Google Pixel 5 vs Apple iPhone 11

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Google Pixel 5 vs Apple iPhone 11
Google’s 2020 flagship — the Pixel 5 — is about ready to hit store shelves. The Pixel line is what we call “the iPhone of Android”. It’s made by Google, it comes with the cleanest version of Android — the way Google intends it to look and feel — it gets updates on day 1, and it’s a camera champion.

It seems that, this year, Google decided to abandon the race of “who’s going to make a more expensive flagship”. Instead of pushing for a $1,000 price, the Pixel 5 sits comfortably at $700. It’s perfectly positioned to rival the likes of OnePlus, the new Galaxy S20 FE, and even the Apple’s base iPhone.

Google Pixel 5

- $50 off at Best Buy
$649
$699
Buy at BestBuy

Google Pixel 5

- $50 off at BestBuy
$649
$699
Buy at BestBuy

Apple iPhone 11

- from Apple.com
$699
Buy at Apple

Apple iPhone 11

- $599.99 with Sprint activation from Best Buy
$599 99
$699 99
Buy at BestBuy


So… how does it stack up against the currently-available iPhone 11?



Pixel 5 vs iPhone 11 specs


  • Pixel 5 processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
  • Pixel 5 memory: 128 GB storage, 8 GB RAM
  • iPhone 11 processor: Apple A13 Bionic
  • iPhone 11 memory: from 64 GB, 4 GB RAM

Google Pixel 5 vs OnePlus 8

Comparing the hardware of an iPhone to any Android device is always a bit of an apples-to-oranges thing. Apple makes its own processors and it builds its own operating system to work exclusively with its hardware. Google buys chips from Qualcomm, but it still does have the benefit of being… you know, Android’s sole developer.


But, with the Pixel 5 and iPhone 11, we do have some very big differences in terms of hardware.

The Apple iPhone 11 is powered by the best chip you can find on an iPhone as of right now — the Apple A13 Bionic. It’s not a downgrade, there were no corners cut — it’s the same chip that hums in the iPhone Pro line.

The Google Pixel 5 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G. Not the flagship-grade Snapdragon 865 or 865+... but an upper-midrange edition.

Is that bad? Not necessarily. As previously mentioned — Google’s vanilla Android runs pretty snappy, even if you don’t have a top-tier processor. But then again, it’s kind of odd that Google chose to downgrade its flagship line.

When it comes to raw productivity, the iPhone will be in the lead.

Google Pixel 5 Apple iPhone 11

Design

Dimensions
5.70 x 2.77 x 0.31 inches
144.7 x 70.4 x 8 mm
5.94 x 2.98 x 0.33 inches
150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm
Weight
5.33 oz (151.0 g) 6.84 oz (194.0 g)
Materials
Back: Aluminum
Frame: Aluminum
Back: Glass
Frame: Aluminum
Resistance
Water, Dust; IP68 Water, Dust; IP68
Biometrics
Fingerprint (touch) 3D Face unlock
Keys
Right: Volume control, Lock/Unlock key Left: Volume control, Other; Right: Lock/Unlock key
Colors
Just black, Sorta sage Black, Purple, Yellow, Green, Red, White

Display

Size
6.0-inch 6.1-inch
Resolution
2340x1080px, 19.5:9 ratio, 430 PPI 1792x828px, 19.5:9 ratio, 324 PPI
Technology
OLED IPS LCD
Refresh rate
90Hz
Screen-to-body
86.75 % 80.04 %
Peak brightness
625 cd/m2 (nit)
Features
HDR support, Scratch-resistant glass (Corning Gorilla Glass 6), Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor Oleophobic coating, Scratch-resistant glass, Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor

Hardware

System chip
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SM7250-AB (7 nm) Apple A13 Bionic APL1W85 (7 nm)
Processor
Octa-core
2400 MHz
Kryo 475
Hexa-core
2650 MHz
Lightning and Thunde
GPU
Adreno 620 Apple-designed 4 core
RAM
8GB (LPDDR4) 4GB (LPDDR4)
Internal storage
128GB (UFS 2.1) 64GB (NVMe)
Storage expansion
not expandable not expandable
OS
Android (12, 11) iOS (15.x, 14.x, 13.x)

Battery

Capacity
4080 mAh 3110 mAh
Type
Li - Ion
Charging
USB Power Delivery, Qi wireless charging, Reverse wireless charging USB Power Delivery, Qi wireless charging
Charge speed
Wired: 18.0W
Wireless: 18.0W
Wired: 18.0W
Wireless: 7.5W

Camera

Rear
Dual camera Dual camera
Main camera
12.2 MP (OIS, PDAF)
Aperture size: F1.7
Focal length: 28 mm
Sensor size: 1/2.55"
Pixel size: 1.4 μm
12 MP (Sapphire crystal lens cover, OIS, PDAF)
Aperture size: F1.8
Focal length: 26 mm
Sensor size: 1/2.55"
Pixel size: 1.4 μm
Second camera
16 MP (Ultra-wide)
Aperture size: F2.2
Pixel size: 1 μm
12 MP (Ultra-wide, Sapphire crystal lens cover)
Aperture size: F2.4
Focal Length: 13 mm
Flash
LED Quad LED
Video recording
3840x2160 (4K UHD) (60 fps), 1920x1080 (Full HD) (240 fps)
Time-lapse video, EIS
3840x2160 (4K UHD) (60 fps), 1920x1080 (Full HD) (240 fps), 1280x720 (HD)
OIS, Time-lapse video, Continuous autofocus, Picture-taking during video recording
Front
8 MP, Video capture: 1920x1080 (Full HD) 12 MP (EIS, HDR, Slow-motion videos), Video capture: 3840x2160 (4K UHD) (60 fps)

Connectivity & Features

Bluetooth
5.0 5.0
WLAN
802.11 a,b,g,n,ac,dual-band
MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot
802.11 a,b,g,n,ac,ax(Wi-Fi 6),dual-band
Multiple antennas, MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot
USB
Type-C, USB 3.1 Lightning
Hearing aid compatible
M4/T3 M3/T4
Location
GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, Galileo, Cell ID, Wi-Fi positioning GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, Galileo, Cell ID, Wi-Fi positioning
Sensors
Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Barometer Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Barometer
Other
NFC NFC, UMA (Wi-Fi Calling)

Multimedia

Headphones
No 3.5mm jack No 3.5mm jack
Speakers
Earpiece, Multiple speakers Earpiece, Multiple speakers
Features
aptX, aptX-HD Dolby Atmos
Screen mirroring
Wireless screen share Wireless screen share
Additional microphone(s)
Noise cancellation Noise cancellation, Video recording

Cellular

5G
Bands n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n28, n41, n66, n71, n77, n78, n258, n260, n261, Sub-6, mmWave
4G (FDD)
Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(AWS-1), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700 a), 13(700 c), 14(700 PS), 17(700 b), 18(800 Lower), 19(800 Upper), 20(800 DD), 25(1900+), 26(850+), 28(700 APT), 29(700 d), 30(2300 WCS), 32(1500 L-band), 66(AWS-3), 71(600) Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(AWS-1), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700 a), 13(700 c), 14(700 PS), 17(700 b), 18(800 Lower), 19(800 Upper), 20(800 DD), 25(1900+), 26(850+), 29(700 d), 30(2300 WCS), 66(AWS-3), 71(600)
4G (TDD)
Bands 38(2600), 39(1900+), 40(2300), 41(2600+), 42(3500), 46, 48(3600) Bands 34(2000), 38(2600), 39(1900+), 40(2300), 41(2600+), 42(3500), 46, 48(3600)
3G
Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 6(800), 8(900) Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 8(900)
Data Speed
LTE-A, HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s, HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s LTE-A Pro Cat 19 (1600/150 Mbit/s), HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s, HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s, UMTS
Dual SIM
Yes Yes
SIM type
Nano SIM, eSIM Nano SIM, eSIM
HD Voice
Yes
VoLTE
Yes

Regulatory Approval

FCC approval
Date approved: Apr 11, 2021
FCC ID value: A4RGD1YQ
Date approved: Sep 25, 2019
FCC ID value: BCG-E3309A
Measured SAR
Head: 1.16 W/kg
Body: 1.18 W/kg
Simultaneous Transmission: 1.57 W/kg
Wireless Router: 0.99 W/kg
Head: 0.80 W/kg
Body: 1.00 W/kg
Simultaneous Transmission: 1.52 W/kg
Wireless Router: 1.00 W/kg

Buyers information

MSRP
$ 700 $ 699
In The Box
18W USB-C power adapter, 1 m USB-C to USB-C cable (USB 2.0), Quick Start Guide, Quick Switch Adapter, SIM tool EarPods with Lightning connector, Lightning to USB cable, USB power adapter, Documentation

Availability

Officially announced
Sep 30, 2020 Sep 10, 2019
See the full Google Pixel 5 vs Apple iPhone 11 specs comparison or compare them to other phones using our Phone Comparison tool

In terms of memory, the Google Pixel 5 does come in the lead. Its starting storage space is 128 GB, which is double what the iPhone 11 offers for the same amount of money. And, in the RAM department, the Pixel 5 has 8 GB of RAM, the iPhone 11 — 4 GB of RAM. That, again, ties into how the operating systems of the devices work. Android is pretty open to multi-tasking, so it needs all that memory for a pristine user experience, whereas iOS has no qualms with freezing apps in the background and managing with a smaller memory pool.

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One thing that the Pixel 5 has going for it is its connectivity — the Snapdragon 765G gives it support for 5G, while the iPhone 11 still caps out at LTE.

Pixel 5 vs iPhone 11 camera


  • Pixel 5 main camera: 12.2 MP wide angle, 16 MP ultra-wide angle
  • Pixel 5 selfie camera: 8 MP
  • iPhone 11 main camera: 12 MP wide angle, 12 MP ultra-wide angle
  • iPhone 11 selfie camera: 12 MP

Google’s Pixel line is often praised for its great cameras. It’s not just about the hardware — Google does wonders with computational photography. As soon as you press that shutter button, the phone goes hard at work to take multiple exposure shots, stitch them together and give you the best possible image it can get. Light, dark, high dynamics, no matter the scene — they are pretty impressive.

Apple also has its own image processing in place, and the iPhone 11 is a pretty good shooter — a staple in the industry, if you will. It will be extremely hard to compare and judge these phones once we get a Pixel 5 in our hands, that’s for sure.

Both of these phones come with a dual camera module — the Pixel 5 has a 12.2 MP main camera and 16 MP ultra-wide camera; the iPhone 11 has a 12 MP main and 12 MP ultra-wide shooter. On the front, the Pixel has an 8 MP selfie camera, and the iPhone goes up to 12 MP again.

Pixel 5 vs iPhone 11 display and design


  • The Pixel 5 has an OLED screen with 90 Hz refresh rate
  • The Pixel 5 has slimmer bezels, no notch
  • The iPhone 11 has an LCD panel locked at 60 Hz

When it comes to screen sizes, you will have pretty much the same real estate on both phones. The Pixel 5 has a 6-inch screen with a 19:9 aspect ratio, the iPhone 11 has a 6.1-incher with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. Meaning, the iPhone 11 is ever so slightly taller and slimmer in shape.

The Pixel does have slimmer bezels than the iPhone — its screen-to-body ratio is 88.76%, while the iPhone’s is 80%. This means that the Pixel 5 will be slightly more compact than the iPhone 11.

For 3 years now, Apple has insisted on sticking with its Face ID sensors in a cutout at the top of the screen. A.k.a. “The Notch”. The Pixel 5 only has a small cutout for the selfie camera in the top-left corner of the screen, leaving more surface area for an actual screen.

Google Pixel 5
Dimensions

5.7 x 2.77 x 0.31 inches

144.7 x 70.4 x 8 mm

Weight

5.33 oz (151 g)

Apple iPhone 11
Dimensions

5.94 x 2.98 x 0.33 inches

150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm

Weight

6.84 oz (194 g)

Google Pixel 5
Dimensions

5.7 x 2.77 x 0.31 inches

144.7 x 70.4 x 8 mm

Weight

5.33 oz (151 g)

Apple iPhone 11
Dimensions

5.94 x 2.98 x 0.33 inches

150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm

Weight

6.84 oz (194 g)

See the full Google Pixel 5 vs Apple iPhone 11 size comparison or compare them to other phones using our Size Comparison tool.

But for the actual killer difference — the Google Pixel 5 has an OLED panel with a 90 Hz refresh rate. This means deeper blacks, more vibrant colors, and very, very smooth animations that just please the eye. The Apple iPhone 11 still has an LCD panel and is locked at 60 FPS. Apple’s color calibration is still outstanding, but when it comes to motion and contrast, OLED is just better than LCD.

With the removal of the huge forehead that was on the Pixel 4, Google also removed all that face-recognizing tech. The Pixel 5 is back to fingerprint unlocking with a scanner pad situated on the back of the phone. This is… up to taste — many people out there have never been fans of back-mounted fingerprint scanners.

The iPhone 11 has Apple’s Face ID lodged in that Notch, so unlocking and iPhone is merely a matter of looking at it.

There's also the small issue of personalization. The iPhone 11 comes in 6 different colors — from vibrant to understated. The Pixel 5 comes in... well, two — a dark green and a black.

Pixel 5 vs iPhone 11 expectations


In all reality, the iPhone 11 is about to be replaced by the iPhone 12 in less than a month (reportedly). But, even right now, the iPhone 11 is pretty up to par with the Pixel 5. We can only speculate what kinds of upgrades the iPhone 12 will bring about. That, the OnePlus 8T coming around the corner, and the Galaxy S20 FE... the Pixel 5 has its work cut out for itself. Can it make a dent in the market?

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