With the Pixel 9 Pro XL, Google has pulled another page from Apple’s book of iPhone lineups and their screen sizes. For years, Apple has released four main iPhones at its September launch event. The models consist of a regular iPhone (with a 6.1-inch screen), and a bigger of the regular iPhone. Then, there are two Pro models. While the regular iPhone shares its screen size with the Pro variant, the Plus variant is similar to the Pro Max.
Until the Pixel 8 series, there were only two flagship models: the regular Pixel 8 with a 6.1-inch screen and a Pixel 8 Pro with a 6.7-inch screen. However, with the Pixel 9 series, the company has introduced a Pro model that resembles the regular version. The handset with 6.7-inch has now become “Pro XL.” Hence, unlike every year, it is the Pixel 9 Pro XL that rivals the iPhone 15 Pro Max this year.
Without any further ado, let’s dive into this detailed comparison that puts Google’s biggest brick-style smartphone against Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max. In the comparison, we’ll talk about the design, display, performance, cameras, and all the other important aspects.
Pixel 9 Pro XL Vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Design
At first glance, the Pixel 9 Pro XL looks similar to the previous iterations. However, the flagship has many subtle yet impactful changes that elevate its design and give it a seamless, refined look. Until the Pixel 8 Pro, the rear panel used to have a horizontal camera visor that merged into the side chassis. With the Pixel 9 Pro XL, Google has transformed the visor into a horizontal camera island (with round edges). It still stretches through the width of the smartphone, though. The pill-shaped island has three camera sensors, an LED flash unit, and a temperature sensor.
- The Pixel 9 Pro XL is available in four colors: Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, and Rose Quartz. Interestingly, the handset sticks with a recycled aluminum frame for all finishes and features an IP68 dust and water resistance rating.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max, on the other hand, looks a lot like its predecessor: the iPhone 14 Pro Max. The frame is carved out of grade four Titanium, which increases the durability while keeping the weight in check. Other than that, all the other elements, such as the Dynamic Island on the front and the triple-rear camera setup on the rear, are identical to the phone’s predecessor.
- Available color options, for those wondering, include Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium. This handset also features an IP68 dust and resistance rating.
When compared to Google’s latest offering, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is slightly shorter and thicker. Moreover, the Pixel 9 Pro XL and the iPhone 15 Pro Max differ drastically in terms of design, and it is a buyer’s personal choice which one they like.
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Pixel 9 Pro XL Vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Display
The Pixel 9 Pro XL ships with a 6.73-inch Super Actua screen (LTPO OLED panel) with a pixel density of 487 ppi. The screen can achieve a peak brightness of 3,000 nits (up to 2,000 nits in HDR mode) and a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz. With a punch-hole screen and symmetrical bezels on all sides, the screen features Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for protection against scratches.
In comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR screen with a pixel density of 460 ppi. Regarding brightness, the phone can achieve a peak brightness of 2,000 nits (up to 1,600 nits in HDR mode). It also features Apple’s ProMotion Display (a fancy term for variable refresh rate up to 120Hz). The iPhone 15 Pro Max features Dynamic Island, a rather intuitive amalgamation of software and hardware that makes interacting with notifications and a couple of live widgets fun. For protection against scratches, the handset features Ceramic Shield.
Pixel 9 Pro XL Vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Performance
Pixel 9 Pro XL Ships With Google’s Tensor G4 SoC
Even though it is the fourth time Google has made a custom chipset for its smartphones, it seems the company isn’t aiming to provide consumers with the best possible performance. Yes, the Tensor G4 ships with a couple of changes compared to the Tensor G3.
- For instance, there’s a more powerful prime core clocked at 3.1GHz
- Three performance cores clocked at 2.6GHz
- Four efficient cores at 1.95GHz
- Further, the Mali-G715 GPU clocked at a higher 940MHz
However, the chipset only scores about 11% higher in GeekBench 6’s single-core score and about 3% higher in the multi-core score. On the Pixel 9 Pro XL, the Tensor G4 chipset runs alongside 16GB of RAM and 128GB of storage on the baseline variant. Buyers who require more storage can consider the higher variants. In our opinion, it’s strange that Google has decided to equip its top-tier flagship with 128GB of memory. In 2024, all the major players like Samsung, OnePlus, and even Apple have moved to 256GB of base storage on their most expensive offerings, such as the Galaxy S24 Ultra (review) and the OnePlus 12 (review).
iPhone 15 Pro Max Features Apple’s A17 Pro
Anyway, the iPhone 15 Pro Max ships with one of the most capable mobile platforms: the A17 Pro chip.
- The hexa-core processor has two performance cores clocked at 3.78GHz
- Four efficient cores clocked at 2.11GHz
- The GPU on the chipset is clocked at 1.3GHz, which makes it capable of handling even the most demanding video games at the highest graphics settings.
With an excellent NPU and efficient fabrication technology (TSMC’s 3nm process), the A17 Pro easily scores over 2,900 points in the single-core score and 7,400 points in the multi-core GeekBench 6, a sure shot mark of excellent peak performance.
The A17 Pro chipset on the iPhone 15 Pro Max runs alongside 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage right from the base model. While it might look like the Pixel 9 Pro XL has more RAM on paper, the iPhone outperforms it in every aspect, thanks to excellent operating system optimization.
Hence, if you’re looking for a smartphone to render videos, create graphics, edit videos, or play high-end video games, the iPhone 15 Pro Max should be at the top of your list. That is not to say that the Pixel 9 Pro XL should feel any less responsive. It should also be able to easily handle day-to-day tasks with casual gaming and editing.
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Pixel 9 Pro XL Vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Cameras
Regarding optics, the Pixel 9 Pro XL has a similar camera setup as its predecessor, with a few minor upgrades.
- 50MP (f/1.68) primary camera
- 48MP (f/1.7, 123-degree) ultrawide camera
- 48MP (f/2.8) 5x optical zoom
- 42MP (f/2.2) selfie shooter
Using the software, the Pixel 9 Pro XL can zoom in all the way up to 30x, a feature that the company likes to call Super Res Zoom. Additional features include Ultra HDR, Magic Editor, Best Take, Macro Focus, Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, Add Me, and many more. Those who like to shoot videos can do so in 4K at 60 fps with features like Video Boost, Audio Magic Eraser, Night Sight Video, and Cinematic Blur.
On the other side of the fence, the iPhone 15 Pro Max packs in a triple camera setup.
- 48MP (f/1.8, 24mm) primary sensor
- 12MP (f/2.2, 120-degree) ultrawide sensor
- 12MP (f/2.8) periscope telephoto lens for 5x optical zoom
- 12MP (f/1.9) selfie shooter
However, with software, the iPhone can zoom in up to 25x. Additional features include a Photonic Engine for balancing exposure, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 5, Portrait Lighting, Night Mode, Cinematic Mode video recording up to 4K HDR at 30 fps, and Action Mode up to 2.8K at 30 fps. Otherwise, the cameras on the iPhone 15 Pro Max can shoot 4K videos at 60 fps.
While the Pixel 9 Pro XL does seem to provide higher-resolution cameras and several AI-based features, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is known for generating consistent colors in different lighting scenarios. Even so, Google’s image processing has improved every year, and the Pixel 9 Pro XL gets a spot in the list of the best camera phones.
Pixel 9 Pro XL Vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Battery & Charging
With its 5,060 mAh battery, the Pixel 9 Pro XL can provide up to 24 hours of mixed usage. The charging speeds have gone up from 30W on the Pixel 8 Pro to 45W on the Pixel 9 Pro XL, with the handset charging up to 70% in about half an hour.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max ships with a slightly smaller 4,441 mAh battery cell (which supports a maximum charging speed of 27W). What’s interesting is that even with a smaller battery, the model manages to make it up to the top in battery life tests conducted by several publications. The magic lies in the A17 Pro’s 3nm fabrication technology, which is exceptionally efficient, especially when compared to other mobile platforms.
Pixel 9 Pro XL Vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Software Support
Out of the box, the Pixel 9 Pro XL runs on Android 14, with an update to Android 15 coming soon. Further, the company has promised to provide seven years of major operating system and security updates, along with quarterly Pixel drops (new features exclusive to Pixel smartphones). This implies that the Pixel 9 Pro XL should be good until October 2031.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL also ships with new Google AI features, which include Pixel Screenshots, Pixel Studio, Reimagine, and a new AI-powered weather app. Besides, the phone has all the Gemini-powered tools that were already available in the Pixel 8 series.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max runs on Apple’s iOS operating system. Currently, the phone supports iOS 17, which doesn’t really have any AI-based features, but with iOS 18, the phone is said to get Apple Intelligence. It would include features like writing tools, contextually aware Siri, and new summarization messages in Mail, Messages, and Safari. Other features like Genmoji and Image Playground will probably be available at a later date. Anyway, iPhones are known to get software updates for a good four to five years, and so would the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Pixel 9 Pro XL Vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Price & Conclusion
Pixel 9 Pro XL Price
- Pixel 9 Pro XL (256GB): Rs. 1,24,999
iPhone 15 Pro Max Price
- iPhone 15 Pro Max Price (256GB): Rs. 1,54,000
- iPhone 15 Pro Max Price (512GB): Rs. 1,73,900
- iPhone 15 Pro Max Price (1TB): Rs. 1,93,500
Given that the iPhone 15 Pro Max is more expensive than the Pixel 9 Pro XL, buyers might be inclined toward the Pixel a tad more. For the price, they would get the stock Android experience with regular feature drops, seven years of software updates, and, most importantly, the new Google AI features. Of course, there’s the excellent camera system and the capable Tensor G4 SoC. Hence, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is an excellent recommendation for someone who is using a three- to four-year-old Android flagship and wants to stick with the operating system.
However, if you’re accustomed to using iOS, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a no-brainer. It offers a more powerful chipset, a capable camera system, and seamless connectivity within Apple’s ecosystem of devices. Further, it is one of the two phones supporting Apple intelligence later this year.
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