This time around, we’re comparing the very best smartphone from Google, at the moment, and a rather powerful one from Apple. In other words, we’ll be comparing the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro. The iPhone 15 Pro is no longer Apple’s compact flagship, but it was before the iPhone 16 series camera to play. It is still a very compelling smartphone, though, and a great option.
As we usually do, we’ll first list the specs of both of these smartphones. Following that, we’ll compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio output. These two phones are a lot different, in so many ways. That goes for their size, design, internals, and more. So, let’s get started, shall we?
Specs
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
| Google Pixel 9 Pro XL | Apple iPhone 15 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm | 146.6 x 70.6 x 8.3 mm |
| Weight | 221 grams | 187 grams |
| Display | 6.8-inch LTPO OLED | 6.1-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Refresh rate | 1-120Hz (adaptive) | 1-120Hz (adaptive) |
| Resolution | 2992 x 1344 | 2556 x 1179 |
| Chipset | Google Tensor G4 | Apple A17 Pro |
| RAM | 16GB (LPDDR5X) | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 3.1) | 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB (NVMe) |
| Main camera | 50MP (f/1.7 aperture, 1/1.31-inch sensor size, 1.2um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS) | 48MP (wide, f/1.8 aperture, 1/1.28-inch sensor size, 1.22um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS) |
| Ultra-wide camera | 48MP (f/1.7 aperture, 1/2.55-inch sensor size, 123-degree FoV, dual pixel PDAF) | 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1/2.55-inch sensor size, 1.4um pixel size, PDAF) |
| Telephoto camera | N/A | 12MP (f/2.8 aperture, 1/3.5-inch sensor size, 3x optical zoom, OIS) |
| Periscope telephoto camera | 48MP (f/2.8 aperture, 1/2.55-inch sensor size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom) | N/A |
| Selfie camera | 42MP (f/2.2 aperture, PDAF) | 12MP (f/1.9 aperture, 1/3.6-inch sensor size, 1.0um pixel size, PDAF, OIS) |
| Battery size | 5,060mAh | 3,274mAh |
| Charging | 37W wired, 23W wireless (Pixel Stand), 12W wireless (Qi), 5W reverse wired (charger not included) | 23W wired, 15W MagSafe wireless, 7.5W Qi wireless, 4.5W reverse wired (charger not included) |
| Colors | Porcelain, Rose Quartz, Hazel, Obsidian | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium |
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Design
Both of these smartphones include flat displays. The bezels around both of them are thin, and they’re similar in that regard. The Pixel 9 Pro XL includes a display camera hole up top, while the iPhone 15 Pro comes with a pill-shaped cutout, the so-called Dynamic Island. A power/lock button sits above the volume rocker keys on the right side of the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The iPhone 15 Pro has a power/lock key on the right, along with an Action button on the left, where its volume keys are included too.
Both of them also have a flat frame all around. It is rounded towards the very edges, though, for comfort’s sake. If we flip them around, you’ll see even more differences. While they both do have a flat backplate, that’s where the similarities end. The Pixel 9 Pro XL includes a large camera bar up top, a pill-shaped one. It is in landscape orientation. The iPhone 15 Pro has a classic iPhone camera module in the top-left corner, with three cameras, and an overall square shape.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is a much larger smartphone. It is considerably taller, wider, and slightly thicker. On top of that, it weighs a lot more. It is 34 grams heavier, which is to be expected considering how much larger it is. Both smartphones are made out of metal and glass, and both are slippery. The iPhone 15 Pro is easier to use, though, due to its size. Both of them also deliver an IP68 certification for water and dust resistance.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Display
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display. That panel is flat, and it supports an adaptive refresh rate (1-120Hz). HDR10+ content is supported, and the peak brightness here is 3,000 nits. The screen-to-body ratio is around 88%, while the display aspect ratio is 20:9. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection from Corning is placed on top of the display to protect it.
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro, on the other hand, includes a 6.1-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED display. That panel is also flat, and it supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision. It has an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz, while the peak brightness here is 2,000 nits. The screen-to-body ratio is at around 88%, while the display aspect ratio is 19.5:9. This display is protected by the Ceramic Shield Glass.
Both of these displays are really, really good. They’re not only plenty sharp and have great viewing angles, but they’re also vivid too. The touch response is good as well, while the blacks are as deep as you’d expect them to be on OLED panels. What neither display offers is a high-frequency PWM dimming, unfortunately. Other than that, you can’t go wrong with either of these, really.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Performance
The Google Tensor G4 processor fuels the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. That is Google’s most powerful chip at the moment, it’s a 4nm processor. It is paired with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage inside of this phone. The Apple iPhone 15 Pro is fueled by the Apple A17 Pro chip, a 3nm processor. That chip utilizes 8GB of RAM and NVMe flash storage inside of this phone. Neither device supports storage expansion, by the way.
You’ll be glad to hear that both phones deliver in the performance department. In day-to-day use, both of them are quite fluid. That goes for basically anything you throw at them, ranging from multimedia consumption and opening apps, to jumping between apps and browsing. You don’t have to worry about lag or anything like that, they both deliver.
When it comes to gaming, however, the iPhone 15 Pro is better suited for high-end games. In other words, it’s the phone to get for graphically demanding titles. The Pixel 9 Pro XL can run such games, but it’s not the best at it. Games that are not as graphically intensive are a piece of cake for both of these smartphones. The iPhone 15 Pro had an issue with heat at first, but Apple fixed that soon after launch. Both do a good job in that department now.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Battery
A 5,060mAh battery sits inside the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. The iPhone 15 Pro, on the other hand, has a 3,274mAh battery on the inside. Apple’s iPhones usually have smaller battery packs than their Android counterparts, and in this case, the iPhone 15 Pro is also a lot smaller, so… there you go. Despite all that, the iPhone 15 Pro does offer really good battery, which at least rivals the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
It all depends on the day we use the two devices, but they are trading blows in terms of battery longevity. They’re on the same playing field, and it all depends on the day. You can get really good battery life on both, with rather high screen-on time levels. There are a lot of factors included here, so your experience may vary. Your signal will affect things a lot, the apps you’re using, whether you’re gaming or not, and so on.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL supports 37W wired, 23W wireless (Pixel Stand), and 5W reverse wireless charging. The iPhone 15 Pro, on the other hand, supports 23W wired, 15W wireless (MagSafe), 7.5W wireless (Qi), and 4.5W reverse wired charging. The Pixel 9 Pro XL does charge a bit faster. It takes around an hour and 20 minutes to fully charge. The iPhone 15 Pro will take over an hour and a half to reach a full charge.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Cameras
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has three cameras on the back. A 50-megapixel main camera (1/1.31-inch sensor size) is backed by a 48-megapixel ultrawide snapper (1/2.55-inch sensor size, 123-degree FoV) and a 48-megapixel periscope telephoto camera (1/2.55-inch sensor size, 5x optical zoom).
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro, on the flip side, has three cameras on the back as well. A 48-megapixel main camera (1/1.28-inch sensor size) comes with a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit (1/2.55-inch sensor size) and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera (1/3.5-inch sensor size, 3x optical zoom).
Apple’s handset has an inferior ultrawide camera and a considerably worse telephoto snapper. It is not a periscope telephoto camera like on the Pixel 9 Pro XL, not to mention that the telephoto sensor in there is not that big. The Pixel 9 Pro XL did win for us in both ultrawide and telephoto scenarios, while we also preferred its main camera shots more often than not. Still, the main camera comparison is a much closer one. Both do a great job, while the iPhone 15 Pro photos are a bit closer to real life. The Pixel 9 Pro XL provides visibly processed shots, but in a good way, mostly. They’re quite contrasty.
Audio
Both of these phones also have stereo speakers. The ones on the Pixel 9 Pro XL are a bit louder, but not by much. You’ll notice the difference only if you compare them directly. The sound output is good on both.
There is no audio jack on either of these two smartphones. You can always use their Type-C ports to connect your wired headphones, however. Alternatively, Bluetooth 5.3 is provided by both smartphones for wireless connectivity.
The post Phone Comparisons: Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro appeared first on Android Headlines.
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