cameras are placed in the upper-left corner of the displays. Like the Pixel 6 models, both phones also have in-display fingerprint scanners.
Unlike the Pixel 6, the OnePlus 9 has a 120Hz display.
The standard Pixel 6 has a 6.4-inch flat OLED display with FHD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate, while the Pixel 6 Pro has a curved 6.71-inch OLED screen with QHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Both the OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus 9 Pro have 120Hz refresh rates displays. The OnePlus 9 is bigger than the Pixel 6, with a flat 6.55-inch AMOLED display and FHD+ resolution. The OnePlus 9 Pro uses a curved 6.7-inch AMOLED screen with QHD+ resolution.
All phones in the Pixel 6 and OnePlus 9 series feature glass on the front and back, while the frames are made of aluminum. However, the OnePlus handsets use the older Gorilla Glass 5, while the Pixel 6 phones use the more recent and tougher Gorilla Glass Victus on the front. The standard Pixel 6 has Gorilla Glass 6 on the back, while the Pixel 6 Pro’s back is also covered by the Gorilla Glass Victus.
You get an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance on the Pixel 6 phones as well as on the OnePlus 9 Pro. The standard OnePlus 9 has an IP68 rating as well, but only if you get the T-Mobile version of the device. None of them have a headphone jack. But on the other hand, the OnePlus 9 phones do have a charger included in the box, while Google decided not to include it with the Pixel 6 phones.
Hardware and cameras
The biggest addition that came to the Pixel in that generation was the Tensor processor. This is Google’s first in-house designed smartphone processor, and it offers flagship-style performance.
If you buy the standard Pixel 6, you get a phone with 8GB of RAM and the option of either 128GB or 256GB of unexpandable storage. The Pixel 6 Pro boosts the RAM to 12GB and offers 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options. In the US, the standard OnePlus 9 has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of unexpandable storage, while the OnePlus 9 Pro has 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Other regions have different RAM and storage options for both phones.
You'll find an improved camera system on the Pixel 6 phones.
After a few years of mostly using the same camera hardware, the Pixel 6 phones finally got a major upgrade in the camera department. The standard Pixel 6 includes a 50MP main rear sensor, along with a 12MP ultrawide sensor and an 8MP front-facing camera. The Pixel 6 Pro throws in a third 48MP rear telephoto sensor and boosts the resolution of the front camera to 11.1MP. The Pixel 6 phones have some nice exclusive photo features as well, including Magic Eraser — which gives users the option of removing unwanted people or objects from their images.
The camera software on the OnePlus 9 series was developed in collaboration with Hasselblad to help boost the performance compared to the somewhat lackluster cameras on previous OnePlus phones. The standard OnePlus 9 has a 48MP main rear camera, a 50MP ultrawide camera, and a 2MP monochrome sensor. There’s also a 16MP front-facing camera. The OnePlus 9 Pro adds an additional 8MP rear telephoto lens to the mix.
The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro both shipped with Android 12. Both get three years of OS updates, along with five years of security updates like other Pixel phones. The OnePlus 9 phones shipped with Android 11, and the company has pledged to offer three years of OS updates and four years of security updates.
One of the biggest differences between the Pixel 6 phones and the OnePlus 9 handsets is in the battery department, more specifically, the charging speeds. The standard Pixel 6 has a 4,614mAh battery and supports up to 30W wired charging if you have a Power Delivery PPS charger. It also supports up to 21W wireless charging speeds and has reverse wireless charging support.
The Pixel 6 Pro has a 5,003mAh battery, again with 30W wired charging, and up to 23W wireless charging speeds if you get the 2021 version of the Pixel Stand wireless charger. There’s reverse wireless charging support as well. Google claims that the phones will last up to a day on a single charge, and up to two days if the new battery-saving feature is used.
The OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro both have 4,500mAh batteries, but they support faster 65W wired charging. You also get a charger in the box regardless of the model you go for. But while the standard OnePlus 9 supports 15W wireless charging, the OnePlus 9 Pro has Warp Charge 50 wireless charging hardware. However, like the Pixel 6 Pro, you will have to buy the OnePlus-made wireless charger separately to get those 50W speeds. Both phones also support reverse wireless charging. In our testing, we were lucky to get a day’s worth of battery life out of the OnePlus 9 phones, so it’s good they support super-fast charging.
The Pixel 6 Pro supports both sub-6Ghz and mmWave 5G support, but the unlocked version of the standard Pixel 6 only supports sub-6GHz 5G networks in the US. Verizon does offer the same phone with mmWave support, but it adds $100 to its price. The OnePlus 9 only supports sub-6Ghz 5G carriers, while the OnePlus 9 Pro adds mmWave 5G support as well for Verizon and T-Mobile networks.
Price and colors
- Google Pixel 6: $599 / £599 / €649
- Google Pixel 6 Pro: $899 / £849 / €899
- OnePlus 9: $599 / £529 / €639
- OnePlus 9 Pro: $799 / £629 / €729
Google priced the Pixel 6 starting at just $599 at launch for the unlocked version ($699 if you get it from Verizon). The Pixel 6 Pro has a starting price of $899. The OnePlus 9 had a starting price of $729 in the US when it launched in early 2021. While the OnePlus 9 Pro initially went for $969. However, just after the Pixel 6 announcement, OnePlus slashed the prices of the OnePlus 9 down to $599 on Amazon and the OnePlus 9 Pro way down to $799.99. Since then, you can get the OnePlus 9 for as low as $599 on OnePlus. The OnePlus 9 Pro, with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, is available on the company’s store site for $799.
You can buy the Pixel 6 in Kinda Coral, Sorta Seafoam, and Stormy Black colors. At the same time, the Pixel 6 Pro has Sorta Sunny, Cloudy White, and Stormy Black colors. The OnePlus 9 comes in Winter Mist, Arctic Sky, and Astral Black (depending on your region). And the OnePlus 9 Pro is available in Morning Mist, Stellar Black, and Pine Green.
Google Pixel 6 vs OnePlus 9: Which should you buy?
The standard Pixel 6 is a very impressive phone for $599. You get a powerful processor inside, great new camera hardware and software, and lots more. The phone also gets Android 15, while Android 14 will be the end of the road for the OnePlus 9.
Which phone to get comes down to the specs and features you value more.
But on the other hand, the OnePlus 9 comes with a charger in the box and supports faster charging. It also features a powerful and proven chipset, has a bigger 120Hz screen, and can be had with more RAM. The decision of which of the two phones is better comes down to the specs and features you value more.
Which phone series offers more in your opinion?
The story is similar with the Pixel 6 Pro and OnePlus 9 Pro. Both have curved displays that are basically the same size. However, Pixel 6 Pro has more base RAM, a tougher body (Gorilla Glass Victus), and comes with 512GB of storage. It also has a bigger battery. But the OnePlus 9 sports an extra camera on the back and has a higher-res selfie camera. This is in addition to the already mentioned faster charging and the charger that’s included in the box.
Which series do you think comes out on top in the Google Pixel 6 vs OnePlus 9 battle? Let us know in the comments or via the poll above.
