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Google announced two smartphones as part of its Pixel 7 lineup, while Apple presented four iPhone 14 devices. Well, in this article, we’ll compare the Google Pixel 7 vs Apple iPhone 14. In other words, we’ll be comparing the two vanilla models from the two lineups. The iPhone 14 technically is not the company’s compact flagship, that would be the iPhone 14 Pro. The Pixel 7, on the other hand, is Google’s new flagship, alongside the larger Pixel 7 Pro.
The thing is, considering Apple’s pricing, the iPhone 14 is more expensive than the Pixel 7. The base model starts at $799, while the Pixel 7 starts at $599. That’s quite a difference, and these two devices are also quite different. We don’t mean only their designs, but the whole package. We’ll first list their specifications, and will then move to compare them across a number of other categories.
Specs
| Google Pixel 7 | Apple iPhone 14 | |
| Screen size | 6.3-inch fullHD+ flat OLED display (90Hz refresh rate) | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display (60Hz refresh rate) |
| Screen resolution | 2400 x 1080 | 2532 x 1170 |
| SoC | Google Tensor G2 | Apple A15 Bionic |
| RAM | 8GB (LPDDR5) | 6GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, non-expandable (UFS 3.1) | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, non-expandable |
| Rear cameras | 50MP (Samsung ISOCELL GN1 sensor, 1.2um pixel size, f/1.85 aperture, 82-degree FoV, Super Res Zoom up to 8x) 12MP (ultrawide, 1.25um pixel size, f/2.2 aperture, 114-degree FoV, lens correction) |
12MP (wide, f/1.5 aperture, 26mm lens, 1.9um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS) 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.4 aperture, 13mm, 120-degree FoV) |
| Front cameras | 10.8MP (1.22um pixel size, f/2.2 aperture, 92.8-degree FoV, Fixed Focus) | 12MP (wide-angle, f/1.9 aperture, 23mm lens, PDAF) SL 3D (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Battery | 4,355mAh, non-removable, 21W wired charging, 23W wireless charging, reverse wireless charger Charger not included |
3,279mAh, non-removable, 23W wired charging, 15W MagSafe wireless charging, 7.5W Qi wireless charging Charger not included |
| Dimensions | 155.6 x 73.2 x 8.7mm | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8mm |
| Weight | 197 grams | 172 grams |
| Connectivity | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, Lightning port |
| Security | Face Unlock In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) |
Advanced facial scanning |
| OS | Android 13 | iOS 16 |
| Price | $599/$699 | $799/$899/$1,099 |
| Buy | Apple |
Google Pixel 7 vs Apple iPhone 14: Design
The Google Pixel 7 is made out of aluminum and glass, and so is the iPhone 14. The Pixel 7 has sharper corners, and it’s larger overall, which is not surprising considering it includes a larger display. The phone is noticeably taller, wider, and thicker than the iPhone 14, while being a bit heavier as well. It’s actually 25 grams heavier than what Apple has to offer. Having said that, they do look quite different.
Both devices do have flat displays. The Pixel 7 includes a centered display camera hole, while the iPhone 14 has a notch at the top. Needless to say, that notch is quite large, much larger than the hole punch on the Pixel 7. The iPhone 14 features completely flat front and bottom sides, while it’s also flat on all its sides. The Pixel 7 offers a lot more curves, and thus doesn’t cut into your hand as much.
If we flip the two devices over, you’ll see major differences on the back. The Pixel 7 includes a camera visor, which is quite large, and covered by metal. It’s essentially an extension of the phone’s frame. The iPhone 14, on the other hand, has a regular-looking camera island in the top-left corner. Both phones do include two cameras on the back. Both of these devices are very slippery, and using a case is definitely recommended. The iPhone 14 is easier to use with one hand, but it also cuts into your hand a bit more due to its design. They both feel really premium in the hand.
Google Pixel 7 vs Apple iPhone 14: Display
The Google Pixel 7 features a 6.3-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) AMOLED display. This panel is flat, and it offers a 90Hz refresh rate. It does support HDR10+ content, while it also gets quite bright. The Pixel 7 peaks at 1,400 nits of brightness, and you’re able to achieve that under auto brightness only. The phone’s display has a 20:9 aspect ratio, while the display is protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus.
The Apple iPhone 14, on the other hand, includes a 6.1-inch fullHD+ (2532 x 1170) Super Retina XDR OLED panel. That display is also flat, and it supports HDR10 content. Apple opted for a 60Hz display here. It also has Dolby Vision support, and it gets up to 1,200 nits of brightness at its peak. It also can reach those levels only via the automatic brightness setting. The display has a 19.5:9 ratio, and it’s protected by the Ceramic Shield Glass.
Both of these displays do look really nice. They are vivid, have excellent viewing angles, and good touch response. The Pixel 7 does offer a higher refresh rate, which is noticeable. If you don’t care about that, however, both of these panels will do just fine. The Pixel 7 does get slightly brighter, but the difference is not that big. Both displays are more than usable in direct sunlight.
Google Pixel 7 vs Apple iPhone 14: Performance
The Pixel 7 is equipped with the Google Tensor G2 SoC. That is Google’s second-gen processor, a flagship chip. The company also included 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM inside of this phone, and UFS 3.1 flash storage. The iPhone 14 comes with the Apple A15 Bionic SoC, which is not Apple’s latest chip. Apple also included 6GB of RAM here, and NVMe storage.
Is the performance any good, though? Well, yes, it’s excellent, actually. The Pixel 7 is likely the smoothest Pixel phone we’ve ever used, alongside the Pixel 7 Pro. It does great in everyday tasks, but it struggles with the most demanding games out there, like Genshin Impact. This phone is not exactly made for gaming. The iPhone 14 does great in gaming as well, even with the most demanding titles. The Apple A15 Bionic is not much weaker than the Apple A16 Bionic after all.
The bottom line is, if you’re not a gamer, both of these phones will be great for you. Even if you’re a power user, but without intensive games, you’re good with both. If you do prefer to game on your phone, and you really want one of the two, the iPhone 14 is probably the better call.
Google Pixel 7 vs Apple iPhone 14: Battery
The Google Pixel 7 comes with a 4,355mAh battery, while the iPhone 14 includes a 3,279mAh unit. Now that we got the technical stuff out of the way, do note that iOS handles battery consumption differently, and generally needs smaller battery packs. So, is the battery life any good on these two? It’s not only good, but great. You’ll likely be able to cross the 7-hour screen-on-time mark with ease on both. In fact, getting over the 8-hour screen-on-time mark shouldn’t be a problem either, unless you really pushed them hard during the day.
Both phones offer really, really good battery life. Gaming could mess those up, though, of course, as is the case with basically every smartphone. From what we’ve seen, though, the battery life is quite consistent on both phones, which is great to know. You really can’t go wrong when it comes to battery life, either one of these will do a good job. Chances are you won’t have to charge them until the end of the day. Do note that your mileage may vary, though, of course.
The Pixel 7 offers 21W wired, 21W wireless, and reverse wireless charging support. The phone does slow down when it hits the 50-percent mark, though, at least on wired charging. So it takes almost two hours to fully charge. The iPhone 14 supports 18W wired, 15W MagSafe wireless, and 7.5W Qi wireless charging. Neither of the two phones comes with a charger in the box, though.
Google Pixel 7 vs Apple iPhone 14: Cameras
Both of these devices have two cameras on the back. The Pixel 7 has a 50-megapixel main camera, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit. The iPhone 14 includes two 12-megapixel units (wide and ultrawide). The ultrawide camera on the iPhone 14 has a slightly wider field of view than the one on the Pixel 7. The thing is, the Pixel 7 has the same main camera as the 7 Pro model, but the iPhone 14 didn’t get the same upgraded 48-megapixel camera as the iPhone 14 Pro units.
That’s not to say that the 12-megapixel setup on the iPhone 14 is bad, not at all. In fact, it’s excellent, as is the camera performance that the Pixel 7 provides. These two phones do tend to offer different results, though. The Pixel 7 leans towards cooler tones, while the iPhone 14 provides warmer images. You can choose between a number of different shooting styles on the iPhone 14, though.
In any case, you’ll get detailed and well-balanced images from both phones. That goes for both day and night conditions. The Pixel 7 does do a better job in HDR conditions, as the iPhone 14 has a tendency to blow out the highlights. It can also use sharpening a bit too much in some scenes, like with foliage, for example. The Pixel 7 manages to pull out more details from the shadows in low light, but images from the iPhone 14 look more lifelike. Video recording is still the iPhone’s strong suit, even though the Pixel 7 brings some major improvements compared to its predecessor.
Audio
You will find two speakers on each of these smartphones. The main one is bottom-firing, while the secondary sits above the display, and is front-firing. The speakers on both phones are really good. They offer detailed, well-balanced sound, and they’re also really clear. They do get loud enough too.
If you need an audio jack, neither of these phones offers one, unfortunately. You’ll have to opt for a Type-C port on the Pixel 7, or a Lightning port on the iPhone 14, if you want to make a wired audio connection. The Pixel 7 does offer Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless connections, while the iPhone 14 ships with Bluetooth 5.3 support.