WhichPhoneToBuy

Apple iPhone 15 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro

The Google Pixel 9 Pro comes out ahead on 11 counts and the Apple iPhone 15 on 4.

Which should you buy?

Pick the Apple iPhone 15 for

  • Lighter: 171 g vs 199 g (28 g less)
  • Thinner: 7.8 mm vs 8.5 mm
  • More compact: 5.2 mm shorter
  • Cheaper at launch: $799 vs $999

Pick the Google Pixel 9 Pro for

  • Bigger battery: 4,700 vs 3,349 mAh (40% more)
  • Faster wired charging: 27 W vs 20 W
  • Faster wireless charging: 21 W vs 15 W
  • Bigger screen: 6.3" vs 6.1"
  • Smoother display: 120 Hz vs 60 Hz
  • Brighter display: 3,000 vs 2,000 nits peak
  • Optical zoom (5Γ—), which the other lacks
  • OS updates for longer, until Sep 2031
  • More RAM: up to 16 GB vs 6 GB
  • More storage: up to 1 TB vs 512 GB
  • Newer: launched September 2024

Size comparison

The Apple iPhone 15 is 5.2 mm shorter, 0.7 mm thinner and 28 g lighter than the Google Pixel 9 Pro. Its screen is 0.2" smaller.

  • Apple iPhone 15147.6 Γ— 71.6 Γ— 7.8 mm
  • Google Pixel 9 Pro152.8 Γ— 72 Γ— 8.5 mm

Specs side by side

LaunchApple iPhone 15Google Pixel 9 Pro
AnnouncedSeptember 12, 2023August 13, 2024
ReleasedSeptember 22, 2023September 4, 2024
Launch price$7991 (better)$999
BodyApple iPhone 15Google Pixel 9 Pro
Size147.6 Γ— 71.6 Γ— 7.8 mm152.8 Γ— 72 Γ— 8.5 mm
Thickness7.8 mm (better)8.5 mm
Weight171 g (better)199 g
FrameAluminumpolished metal
BackColor-infused glassmatte glass
Water resistanceIP68IP68
ColoursBlack, Blue, Green, Yellow, PinkPorcelain, Rose Quartz, Hazel, Obsidian
DisplayApple iPhone 15Google Pixel 9 Pro
Size6.1"6.3"
TypeSuper Retina XDR OLEDLTPO OLED
Resolution1179 Γ— 25561280 Γ— 2856 (better)
Refresh rate60 Hz120 Hz (better)
Peak brightness2,000 nits3,000 nits (better)
ProtectionCeramic ShieldGorilla Glass Victus 2
Performance and softwareApple iPhone 15Google Pixel 9 Pro
ChipsetA16 BionicGoogle Tensor G4
CPU6-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores1x 3.1 GHz Cortex-X4 + 3x 2.6 GHz Cortex-A720 + 4x 1.9 GHz Cortex-A5201
Process4 nm1β€”
Ships withiOSAndroid 14
OS updates5 years (to Sep 2028)17 years (to Sep 2031) (better)
Security updatesβ€”7 years (to Sep 2031)
MemoryApple iPhone 15Google Pixel 9 Pro
RAM6 GB116 GB (better)
Storage128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB (better)
Card slotNo1β€”
CamerasApple iPhone 15Google Pixel 9 Pro
Rear48 MP Main, OIS 12 MP Ultrawide50 MP Main 48 MP Ultrawide 48 MP Telephoto (5Γ— optical)
Main camera48 MP50 MP
Optical zoomNone5Γ— (better)
Front12 MP42 MP
Video4K Dolby Vision at 60 fps8K at 30 FPS
BatteryApple iPhone 15Google Pixel 9 Pro
Capacity3,349 mAh14,700 mAh (better)
Wired charging20 W127 W (better)
Wireless charging15 W21 W (better)
Reverse wirelessβ€”Yes
ConnectivityApple iPhone 15Google Pixel 9 Pro
5GYesYes
Wi-FiWi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMOWi-Fi 7
Bluetooth5.35.3
NFCYesYes
USBUSB-C with USB 2 (up to 480Mb/s) and DisplayPortUSB-C 3.2
Headphone jackNo1β€”
eSIMYesYes
Satellite messagingYesYes
FeaturesApple iPhone 15Google Pixel 9 Pro
Fingerprintβ€”Fingerprint Unlock1
Stereo speakersβ€”Yes

Highlighted: the better value where one is clearly better. Sources for each phone are listed on the Apple iPhone 15 and Google Pixel 9 Pro pages.

Quick answers

Is the Apple iPhone 15 bigger than the Google Pixel 9 Pro?
The Apple iPhone 15 is 5.2 mm shorter, 0.7 mm thinner and 28 g lighter than the Google Pixel 9 Pro. Its screen is 0.2" smaller.
Which has the bigger battery, the Apple iPhone 15 or the Google Pixel 9 Pro?
The Google Pixel 9 Pro has the bigger battery: 4,700 mAh against 3,349 mAh. Real battery life also depends on the chip and screen.
Which gets software updates for longer?
The Google Pixel 9 Pro: its maker promises OS updates until around September 2031, against September 2028 for the Apple iPhone 15.
Which was cheaper at launch?
The Apple iPhone 15 launched at $799, against $999 for the Google Pixel 9 Pro (US launch prices; street prices drop over time).

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