2026 comparison

Updated Jan 16, 2026

|Sources: Amazon, Manufacturer

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

If you are torn between Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, this breakdown is for you. We compare specs, pros, and cons so you can decide confidently.

Ratings: 4.4★ vs 4.7★

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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

★4.4

(986)•Amazon

Operating System:Android

Software Support:7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates

Processor:Google Tensor G4

Graphics:Arm Mali-G715 MC7

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Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

★4.7

(348)•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 A18 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)

Graphics:Apple 6-core GPU (A18 Pro)

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Comparison: Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

★4.4(986)Amazon

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

★4.7(348)Best Buy

Criterion	Google Pixel 9 Pro XL	Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
Rating	★4.4(986)Amazon	★4.7(348)Best Buy
Operating System	Android	iOS
Software Support	7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates	Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor	Google Tensor G4	Apple A18 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics	Arm Mali-G715 MC7	Apple 6-core GPU (A18 Pro)
RAM	16GB LPDDR5X	8 GB (LPDDR5X)
Storage	128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (UFS 3.1)	256GB / 512GB / 1TB (NVMe)
Display Size	6.8" (measured diagonally; actual viewable area is less)	6.9" (6.86" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type	Super Actua LTPO OLED	Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution	1344 x 2992 pixels (QHD+), 486 ppi	2868 x 1320 pixels (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate	1–120Hz (Adaptive)	Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz); Always-On display
Peak Brightness	2,000 nits (HDR) / 3,000 nits (Peak)	1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 2000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum
Main Camera	50MP Wide (f/1.68, 82° FOV), Octa PD AF, OIS	48MP Fusion (24 mm, f/1.78), second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP)
Ultra-Wide Camera	48MP Ultra-Wide (f/1.7, 123° FOV) with Macro Focus	48MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° field of view), Hybrid Focus Pixels, 48MP macro photography
Telephoto Camera	48MP Telephoto (5x optical, f/2.8), Quad PD AF, OIS	12MP 5x Telephoto (120 mm, f/2.8), tetraprism design, 3D sensor-shift OIS, autofocus, 100% Focus Pixels
Optical Zoom	5x Optical Zoom (Optical quality at 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 5x, 10x)	5x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out; 10x optical zoom range
Digital Zoom	Up to 30x Super Res Zoom	Up to 25x
Video Recording	8K@30fps (via Video Boost); 4K@24/30/60fps	4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60/100/120 fps (Fusion); Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps; ProRes up to 4K 120 fps with external recording
Front Camera	42MP Front (f/2.2, 103° FOV), Dual PD AF	12MP TrueDepth (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps
Battery	5,060 mAh (Typical)	4685 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 33 hours video playback (29 hours streamed)
Wired Charging	Up to 37W (charges up to 70% in ~30 min with Google 45W USB-C Charger)	USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher; USB 3 speeds supported
Wireless Charging	Up to 23W (Pixel Stand 2nd Gen); up to 12W (Qi certified); Battery Share	MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W (via iOS update); Qi up to 7.5W
Connectivity	5G (Sub6/mmWave); Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; UWB; Dual Band GNSS	5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.3; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode
USB	USB Type-C 3.2	USB-C connector with USB 3 speeds (up to 10 Gb/s); Native DisplayPort output
Durability	IP68 (Dust and water resistant); Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (front/back)	IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield (latest generation) front; Titanium design (Grade 5); Textured matte glass back
Dimensions	6.4" x 3.0" x 0.3" (162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm)	6.42" x 3.06" x 0.32" (163.0 x 77.6 x 8.25 mm)
Weight	7.80 oz (221 g)	7.99 oz (227 g)
Biometrics	Ultrasonic Fingerprint Unlock; Face Unlock	Face ID
Extras	Satellite SOS; Gemini AI integrated; Temperature sensor; VPN by Google One	Apple Intelligence support; Camera Control button; Action button; Dynamic Island; LiDAR Scanner; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite
Pros	Industry-leading 7-year software support commitment Super Actua display is exceptionally bright (3,000 nits peak) Versatile camera system with 5x optical zoom and high-res 42MP selfie camera Deep AI integration with Gemini and exclusive features like Video Boost Premium build with uniform bezels and Gorilla Glass Victus 2	Largest iPhone display ever at 6.9 inches with ultra-thin borders 48MP Ultra Wide camera improves macro and wide-angle detail significantly Excellent battery life (4685 mAh), among the best in class Dedicated Camera Control button mimics a DSLR shutter Support for 4K 120fps Dolby Vision recording for professional slow-motion
Cons	8K video recording is not native on-device (requires cloud-based Video Boost processing) UFS 3.1 storage is slower than the UFS 4.0 standard found in competitors Heavy gaming performance lags behind Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 rivals Charging speed (37W max) is slower than many flagship peers Optical fingerprint sensor replaced by ultrasonic, but still requires good placement	Large physical dimensions can be unwieldy for some users Fastest charging speeds (MagSafe 25W) require purchasing a new puck and adapter US models lack a physical SIM tray (eSIM only) Base storage starts at 256GB, raising the entry price USB-C cable included in the box is limited to USB 2 speeds (pro transfer speeds require separate cable)
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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

Rating:★4.4(986)Amazon

Operating System:Android

Software Support:7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates

Processor:Google Tensor G4

Graphics:Arm Mali-G715 MC7

RAM:16GB LPDDR5X

Storage:128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (UFS 3.1)

Display Size:6.8" (measured diagonally; actual viewable area is less)

Screen Type:Super Actua LTPO OLED

Resolution:1344 x 2992 pixels (QHD+), 486 ppi

Refresh Rate:1–120Hz (Adaptive)

Peak Brightness:2,000 nits (HDR) / 3,000 nits (Peak)

Main Camera:50MP Wide (f/1.68, 82° FOV), Octa PD AF, OIS

Ultra-Wide Camera:48MP Ultra-Wide (f/1.7, 123° FOV) with Macro Focus

Telephoto Camera:48MP Telephoto (5x optical, f/2.8), Quad PD AF, OIS

Optical Zoom:5x Optical Zoom (Optical quality at 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 5x, 10x)

Digital Zoom:Up to 30x Super Res Zoom

Video Recording:8K@30fps (via Video Boost); 4K@24/30/60fps

Front Camera:42MP Front (f/2.2, 103° FOV), Dual PD AF

Battery:5,060 mAh (Typical)

Wired Charging:Up to 37W (charges up to 70% in ~30 min with Google 45W USB-C Charger)

Wireless Charging:Up to 23W (Pixel Stand 2nd Gen); up to 12W (Qi certified); Battery Share

Connectivity:5G (Sub6/mmWave); Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; UWB; Dual Band GNSS

USB:USB Type-C 3.2

Durability:IP68 (Dust and water resistant); Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (front/back)

Dimensions:6.4" x 3.0" x 0.3" (162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm)

Weight:7.80 oz (221 g)

Biometrics:Ultrasonic Fingerprint Unlock; Face Unlock

Extras:Satellite SOS; Gemini AI integrated; Temperature sensor; VPN by Google One

✓ Pros:

• Industry-leading 7-year software support commitment
• Super Actua display is exceptionally bright (3,000 nits peak)
• Versatile camera system with 5x optical zoom and high-res 42MP selfie camera
• Deep AI integration with Gemini and exclusive features like Video Boost
• Premium build with uniform bezels and Gorilla Glass Victus 2

✗ Cons:

• 8K video recording is not native on-device (requires cloud-based Video Boost processing)
• UFS 3.1 storage is slower than the UFS 4.0 standard found in competitors
• Heavy gaming performance lags behind Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 rivals
• Charging speed (37W max) is slower than many flagship peers
• Optical fingerprint sensor replaced by ultrasonic, but still requires good placement

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Check Price on Amazon→

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Rating:★4.7(348)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 A18 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)

Graphics:Apple 6-core GPU (A18 Pro)

RAM:8 GB (LPDDR5X)

Storage:256GB / 512GB / 1TB (NVMe)

Display Size:6.9" (6.86" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)

Screen Type:Super Retina XDR OLED

Resolution:2868 x 1320 pixels (460 ppi)

Refresh Rate:Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz); Always-On display

Peak Brightness:1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 2000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum

Main Camera:48MP Fusion (24 mm, f/1.78), second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP)

Ultra-Wide Camera:48MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° field of view), Hybrid Focus Pixels, 48MP macro photography

Telephoto Camera:12MP 5x Telephoto (120 mm, f/2.8), tetraprism design, 3D sensor-shift OIS, autofocus, 100% Focus Pixels

Optical Zoom:5x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out; 10x optical zoom range

Digital Zoom:Up to 25x

Video Recording:4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60/100/120 fps (Fusion); Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps; ProRes up to 4K 120 fps with external recording

Front Camera:12MP TrueDepth (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps

Battery:4685 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 33 hours video playback (29 hours streamed)

Wired Charging:USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher; USB 3 speeds supported

Wireless Charging:MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W (via iOS update); Qi up to 7.5W

Connectivity:5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.3; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode

USB:USB-C connector with USB 3 speeds (up to 10 Gb/s); Native DisplayPort output

Durability:IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield (latest generation) front; Titanium design (Grade 5); Textured matte glass back

Dimensions:6.42" x 3.06" x 0.32" (163.0 x 77.6 x 8.25 mm)

Weight:7.99 oz (227 g)

Biometrics:Face ID

Extras:Apple Intelligence support; Camera Control button; Action button; Dynamic Island; LiDAR Scanner; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite

✓ Pros:

• Largest iPhone display ever at 6.9 inches with ultra-thin borders
• 48MP Ultra Wide camera improves macro and wide-angle detail significantly
• Excellent battery life (4685 mAh), among the best in class
• Dedicated Camera Control button mimics a DSLR shutter
• Support for 4K 120fps Dolby Vision recording for professional slow-motion

✗ Cons:

• Large physical dimensions can be unwieldy for some users
• Fastest charging speeds (MagSafe 25W) require purchasing a new puck and adapter
• US models lack a physical SIM tray (eSIM only)
• Base storage starts at 256GB, raising the entry price
• USB-C cable included in the box is limited to USB 2 speeds (pro transfer speeds require separate cable)

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Check Price on Amazon→

Which one is better?

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is stronger in overall satisfaction, but Google Pixel 9 Pro XL could still be the better pick if you value its unique advantages.

Who should buy each?

Expert take:
- Google Pixel 9 Pro XL suits buyers who need Industry-leading 7-year software support commitment, Super Actua display is exceptionally bright (3,000 nits peak)
- Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max suits buyers who want Largest iPhone display ever at 6.9 inches with ultra-thin borders, 48MP Ultra Wide camera improves macro and wide-angle detail significantly

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 9 Pro XL excels if you value industry-leading 7-year software support commitment. Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is better if you prioritize largest iphone display ever at 6.9 inches with ultra-thin borders. 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.

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