![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/google-pixel-9a-back-yellow-background-scaled.jpg\"\/ "\\"google")
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Joe Maring \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n
I love my Pixel<\/a>, but it\u2019s missing a few important features I mentioned in my post that was published yesterday<\/a>. That got me thinking that I should perhaps switch back to a OnePlus phone, after years of using Pixels.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t need the latest and greatest, and I don\u2019t want to spend more than around $600 on a phone, so the OnePlus 15<\/a> is out of the question. But there is an upcoming phone from OnePlus that has a lot of the features I want and fits within my budget, and I\u2019d be willing to trade my Pixel 9a for it \u2014 but there are three things holding me back.<\/p>\n Should I ditch my Pixel 9a for the upcoming OnePlus 15R?<\/p>\n 531 votes<\/p>\n Why I\u2019d switch to the OnePlus 15R<\/p>\n The OnePlus 15R is expected to be a rebadged version of the OnePlus Ace 6T \u2014 coming on December 3 \u2014 and will officially be announced on December 17<\/a>. While not all specs and features of the upcoming phone have been officially confirmed yet, looking at the leaks, I have a good idea of what to expect.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s start with the battery and charging. It appears that we\u2019ll see an 8,300mAh battery<\/a> on the OnePlus 15R, making it the largest the company has ever put in one of its phones. For comparison, my Pixel 9a\u2019s battery comes in at 5,100mAh, and it\u2019s on the larger side as far as Pixels are concerned. That should translate to a much longer battery life, although we\u2019ll know more once we review the phone.<\/p>\n Battery is only one of the features that gets me excited \u2014 the other one is charging. The OnePlus 15R is expected to support 100W wired charging, which should get the phone from empty to full in around 45 minutes. For reference, my Pixel supports 23W charging and needs more than 90 minutes to get the battery to 100%. Even the more expensive Pixel 10 Pro XL<\/a> only supports 45W charging and needs 75 minutes to go from zero to 100%.<\/p>\n Then there\u2019s the side button, a feature that I really like. I was a big fan of OnePlus\u2019 Alert Slider, but the company switched it out for a customizable button on the OnePlus 15, and it looks like the same thing will happen with the 15R. It can be used to switch between sound profiles, turn on the flashlight, and perform other functions. It\u2019s a great addition, although I\u2019d ideally like to see the option of supporting double and triple presses and more customizability.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t want to miss the best from Android Authority?<\/p>\n The OnePlus 15R is also expected to feature an IR blaster, just like its predecessor. Sure, it\u2019s a minor and perhaps not important feature to some, but I like it. I keep losing my remote, so having the option to control my TV and other electronic devices in my home with my phone makes life just a little bit easier.<\/p>\n And I have to mention the materials as well. If there\u2019s one thing I dislike about my Pixel 9a, it is the plastic back<\/a>, which feels cheap and is also a fingerprint magnet. Like its predecessor, the OnePlus 15R is expected to sport a glass back that not only looks but feels a lot more premium. It will likely still collect fingerprints like crazy, but you can\u2019t have everything.<\/p>\n These are the main features that made me think about ditching my Pixel for the upcoming OnePlus, although there are other ones that I\u2019d really enjoy. The chipset will be better,\u00a0 as the phone is confirmed to pack the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5<\/a> under the hood. There are also other premium features rumored, including an IP69K rating, an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, and a great software experience.<\/p>\n What\u2019s holding me back?<\/p>\n Ryan Haines \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n The first is the display. It\u2019s said to be around 6.8 inches, making the overall footprint of the device quite big. I prefer smaller phones<\/a>. Phones I can easily use with one hand and carry around in my pocket. The Pixel 9a is perfect for this thanks to its 6.3-inch display. I have used larger phones in the past, and I really don\u2019t want to go back to them.<\/p>\n My Pixel will get seven years of OS upgrades, while the OnePlus 15R will likely only get four. <\/p>\n The second is the software. While I\u2019m comfortable using OxygenOS, especially because of the various features I miss, the software promise doesn\u2019t match Google\u2019s. My Pixel is promised seven years of OS upgrades, while the OnePlus 15R will likely only get four. The second difference is that I get the latest version of Android<\/a> on day one, while OnePlus users have to wait a bit longer, sometimes for months on end. I remember those days, and I didn\u2019t enjoy them.<\/p>\n The third thing that\u2019s holding me back is the camera experience. I\u2019ve never used better camera systems than the ones offered by Pixel phones. The photos are consistently great, regardless of the lighting conditions. While OnePlus and other Chinese manufacturers have narrowed the gap with Google over the last few years in this area, and we actually don\u2019t know how good\/bad the OnePlus 15R\u2019s camera will be, I\u2019m still a lot more comfortable with Google\u2019s shooters since they don\u2019t leave a lot to be desired for my personal wants and needs.<\/p>\n So, what\u2019s the plan?<\/p>\n Ryan Haines \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n I\u2019ve used a lot of phones over the years, and I have yet to find a perfect one, regardless of my budget. There was always a compromise I had to make. There was always a phone that offered features that I really liked and my device didn\u2019t have, and it\u2019s the same story with the Pixel 9a and the upcoming OnePlus 15R.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a lot to gain by making the switch, but there are also a few things I\u2019d lose. So it comes down to what I value more: a longer and better software support, superior camera experience, and a smaller footprint, or faster charging, bigger battery, a more premium design, and other features I\u2019d get with OnePlus.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a tough choice, but I\u2019m sticking to my Pixel 9a for now. It\u2019s still the latest device in Google\u2019s A series, and while not perfect, the size, software, and cameras tip the scale in its favor. However, if Google doesn\u2019t start taking more risks and bring a bigger battery and faster charging to its upcoming phones, I may have to switch to a brand like OnePlus eventually.<\/p>\n![\"OnePlus](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OnePlus-15R-official-picture.jpg\"\/ "\\"OnePlus")
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<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Google](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Google-Pixel-9a-home-screen.jpg\"\/ "\\"Google")
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