Google and Apple are gracious enough to offer affordable alternatives to their top-of-the-line offerings in the form of compact (and cute) powerhouses. The Google Pixel 8 and iPhone 15 are both excellent options for users looking for handsets that don’t look like oversized chunks of glass and still pack a punch. And with such similar price tags, we decided to take a closer look at both these handsets so you can figure out which one’s the best suited for you.
The Pixel 8 comes with a 6.2-inch Actua OLED display with a 1080×2400 resolution and a refresh rate of 120Hz. Colours are as punchy as they can get and viewing content is a delight. On the other hand, the iPhone 15 opts for a slightly smaller 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a 2556×1179 resolution. It features Dynamic Island, an innovative addition that delivers bits of at-a-glance information.
We found both these displays to be similar in terms of properties like vibrancy and colour accuracy. However, despite the fact that both Pixel 8 and iPhone 15 are claimed to offer 2,000 nits of peak brightness, the Pixel 8 is considerably brighter when the slider is flicked to the max under normal conditions.
Then there’s the fact that the iPhone 15 lacks ProMotion, meaning it sticks with a standard 60Hz refresh rate. While the display doesn’t feel jittery like 60Hz Android phones do, animations look less zippy compared to the Pixel 8. Software can only get you so far after all.
Design-wise, the Pixel 8 feels noticeably thicker in hand, but its metal and glass construction compensates for that, offering a premium feel. In contrast, the iPhone 15 introduces a frosted back that resists fingerprints and offers a more secure grip. The design is subjective but the iPhone 15 does have an advantage in terms of weight and thickness.
Both devices, however, align on one front: the adoption of a USB-C charging port. Thanks to EU law changes, the iPhone waves goodbye to the traditional Apple Lightning connector.
Performance
Under the hood, Google equips the Pixel 8 with the Google Tensor G3 chip, while Apple flexes its muscles with the A16 Bionic chipset in the iPhone 15. The A16 Bionic is no slouch, delivering benchmark scores that can outshine many pricier Android competitors. It handles everything you throw at it with ease, from high-end games on Apple Arcade to resource-intensive apps from the App Store, all without a hint of stutter or lag.
Meanwhile, the Tensor G3 chip in the Pixel 8 handles day-to-day tasks with ease but doesn’t come close to the iPhone 15 in terms of gaming performance. It also runs slightly hotter. Gaming enthusiasts will definitely find the iPhone 15 the better choice.
Camera
The Pixel 8 boasts a 50MP main sensor and a 12MP ultrawide lens, a combination that churns out highly-detailed photos, especially in well-lit conditions. AI tricks like Magic Eraser and Best Take provide users with powerful tools for perfecting their shots.
Apple’s iPhone 15, while still impressive, lacks the same breadth of AI features as its Google counterpart. It features a 48-megapixel main sensor and a 12MP ultrawide lens, delivering sharp and detailed images with vibrant colours.
In our experience, we found that there’s no clear winner in the camera department. Both phones have their pros and cons, although the Pixel does tend to overdo HDR processing in an attempt to bring out more details. The iPhone 15’s shots can look more pleasing to the eye in terms of colours but aren’t as detailed as the Pixel.
Ultimately, both phones excel at capturing outstanding shots across various scenarios and 2x optical-like digital zoom on both means you can still get closer to your subject without a telephoto lens.
Battery life
The Pixel 8 has a notably larger battery at 4,575 mAh, which is impressive for its size. It charges at 27W. Meanwhile, the iPhone 15’s battery is a tiny 3,349 mAh unit which reportedly can also charge at a peak of 27W.
Most Read
However, the specs have very little to do with how these phones perform in this case. Despite its smaller battery, the iPhone 15 takes longer to charge to 100% – around 1.5 hours versus the 1 hour 20 minutes of the Pixel 8. Both phones take around 30 minutes to charge to 50% though and also offer 1-day battery life, even as the Pixel 8 has a slight edge.
Conclusion
Priced at Rs 75,999 and Rs 79,900 respectively, both Pixel 8 and iPhone 15 are serious contenders in the smartphone arena and are pretty much neck-to-neck in terms of value. The Pixel 8 shines in the screen department and wins in battery life by a hair, while the iPhone 15 excels overwhelmingly in performance.
The choice between them ultimately comes down to your preferences. If your vibe is Android then Google’s Pixel UI is easily one of the best experiences around. And with 7 years of updates guaranteed, it might even outlast the iPhone 15 in software support. But if you’re into iOS, then its optimisation is one to beat, although the 60Hz panel doesn’t do justice to the fluidity.
