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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 7, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerApple iPhone 15 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
For those torn between the Apple iPhone 15 and the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, the Pixel is the smarter buy due to its superior specs. The Pixel 9 Pro XL boasts a 6.8-inch display with a staggering 3,000 nits peak brightness, while the iPhone 15's 6.1-inch display maxes out at 2,000 nits. Battery life: Apple iPhone 15 is rated for up to 20 hours.
📱 Display: 6.1" vs 6.8"⚡ Refresh: 60 Hz vs 120 Hz🔋 Battery: 3349 mAh vs 5060 mAh
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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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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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Key spec differences
Only the specs that differ are shown here. Winners are highlighted when the data is clear.
Winner= clear advantage
Spec
Apple iPhone 15
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
Display2 specs
Display SizeKey
Apple iPhone 15
6.1" (6.12" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
6.8" (measured diagonally; actual viewable area is less)Winner
Refresh Rate
Apple iPhone 15
60 Hz
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
1–120Hz (Adaptive)Winner
Performance3 specs
ProcessorKey
Apple iPhone 15
Apple A16 Bionic chip (6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
Google Tensor G4
RAMKey
Apple iPhone 15
6 GB (LPDDR5)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
16GB LPDDR5XWinner
Storage
Apple iPhone 15
128GB / 256GB / 512GB (NVMe)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (UFS 3.1)
Camera2 specs
Main CameraKey
Apple iPhone 15
48MP Main (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
50MP Wide (f/1.68, 82° FOV), Octa PD AF, OISWinner
Ultra-Wide Camera
Apple iPhone 15
12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.4, 120° field of view)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
48MP Ultra-Wide (f/1.7, 123° FOV) with Macro Focus
Battery2 specs
Battery CapacityKey
Apple iPhone 15
3349 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 20 hours video playback (16 hours streamed)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
5,060 mAh (Typical)Winner
Wireless Charging
Apple iPhone 15
MagSafe up to 15W; Qi2 up to 15W; Qi up to 7.5W
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
Up to 23W (Pixel Stand 2nd Gen); up to 12W (Qi certified); Battery Share
Design2 specs
Weight
Apple iPhone 15
6.02 oz (171 g)Winner
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
7.80 oz (221 g)
Dimensions
Apple iPhone 15
5.81" x 2.82" x 0.31" (147.6 x 71.6 x 7.80 mm)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
6.4" x 3.0" x 0.3" (162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm)
Software1 specs
Operating System
Apple iPhone 15
iOS
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
Android
Connectivity1 specs
Connectivity
Apple iPhone 15
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
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
5G (Sub6/mmWave); Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; UWB; Dual Band GNSS
+Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Expand
Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Comparison: Apple iPhone 15 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
Apple iPhone 15
★4.8(951)Best Buy
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
★4.4(986)Amazon
| Criterion | Apple iPhone 15 | Google Pixel 9 Pro XL |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.8(951)Best Buy | ★4.4(986)Amazon |
Operating System | iOS | Android |
Software Support | Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades | 7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates |
Processor | Apple A16 Bionic chip (6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine) | Google Tensor G4 |
Graphics | Apple 5-core GPU (A16 Bionic) | Arm Mali-G715 MC7 |
RAM | 6 GB (LPDDR5) | 16GB LPDDR5X |
Storage | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB (NVMe) | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (UFS 3.1) |
Display Size | 6.1" (6.12" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less) | 6.8" (measured diagonally; actual viewable area is less) |
Screen Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | Super Actua LTPO OLED |
Resolution | 2556 x 1179 pixels (460 ppi) | 1344 x 2992 pixels (QHD+), 486 ppi |
Refresh Rate | 60 Hz | 1–120Hz (Adaptive) |
Peak Brightness | 1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 2000 nits peak (outdoor) | 2,000 nits (HDR) / 3,000 nits (Peak) |
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) | 50MP Wide (f/1.68, 82° FOV), Octa PD AF, OIS |
Ultra-Wide Camera | 12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.4, 120° field of view) | 48MP Ultra-Wide (f/1.7, 123° FOV) with Macro Focus |
Telephoto Camera | No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP quad-pixel sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS | 48MP Telephoto (5x optical, f/2.8), Quad PD AF, OIS |
Optical Zoom | 0.5x, 1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (4x optical zoom range) | 5x Optical Zoom (Optical quality at 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 5x, 10x) |
Digital Zoom | Up to 10x | Up to 30x Super Res Zoom |
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 | 8K@30fps (via Video Boost); 4K@24/30/60fps |
Front Camera | 12MP TrueDepth (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps | 42MP Front (f/2.2, 103° FOV), Dual PD AF |
Battery | 3349 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 20 hours video playback (16 hours streamed) | 5,060 mAh (Typical) |
Wired Charging | USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher | Up to 37W (charges up to 70% in ~30 min with Google 45W USB-C Charger) |
Wireless Charging | MagSafe up to 15W; Qi2 up to 15W; Qi up to 7.5W | Up to 23W (Pixel Stand 2nd Gen); up to 12W (Qi certified); Battery Share |
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 | 5G (Sub6/mmWave); Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; UWB; Dual Band GNSS |
USB | USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output | USB Type-C 3.2 |
Durability | IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield front; Aerospace-grade aluminum; Color-infused glass back | IP68 (Dust and water resistant); Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (front/back) |
Dimensions | 5.81" x 2.82" x 0.31" (147.6 x 71.6 x 7.80 mm) | 6.4" x 3.0" x 0.3" (162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm) |
Weight | 6.02 oz (171 g) | 7.80 oz (221 g) |
Biometrics | Face ID | Ultrasonic Fingerprint Unlock; Face Unlock |
Extras | Dynamic Island; Ring/Silent switch; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite | Satellite SOS; Gemini AI integrated; Temperature sensor; VPN by Google One |
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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
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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
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Which one is better?
Grab the iPhone 15 if you prefer a lighter device at 6.02oz vs 7.80oz.
Who should buy each?
Choose the Apple iPhone 15 if: you want a lighter phone at 6.02oz, prefer a high-resolution camera with a 48MP main sensor, or need a device with a user-friendly iOS interface.
Choose the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL if: you want the best battery life at 5,060mAh, prefer a larger display at 6.8 inches for gaming, or need extensive software support for 7 years.
Conclusion
Apple iPhone 15 and Google Pixel 9 Pro XL are both solid choices. Match the strengths above to your budget and workflow to make the best call.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Apple iPhone 15 excels if you value high-resolution 48mp main camera with useful 2x optical-quality crop. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is better if you prioritize industry-leading 7-year software support commitment. 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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