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We’re here to compare vanilla smartphones from Google’s and Apple’s flagship lineups. We’ll compare the Google Pixel 9 vs Apple iPhone 15. Yes, the iPhone 16 series is right around the corner, but until that happens, the iPhone 15 family is still the main lineup from Apple. The Pixel 9 series was announced quite recently by Google, and the Pixel 9 is the most affordable smartphone in the series.
What’s interesting about these two phones is that they have the same starting price tag. They both start at $799 in the US, as Google aligned the prices of its flagships to Apple’s price tags. The prices may vary outside of the US, though, of course. We will start things off by comparing the specs of the two phones. Following that, the two devices will be compared in a number of categories.
Specs
Google Pixel 9 vs Apple iPhone 15, respectively
– Screen size:
6.3-inch fullHD+ OLED (120Hz, HDR, 2,700 nits)
6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display (60Hz, HDR, 2,000 nits)
– Display resolution:
2424 x 1080
2556 x 1179
– SoC:
Google Tensor G4
Apple A16 Bionic
– RAM:
12GB (LPDDR5X)
6GB
– Storage:
128GB/256GB (UFS 3.1)
128GB/256GB/512GB
– Rear cameras:
50MP (wide, f/1.7 aperture, 1.2um pixel size, OIS, EIS), 48MP (ultrawide, f/1.7 aperture, 123-degree FoV)
48MP (f/1.6 aperture, sensor-shift OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.4 aperture)
– Front cameras:
10.5MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.22um pixel size)
12MP (f/1.9 aperture) + TrueDepth
– Battery:
4,700mAh
3,349mAh
– Charging:
27W wired, 15W wireless (Pixel Stand), 12W Qi wireless, 5W reverse wireless (no charger)
20W wired, 15W wireless (charger not included)
– Dimensions:
152.8 x 72 x 8.5mm
147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8mm
– Weight:
198 grams
171 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner
Advanced facial scanning
– OS:
Android 14
iOS 17
– Price:
$799+
$799+
– Buy:
Google Pixel 9 (Best Buy, Google Store)
Apple iPhone 15 (Apple)
Google Pixel 9 vs Apple iPhone 15: Design
The general shape of these two phones is very similar, and that even goes to an in-hand feel, to a degree. Both phones are made out of aluminum and glass. Both of them have a flat front, a flat back, and a flat frame all around with slightly rounded edges. They are even similar when it comes to corner curvature. The Google Pixel 9 is 17 grams heavier, though, which is something you will notice in the hand.
The Pixel 9 is also taller, slightly wider, and slightly thicker. That’s not exactly surprising as it does include a larger display than the iPhone 15. You will notice a display camera hole on the front of the Google Pixel 9. That hole is centered at the top of the display. The iPhone 15 includes a pill-shaped cutout instead, in that very same place. Both smartphones have thin bezels, and they’re uniform on both of them.
All the physical buttons are located on the right side of the Pixel 9. The power/lock button sits above the volume up and down keys. The iPhone 15 has a power/lock button on the right side, while its volume rocker buttons are on the left. The Action Button is also on the left side, by the way. The Pixel 9 has a pill-shaped camera island on the back side, which does protrude quite a bit. The iPhone 15 includes a more regular camera island in the top-left corner of its back side.
Both of these smartphones are quite slippery, and they both offer an IP68 certification for water and dust resistance. They feel good in the hand, and somewhat similar… well, to a degree.
Google Pixel 9 vs Apple iPhone 15: Display
The Google Pixel 9 does have a larger display. It includes a 6.3-inch 2424 x 1080 OLED panel. That display is flat, and it has a 120Hz refresh rate. HDR10+ content is supported here, while the peak brightness is 2,700 nits. The screen-to-body ratio is at around 86%, while the display aspect ratio is 20:9. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 is used here, by Corning, to protect the Pixel 9’s panel.
The iPhone 15, on the other hand, has a 6.1-inch 2556 x 1179 Super Retina XDR OLED display. That panel is also flat and has HDR10 and Dolby Vision support. It does not offer a high refresh rate, though, as it has a 60Hz display. The peak brightness here is 2,000 nits, while the screen-to-body ratio is at around 86%. The display aspect ratio sits at 19.5:9. The Ceramic Shield glass protects this display.
Generally speaking, both of these displays are good. They offer good viewing angles, they’re vivid, sharp, and have good touch response. They are both also bright enough, even though the Pixel 9 has an advantage in that regard. Where the Pixel 9’s panel definitely has a huge advantage is the refresh rate. It simply feels smoother to use while scrolling and so on, due to the high refresh rate which the iPhone 15’s display does not have.
Google Pixel 9 vs Apple iPhone 15: Performance
The Google Tensor G4 processor fuels the Google Pixel 9. That is a 4nm chip, and it is inferior to the iPhone 15’s chip. However, the Tensor G4 is well-optimized for the Pixel 9, and for AI tasks. The phone also includes 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage. The Apple A16 Bionic is a 4nm processor that fuels the iPhone 15. That chip is backed by 6GB of RAM and NVMe flash storage.
During regular day-to-day use, both of these phones are very smooth. It doesn’t matter if you’re jumping between apps, browsing, using the camera, or doing something else entirely, both of these smartphones deliver smooth performance. That is to be expected considering they are flagship-grade devices, though, right? Well, yes, but their performance does differ when it comes to gaming.
The Tensor G4 is not really made for gaming. The phone can get rather hot during graphically-intensive games, fast, especially if you’re playing them at the highest settings. You’ll also lose some frames in the process. Anything other than the most graphically-intensive titles on the highest settings, and the Pixel 9 does a fine job. The iPhone 15 can handle pretty much any game that is available for it. It usually does stay cooler than the Pixel 9 during gaming. The Pixel 9 is not exactly a device for gamers, that’s for sure.
Google Pixel 9 vs Apple iPhone 15: Battery
The Google Pixel 9 includes a 4,700mAh battery on the inside. The iPhone 15 comes with a 3,349mAh battery pack. Apple’s iPhones usually have considerably smaller batteries than their Android counterparts, so don’t pay much attention to the difference here. Both of these phones do deliver in terms of battery life, though. Both of these phones can deliver over 7 hours of screen-on-time, at least in our experience.
Do note that gaming was not involved in the testing process on those days. Playing games can take a serious hit on the battery life of both smartphones. The thing is, you can cross the 7-hour screen-on-time easily on both smartphones and even go very close to 8 hours, if not across that threshold too. Your experience may differ, though, of course. Battery life is a really subjective thing based on a number of factors, so… it all depends.
The Pixel 9 supports 27W wired, 15W wireless (with Pixel Stand), 12W Qi wireless, and 5W reverse wireless charging. The iPhone 15 offers 20W wired, 15W MagSafe and Qi2 wireless, 7.5W Qi wireless, and 4.5W reverse wired charging. The Pixel 9 will charge slightly faster than the iPhone 15. Do note that neither phone has a charger included in the retail box, though. So if you don’t own one, you’ll have to buy it separately.
Google Pixel 9 vs Apple iPhone 15: Cameras
There are two cameras located on the back of both of these phones. The Pixel 9 includes a 50-megapixel main camera, and a 48-megapixel ultrawide unit (123-degree FoV). The Apple iPhone 15 has a 48-megapixel main camera, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit (120-degree FoV). The Pixel 9 does have a larger main camera sensor, and the same goes for its ultrawide one, actually.
They both do a very good job when it comes to photos, but they also offer very different outputs. The images from the Pixel 9 are very contrasty, and the phone leans more on cooler colors, which is especially visible in low light. The iPhone 15 prefers warmer tones, and it’s less contrasty than the Pixel 9. The Pixel 9 also does a fantastic job with HDR content, better than the iPhone 15. The iPhone 15 photos are often closer to real life, though, if that’s something you’re interested in.
They both do a very good job in low light. The iPhone 15 likes to keep things a bit darker than the Pixel 9, though. As already mentioned, the color temperature difference becomes very apparent in low light. Both ultrawide cameras do a good job in low light conditions, and they both do a good job of keeping the camera color setup as the main shooters. The iPhone 15 wins the video comparison, while the Pixel 9 easily wins the selfie comparison, it simply does a better job with the front-facing camera.
Audio
You will find a set of stereo speakers on both smartphones. The thing is, the ones on the Pixel 9 are louder. That is something you’ll notice. The iPhone 15 does have solid speakers, but they’re a bit quieter than the Pixel 9’s. Both sets of speakers do provide good sound output, though.
There is no audio jack on either of these two smartphones. You do have the option to use the Type-C port that sits at the bottom of both smartphones, though. Alternatively, you can hook up your headphones wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.3 which is supported by both phones.