How Is the Pixel 6 Different From the IPhone 13?
The latest Google phones have finally arrived – the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. You can even head over to their online store right now to pre-order your model! But do you know which phone you need? Did you receive a choice between Pixel 6 and 6 Pro – and if so, do you have that you will not believe is best if you choose iPhone 13 equivalent device? Let’s take a look at what sets these phones apart so you can make an informed choice.
Since Google does not yet allow browsers to check new pixels, we base this comparison on the specifications we know. In some areas, we won’t know exactly how Apple and Google phones fit together until we can test both of them, face to face. This blocking of information wrongly upset some reviewers; creators like Marquez Brownlee call it a ” red flag, ” while others have refused to cover Google’s new devices altogether. We do our best with what we have.
Price
Let’s start with the price, as this is where Google is most competitive. The Pixel 6 is only $ 599, which is $ 200 less than the iPhone 13 and $ 100 less than the iPhone 13. The 6 Pro is slightly more expensive, starting at $ 899 – still $ 100 cheaper than the iPhone 13 Pro and $ 200 cheaper than the 13 Pro Max.
If you want to spend a minimum of money on a great phone, your choice is obvious; The Pixel 6 packs a ton of features into a $ 600 phone. While the 6 Pro is certainly enticing and we’ll list its unique features below, you need to ask yourself if those benefits are worth the extra $ 300. The same can be said for the iPhone. Is the iOS ecosystem and all the other goodies of the 13th worth $ 200 (or more) more than the Pixel 6? Let’s explore.
Representation
One of the biggest announcements of the year from Pixel-world is Google’s Tensor chip; The processor was developed on the basis of those that Google uses for machine learning of the search engine, promising a significant improvement over the Pixel processors of yesteryear.
Unfortunately, it’s too early to tell how Tensor will compete with Apple’s A15 chip. The entire iPhone 13 series is powered by the same powerful chip in a variety of form factors, so you can’t go wrong in that regard, whichever you choose. We’ll have to wait until we can test the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro to determine if it matches, beats, or falls behind the iPhone here. If computing power is your most important feature, definitely wait to buy.
We also know how much RAM each of these devices has, although this is a less important comparison between Android and iPhone devices. The two OSs handle RAM management differently, so it would be dishonest or valid argument to argue that more RAM on an Android device means better performance than an iPhone.
It’s worth noting, though, that the Pixel 6 comes with 8GB of RAM, while the 6 Pro comes with 12GB. On the other hand, the iPhone 13 and 13 mini come with 4GB of RAM, while the 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max come with 6GB.
Camera: Photography
The Pixel and the iPhone have long had a bitter battle in the field of cameras. The Pixel has been the undisputed champion of photography for years, but the fight has been more like a draw lately.
The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro have a 50MP main camera and a 12MP ultra wide-angle camera. If you choose the Pro, you also get a 48MP telephoto lens with 4x optical zoom. For selfies, the Pixel 6 has an 8MP camera, while the 6 Pro has been upgraded to 11.1MP.
Both the wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle cameras on the iPhone 13 and 13 mini are 12MP; the 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max have the same, plus a single 12MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, which means you won’t be able to get close to your subject as close as you can with the Pixel 6 Pro without digital cropping. The front cameras are the same 12MP cameras found on all four new iPhones.
Pixels are also equipped with a new “Magic Eraser” feature that can intelligently remove people or objects in your photos that you don’t need there. You also get Face Unblur, which uses machine learning to sharpen blurred faces in a photo. How well these functions work remains to be determined, but there is no competition here; you just won’t see options like those on the iPhone 13.
Camera: Video
As competitive as the photography wars are, video is one area where the Pixel has always lagged behind. While the iPhone still hasn’t added some of the video features that other Android devices like the 8K have, it shoots some, if not the best, videos on any smartphone.
Dieter Bon of The Verge claims that during his hands-on use of the Pixel 6, the video he recorded was excellent. He was not allowed to go into details, but hinted that the Pixel 6 could be the best smartphone shooter this year. We will need to check if this is true once reviewers are allowed to reveal more of their video tests.
Display
OLED displays in these smartphones are definitely competitive. The Pixel 6 features a 6.4-inch 1080 x 2340 HDR display at 411 ppi (pixels per inch) with a maximum refresh rate of 90 Hz. The 6 Pro’s HDR display is larger and sharper, at 6.7 inches, with a resolution of 1440 x 3120 pixels, 512 ppi and a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz. Google has yet to release brightness stats for its new pixels.
The iPhone 13 mini has the same HDR display resolution as the Pixel 6, with 1080 x 2340 and a higher 476 ppi resolution. On the other hand, the 13 and 13 Pro have a resolution of 1170 x 2532 at 460 ppi, while the 13 Pro Max has a resolution of 1284 x 2778 at 458 ppi. The 13 and 13 mini can go up to 800 nits of standard brightness, while the 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max can reach 1000 nits. All models hit 1200 nits for HDR.
You will notice a difference in the refresh rate. The Pixel 6 will have a smoother 90Hz than the iPhone 13 or 13 mini at 60Hz. The 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max, on the other hand, have the same 120Hz refresh rate as the Pixel 6 Pro, so there’s no winner here.
Software
Well, the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are of course running Android, more specifically Android 12. Google’s latest OS update promises to add some cool new features and changes, such as the beautiful Material You UI design, privacy and security updates, and options such as scrolling through screenshots.
On the other hand, the iPhone 13 series runs iOS 15, Apple’s latest version of iOS. This update brings many new features such as focus modes, Shared With You, and FaceTime links for Android and Windows users, among others.
Look, there’s a problem here; if you want iOS, you should buy an iPhone. If you want Android, you should buy an Android device like the Pixel. However, if you have the flexibility to choose the OS (and there aren’t many people these days), you are greatly liberated.
Battery
Battery life is an important factor for many smartphone users. Until the new pixels are tested, we will not know how much voltage Android 12 and the Tensor chip will put on the batteries. But we do know the statistics: the Pixel 6 comes with a 4,614mAh battery and the Pro comes with a 5003mAh battery.
Apple never announces the size of its batteries, but thanks to the disassembly we know the numbers; 13 comes with a 3240mAh battery; 13 mini ships with 2438 mAh battery; The 13 Pro has a 3,095mAh battery; while the 13 Pro Max has a 4,352mAh battery. While the numbers are certainly lower on paper, reviewers have praised the entire 13 lineup this year for their exceptional battery life. We’ll need to see if the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro can match or surpass their performance.
Colors
I’m not sure how many people would choose between an iPhone and a Pixel based on color alone, but it’s worth taking a look at. The Pixel 6 is available in Sorta Seafoam, Kinda Coral and Stormy Black. The 6 Pro is available in Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny and Stormy Black.
IPhones come in a variety of colors. Mini ships 13 and 13 are available in (PRODUCT) RED, Starlight, Midnight, Blue and Pink, while the 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max are available in Graphite, Gold, Silver and Sierra Blue.
Updates
Google announced that the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will receive up to three years of software updates, as well as five years of security updates. While three years is certainly better than some Android devices, it’s nothing compared to Apple’s commitment to its phones: the oldest iPhone supported by iOS 15 is the 6S, which Apple released back in 2015 (for context, this phone was launched with iOS 9 , means Apple has supported these phones with seven new versions of its software). If this trend continues for the iPhone 13, devices can be expected to run up to iOS 21 and possibly even higher.