Google Pixel 3a
With the Pixel 3a, you're essentially getting 80% of the experience found on the $800 Pixel 3 for half the cost. The Pixel 3a has a truly unbeatable camera for its price, an OLED display, and a stock build of Android Pie with guaranteed updates for three years.
Google Pixel 3a
Can't be beat
Phenomenal camera
Vivid OLED display
Android Pie w/ Google customizations
Three years of guaranteed updates
Plastic construction
Larger bezels
More expensive
Nokia 7.1
The Nokia 7.1 isn't as impressive of a package as the Pixel 3a, but that doesn't mean you should ignore it. For less money, the 7.1 has a more premium design than the 3a, along with a display that supports HDR10. Just be prepared for a slower processor and less impressive cameras.
Nokia 7.1
Cheaper alternative
Modern glass + metal design
Display supports HDR10
Expandable storage
Android One
Slower processor
Cameras are just OK
Overall, the Pixel 3a is the phone we'd recommend most people buy. For a bit more money than the Nokia 7.1, it delivers a substantially better camera, newer processor, and more. However, if $400 is too much for you to spend and/or you really need expandable storage, the Nokia 7.1 is still a solid option.
We've recommended the Nokia 7.1 quite a lot over the last few months as one of the very best mid-range phones you can buy in the United States. The Nokia 7.1 is still a really great phone, but now that the Pixel 3a has arrived, it's quickly become the new "budget" king in the country.
There are a few things that help the Pixel 3a stand out, but without a doubt, its biggest strength is its rear camera. The Pixel 3a uses the exact same 12.2MP camera found on the $800 Pixel 3, and more importantly, uses the same post-processing techniques. In real world use, this means the Pixel 3a captures some of the best pictures of any smartphone you can buy — regardless of price.
If that alone hasn't sold you on the Pixel 3a, that's far from the only thing it brings to the table.
The phone ships with a clean and smooth build of Android 9 Pie out of the box, and since this is a Pixel phone, it's guaranteed to receive fast software updates and security patches for the next three years. The Snapdragon 670 CPU is also quite a bit faster than the Nokia 7.1's Snapdragon 636, allowing for improved performance across the board.
| Google Pixel 3a | Nokia 7.1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 9 Pie | Android 9 Pie |
| Display | 5.6-inch 2220 x 1080 OLED 18.5:9 | 5.84-inch 2220 x 1080 LCD 19:9 HDR10 |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 |
| Storage | 64GB | 64GB |
| Expandable Storage | ❌ | Up to 400GB |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB |
| Rear Camera 1 | 12.2MP f/1.8 aperture 1.4μm pixel width | 12MP f/1.8 aperture 1.28µm pixel width |
| Rear Camera 2 | ❌ | 5MP f/2.4 aperture 1.12µm pixel width |
| Front Camera | 8MP f/2.0 aperture | 8MP f/2.0 aperture |
| Battery | 3,000 mAh | 3,060 mAh |
| Charging | USB-C | USB-C |
| NFC | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| 3.5mm Headphone Jack | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Security | Rear fingerprint sensor | Rear fingerprint sensor |
Why you may still want the Nokia 7.1
The Pixel 3a is our top recommendation between these two devices, but there are some instances where we'd suggest you still check out the Nokia 7.1.
For starters, it costs a lot less than the Pixel 3a. That difference in price might not matter a whole lot to some people, but if you're on a particularly tight budget, the Nokia 7.1 will be the more appealing of the two options.
It also has a much more premium glass and metal design compared to the Pixel 3a's polycarbonate body, and if you like storing a lot of local files, the Nokia 7.1 gets big points for having microSD card expansion up to an additional 400GB. On the Pixel 3a, you're stuck with the 64GB that's available out of the box and that's it.
Google Pixel 3a
The new U.S. mid-range king.
Google's first mid-range Pixel smartphone has turned out to be a smashing success. The Pixel 3a is rocking a solid OLED display, the latest available version of Android, and is guaranteed to be updated for the next three years. Plus, if you care about camera quality at all, absolutely nothing comes close to it.
Nokia 7.1
Still good for tighter budgets.
As smitten as we are with the Pixel 3a, the Nokia 7.1 continues to be a rock solid phone that's still worth taking a closer look at. Its camera and processor may be weaker compared to the Pixel 3a, but it has a more premium design, great battery life, and a gorgeous LCD screen that supports HDR10.
