Apple iPhone 16 vs Google Pixel 9: A Base Model Brawl

It’s face-off time, and you cognize what that means. Two smartphones spell in, and 1 comes retired the victor with plentifulness of bragging rights. This clip around, we’re looking astatine a brace of entry-level smartphones: the iPhone 16 and Google Pixel 9. The gateway to their respective premium flagship brethren, these devices tin beryllium mislaid successful the pursuit for snazzy caller features. That would beryllium a mistake, however, arsenic some phones are large successful their ain right. But lone 1 tin beryllium the best.

So, let’s conscionable our fighters. In 1 corner, you person the iPhone 16. Instead of rocking past year’s processor similar the iPhone 15, Apple outfitted the iPhone 16 with its caller A18 Bionic chip, which, according to Apple, is noticeably much almighty than its predecessor. The telephone besides gets 2 caller buttons that person proven to beryllium beauteous useful. Plus, with the rollout of iOS 18, we’re getting our archetypal sensation of Apple Intelligence, which volition surely beryllium a crippled changer for Apple fans.

In the other country is the Pixel 9. With a gorgeous plan that mimics the iPhone, the Pixel 9 is affordable and has a agelong artillery life. Using the aforesaid Tensor G4 spot arsenic its much costly siblings, the Pixel 9 isn’t an outright powerhouse but gets the occupation done. The dual rear cameras person gotten a noticeable upgrade, allowing the smartphone to seizure stunning images and video. And arsenic we proceed to research AI’s possibilities, Google is astatine the forefront with the feature-rich Google Gemini.

So, successful a conflict of modular smartphones, volition it beryllium the Pixel 9 oregon the iPhone 16? Let’s find out.

Apple iPhone 16 vs Google Pixel 9: Price

A wealthiness of choice

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Both the iPhone 16 and Pixel 9 commencement astatine $799 sans trade-ins. That’s downright affordable compared to their much premium brethren with their fancy foldable hinges and high-powered cameras. But let’s spot what $800 buys you these days. For the iPhone 16, you get a smartphone with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. Doubling the retention volition outgo you $899, portion the 512GB mentation tops astatine $1,099.

There are lone 2 versions of the Pixel 9 available. The $799 basal exemplary has a whopping 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, portion the 256GB exemplary raises the terms to $899. Normally, this circular would person gone to the Pixel simply due to the fact that of the RAM. However, Apple takes this circular since the iPhone 16 has 3 antithetic models connected tap.

Apple iPhone 16 vs Google Pixel 9: Design

A telephone of a antithetic color

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Let’s get 1 happening straight: some the Pixel 9 and the iPhone 16 are beauteous phones. The Pixel 9 sports an aluminum framework with a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 rear sheet and display. The smartphone comes successful 4 colors: Peony, Wintergreen, Porcelain, and Obsidian. Like its larger siblings, the Pixel 9 has frosted strips on the sides. It looks eerily acquainted to an iPhone.

However, the sides are 1 of the biggest differences betwixt the 2 phones. The Pixel 9 has the powerfulness fastener and measurement rocker connected the close broadside with a slot that looks similar a microSD slot but is annoyingly lone a speaker. There’s besides a USB-C larboard and a nano-SIM slot. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 has the powerfulness and camera buttons connected the right, the configurable Action button, and measurement power connected the left. A brace of speakers connected the phone’s bottommost sandwich the USB-C charging port.

For once, the iPhone is the much colorful option, offering 5 colors (Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, Black, and White. Like the Pixel, the iPhone 16 has an aluminum framework and siding with a solid rear panel. Instead of Gorilla Glass, Apple uses the latest mentation of Ceramic Shield, which the institution says is 4 times stronger than solid successful erstwhile generations of iPhones.

While the iPhone 16 (6 ounces, 5.8 x 2.8 x 0.31 inches) isn’t arsenic tiny arsenic the past iPhone SE (5.1 ounces, 5.5 x 2.7 x 0.29 inches), it’s not that acold off. That volition marque folks with smaller hands oregon conscionable similar a smaller telephone happy. But arsenic a person of large phones, I’m firmly successful the Pixel 9 camp. At 7 ounces, it’s not overmuch heavier than the iPhone 16. However, with its 6 x 2.8 x 0.3-inch dimensions, the Pixel 9 is taller and has much show existent property than its Apple competitor.
As overmuch arsenic I emotion a large smartphone, I’m giving this circular to the iPhone 16 arsenic it offers much colour choices.

Apple iPhone 16 vs Google Pixel 9: Performance

There’s nary contest

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Nowadays, the lone happening that tin bushed an iPhone is different iPhone. With the caller A18 Bionic chip, Apple says the iPhone 16 is 30% faster than its predecessor. Considering that the iPhone 15 runs connected the A16 Bionic chipset, which is 2 years aged astatine this point, it’s an casual dunk. Although the basal exemplary of the A18 isn’t arsenic almighty arsenic the A18 Pro spot successful the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, it inactive ranks arsenic 1 of the strongest mobile CPUs available.

That stated, I had a hard clip taxing the iPhone 16. Even aft launching a fig of apps, including Adobe Photoshop Express, Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify, on with 30 Safari tabs, I didn’t spot immoderate slowdown. I got a spot of a stutter erstwhile I played Resident Evil 4 Remake, but it was conscionable that – a stutter. Other than the archetypal launch, the crippled ran smoothly. Did it person a console oregon PC-level graphics? No, but the information that the crippled runs astatine each is inactive a modern occurrence successful my book.

Apple is not the lone institution that tin marque its ain silicon, arsenic Google has been making its Tensor processors for a portion now. The Pixel 9’s Tensor G4 processor had nary problems with my multitasking, allowing maine to tally the aforesaid apps I utilized connected the iPhone positive 30 unfastened Google Chrome tabs. Instead of Resident Evil 4 Remake, I utilized Alien: Isolation and got creaseless gameplay. Again, the gameplay wasn’t arsenic beauteous arsenic the PC oregon console versions, but it’s a testament to however acold we’ve travel successful mobile technology.

I ran respective rounds of Geekbench 6 connected some phones to get factual show numbers, and it was nary contest. The iPhone 16 near the Pixel 9 successful the particulate connected some the azygous and multi-thread tests, scoring 3,412 and 8,416 compared to 1,699 and 4,241. Without question, this circular goes to the iPhone 16. But I’m funny however the victor would fare against the Galaxy S24, OnePlus 12, and much premium phones.

Apple iPhone 16 vs  Google Pixel 9: AI

The conflict genuinely begins

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Finally, iOS 18 is here, truthful I tin get a small sensation of what Apple Intelligence offers. Currently disposable arsenic a nationalist beta, you tin instrumentality immoderate of Apple Intelligence’s much intriguing features for a trial drive, with the remainder debuting aboriginal this year. Like astir AI software, there’s a large absorption connected creating summaries and streamlining immoderate of your much tedious tasks, specified arsenic shooting disconnected a effect to an email successful a agelong multiperson string. A large Summarize fastener successful my Mail app rapidly reduced a 20-entry thread to 3 scannable paragraphs successful little than 4 seconds.

The generative AI besides came successful useful erstwhile taking notes, providing options to proofread my text. Apple Intelligence tin besides rewrite, summarize, oregon interruption your notes down into cardinal points oregon make a list. It tin adjacent constitute for tone, including professional, concise, oregon friendly. But the features don’t conscionable reside successful email oregon note-taking apps. Notifications tin present beryllium summarized into easy scannable bites. And similar Gemini, Apple Intelligence tin grounds calls, make transcripts, and summarize everything.

I jumped into the Photos app to instrumentality immoderate of the AI features for a spin. The Natural Language Search worked similar a charm, rapidly pulling unneurotic pics of my puppies erstwhile I asked for “dogs playing.” I did a small on-the-fly photograph editing with the Clean Up feature, highlighting a alternatively ample camera from a changeable of my boyfriend. Not lone did the offending tech disappear, but Clean Up besides did a large occupation filling successful the atom of the wood successful the recently bare space.

I chatted with Siri portion it looked up fancy spots for my day dinner. Despite fumbling my words, the integer adjunct managed to propulsion up a database of French restaurants successful a 20-mile radius. It’s a chill diagnostic for those of america whose mouths sometimes determination faster than our brains. And portion Siri isn’t new, it’s inactive coming with caller tricks, specified arsenic letting you proceed to scroll oregon navigate astir the telephone portion utilizing Siri. If you don’t similar talking to Siri, you tin benignant your petition utilizing the caller Siri keyboard. You know, for the inquiries that necessitate a spot of discretion.

However, since it’s inactive successful beta, not each Apple AI diagnostic is presently available, truthful we’re inactive waiting to make AI-generated images via Image Playground and Genmojis, Apple’s cutesy name-generative AI emojis.

Google’s Gemini AI is 1 of the starring AI platforms to day and has a big of features that scope from adjuvant to fun. And portion Gemini tin bash a myriad of things, I deliberation it shines the brightest erstwhile it comes to photography. The redesigned Magic Editor is an implicit unit arsenic it has features similar Reimagine that lets you modify pictures by simply typing a phrase. Or you tin augment your radical shots with Add Me to guarantee everyone is successful the picture. Meanwhile, you person Zoom Enhance, which uses generative AI to capable successful the gaps erstwhile you zoom successful connected pictures, truthful you ever person crisp detail. Google besides has immoderate AI condiment for video, bringing the quality to upscale to 8K and reducing oregon enhancing audio arsenic you spot fit.

If you’re not a shutterbug, I tin present you to Gemini Advanced. Here, you person AI summary tools and a conversational integer adjunct that tin signifier and summarize your screenshots with Pixel Screenshots. Google Keep tin besides make lists. And if you request to grounds and transcribe a call, Gemini and Apple Intelligence tin get the occupation done.

Right now, some AI solutions are free. But that won’t past for long, astatine slightest not with Google. The institution wants consumers to wage $20/month to entree immoderate of Gemini’s deeper diagnostic sets. No connection yet connected whether Apple plans to travel suit with a paid subscription model.

For now, I’m going to springiness this circular to Google arsenic it has a fuller diagnostic acceptable to explore. However, Apple Intelligence looks similar it volition springiness Google and Microsoft a tally for their wealth connected the AI front.

Apple iPhone 16 vs Google Pixel 9: Camera

A adjacent battle

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Neither the Pixel 9 nor the iPhone 16 person the fancy cameras of their much premium brethren. However, some smartphones tin drawback a beauteous picture. Historically, iPhones person delivered stunning stills and video, and the iPhone 16 is nary different. Just similar its predecessor, the iPhone 16 has a dual camera setup. The main camera is simply a 48 megapixel with a ƒ/1.6 aperture and a 12 MP ultrawide ƒ/2.2 sensor. The telephone besides retained last-gen’s 10x zoom. Flip the telephone implicit to its beforehand camera, and you person a 12 MP ƒ/1.9 aperture.

Now, onto the Pixel 9, which besides has dual rear cameras. Last gen’s 50 MP wide ƒ/1.68 sensor returns, but the ultrawide camera has gotten a large boost, jumping from 12 MP to 48 MP. When you request to seizure a long-distance shot, there’s Super Res Zoom that extends to 8x. The beforehand sensor has 10.5 MP with a ƒ/2.2.

One happening I noticed during the shootout is color. Although the stills connected some cameras look great, much often than not, the iPhone had much vivid colors portion the Pixel delivered much earthy hues.

A speedy note. The archetypal pictures successful each sliders are images changeable with the Pixel 9 portion the 2nd travel from the iPhone 16. 

Wide

I took some phones for a locomotion astir my neighborhood, snapping shots. One of my favorites is simply a representation of a babe bluish Lincoln Capri. For once, the Pixel 9 effect is much oversaturated, displaying a deeper bluish than the existent color. As acold arsenic item is concerned, the iPhone was the victor with cleaner elements. Zoom successful connected the achromatic partition tires, and you tin marque retired the finer etching connected the hubcaps arsenic good arsenic the cracks successful the sidewalk.

It was much hard to prime a victor connected the adjacent changeable – a colorful poster of a antheral with a captivating gaze. I spent astir 20 minutes trying to find responsibility with either camera; I adjacent had my boyfriend, a nonrecreational photographer, look. And extracurricular of tiny differences specified arsenic good creases successful the poster, arsenic displayed by the Pixel 9, this was a virtual dormant heat.

As expected, the Pixel had somewhat deeper colors successful a changeable of a charcuterie board. However, from the random signifier connected the tabletop to the seeds successful the sliced tomatoes, I was amazed to spot that the iPhone besides displayed sharper details.

Ultrawide

While immoderate radical similar much earthy colors, I don’t peculiarly caput a small oversaturation, particularly successful this changeable of illustration doughnuts connected pat astatine a section shop. While some images look perfectly delectable, the brighter sheen connected the chocolate-dipped pastry from the iPhone was much appealing than the Pixel. Zooming successful connected some shots, the phones were astir adjacent detail-wise. However, the Pixel’s results were somewhat crisper than those of its competitor.

It was the aforesaid communicative successful a representation of a support of flowers extracurricular the section market store. Once again, the iPhone had the much vibrant hues, with the Pixel 9 delivering amended detail. A speedy zoom-in connected the grate astatine the bottommost of the changeable lets you spot a clearer presumption of the design. Meanwhile, the marigold petals were fuzzier connected the iPhone 16.

A changeable of a brownstone produced a dormant vigor successful presumption of colour and details. I pored implicit some images broadside by side, and extracurricular of highly insignificant details, the level of sharpness was astir equal.

Low light

For this test, I took 2 shots with each phone, 1 with the lights dimmed arsenic acold arsenic my dimmer power could spell and the different with the lights turned out. The Pixel produced a much close colour successful the low-light shot, arsenic my Hulk and Sully figurines looked darker connected the iPhone. Looking astatine the lettering connected the Yamaha soundbar and the aged camera, the Pixel’s changeable has cleaner results.

In the no-light images, the iPhone had richer color, peculiarly connected the aureate dragon statue, the pinkish tin, and the Hulk. While you can’t marque retired immoderate of the lettering connected the soundbar, the Pixel gave amended details connected the camera lettering.

Selfie

This isn’t a contest. The Pixel did a overmuch amended occupation capturing my tegument tone, makeup, and hairsbreadth colour than the iPhone. If not for however good it captured however severely my eyebrows request threading and the smaller pores connected my face, I would person thought I accidentally enabled a quality filter.

Digital Zoom

Google has done a large occupation connected zoom, but Apple’s not excessively acold behind. I took a changeable of a memorial plaque. The cameras are evenly matched successful presumption of color, and portion you tin wholly work the names successful some shots.

However, the Pixel was much legible and had cleaner lines successful a nighttime changeable of New York City postulation from a rooftop. The Pixel excelled with clearer shots of the taillights and amazingly amended color.

I captured immoderate NYC fauna munching connected an errant chickenhearted bone. You tin spot idiosyncratic rat hairs successful the Pixel shot, portion the critter looked a batch blurrier connected the iPhone. However, you could spot the critter’s small feet amended connected the iPhone.

Neither of my nighttime shots of the Chrysler gathering came retired the best. The Pixel’s mentation had tons of ocular noise, portion the iPhone’s was blurry.

Panorama

When it comes to taking panos, I similar the Pixel arsenic it has much close guidelines to nutrient a much adjacent capture. On the iPhone, it’s much of a freestyle deal. My manus dropped a little, and the iPhone threw up a punctual truthful I could course-correct it, but the harm was already done. In presumption of colour and detail, the phones produced astir identical results.

This circular was tough, with some phones notching wins successful circumstantial categories. But the circular goes to the Pixel for its accordant colour accuracy and crisp detail.

Apple iPhone 16 vs Google Pixel 9: Battery

A marathon run

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They’ll support going and going and going. I ran the Gizmodo artillery trial connected some phones side-by-side, with the brightness acceptable to 200 nits and streaming a 24-hour YouTube video. The Pixel 9’s 4,575 mAh artillery lasted 22 hours and 32 minutes, which is not excessively shabby. The iPhone’s 3,561 mAh artillery tapped retired astatine 23:29.

I don’t cognize however Apple does it with each that performance, but it continues to popular retired with almighty products without sacrificing longevity.

Apple iPhone 16 vs Google Pixel 9: Verdict

When a caller smartphone enactment comes out, it’s casual to get caught up successful the hype of the much costly versions. But spare a glimpse astatine the entry-level devices that connection an affordable option, which mightiness trump each the fancy bells and whistles of the much premium versions successful this time and age.

The iPhone yet wins this face-off successful a hard-fought conflict betwixt the iPhone 16 and Google Pixel 9. Not lone does Apple connection much configurations and colors of the iPhone 16, but it’s besides much almighty and lasts longer connected a charge. But earlier you constitute the Pixel 9 off, retrieve it has immoderate superior photography chops. And depending connected however the afloat mentation of Apple Intelligence plays out, it mightiness person the champion smartphone AI. Plus, it didn’t bash excessively severely connected the artillery test, and it’s a beauteous telephone successful its ain right, arsenic it’s doing its champion iPhone impersonation.

But if you privation the champion entry-level smartphone, the iPhone 16 is it.