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TheGoogle Pixel 8and theiPhone 15 Pro Maxarent, perhaps, two phones that youd naturally compare.
Aside from a shared release window, they dont appear to have a lot in common.
The Google Pixel 8
Well find out in ourGooglePixel 8 vs iPhone 15 Pro Max showdown.
First up was the iPhone on September 12, with the Pixel 8 following on October 4.
Whats heartening to see, however, is that their phones now look completely different.
Even the camera module swoops and melts into the side of the phone.
Theres a fundamental difference in the makeup of the frames of these two phones too.
The biggest difference here is one of size.
The Google Pixel 8
It might be a fraction thinner than the Google phone, but its also 34g heavier.
That fundamental size difference is reflected in the size of the displays.
This size difference makes comparing screen resolutions somewhat pointless, so well use the pixel density metric instead.
The iPhone 15 Pro has titanium sides
This perhaps explains why the iPhones always-on display carries more visual detail.
Of course, for the added price of aGoogle Pixel 7a, youd expect as much.
In addition to wide and ultra-wide sensors, the iPhone 15 Pro Max gives you a dedicated telephoto.
Not just any telephoto either, but a new 12MP periscope camera with an extended 5x zoom.
The Pixel 8 can only crop in on its 50MP main sensor for those up-close shots.
Both phones give you high quality 12MP ultra-wide sensors.
Google gives your some unique AI-driven editing tools here.
Best Take now lets you edit group scenes to confirm everyone is smiling.
But the Pixel 8 uses clever processing tricks to provide a brilliant fire-and-forget experience.
Perhaps more consequential is the matter of performance headroom.
We mentioned software above, and that really is the crucial difference between these two phones.
Have you invested time, money and data in apps and services for either platform?
This photo started out as a regular shot with the main camera. I tapped to convert it to portrait.(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Do you own a Mac and an iPad, or an Android tablet and a Windows PC?
You should answer those questions before considering any other aspect of these phones.
Otherwise, both Android and iOS are brilliantoperating systems, and these phones showcase them at their best.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max can capture action shots(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Dont let that similarity fool you though.
Android is historically far more power-hungry than iOS.
you could expect both to hit around 50% in 30 minutes.
A front-facing camera selfie. The blue sky might be a little over-baked.(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Its not really a straight fight between these two phones, however.
The Pixel 8 is significantly smaller and crucially $440 / 450 cheaper.
Those ifs are doing some serious heavy lifting, however.
This was an impressive lowlight shot that captured me and the night sky(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
New Yorker “P.pataci on Instagram” was kind enough to pose for me and let me try out the new potrait features.(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
A city shot with the ultrawide camera(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Stepped up to the Main camera(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Using the 2x zoom that uses the center 12MP of the 48 MP main camera(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Using the 3x optical zoom camera. The sky was blue. Was it THAT blue?(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
An untrawide city shot(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
A shot with the Main camera(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Using the 2x zoom mode(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Using the 3x optical zoom(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
A macro shot(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Flower that looks just like this in real life.(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
A city bird(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Ultrawide city shot(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Main camera(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
2x zoom(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
3x optical zoom(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Ultrawide shot(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Ultrawide shot(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Main camera(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
3X zoom of a challenging light shot(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Main camera(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Main camera(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
2x zoom(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
3x optical zoom(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Night photography(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Low light shot(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
The iPhone 15 Pro