WhichPhoneToBuy

Apple iPhone 16 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro

The Google Pixel 9 Pro comes out ahead on 7 counts and the Apple iPhone 16 on 5.

Which should you buy?

Pick the Apple iPhone 16 for

  • Faster wireless charging: 25 W vs 21 W
  • Lighter: 170 g vs 199 g (29 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 3,561 mAh (32% more)
  • 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
  • More RAM: up to 16 GB vs 8 GB
  • More storage: up to 1 TB vs 512 GB

Size comparison

The Apple iPhone 16 is 5.2 mm shorter, 0.7 mm thinner and 29 g lighter than the Google Pixel 9 Pro. Its screen is 0.2" smaller.

  • Apple iPhone 16147.6 Γ— 71.6 Γ— 7.8 mm
  • Google Pixel 9 Pro152.8 Γ— 72 Γ— 8.5 mm

Specs side by side

LaunchApple iPhone 16Google Pixel 9 Pro
AnnouncedSeptember 9, 20241August 13, 2024
ReleasedSeptember 20, 20241September 4, 2024
Launch price$799 (better)$999
BodyApple iPhone 16Google 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
Weight170 g (better)199 g
FrameAluminumpolished metal
BackColor-infused glassmatte glass
Water resistanceIP68IP68
ColoursBlack, White, Pink, Teal, UltramarinePorcelain, Rose Quartz, Hazel, Obsidian
DisplayApple iPhone 16Google 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 16Google Pixel 9 Pro
ChipsetA18Google 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
Ships withiOSAndroid 14
OS updatesβ€”7 years (to Sep 2031)
Security updatesβ€”7 years (to Sep 2031)
MemoryApple iPhone 16Google Pixel 9 Pro
RAM8 GB116 GB (better)
Storage128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB (better)
Card slotNoβ€”
CamerasApple iPhone 16Google 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 16Google Pixel 9 Pro
Capacity3,561 mAh14,700 mAh (better)
Wired chargingβ€”27 W
Wireless charging25 W (better)21 W
Reverse wirelessβ€”Yes
ConnectivityApple iPhone 16Google Pixel 9 Pro
5GYesYes
Wi-FiWi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMOWi-Fi 7
Bluetooth5.35.3
NFCYesYes
USBUSB-C, USB 2 (up to 480Mb/s)USB-C 3.2
Headphone jackNo1β€”
eSIMYesYes
Satellite messagingYesYes
FeaturesApple iPhone 16Google Pixel 9 Pro
FingerprintNone (Face ID)1Fingerprint Unlock1
Stereo speakersYesYes

Highlighted: the better value where one is clearly better. Sources for each phone are listed on the Apple iPhone 16 and Google Pixel 9 Pro pages.

Quick answers

Is the Apple iPhone 16 bigger than the Google Pixel 9 Pro?
The Apple iPhone 16 is 5.2 mm shorter, 0.7 mm thinner and 29 g lighter than the Google Pixel 9 Pro. Its screen is 0.2" smaller.
Which has the bigger battery, the Apple iPhone 16 or the Google Pixel 9 Pro?
The Google Pixel 9 Pro has the bigger battery: 4,700 mAh against 3,561 mAh. Real battery life also depends on the chip and screen.
Which was cheaper at launch?
The Apple iPhone 16 launched at $799, against $999 for the Google Pixel 9 Pro (US launch prices; street prices drop over time).

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