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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 16, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerGoogle Pixel 7a vs Apple iPhone 15
Choosing between Google Pixel 7a and Apple iPhone 15 can be tricky. Both are excellent, but they serve different priorities. This guide highlights what matters for US shoppers.
Ratings: 4.5★ vs 4.8★
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Google Pixel 7a
★4.5
(1,343)•Best Buy
Operating System:Android
Software Support:3 years of OS upgrades and 5 years of security updates (until May 2028)
Processor:Google Tensor G2 (5nm) + Titan M2 security coprocessor
Graphics:Mali-G710 MP7
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Apple iPhone 15
★4.8
(951)•Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A16 Bionic chip (6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU (A16 Bionic)
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Comparison: Google Pixel 7a vs Apple iPhone 15
Google Pixel 7a
★4.5(1,343)Best Buy
Apple iPhone 15
★4.8(951)Best Buy
| Criterion | Google Pixel 7a | Apple iPhone 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.5(1,343)Best Buy | ★4.8(951)Best Buy |
Operating System | Android | iOS |
Software Support | 3 years of OS upgrades and 5 years of security updates (until May 2028) | Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades |
Processor | Google Tensor G2 (5nm) + Titan M2 security coprocessor | Apple A16 Bionic chip (6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine) |
Graphics | Mali-G710 MP7 | Apple 5-core GPU (A16 Bionic) |
RAM | 8GB LPDDR5 | 6 GB (LPDDR5) |
Storage | 128GB UFS 3.1 (Non-expandable) | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB (NVMe) |
Display Size | 6.1" | 6.1" (6.12" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less) |
Screen Type | OLED, 90Hz, HDR | Super Retina XDR OLED |
Resolution | 2400 x 1080 (FHD+) at 429 ppi | 2556 x 1179 pixels (460 ppi) |
Refresh Rate | 90Hz (Smooth Display) | 60 Hz |
Peak Brightness | 1,000 nits (High Brightness Mode) | 1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 2000 nits peak (outdoor) |
Main Camera | 64MP Quad PD Quad Bayer, f/1.89, 1/1.73", OIS, Super Res Zoom up to 8x | 48MP Main (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP) |
Ultra-Wide Camera | 13MP, f/2.2, 120-degree FOV, Dual Pixel PDAF | 12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.4, 120° field of view) |
Telephoto Camera | No (Not supported) — Relies on Super Res Zoom | No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP quad-pixel sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS |
Optical Zoom | No (Not supported) | 0.5x, 1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (4x optical zoom range) |
Digital Zoom | Up to 8x (Super Res Zoom) | Up to 10x |
Video Recording | 4K @ 30/60fps; 1080p @ 30/60fps | 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps |
Front Camera | 13MP, f/2.2, 95-degree Ultrawide FOV, 4K @ 30fps | 12MP TrueDepth (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps |
Battery | 4,385mAh (Typical) | 3349 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 20 hours video playback (16 hours streamed) |
Wired Charging | 18W Fast Charging (Charger NOT included) | USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher |
Wireless Charging | 7.5W Qi Wireless Charging | MagSafe up to 15W; Qi2 up to 15W; Qi up to 7.5W |
Connectivity | 5G (Sub-6/mmWave), Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3, NFC | 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.3; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); NFC with reader mode |
USB | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 | USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output |
Durability | IP67 (Dust/Water Resistant up to 1m for 30 min); Corning Gorilla Glass 3 (Front) | IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield front; Aerospace-grade aluminum; Color-infused glass back |
Dimensions | 6.00 x 2.87 x 0.35 in (152.0 x 72.9 x 9.0 mm) | 5.81" x 2.82" x 0.31" (147.6 x 71.6 x 7.80 mm) |
Weight | 6.83 oz (193.5 g) | 6.02 oz (171 g) |
Biometrics | Optical under-display fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock | Face ID |
Extras | Stereo speakers, Now Playing, Call Screen, Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, VPN by Google One | Dynamic Island; Ring/Silent switch; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite |
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Google Pixel 7a
Rating:★4.5(1,343)Best Buy
Operating System:Android
Software Support:3 years of OS upgrades and 5 years of security updates (until May 2028)
Processor:Google Tensor G2 (5nm) + Titan M2 security coprocessor
Graphics:Mali-G710 MP7
RAM:8GB LPDDR5
Storage:128GB UFS 3.1 (Non-expandable)
Display Size:6.1"
Screen Type:OLED, 90Hz, HDR
Resolution:2400 x 1080 (FHD+) at 429 ppi
Refresh Rate:90Hz (Smooth Display)
Peak Brightness:1,000 nits (High Brightness Mode)
Main Camera:64MP Quad PD Quad Bayer, f/1.89, 1/1.73", OIS, Super Res Zoom up to 8x
Ultra-Wide Camera:13MP, f/2.2, 120-degree FOV, Dual Pixel PDAF
Telephoto Camera:No (Not supported) — Relies on Super Res Zoom
Optical Zoom:No (Not supported)
Digital Zoom:Up to 8x (Super Res Zoom)
Video Recording:4K @ 30/60fps; 1080p @ 30/60fps
Front Camera:13MP, f/2.2, 95-degree Ultrawide FOV, 4K @ 30fps
Battery:4,385mAh (Typical)
Wired Charging:18W Fast Charging (Charger NOT included)
Wireless Charging:7.5W Qi Wireless Charging
Connectivity:5G (Sub-6/mmWave), Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3, NFC
USB:USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2
Durability:IP67 (Dust/Water Resistant up to 1m for 30 min); Corning Gorilla Glass 3 (Front)
Dimensions:6.00 x 2.87 x 0.35 in (152.0 x 72.9 x 9.0 mm)
Weight:6.83 oz (193.5 g)
Biometrics:Optical under-display fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock
Extras:Stereo speakers, Now Playing, Call Screen, Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, VPN by Google One
✓ Pros:
- • Class-leading still photography with 64MP sensor and Google computational magic
- • Tensor G2 chip brings flagship-level AI features (Voice Typing, Magic Eraser) to mid-range
- • 90Hz OLED display is a significant upgrade over previous A-series 60Hz panels
- • Includes wireless charging (7.5W), a rarity in this price segment
- • Compact, ergonomic size with IP67 water/dust resistance
✗ Cons:
- • Charging is slow (18W wired / 7.5W wireless) compared to competitors
- • Optical fingerprint sensor can be slower/less reliable than ultrasonic ones
- • Battery life is average; Tensor G2 can run warm under load
- • Large bezels relative to screen size compared to the Pixel 8a or Galaxy S23 FE
- • Only one storage option (128GB) with no microSD expansion
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Apple iPhone 15
Rating:★4.8(951)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A16 Bionic chip (6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU (A16 Bionic)
RAM:6 GB (LPDDR5)
Storage:128GB / 256GB / 512GB (NVMe)
Display Size:6.1" (6.12" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type:Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution:2556 x 1179 pixels (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate:60 Hz
Peak Brightness:1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 2000 nits peak (outdoor)
Main Camera:48MP Main (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP)
Ultra-Wide Camera:12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.4, 120° field of view)
Telephoto Camera:No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP quad-pixel sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS
Optical Zoom:0.5x, 1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (4x optical zoom range)
Digital Zoom:Up to 10x
Video Recording:4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps
Front Camera:12MP TrueDepth (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps
Battery:3349 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 20 hours video playback (16 hours streamed)
Wired Charging:USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher
Wireless Charging:MagSafe up to 15W; Qi2 up to 15W; Qi up to 7.5W
Connectivity:5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.3; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); NFC with reader mode
USB:USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output
Durability:IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield front; Aerospace-grade aluminum; Color-infused glass back
Dimensions:5.81" x 2.82" x 0.31" (147.6 x 71.6 x 7.80 mm)
Weight:6.02 oz (171 g)
Biometrics:Face ID
Extras:Dynamic Island; Ring/Silent switch; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite
✓ Pros:
- • High-resolution 48MP main camera with useful 2x optical-quality crop
- • Bright, color-accurate OLED display (up to 2000 nits outdoor)
- • Standardized USB-C port for charging and accessories
- • Dynamic Island interface replaces the notch
- • Comfortable, lightweight design with contoured edges
✗ Cons:
- • Display limited to 60 Hz (no ProMotion 120 Hz)
- • USB-C port limited to USB 2.0 data transfer speeds (480 Mb/s)
- • No dedicated telephoto lens (zoom beyond 2x is digital)
- • Always-On display feature is omitted
- • Charging speed is slower compared to competitors
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Which one is better?
Based on ratings and feature balance, Google Pixel 7a has a slight edge for specific features. Apple iPhone 15 remains a strong alternative if its strengths match your needs.
Who should buy each?
Expert take:
- Google Pixel 7a suits buyers who need Class-leading still photography with 64MP sensor and Google computational magic, Tensor G2 chip brings flagship-level AI features (Voice Typing, Magic Eraser) to mid-range
- Apple iPhone 15 suits buyers who want High-resolution 48MP main camera with useful 2x optical-quality crop, Bright, color-accurate OLED display (up to 2000 nits outdoor)
Conclusion
There is no wrong answer here. Focus on the features you will use daily and pick the model that aligns with them.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Google Pixel 7a excels if you value class-leading still photography with 64mp sensor and google computational magic. Apple iPhone 15 is better if you prioritize high-resolution 48mp main camera with useful 2x optical-quality crop. Pick based on your budget and daily use.
+Is this an independent review?
Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.
+Do newer models exist?
Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.
Affiliate disclosure
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