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Google’s premium flagshipGoogle Pixel 9 Pro XL
The Pixel 9 Pro XL is Google’s traditional large-screen flagship. It has the Tensor G4 chip, a 6.8-inch screen, and a 5,060mAh battery.
Pros- Solid everyday performance
- Beautiful display
- Good battery life
Cons- Gaming performance lags compared to the iPhone
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The best Apple has to offerApple iPhone 16 Pro Max
The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the top model in the 2024 iPhone lineup. It has the A18 Pro chip, a big 6.9-inch display, and iOS 18 with Apple Intelligence.
Pros- Impressive overall performance
- Superior video recording capabilities
- Fantastic battery life
Cons- iOS 18 has some rough edges
No Thanks, Keep Reading
Google has long had a large-screen flagship in its Pixel portfolio. However, there’s a new XL moniker in the Pixel 9 lineup that includes some notable improvements over its predecessor. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has the new Tensor G4 chip, a massive 16GB of RAM, an upgraded selfie shooter, and slightly faster wired charging. Outside the Android world, the Google flagship faces Apple’s new iPhone 16 Pro Max, which has its own enhancements, such as a bigger display, upgraded SoC, a larger battery, and a new ultrawide shooter. So, how does the Pixel 9 Pro XL stack up against the iPhone 16 Pro Max? Let’s find out.
Price, availability, and specs
The Pixel 9 Pro XL starts at $1,099 for the base 128GB model. There are three more storage variants: 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB, priced at $1,199, $1,319, and $1,549, respectively. If you ignore the 128GB model, which isn’t available for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the Apple offering has a similar price tag. It costs $1,199 for the base 256GB model, $1,399 for the 512GB model, and $1,599 for the 1TB model.
Both smartphones are widely available, including through the three major carriers.
Here’s a look at the phones’ raw specifications.
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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max SoC Google Tensor G4 Apple A18 Pro Display type LTPO OLED, 120Hz Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz Display dimensions 6.8″, 20:9 6.9″, 19.5:9 Display resolution 2992 x 1344 2868 x 1320 RAM 16GB 8GB Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB 256, 512GB, or 1TB Battery 5,060mAh 4,685mAh Charge speed 37W 25W Charge options USB-C wired, Qi wireless USB-C wired, MagSafe wireless, Qi wireless Ports USB-C USB-C SIM support Nano SIM and eSIM eSIM Operating System Android 14 iOS 18 Front camera 42MP f/2.2 12MP f/1.9 Rear camera 50MP f/1.7 OIS main, 48MP f/1.7 ultrawide, 48MP f/2.8 5x telephoto 48MP f/1.8 OIS main, 12MP f/2.8 telephoto, 48MP f/2.2 ultrawide Cellular connectivity Sub-6 & mmWave 5G Sub-6 & mmWave 5G Wi-Fi connectivity Wi-Fi 7 Wi-Fi 7 Connectivity UWB, NFC, Satellite SOS UWB, NFC Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 5.3 Dimensions 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5mm 163 x 77.6 x 8.3mm Weight 221g 227g IP Rating IP68 IP68 Colors Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, Rose Quartz Black, White, Natural, and Desert Stylus No No Price From $1,099 $1,200
Read our review
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review: The best big Android phone
Google’s big flagship earns its $100 price bump and then some
Read our review
Design and display
Glass sandwiches with impressive build quality
The Pixel 9 Pro XL and the iPhone 16 Pro Max are two big smartphones. However, they look similar, except for two significant differences: the rear and the front camera setups. While Google has tweaked the rear camera bar’s design to a wide capsule that doesn’t reach the edges, Apple has continued with a squircle camera island. On the front, the Pixel 9 Pro XL houses the selfie shooter in a hole-punch cutout, whereas the iPhone has a slim capsule with the front shooter and the Face ID sensors.
Otherwise, the phones are glass sandwiches with flat sides, rounded corners, and Corning-made protection glasses on the front and the back. The Pixel and the iPhone are also IP68-rated for dust and water resistance. However, the iPhone uses a titanium frame for better durability, whereas the Pixel has an aluminum frame.
The Pixel and the iPhone use LTPO OLED panels with up to a 120Hz refresh rate. The Pixel has a 6.8-inch screen, while the iPhone has a 6.9-inch display. The two screens are fantastic and deliver vibrant colors and inky blacks.
Notably, the Pixel display houses an in-display fingerprint sensor for biometric authentication. On the other hand, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has Face ID for the same purpose.
Software
Android and iOS feel more similar than ever
The software is the biggest difference between the Pixel 9 Pro XL and the iPhone 16 Pro Max, as one uses Android and the other runs on iOS. And this operating system choice kind of locks you into one ecosystem. For example, you can’t use the Apple Watch with Android phones; similarly, Wear OS watches don’t work with iOS. So, your smartphone choice determines a lot of what you can get in terms of other mobile devices for a more cohesive experience.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL has Android 15 and the iPhone 16 Pro Max has iOS 18. Although Android and iOS used to be wildly different, both platforms have grown a lot closer in recent years, and the iOS 18 is very similar to Android. However, in its bid to offer iPhone users more customization options and freedom, Apple has inadvertently added some rough edges to an otherwise refined operating system. Hopefully, these rough edges will be sanded off in future updates. Otherwise, both platforms have their strengths, exclusive features, and quirks, but neither has any significant deal-breakers.
The two platforms are also investing heavily in AI and have included AI-backed features. However, many AI features feel gimmicky at this point and are unlikely to be used once the novelty wears off.
Finally, Google is promising seven years of software updates for the Pixel 9 Pro XL. While Apple doesn’t reveal an exact support period for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, it’ll likely update the phone for years.
Performance and battery life
The A18 Pro has more raw power than the Tensor G4
This is one area where Apple has an edge thanks to its powerful A18 Pro chip; it trounces the Pixel’s Tensor G4 in raw power. While you won’t find the Pixel lacking power in everyday smartphone usage, the iPhone delivers noticeably better gaming performance. But if gaming performance isn’t vital to your purchase decision, you’ll have no qualms with the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The phone runs cool and smoothly. As you can expect, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has no performance issues and is impressive in everything from browsing to gaming to media consumption.
On the battery front, although the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a slightly smaller 4,685mAh battery than the Pixel’s 5,060mAh battery, the backup on a single charge is almost identical. Both phones have no trouble lasting one full day with heavy usage. You can even eke out more if you are conservative in your usage.
Although Apple doesn’t reveal the iPhone’s exact wired charging speed, various tests have shown the phone tops out at around 30W. In comparison, you can get up to 37W with a compatible charger on the Pixel. iPhone has an advantage on the wireless charging front as it can get up to 25W charging with the official MagSafe charger, whereas Pixel is limited to 23W with a Pixel Stand (2nd Gen) and 12W with a Qi EPP charger. However, as the second-gen Pixel Stand is no longer being sold, you are pretty much limited to 12W wireless charging. There is reverse wireless charging support on both.
Other highlights for both phones include Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, dual-frequency GPS, ultra-wideband (UWB) support, and a USB 3.2 Type-C port.
Camera
Pixel shines in stills, iPhone rocks in video recording
The Pixel 9 Pro XL and the iPhone 16 Pro Max pack impressive cameras and are arguably among the best camera phones to date. Most users will be happy with either phone. But if you’re not like most people and camera performance is critical to your purchase, it would be fair to say that the Pixel has an edge in still photography. In contrast, the iPhone shines in video recording and selfies. That said, there isn’t a big gap in their camera performance.
In terms of the specifics, the Pixel has a 50MP primary wide-angle camera, a 48MP ultrawide camera, and a 48MP telephoto shooter with 5x optical zoom. The iPhone has a 48MP primary wide-angle camera, a 48MP ultrawide shooter, and a 12MP telephoto shooter with 5x optical zoom.
The new camera control button and photography styles are two notable iPhone features. While the camera control button is a good enough camera shortcut and a shutter button, it’s not the best for swapping between settings. Photography styles may take a bit of getting used to, but they work great and can help you eliminate the over-processed look.
Which is right for you?
The Pixel 9 Pro XL and the iPhone 16 Pro Max are exceptional smartphones. Both deliver solid performance and are neck-and-neck in most other aspects. So, choosing between them mostly comes down to the platform. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is a no-brainer if you prefer Android and its flexibility. It’s our pick for the best big Android phone and provides an all-around excellent experience. Even for platform-agnostic buyers, the Pixel 9 Pro XL makes a great case for itself, with solid everyday performance, a beautiful display, good design and build quality, and excellent photography skills.
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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
The best big phone in the Android world
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is a beautiful piece of hardware, paired with solid performance and impressive cameras. It also shines on the battery front.
However, if you are already ingrained in the Apple ecosystem, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is a solid smartphone. It has tons to like, including a powerful chip, impressive display, durable titanium frame, fantastic cameras, and excellent battery life. The iOS 18 may have some rough edges, but that’s not a deal-breaker. If you don’t care about the platform, it’s a better video-recording smartphone than the Pixel.
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Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
Powerful performance, impressive video recording
The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a lot going for it. If you prefer iOS, it’s an easy choice. You’ll get a beautiful display, a powerful processor, and solid battery life.
