Apple and Google have both just launched their new high-end smartphones, the iPhone 15 and the Pixel 8, at the end of 2023. The two base models have very different technical specifications, and a few points could well lead one to agree tends to be one or the other. We’ll explain everything you need to know.
Apple launched its new iPhone 15 in September, while Google just unveiled its Pixel 8. The latter, often referred to as “Android iPhones”, usually have serious arguments to convince those looking for an alternative to Android smartphones. Apple.
If the iPhone 15 is not radically different from the previous generation, the Pixel 8 offers many interesting new features compared to the Pixel 7. Is that enough to compete with Apple’s smartphones? That’s what we’ll see in this detailed comparison.
The technical data sheets of the iPhone 15 and Pixel 8
Here you will find a summary of the technical specifications of the two smartphones. We will analyze these properties in more detail later in this article.
| iPhone 15 | Pixel 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A16 Bionic | Google Tensor G3 |
| Screen | 6.1 inches OLED FHD+ 60Hz Maximum 2000 nits Ceramic sign | 6.2 inches OLED FHD+ 120Hz Maximum 2000 nits Gorilla Glass Victus |
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| R.A.M. | 6GB LPDDR5 | 8GB LPDDR5X |
| battery | 3349mAh 20W wired fast charging 15W fast wireless charging (MagSafe) | 4585mAh 27W wired fast charging 18W fast wireless charging |
| photo | 48 MP main sensor 12MP ultra wide angle | 50 MP main sensor 12MP ultra wide angle |
| Selfie | 12MP | 10.5MP |
| biometrics | face recognition | Fingerprint reader face recognition |
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
| storage | 128, 256, 512GB | 128, 256GB |
| BONE | iOS 17 | Android 14 7 years of updates |
| Dimensions | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8mm 171g | 162.6mm x 76.5mm x 8.7mm 213 grams |
| MicroSD | NO | NO |
Design: two formulas for success
Apple has used the same general look and feel on its high-end iPhones for years, and the Pixel 8 also adopts key design features from its predecessor. These are two “small smartphones”, but the iPhone 15 has the most compact format with dimensions of 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm, compared to 150.5 x 70.8 x 8.9 mm Pixel 8. It’s also lighter at 171 grams for the iPhone 15, 187 grams for the Pixel 8.
On the front, the iPhone 15 finally adopts the Dynamic Island tablet introduced with last year’s iPhone 14 Pro. Apple will then finally abandon the notch on its high-end smartphones. The front of the Pixel 8 is also in the spotlight with increasingly thin black borders around the screen. These are almost uniform, giving the device a much more premium look.
Both smartphones have an aluminum frame and are protected by glass, but the iPhone 15 uses Ceramic Shield, which is tougher than the Pixel 8’s Gorilla Glass Victus. Both are IP68 certified for water resistance and dust. The iPhone 15 is characterized by more high-quality materials than its competitor, but ultimately only your personal taste can decide in this category.
Screen: Fluidity is in the spotlight at Google
We’ve seen that the iPhone 15 and Pixel 8 have an almost identical format, and the same goes for their screen sizes. We have to expect a diagonal of 6.1 inches for the iPhone 15 and 6.17 inches for the Pixel 8. So let’s focus instead on the technologies built into each panel.
This year, the iPhone 15 takes over the iPhone 14 Pro’s screen with a tablet with Dynamic Island and a resolution of 2556 x 1179 pixels (460 ppi). The maximum brightness increases to 2000 nits, making it one of the brightest screens in its category. However, this is still stuck at only 60 Hz.
The Pixel 8, on the other hand, improves significantly by offering a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels (427 ppi) with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, while the Pixel 7 had to make do with 90 Hz. The brightness also goes up to 2000 nits, as much as the iPhone 15.
The fluidity of the Pixel 8 screen makes it the big winner in this category. Android smartphone manufacturers have been eager to offer high-resolution screens on their devices for several years now, and it’s time for Apple to stop reserving this technology for its Pro models.
Performance: The iPhone is unbeatable
With its A16 Bionic chip that powered last year’s iPhone 14 Pro, the iPhone 15 is one of the most powerful smartphones on the market, right behind the iPhone 15 Pro and its A17 Pro SoC. The Pixel 8’s new processor, the Tensor G3, promises a significant increase in performance compared to the previous generation, but it’s still not up to the task of worrying Apple.
The chip is based on Samsung’s Exynos 2300, which should be found in the Galaxy S23. It uses a 9-core configuration (1+4+4) with one Cortex-X3 (2.91 GHz), four Cortex-A715 cores (2.37 GHz) and four Cortex-A510 cores (1.70 GHz). In the famous Geekbench 6 benchmark, the SoC only achieved 1,600 points on a single core and 4,200 points on a multi-core. That’s far behind the A16 chip in the iPhone 15, which achieved around 2550 and 6300 points in the same test.
The Tensor G3 is therefore significantly less powerful than the A16, whether on the CPU or GPU side, but has the advantage of offering certain interesting technologies, including AV1 encoding, which is only found in the A17 Pro. The Tensor G3 also offers Wi-Fi 7, while the A16 has to make do with Wi-Fi 6. Still, the point goes to the iPhone 15 thanks to its superior raw performance.
Battery: None really stand out
This year’s Pixel 8 comes with a 4,575mAh battery, larger than the Pixel 7’s, but the iPhone 15 also benefited from a capacity increase with a 3,349mAh battery. Despite this significant gap, the iPhone 15s are still the battery life champions thanks to the tight integration between smartphone hardware and iOS software.
As for fast charging, the iPhone 15 is limited to 20W with wired fast charging and up to 15W with wireless MagSafe. The Pixel 8 is faster at 27W wired and 18W wireless, but given the extra capacity of its battery, it can’t stand out in this area with that edge. It’s a drawing.
Camera: The Pixel 8 will shine at night, at least on paper
The iPhone 15 has a 48MP sensor, but it is smaller than the sensor on the iPhone 14 Pro. The Pixel 8, for its part, benefits from a new 50 MP Samsung GN2 sensor, larger than that of the Pixel 7 but also the iPhone 15. Google’s reputation is well established when it comes to photo quality, and with With such a sensor we expect first-class performance in both photos and videos, especially in low light conditions.
The iPhone 15 and Pixel 8 are also equipped with a second 12 MP ultra-wide-angle sensor, there is also a 12 MP front camera on the iPhone 15 and 10.5 MP on the Pixel 8. Both smartphones offer similar technologies, including a 2- Multiple zoom thanks to pixel binning on the main sensor or macro mode with the ultra wide-angle sensor.
Finally, the Pixel 8 offers a ToF depth sensor that allows distances to be calculated. We’ll have to wait for the Pixel 8 tests to know what the device is capable of, but given Google’s history in this area, we’re guessing the result will be there. On paper, Google wins for now.
Software: iOS 17 and Android 14, flavors and colors
As in previous years, it is always complicated to choose between iOS and Android. The latest versions iOS 17 and Android 14 each brought interesting innovations to the operating systems of both manufacturers and are now both well-equipped with functions.
When it comes to software monitoring, Google now promises a total of 7 years of updates and is therefore almost in line with Apple in this area. However, Apple is known to provide certain security updates on certain smartphones almost ten years after their release. Therefore, Apple’s software monitoring will last longer, meaning you can benefit from the latest features for longer.
While Google gives you more flexibility and customization with Android, Apple is still a leader when it comes to integrating iOS into its product ecosystem. The problem is that the latter is closed and therefore some of its functions require the use of other services or products from the Cupertino company. This category therefore depends on your preferences but also on the other devices you already own.
Price: a more aggressive price for the Pixel 8
The Pixel 8 scores another point thanks to its cheaper price compared to its competitor. Google launched its smartphone in France for “only” 799 euros, while you have to pay a whopping 969 euros for the iPhone 15.
Both start at 128GB of storage, but Apple has the advantage of offering up to 512GB of storage on its smartphone, compared to a maximum of 256GB on the Pixel 8. However, Google’s storage expansion costs less. The Pixel 8 with 256 GB of storage sells for 859 euros (+60 euros), compared to 1099 euros (+130 euros) for the iPhone 15 with 256 GB of storage.
The iPhone 15 is available in 5 colors: Blue, Pink, Yellow, Green and Black, while the Pixel 8 has to make do with 3 different colors: Obsidian, Hazel and Rose.
Diploma
Due to its more aggressive price and generally more interesting spec sheet than the iPhone’s, the Pixel 8 stands out the most in this comparison. If your budget is tighter and you are looking for good value for money, we can only advise you to go for the Google smartphone.
However, if you are already entrenched in the Apple ecosystem, i.e. own a Mac or another device from the American giant, opting for the iPhone 15 could well be the best solution. You benefit from the close connection between iOS and the manufacturer’s other operating systems, which have been Apple’s strength in recent years.