iPhone 15 vs Pixel 7: Which one should you get?
It has been about a couple of weeks since Apple introduced its newest iPhone 15 series. These went on sale just last week and compete with some of the best Android smartphones. One such exciting battle is between the iPhone 15 and Pixel 7.
If you are looking to buy a new flagship smartphone but do not want to go for the Pros and Ultras of the smartphone world, the newly launched iPhone 15 and Pixel 7 should definitely be on your list. However, there is a huge price difference between the two smartphones. We are to help you figure out which one is a better choice for you and whether it is worth spending more on an iPhone.
iPhone 15 vs Pixel 7: Specs Comparison
| iPhone 15 | Pixel 7 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | From $799 | From $499 |
| Screen size | 6.1-inches | 6.3-inches |
| Resolution | 1179 x 2556 pixels | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
| Pixel Density | 460 ppi | 416 ppi |
| Processor | Apple A16 Bionic | Tensor G2 |
| RAM | 6GB | 6GB and 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB | 128GB and 256GB |
| Battery | 3349 mAh | 4355 mAh |
| OS | iOS 17 | Android 13 |
| Rear Camera | Dual-cameras: 48MP wide-angle with f/1.6 aperture and sensor-shift OIS, 12MP ultra-wide with f/2.4 aperture and 120-degree FoV |
Dual-cameras: 50MP wide-angle with f/1.9 aperture and OIS, 12MP ultra-wide with f/2.2 aperture and 114-degree FoV |
| Front Camera | 12MP wide-angle with f/1.9 aperture | 10.8MP ultra-wide with f/2.2 aperture |
| Bluetooth | v5.3 | v5.2 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm | 155.6 x 73.2 x 8.7mm |
| Weight | 171g | 197g |
| Water Resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
| Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes |
iPhone 15 vs Pixel 7: Build and Design
Both iPhone 15 and Pixel 7 have a similar build. You get Ceramic Shiled glass on both the front and the back along with an aluminum frame on the iPhone. The Pixel on another hand has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and the back as well as an aluminum frame. You also get an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance on both models.
It is the design where both these smartphones differ. The iPhone 15 has the same design as its predecessors. The dual rear camera setup has diagonally aligned camera sensors. The back panel has a matte finish. On the front, you get pill-shaped Dynamic Island which Apple debuted with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max last year. It houses Face ID sensors and the front camera.
The unique thing about Pixel 7’s design is its rear camera module bar. Its back panel has a glossy finish. The smartphone has a centered punch-hole and minimal bezels.
iPhone 15 vs Pixel 7: Display
The iPhone 15 sports a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display. It offers a 1,179 x 2,556 pixels resolution, 460ppi pixel density, and 2,000 nits peak brightness. The panel is compatible with HDR10 and Dolby Vision but continues with a 60Hz refresh rate.
The Pixel 7 has a slightly larger 6.3-inch AMOLED display with 1,080 x 2,400 pixels resolution and 416ppi pixel density. It offers 1,400 nits peak brightness, HDR10+ support, and 90Hz refresh rate.
iPhone 15 vs Pixel 7: Performance
The iPhone 15 is powered by Apple’s A16 Bionic chipset which also powers last year’s iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. It is a hexa-core 4nm processor featuring dual 3.46GHz Everest performance cores and four 2.02GHz Sawtooth efficiency cores. There is a five-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine.
As for the Pixel 7, Google has opted for the custom-made 5nm Tensor G2 processor featuring eight cores. It has dual Cortex-X1 cores clocked at 2.85GHz, dual Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.35GHz, and four Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.8GHz. It has an ARM Mali-G710 MP7 GPU and Titan M2 security co-processor.
There is no doubt that despite being a year old, the A16 Bionic is still one of the most powerful processors on smartphones. The Tensor G2 is not exactly meant to set benchmark records but is packed with various functionalities that add to the overall user experience. There are many AI-related features like voice translation and transcription.
The iPhone 15 comes with 6GB LPDDR5 RAM as compared to 8GB RAM on Pixel 7. The storage options are 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB for the iPhone and only 128GB and 256GB for the Pixel.
iPhone 15 vs Pixel 7: Camera
It is a well-known fact that the iPhone and Pixel are two smartphone lineups popular for their camera performance. Both iPhone 15 and Pixel 7 come with a dual rear camera setup but differ in their respective approach.
Apple has finally packed the vanilla iPhone 15 with a 48MP wide-angle primary camera sensor with f/1.6 aperture. It can be used to capture high-resolution 48MP and 24MP still images. The same sensor also doubles up as a telephoto camera with up to 2x zoom. The secondary camera on the phone is a 12MP ultra-wide camera with f/2.4 aperture and 120-degree FoV. It has support for up to 10x digital zoom, Smart HDR 5, 4K video recording, Dolby Vision HDR video recording, focus and depth control, and True Tone flash among other features.
The Pixel 7 comes with a 50MP wide-angle primary camera with f/1.9 aperture and a 12MP ultra-wide camera with f/2.2 aperture and 114-degree FoV. It supports high-resolution zoom up to 8x, laser detection autofocus (LDAF), HDR, Night Sight, and 4K video recording. You also get a few AI-related features like Magic Eraser and Face Unblur.
The front camera on the iPhone 15 is a 12MP camera with f/1.9 aperture. It also offers focus and depth control, Smart HDR 5, and 4K video recording. The Pixel 7 selfie camera is a 10.8MP shooter with f/2.2 aperture, HDR, and 4K video recording.
iPhone 15 vs Pixel 7: Battery
Apple does not disclose iPhone battery capacity officially but as per reports, the iPhone 15 is said to be packing a 3,349mAh battery. The company is claiming a battery life of up to 20 hours of offline video playback, up to 16 hours of streamed video playback, and up to 80 hours of audio playback.
It is the first iPhone to feature a USB-C port but it is limited to USB 2.0 standard. There is still 20W fast charging support where it can be charged up to 50% within 30 minutes. The iPhone 15 also supports 15W MagSafe wireless charging and 7.5W Qi wireless charging. Apple has bundled the new iPhone with a USB-C to USB-C 2.0 cable.
The Pixel 7 is packed with a 4,355mAh battery with 20W fast charging support. It is officially claimed to deliver beyond 24-hour battery life. There is a USB-PD 3.0 fast charging and Qi wireless charging support. The phone has a USB Type-C 3.2 port but comes bundled with a USB-C to USB-C 2.0 cable.
iPhone 15 vs Pixel 7: Software and Updates
The iPhone 15 ships with the latest iOS 17 out of the box. It comes with all the goodies that you expect from iOS including longer software support. Apple is known for releasing about five to six years of OS upgrades usually.
The Pixel 7 ships with Android 13 out of the box and is guaranteed to receive the upcoming Android 14 update. Google has promised OS software updates until at least October 2025 and security updates until at least October 2027.
iPhone 15 vs Pixel 7: Price
The iPhone 15 costs $799 for the base model with 128GB storage. As for the Pixel 7, it can be grabbed for around $500 for the base variant. The exact pricing varies as it receives discounts quite often.
iPhone 15 vs Pixel 7: Which one to buy?
Both iPhone 15 and Pixel 7 are almost comparable in terms of performance and camera quality. Apple has an advantage in terms of video recording capabilities and software support. Google takes the front seat if you are interested in the flexibility of the Android operating system and a high refresh rate display. The iPhone 15 also costs a lot more than the Pixel 7.
If you are a fan of a particular camp i.e. iOS or Android or are part of a particular ecosystem, you already know which device you are getting. For those who are not part of any camp, the decision should depend on what factors are more important for you.
Another thing to note is that Google is set to debut the new Pixel 8 series on October 4. You could end up saving a little bit more money if you pick the Pixel 7 and wait until the launch.