An iPhone 15 is a good option for anybody looking for a cheaper option than the iPhone 15 Pro. The Google Pixel 8, however, presents another possibility. Would you believe us if we told you there was a small, powerful flagship phone that was much less expensive, had a fantastic camera, a fluid display, and very clean software and design? We’re talking about the iPhone Pro. There you have it, the Pixel 8.
Is the Google Pixel phone more cost-effective than the iPhone 15 Pro? There’s only one way to discover the answer. It would be fun to compare two of the most anticipated smartphone launches of the year side by side, feature by feature, and see if we could draw any conclusions. Keep reading for our highly anticipated Google Pixel 8 vs. iPhone 15 Pro comparison to make an informed decision.
Review of The Designs
The new iPhone 15 and the Pixel 8 are rectangular pieces of glass, but unlike most non-bending or folding smartphones, Apple and Google Pixel phone haven’t been afraid to put their design spin on them.
The new color selections are the only noticeable change to the otherwise identical appearance of Apple’s iPhone 15. For the first time on a non-Pro model, the 6.1-inch screen has a Dynamic Island.
By showing notifications and contextual information like timer countdowns, presently playing music, and even information from third-party applications like live sports scores, Dynamic Island can obscure the front-facing TrueDepth camera. The power and sleep/wake buttons are on the phone’s right side, while the volume controls and mute buttons are on the left. A USB-C connector, rather than Apple’s proprietary Lightning port, is located on the bottom, another first. Two rear-facing cameras are housed in a square array on the back of the phone.
The pink iPhone 15 is available in various hues, and they’re all somewhat subdued compared to earlier models. Apple uses color-infused material with a matte finish; available colors include yellow, pink, blue, green, and black. The colorful glass is stunning; it looks nothing like regular glass.
The Pixel 8 is based on the same fundamental design as the Pixel 6, unveiled a few years back. The front-facing camera is visible via a hole punch at the top of the 6.2-inch display, but no Dynamic Island-like function can conceal it. Nonetheless, the Google Pixel phone shares a feature with the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max—an always-on display—that keeps the clock and any upcoming notifications shown continuously. There are three color options for the Pixel 8: Hazel, Obsidian, and Rose.
Along with weighing 6.02 ounces, the dimensions of the iPhone 15 are 5.81 by 2.82 by 0.31 inches. The Google Pixel 8 has larger sizes (5.9 by 2.8 by 0.4 inches), a higher weight (6.60 ounces), and a thinner and taller profile. You can use either phone with one hand if necessary since they are both pleasant to grasp. The iPhone 15 has a more balanced feel than the Pixel 8, which may feel a little top-heavy because of the camera bar.
The new iPhone 15 is head and shoulders above the competition regarding color. The winner becomes less obvious when considering the whole design, and the decision ultimately boils down to personal opinion.
Similar Displays With Differences
Apple refers to the 6.1-inch screen as a Super Retina XDR display, and it has already been stated. That’s the marketing jargon for an organic light-emitting diode display with a PPI of 460 and a resolution of 2556 x 1179. Easy viewing in strong sunshine is possible because of its 60Hz refresh rate, 2,000 nits peak brightness, and high dynamic range (HDR) content compatibility.
The Pixel 8’s 6.2-inch “Actua” OLED screen has a pixel density of 428 pixels per inch and a resolution of 2400 by 1080. It can also display HDR content, has a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, and a customizable refresh rate ranging from 60 to 120 Hz. Images and text are clear, with enough color saturation on both phones, giving the impression that their display quality is comparable. On the other hand, the Pixel 8’s somewhat lower-resolution display becomes apparent when you get nearer and pay more attention, particularly when seeing text.
It’s not a terrible experience; unless you’re meticulous or holding the phones side by side, you won’t notice a thing. Similarly, the Pixel 8’s screen has a higher refresh rate, useful for activities like playing games or swiftly flipping through social media or email. Even though we can’t see the difference, the Google Pixel 8 has the silkiest scrolling experience. If the ability to adjust the refresh rate—which the pink iPhone 15 is limited to 60Hz—is important, the 15 Pro models provide up to 120Hz.
Performance Overview
The A16 Bionic, also used in last year’s Pro series, and 6GB of RAM are the brains behind Apple’s new iPhone 15. Storage options include 128GB, 256GB, and 512 GB. With 128 or 256 GB of storage, 8 GB of RAM, and Google Pixel phone’s newest Tensor 3 CPU, the Pixel 8 is a powerhouse.
Among all smartphone processors, Apple’s A-series chips—which power the iPhone lineup—are renowned for their exceptional performance. Buying an iPhone is the obvious choice if you’re looking for a smartphone with the most powerful CPU currently available.
However, benchmark speed is just one measure of performance. Still, let’s quickly check out the benchmark results for both phones to be thorough. As you will see, there is no comparison regarding sheer processing power. The iPhone 15 has an average multi-core score of 6,510 and a single-core score of 2,595, according to the Geekbench 6 benchmarking tool. In the identical single-core and multi-core tests, the Google Pixel 8 achieved scores of 1,523 and 4,089, respectively. A higher score is preferable.
Single-core speed is crucial for mundane operations like email or text messages. Attention to multi-core performance is in order if you use their phone for regular picture and video editing or gaming. Instead of transferring data to Google Pixel 8’s servers for processing, the company has used its Tensor processors for machine learning. This will allow artificial intelligence features, better voice recognition, and enhanced picture and video capabilities—all on the device itself. Most current mobile games run well on both phones. Still, the new iPhone 15 Pro, the more expensive model, is the only way to get your hands on a few future console-quality titles like Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Resident Evil Village.
Regarding battery life, both phones may last a whole day under normal conditions. Over around sixteen hours, we will be reading news headlines, conversing in applications like Slack, Messages, and Telegram, continually browsing Reddit and Threads, and viewing one or two videos on YouTube. Our experience with both phones over the last several weeks shows they have comparable battery lives.
Camera Performance
Both phones’ cameras are similar; they take equally crisp, colorful shots that aren’t oversaturated and have the right amount of exposure. When you snap a photograph with either Google Pixel or Apple, the results are more realistic and true to life.
When it comes time to edit your images on the Google Pixel 8, the camera experiences begin to differ. Two aspects that showcase Google’s Tensor 3 processor and machine learning capabilities are the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, which debut. You can perform some crazy picture editing with just a few clicks on the screen thanks to Best Take and Magic Editor features, essentially a miniaturized version of Photoshop.
Everyone knows that when you take a group photo, someone will inevitably look away, blink at the wrong moment, or do something completely out of the ordinary. After you’ve selected the finest shot using the finest Take, the Pixel 8 will find others like it and show you many thumbnails, displaying the different emotions on each subject’s face in the remaining shots. After finding a thumbnail with the person’s smile, you may quickly insert it into the shot by selecting it. Anyone in the photo may have it done as well. It’s as astounding as it is terrifying.
The second update is the Magic Editor, which enhances the user experience by allowing them to choose an item, person, or pet and then manipulate its size, position, or removal. Adjustments that modify an image’s appearance and effect are remarkably straightforward and take just a few seconds. In some respects, the Pixel’s ease of use in making extensive image edits is terrifying.
Features such as Magic Editor and Best Take are unavailable on the iPhone. Instead, you may alter the focus point or modify the orientation of an already-taken shot to make it portrait-oriented. By long-pressing on an object or person, you can use them as a sticker in other applications or even remove them from their background—the closest thing to a Magic Editor-like tool on the new iPhone 15.
Bottom line
The bottom line is, pick Apple’s iPhone 15 if you can’t decide between it and the Pixel 8. For the greatest smartphone out there, it’s hard to beat its outstanding cameras, user-friendly UI, lengthy battery life, and top-tier speed. Nonetheless, the Pixel 8 offers an unparalleled experience by any other phone on the market, and it’s all because of Google’s unique artificial intelligence capabilities, such as Call Screen and Best Take.
