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

It’s face-off time, and you already know what meaning. Two smartphones go in, and one comes out the victor with loads of bragging rights. This time round, we’re a pair of entry-level smartphones: the iPhone 16 and Google Pixel 9. The gateway to their respective premium flagship brethren, these units might be misplaced within the chase for snazzy new options. That will be a mistake, nevertheless, as each telephones are nice in their very own proper. However just one might be the perfect.

So, let’s meet our fighters. In a single nook, you may have the iPhone 16. As a substitute of rocking final 12 months’s processor just like the iPhone 15, Apple outfitted the iPhone 16 with its new A18 Bionic chip, which, in keeping with Apple, is noticeably extra highly effective than its predecessor. The cellphone additionally will get two new buttons which have confirmed to be fairly helpful. Plus, with the rollout of iOS 18, we’re getting our first style of Apple Intelligence, which can absolutely be a sport changer for Apple followers.

Within the reverse nook is the Pixel 9. With a beautiful design that mimics the iPhone, the Pixel 9 is inexpensive and has a protracted battery life. Utilizing the identical Tensor G4 chip as its costlier siblings, the Pixel 9 isn’t an outright powerhouse however will get the job carried out. The twin rear cameras have gotten a noticeable improve, permitting the smartphone to seize beautiful photos and video. And as we proceed to discover AI’s prospects, Google is on the forefront with the feature-rich Google Gemini.

So, in a battle of ordinary smartphones, will it’s the Pixel 9 or the iPhone 16? Let’s discover out.

Apple iPhone 16 vs Google Pixel 9: Worth

A wealth of selection

Each the iPhone 16 and Pixel 9 begin at $799 sans trade-ins. That’s downright inexpensive in comparison with their extra premium brethren with their fancy foldable hinges and high-powered cameras. However let’s see what $800 buys you as of late. For the iPhone 16, you get a smartphone with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. Doubling the storage will value you $899, whereas the 512GB model tops at $1,099.

There are solely two variations of the Pixel 9 obtainable. The $799 base mannequin has a whopping 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, whereas the 256GB mannequin raises the value to $899. Usually, this spherical would have gone to the Pixel merely due to the RAM. Nonetheless, Apple takes this spherical for the reason that iPhone 16 has three completely different fashions on faucet.

Apple iPhone 16 vs Google Pixel 9: Design

A cellphone of a unique shade

Let’s get one factor straight: each the Pixel 9 and the iPhone 16 are lovely telephones. The Pixel 9 sports activities an aluminum body with a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 rear panel and show. The smartphone is available in 4 colours: Peony, Wintergreen, Porcelain, and Obsidian. Like its bigger siblings, the Pixel 9 has frosted strips alongside the perimeters. It seems to be eerily acquainted to an iPhone.

Nonetheless, the perimeters are one of many greatest variations between the 2 telephones. The Pixel 9 has the ability button and quantity rocker on the appropriate aspect with a slot that appears like a microSD slot however is annoyingly solely a speaker. There’s additionally a USB-C port and a nano-SIM slot. In the meantime, the iPhone 16 has the ability and digicam buttons on the appropriate, the configurable Motion button, and quantity management on the left. A pair of audio system on the cellphone’s backside sandwich the USB-C charging port.

For as soon as, the iPhone is the extra colourful possibility, providing 5 colours (Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, Black, and White. Just like the Pixel, the iPhone 16 has an aluminum body and siding with a glass rear panel. As a substitute of Gorilla Glass, Apple makes use of the newest model of Ceramic Protect, which the corporate says is 4 occasions stronger than glass in earlier generations of iPhones.

Whereas the iPhone 16 (6 ounces, 5.8 x 2.8 x 0.31 inches) isn’t as small because the final iPhone SE (5.1 ounces, 5.5 x 2.7 x 0.29 inches), it’s not that far off. That can make of us with smaller palms or identical to a smaller cellphone glad. However as a lover of massive telephones, I’m firmly within the Pixel 9 camp. At 7 ounces, it’s not a lot heavier than the iPhone 16. Nonetheless, with its 6 x 2.8 x 0.3-inch dimensions, the Pixel 9 is taller and has extra show actual property than its Apple competitor.
As a lot as I like an enormous smartphone, I’m giving this spherical to the iPhone 16 because it presents extra shade decisions.

Apple iPhone 16 vs Google Pixel 9: Efficiency

There’s no contest

These days, the one factor that may beat an iPhone is one other iPhone. With the brand new A18 Bionic chip, Apple says the iPhone 16 is 30% sooner than its predecessor. Contemplating that the iPhone 15 runs on the A16 Bionic chipset, which is 2 years previous at this level, it’s a simple dunk. Though the bottom mannequin of the A18 isn’t as highly effective because the A18 Professional chip within the iPhone 16 Professional and Professional Max, it nonetheless ranks as one of many strongest cell CPUs obtainable.

That said, I had a tough time taxing the iPhone 16. Even after launching plenty of apps, together with Adobe Photoshop Categorical, Fb, Instagram, and Spotify, together with 30 Safari tabs, I didn’t see any slowdown. I obtained a little bit of a stutter once I performed Resident Evil 4 Remake, however it was simply that – a stutter. Aside from the preliminary launch, the sport ran easily. Did it have a console or PC-level graphics? No, however the truth that the sport runs in any respect continues to be a contemporary miracle in my e-book.

Apple isn’t the one firm that may make its personal silicon, as Google has been making its Tensor processors for some time now. The Pixel 9’s Tensor G4 processor had no issues with my multitasking, permitting me to run the identical apps I used on the iPhone plus 30 open Google Chrome tabs. As a substitute of Resident Evil 4 Remake, I used Alien: Isolation and obtained clean gameplay. Once more, the gameplay wasn’t as fairly because the PC or console variations, however it’s a testomony to how far we’ve are available in cell expertise.

I ran a number of rounds of Geekbench 6 on each telephones to get concrete efficiency numbers, and it was no contest. The iPhone 16 left the Pixel 9 within the mud on each the only and multi-thread exams, scoring 3,412 and eight,416 in comparison with 1,699 and 4,241. With out query, this spherical goes to the iPhone 16. However I’m curious how the winner would fare in opposition to the Galaxy S24, OnePlus 12, and extra premium telephones.

Apple iPhone 16 vs  Google Pixel 9: AI

The battle actually begins

Lastly, iOS 18 is right here, so I can get a bit of style of what Apple Intelligence presents. Presently obtainable as a public beta, you’ll be able to take a few of Apple Intelligence’s extra intriguing options for a take a look at drive, with the remainder debuting later this 12 months. Like most AI software program, there’s an enormous concentrate on creating summaries and streamlining a few of your extra tedious duties, reminiscent of capturing off a response to an e mail in a protracted multiperson string. A giant Summarize button in my Mail app rapidly diminished a 20-entry thread to 3 scannable paragraphs in lower than 4 seconds.

The generative AI additionally got here in helpful when taking notes, offering choices to proofread my textual content. Apple Intelligence can even rewrite, summarize, or break your notes down into key factors or create a listing. It may well even write for tone, together with skilled, concise, or pleasant. However the options don’t simply reside in e mail or note-taking apps. Notifications can now be summarized into simply scannable bites. And like Gemini, Apple Intelligence can document calls, create transcripts, and summarize all the things.

I jumped into the Images app to take a few of the AI options for a spin. The Pure Language Search labored like a allure, rapidly pulling collectively pics of my puppies once I requested for “canine taking part in.” I did a bit of on-the-fly picture enhancing with the Clear Up characteristic, highlighting a slightly massive digicam from a shot of my boyfriend. Not solely did the offending tech disappear, however Clear Up additionally did an excellent job filling within the grain of the wooden within the newly empty house.

I chatted with Siri whereas it seemed up fancy spots for my birthday dinner. Regardless of fumbling my phrases, the digital assistant managed to drag up a listing of French eating places in a 20-mile radius. It’s a cool characteristic for these of us whose mouths typically transfer sooner than our brains. And whereas Siri isn’t new, it’s nonetheless coming with new methods, reminiscent of letting you proceed to scroll or navigate across the cellphone whereas utilizing Siri. In the event you don’t like speaking to Siri, you’ll be able to sort your request utilizing the brand new Siri keyboard. You understand, for the inquiries that require a little bit of discretion.

Nonetheless, because it’s nonetheless in beta, not each Apple AI characteristic is presently obtainable, so we’re nonetheless ready to create AI-generated photos by way of Picture Playground and Genmojis, Apple’s cutesy name-generative AI emojis.

Google’s Gemini AI is likely one of the main AI platforms so far and has a bunch of options that vary from useful to enjoyable. And whereas Gemini can do a myriad of issues, I feel it shines the brightest in terms of images. The redesigned Magic Editor is an absolute power because it has options like Reimagine that allows you to modify photos by merely typing a phrase. Or you’ll be able to increase your group pictures with Add Me to make sure everyone seems to be within the image. In the meantime, you may have Zoom Improve, which makes use of generative AI to fill within the gaps while you zoom in on photos, so that you at all times have crisp element. Google additionally has some AI sauce for video, bringing the flexibility to upscale to 8K and decreasing or enhancing audio as you see match.

In the event you’re not a shutterbug, I can introduce you to Gemini Superior. Right here, you may have AI abstract instruments and a conversational digital assistant that may arrange and summarize your screenshots with Pixel Screenshots. Google Hold can even create lists. And if you have to document and transcribe a name, Gemini and Apple Intelligence can get the job carried out.

Proper now, each AI options are free. However that received’t final for lengthy, a minimum of not with Google. The corporate desires shoppers to pay $20/month to entry a few of Gemini’s deeper characteristic units. No phrase but on whether or not Apple plans to observe swimsuit with a paid subscription mannequin.

For now, I’m going to offer this spherical to Google because it has a fuller characteristic set to discover. Nonetheless, Apple Intelligence seems to be like it’s going to give Google and Microsoft a run for his or her cash on the AI entrance.

Apple iPhone 16 vs Google Pixel 9: Digital camera

A detailed battle

Neither the Pixel 9 nor the iPhone 16 have the flowery cameras of their extra premium brethren. Nonetheless, each smartphones can snap a reasonably image. Traditionally, iPhones have delivered beautiful stills and video, and the iPhone 16 isn’t any completely different. Identical to its predecessor, the iPhone 16 has a twin digicam setup. The primary digicam is a 48 megapixel with a ƒ/1.6 aperture and a 12 MP ultrawide ƒ/2.2 sensor. The cellphone additionally retained last-gen’s 10x zoom. Flip the cellphone over to its entrance digicam, and you’ve got a 12 MP ƒ/1.9 aperture.

Now, onto the Pixel 9, which additionally has twin rear cameras. Final gen’s 50 MP vast ƒ/1.68 sensor returns, however the ultrawide digicam has gotten an enormous enhance, leaping from 12 MP to 48 MP. When you have to seize a long-distance shot, there’s Tremendous Res Zoom that extends to 8x. The entrance sensor has 10.5 MP with a ƒ/2.2.

One factor I observed throughout the shootout is shade. Though the stills on each cameras look nice, as a rule, the iPhone had extra vivid colours whereas the Pixel delivered extra pure hues.

A fast be aware. The primary photos in every sliders are photos shot with the Pixel 9 whereas the second come from the iPhone 16. 

Broad

I took each telephones for a stroll round my neighborhood, snapping pictures. One among my favorites is an image of a child blue Lincoln Capri. For as soon as, the Pixel 9 result’s extra oversaturated, displaying a deeper blue than the precise shade. So far as element is worried, the iPhone was the winner with cleaner components. Zoom in on the white wall tires, and you may make out the finer etching on the hubcaps in addition to the cracks within the sidewalk.

It was harder to select a winner on the subsequent shot – a colourful poster of a person with a fascinating gaze. I spent about 20 minutes looking for fault with both digicam; I even had my boyfriend, knowledgeable photographer, look. And outdoors of tiny variations reminiscent of fantastic creases within the poster, as displayed by the Pixel 9, this was a digital lifeless warmth.

As anticipated, the Pixel had barely deeper colours in a shot of a charcuterie board. Nonetheless, from the random sample on the tabletop to the seeds within the sliced tomatoes, I used to be stunned to see that the iPhone additionally displayed sharper particulars.

Ultrawide

Whereas some folks desire extra pure colours, I don’t significantly thoughts a bit of oversaturation, particularly on this shot of pattern doughnuts on faucet at a neighborhood store. Whereas each photos look completely delectable, the brighter sheen on the chocolate-dipped pastry from the iPhone was extra interesting than the Pixel. Zooming in on each pictures, the telephones had been nearly even detail-wise. Nonetheless, the Pixel’s outcomes had been barely crisper than these of its competitor.

It was the identical story in an image of a shelf of flowers outdoors the native grocery retailer. As soon as once more, the iPhone had the extra vibrant hues, with the Pixel 9 delivering higher element. A fast zoom-in on the grate on the backside of the shot helps you to see a clearer view of the design. In the meantime, the marigold petals had been fuzzier on the iPhone 16.

A shot of a brownstone produced a lifeless warmth when it comes to shade and particulars. I pored over each photos aspect by aspect, and out of doors of extraordinarily minor particulars, the extent of sharpness was practically equal.

Low gentle

For this take a look at, I took two pictures with every cellphone, one with the lights dimmed so far as my dimmer change might go and the opposite with the lights turned out. The Pixel produced a extra correct shade within the low-light shot, as my Hulk and Sully collectible figurines seemed darker on the iPhone. Trying on the lettering on the Yamaha soundbar and the previous digicam, the Pixel’s shot has cleaner outcomes.

Within the no-light photos, the iPhone had richer shade, significantly on the golden dragon statue, the pink tin, and the Hulk. When you can’t make out any of the lettering on the soundbar, the Pixel gave higher particulars on the digicam lettering.

Selfie

This isn’t a contest. The Pixel did a significantly better job capturing my pores and skin tone, make-up, and hair shade than the iPhone. If not for the way nicely it captured how badly my eyebrows want threading and the smaller pores on my face, I’d have thought I by accident enabled a magnificence filter.

Digital Zoom

Google has carried out an excellent job on zoom, however Apple’s not too far behind. I took a shot of a memorial plaque. The cameras are evenly matched when it comes to shade, and whilst you can completely learn the names in each pictures.

Nonetheless, the Pixel was extra legible and had cleaner traces in an evening shot of New York Metropolis site visitors from a rooftop. The Pixel excelled with clearer pictures of the taillights and surprisingly higher shade.

I captured some NYC fauna munching on an errant hen bone. You possibly can see particular person rat hairs within the Pixel shot, whereas the critter seemed loads blurrier on the iPhone. Nonetheless, you possibly can see the critter’s little toes higher on the iPhone.

Neither of my night time pictures of the Chrysler constructing got here out the perfect. The Pixel’s model had a lot of visible noise, whereas the iPhone’s was blurry.

Panorama

In terms of taking panos, I desire the Pixel because it has extra correct pointers to provide a extra even seize. On the iPhone, it’s extra of a freestyle deal. My hand dropped a bit of, and the iPhone threw up a immediate so I might course-correct it, however the injury was already carried out. By way of shade and element, the telephones produced practically similar outcomes.

This spherical was powerful, with each telephones notching wins in particular classes. However the spherical goes to the Pixel for its constant shade accuracy and crisp element.

Apple iPhone 16 vs Google Pixel 9: Battery

A marathon run

They’ll hold going and going and going. I ran the Gizmodo battery take a look at on each telephones side-by-side, with the brightness set to 200 nits and streaming a 24-hour YouTube video. The Pixel 9’s 4,575 mAh battery lasted 22 hours and 32 minutes, which isn’t too shabby. The iPhone’s 3,561 mAh battery tapped out at 23:29.

I don’t know the way Apple does it with all that efficiency, however it continues to come out with highly effective merchandise with out sacrificing longevity.

Apple iPhone 16 vs Google Pixel 9: Verdict

When a brand new smartphone line comes out, it’s straightforward to get caught up within the hype of the costlier variations. However spare a look on the entry-level units that supply an inexpensive possibility, which could trump all the flowery bells and whistles of the extra premium variations at the moment.

The iPhone in the end wins this face-off in a hard-fought battle between the iPhone 16 and Google Pixel 9. Not solely does Apple supply extra configurations and colours of the iPhone 16, however it’s additionally extra highly effective and lasts longer on a cost. However earlier than you write the Pixel 9 off, bear in mind it has some critical images chops. And relying on how the total model of Apple Intelligence performs out, it might need the perfect smartphone AI. Plus, it didn’t do too badly on the battery take a look at, and it’s a reasonably cellphone in its personal proper, because it’s doing its greatest iPhone impersonation.

However if you would like the perfect entry-level smartphone, the iPhone 16 is it.