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We’ve already compared the best of Google with the best of Apple. In this article, we’ll mix things up a bit. We’ll compare the Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 15 Plus. In other words, the best of Google is going against… well, one of the devices Apple announced alongside its flagships. The iPhone 15 Plus is not quite a flagship, but it’s rather close to the Pixel 8 Pro’s price tag, and it’s also quite powerful.
As per usual, we’ll first list their specifications, and will then move to compare them across other categories. We’ll compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance. These two phones don’t exactly have much in common, per se, which should make things comparison that much more interesting. Having said that, let’s get down to it, shall we?
Specs
Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 15 Plus, respectively
– Screen size:
6.7-inch Super Actua AMOLED display (flat, 120Hz LTPO, HDR10+, 2,400 nits)
6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display (60Hz, HDR, 2,000 nits)
– Display resolution:
2992 x 1344
2796 x 1290
– SoC:
Google Tensor G3
Apple A16 Bionic
– RAM:
12GB (LPDDR5X)
6GB
– Storage:
128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 3.1)
128GB/256GB/512GB
– Rear cameras:
50MP (f/1.68 aperture, 82-degree FoV, 1.2um pixel size, OIS), 48MP (ultrawide, f/1.95 aperture, 125.5-degree FoV, 0.8um pixel size), 48MP (telephoto, f/2.8 aperture, 0.7um pixel size, 5x optical zoom)
48MP (f/1.6 aperture, sensor-shift OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.4 aperture)
– Front cameras:
10.5MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.22um pixel size)
12MP (f/1.9 aperture) + TrueDepth
– Battery:
5,050mAh
4,383mAh
– Charging:
30W wired, 23W wireless, reverse wireless (charger not included)
20W wired, 15W wireless (charger not included)
– Dimensions (unfolded):
162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8mm
160.9 x 77.8 x 7.8mm
– Weight:
213 grams
201 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) & Face Unlock
Advanced facial scanning
– OS:
Android 14
iOS 17
– Price:
$999+
$899+
– Buy:
Best Buy
Apple
Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 15 Plus: Design
You’ll immediately notice how different these two phones are, the moment you look at them. They are both made out of metal and glass, and they both have flat displays. That’s basically where similarities end, though. The Pixel 8 Pro has a centered display camera hole. The iPhone 15 Plus, on the flip side, has a pill-shaped camera hole on the front… which is also centered. Both of them have very thin bezels, though, all around.
The Pixel 8 Pro does not have flat sides, unlike the iPhone 15 Plus. Even the sides on Apple’s phone have rounded edges, for comfort’s sake. If we flip the two phones around, you’ll notice even more differences. The Pixel 8 Pro has a camera visor on the back, which connects to the left and right sides of its frame. That camera visor is covered by metal, and it includes three cameras. The iPhone 15 Plus has two cameras on the back, both of which are a part of the camera island placed in the top-left corner.
They have the same display sizes, but slightly different display aspect ratios. The Pixel 8 Pro is a bit taller because of that, but also a bit narrower at the same time. It’s also thicker than the iPhone 15 Plus. The Pixel 8 Pro does weigh 12 grams more than the iPhone 15 Plus, which is not a big difference, but it’s noticeable when you hold them at the same time. Both devices feel quite premium, and they both offer IP68 certification for water and dust resistance.
Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 15 Plus: Display
The Pixel 8 Pro features a 6.7-inch LTPO OLED display with a resolution of 2992 x 1344. That panel is flat, and it supports a 120Hz refresh rate. The refresh rate is adaptive, it goes from 1 to 120Hz. HDR10+ content is also supported, and this panel goes up to 2,400 nits of brightness. The display aspect ratio on Google’s flagship is 20:9, while the panel is protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
The iPhone 15 Plus, on the other hand, includes a 6.7-inch panel with a resolution of 2796 x 1290. This is a Super Retina XDR OLED panel, and it’s also flat. It supports HDR10 content, and Dolby Vision, but it’s unfortunately stuck at 60Hz. The peak brightness on this panel is 2,000 nits. The display aspect ratio we’re looking at is 19.5:9, and the display is protected by the Ceramic Shield glass.
The bottom line is that both of these displays are really good, but the Pixel 8 Pro’s panel is newer, and has one major advantage. It supports a 120Hz refresh rate, while the iPhone 15 Plus is stuck at 60Hz. Most of you will notice the difference while scrolling, and even gaming in some cases. Both displays do look very good, and are very sharp, though. They offer vivid colors, great viewing angles, and deep blacks. They are also well protected.
Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 15 Plus: Performance
Google’s flagship is fueled by the Google Tensor G3 processor. That is Google’s latest chip, a 4nm processor. Google also included 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM here, and UFS 3.1 flash storage. The iPhone 15 Plus is fueled by the Apple A16 Bionic chip. That’s also a 4nm processor, and it’s not the latest and greatest from Apple, but it’s still great. Google’s chip is technically inferior in terms of sheer power, but it’s tuned to work with Pixels, and has great AI features. The iPhone 15 Plus also includes 6GB of RAM and NVMe storage.
As far as regular everyday performance is concerned, they both do a great job. Opening apps, multitasking, consuming multimedia, browsing… anything you can think of, these two phones can handle with ease. Chances are it will stay that way for quite some time, so there’s nothing to worry about. Even when it comes to gaming, both phones do a great job, but the iPhone 15 Plus does have an edge when it comes to the most demanding titles out there. Both phones do get warm while gaming, but not too warm. All in all, chances are you’ll be happy with the performance of both devices.
Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 15 Plus: Battery
Google’s flagship includes a 5,050mAh battery, while the iPhone 15 Plus packs in a 4,383mAh unit. Apple’s handsets usually have smaller battery packs, and it’s due to how iOS works. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it has worse battery life, and it’s certainly not the case here. The iPhone 15 Plus actually offers outstanding battery life, one of the best ones we’ve experienced in the last year or so.
Getting over the 9-hour screen-on-time mark with the iPhone 15 Plus is easily doable, actually, even going over the 10-hour screen-on-time mark. This smartphone is a great choice if you need great battery life, without a doubt. The Pixel 8 Pro cannot really reach those heights, but its battery life is not bad, not at all. Once the battery settled, we managed to get over the 7-hour screen-on-time mark on a regular basis, even reaching the 8-hour mark at times.
Both smartphones offer support for wired and wireless charging. The Pixel 8 Pro supports 30W wired, 23W wireless, and 5W reverse wireless charging. The Apple iPhone 15 Plus supports 20W wired, 15W MagSafe and Qi2 wireless, 7.5W Qi wireless, and 4.5W reverse wired charging. One thing to note is that neither of the smartphones ships with a charger in the box, though.
Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 15 Plus: Cameras
The Pixel 8 Pro includes three cameras on the back, while the iPhone 15 Plus is equipped with two. A 50-megapixel main camera is backed by a 48-megapixel ultrawide unit (126-degree FoV), and a 48-megapixel telephoto camera (5x optical zoom). The iPhone 15 Plus has a 48-megapixel main camera, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit (120-degree FoV).
The main cameras on both smartphones are really good. That goes for both day and night. The Pixel 8 Pro does do a better job when it comes to HDR situations, though, and the end results are quite different. The Pixel 8 Pro images do pop more and do seem processed, in a good way. The iPhone 15 Plus is trying to keep things closer to real life, which results in different images. Ultrawide cameras do a really good job in good lighting, keeping a similar color balance to the main cameras. The Pixel 8 Pro is a clear telephoto winner, though.
In low light, the Pixel 8 Pro tends to brighten up the scenes a bit more, while the iPhone 15 Plus once again tries to keep things closer to real life. Both do a great job and manage to retain a lot of detail from the shadows. Their ultrawide cameras are also up to the task, while the Pixel 8 Pro easily wins the telephoto category in low light too. The iPhone 15 Plus still has the upper hand in the video department, and that goes for both day and night.
Audio
There are stereo speakers included on both of these devices. Their output is really good, it’s well-balanced. The Pixel 8 Pro’s speakers are a bit louder, but chances are that not many of you will notice that.
Neither phone has an audio jack, but they are both equipped with Type-C ports. So, you can use those to connect your headphones via a wire. If you prefer to go wireless, Bluetooth 5.3 is included on both devices.