Newsletter
We’re here to compare phones from Google and Apple, and this should be an interesting comparison. We’ll compare the Google Pixel 6a vs Apple iPhone 13. Granted, these two phones are not exactly on the same level price-wise, but they are similar in terms of size. The Pixel 6a is also not available at the time of this comparison, but it will be at the end of July. Google fully announced it, though, and we do have a lot of information about it.
Those of you who are looking to get a new, somewhat compact device, may be considering both of these phones, presuming you don’t have a major preference when it comes to a smartphone OS. They both include a 6.1-inch display, and are an interesting choice if you don’t like behemoth smartphones. The Pixel 6a will cost less at $449, while the iPhone 13 starts at $799. So, that’s quite a difference. Let’s see if the iPhone 13 is worth so much more, let’s compare the Google Pixel 6a vs Apple iPhone 13, shall we?
Specs
| Google Pixel 6a | iPhone 13 | |
| Screen size | 6.1-inch fullHD+ OLED HDR display (60Hz) | 6.1-inch fullHD+ Super Retina XDR OLED display (60Hz) |
| Screen resolution | 2400 x 1080 | 2532 x 1170 |
| SoC | Google Tensor | Apple A15 Bionic |
| RAM | 6GB (LPDDR5) | 4GB |
| Storage | 128GB (UFS 3.1), non-expandable | 128GB/256GB/512GB, non-expandable |
| Rear cameras | 12.2MP (f/1.7 aperture, 27mm lens, 1.4um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS) 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 17mm lens, 114-degree FoV, 1.25um pixel size) |
12MP (f/1.6 aperture, 26mm lens, 1.7um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS) 12 MP (f/2.4 aperture, 120-degree FoV, 13mm lens) |
| Front cameras | 8MP (f/2.0 aperture, 24mm lens, 1.12um pixel size) | 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 23mm wide-angle lens) |
| Battery | 4,410mAh, non-removable, 18W wired charging | 3,240mAh, non-removable, 23W wired charging, 15W MagSafe wireless charging, 7.5W Qi wireless charging |
| Dimensions | 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9mm | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.7mm |
| Weight | 178 grams | 174 grams |
| Connectivity | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C |
| Security | In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) | Advanced facial scanning |
| OS | Android 12 | iOS 15 |
| Price | $449 | $799 |
| Buy | Apple |
Google Pixel 6a vs Apple iPhone 13: Design
When it comes to design, these two phones are completely different. The only thing they have in common is their size. The Google Pixel 6a is made out of metal and plastic, while the iPhone 13 combines metal and glass. The Pixel 6a has sharper corners, and it includes a centered display camera hole. The iPhone 13 has that unseemly notch at the top, which is not narrower, but also taller.
The bezels are thin on both devices, though we cannot say either one has uniform bezels. The iPhone 13 would have them if not for the notch, though. The iPhone 13 has flat sides, and back, while the Pixel 6a does not. Its back is curved towards the sides, while the sides are not flat at all. Both phones include two cameras on the back, though the camera modules look completely different.
The Pixel 6a includes a camera visor on the back, which goes from one side of the phone to the other. The iPhone 13 has a more regular-looking camera setup in the top-left corner. The Pixel 6a is a bit taller, and a bit thicker, while they are almost identical in terms of width and even weight. Both phones feel really premium in the hand, though the in-hand feel is completely different in comparison. The Pixel 6a isn’t out yet, so we didn’t have a chance to use it yet, but it’s basically a smaller Pixel 6, so we know what to expect.
It’s also worth noting that both of these smartphones offer water and dust resistance. The Pixel 6a offers an IP67 rating, while the iPhone 13 is IP68-rated.
Google Pixel 6a vs Apple iPhone 13: Display
Both of these smartphones include 6.1-inch displays, but they’re not the same. The Pixel 6a features a fullHD+ (2340 x 1080) OLED display with HDR support. This display is flat, and it’s protected by the Gorilla Glass 3. That’s not the best solution as Gorilla Glass 3 is prone to microscratches, so you may want to install a screen protector. The Pixel 6a has an 83-percent screen-to-body ratio, by the way.
The iPhone 13 features a fullHD+ (2532 x 1170) Super Retina XDR OLED display of the same size. This display is also flat, and it supports HDR10 content. It also has Dolby Vision support, and it gets quite bright, at 1,200 nits of peak brightness. Apple included scratch-resistant ceramic glass on this panel, but it’s not as scratch resistant as you’d think. Various reports online have shown that it’s rather prone to scratches, as was the iPhone 12. This handset has a screen-to-body ratio of around 86 percent.
Another thing worth noting is that both of these displays are 60Hz panels. So, you’re not getting a high refresh rate here. The iPhone 13 display does look better on paper, and we do expect it will be better. It is brighter, and supports HDR10. The Pixel 6a is also expected to have a really good display. We do expect vivid colors, great viewing angles, and overall a solid display. Also, both displays are more than sharp enough for that screen size.
Google Pixel 6a vs Apple iPhone 13: Performance
Performance is an area where you should not see any problems on either phone. We didn’t get a chance to use the Pixel 6a just yet, but the performance should be really similar to the Pixel 6. The Pixel 6a includes the Google Tensor SoC, 6GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and 128GB of UFS 3.1 flash storage. The iPhone 13 comes with Apple’s powerful A15 Bionic chip, 4GB of RAM, and several different storage options.
Both phones should deliver in basically every way. You can expect snappy performance regardless of whether you’re browsing, enjoying some multimedia, or doing something entirely different. Gaming is also included in the equation, both of these phones will be able to run anything you throw at them from the respective app stores. The iPhone 13 does have a more powerful chip, though, technically.
Google Pixel 6a vs Apple iPhone 13: Battery
The Google Pixel 6a comes with a 4,400mAh battery, while the iPhone 13 includes a 3,240mAh battery. iOS does handle battery life differently, so the difference in capacity here is not important. Having said that, the iPhone 13 has stellar battery life. It has a larger battery than the iPhone 13 Pro, while having a lower refresh rate display. The iPhone 13 Pro actually has good battery life, so you can imagine what the iPhone 13 can provide.
The Pixel 6a is expected to offer great battery life as well. That 4,400mAh may not seem huge for today’s standards, but do keep in mind this phone has a 6.1-inch 60Hz display. That, in addition to the Google Tensor SoC, and we’re expecting excellent battery life. It may not get to the Pixel 5a 5G’s level of battery life, but chances are it won’t be far. In other words, both of these phones should be great choices, even for power users.
What about charging? Well, the Pixel 6a supports 18W wired charging only. The iPhone 13 offers support for 23W wired, 15W wireless MagSafe, and 7.5W wireless Qi charging. The iPhone 13 should charge faster, though do note that neither phone includes a charger. You’ll get a charging cable with both, but not a charging brick, so that’s something you’ll have to buy separately.
Google Pixel 6a vs Apple iPhone 13: Cameras
The Google Pixel 6a has a 12.2-megapixel main camera, combined with a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. The iPhone 13 features a 12-megapixel main camera, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit. How do they compare? Well, as we mentioned already, the Pixel 6a didn’t get released yet, but we have a good idea of what to expect, due to familiar hardware. The iPhone 13 has been out for quite some time, though.
The iPhone 13 produces really well-balanced shots in basically all conditions. Its images are sharp, vivid, and it even does a good job in low light. It’s not perfect at all, and the images are not as good as the ones from the iPhone 13 Pro series, but still, it’s a really capable camera smartphone. The Pixel 6a is also expected to be quite compelling in the camera department. That 12.2-megapixel camera on the back may be old, but with Google’s camera software, it’s expected to shine.
It’s expected to offer similar shots to the Pixel 5a 5G and 5. The results may not be as good as the ones the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro offer, but still, we’re expecting detailed pictures, with great dynamic range. Google’s phones are also well-known to perform great in low light, so this handset will likely be no exception. The iPhone 13 doesn’t offer ground-breaking camera performance, and the Pixel 6a won’t either, but both are really capable in the camera department.
Audio
What about audio? Well, first and foremost, neither of these two phones include a 3.5mm headphone jack. So you’ll have to use Type-C and lighting port connections, respectively, if you want to hook up your headphones to these two phones. The good news is, however, that both phones include stereo speakers. The speakers on the iPhone 13 are good. They’re not setting any records, but they’re plain good, and well-balanced. We’re actually expecting something similar from the Pixel 6a. Good speakers are expected.