Pixel 10 vs iPhone 16: The $800 flagship Apple should learn from

Google’s upcoming Pixel 10 is about to challenge Apple’s iPhone 16 head-on. These are the standard, base flagship models in their respective lineups, each targeting the $800 price range, and it feels like the Pixel might have even more going for it than before this year.

While the iPhone 16 leans on raw power with the ultra-fast A18 chip, it is yet to impress with its AI features. Not to mention that it still comes with a severely outdated 60Hz display.

The Pixel 10, on the other hand, will debut Google's first fully custom chip, the Tensor G5, and bring a new AI assistant called Pixel Sense. It’s expected to beat the iPhone on camera versatility for the first time thanks to a new triple-lens setup. The question is whether all that will be enough to make Pixel 10 the smarter buy over Apple’s already-available flagship.

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Both phones are built to flagship standards, with aluminum frames and toughened glass front and back. The iPhone 16 uses Apple’s Ceramic Shield (second generation) for display protection, while the Pixel 10 is expected to continue with Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

Size-wise, the Pixel 10 is likely to be larger and heavier, matching the Pixel 9’s dimensions of 152.8 x 72 x 8.6 mm and a weight around 198 grams. The iPhone 16 remains one of the more compact flagship phones at 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm and 173 g.

Apple introduced a vertical dual-camera layout on the iPhone 16 to support Spatial Video capture for Vision Pro users, while the Pixel 10 is expected to keep the horizontal camera bar, now with three sensors for the first time.

The iPhone’s new Capture Control button and Action button add extra physical interaction options, but we were left with mixed feelings about them, as the placement awkward is rather awkward.

As for the color options, the Pixel will likely offer hues like Peony and Wintergreen, while the iPhone 16 comes in Pink, Teal, Ultramarine, White, and Black.

This is one of the biggest dividing points. The Pixel 10 is expected to use a 6.3-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness over 2,700 nits—already seen on the Pixel 9. It also maintains a tall 20:9 aspect ratio and symmetrical bezels.

The iPhone 16, meanwhile, continues to use a 6.1-inch OLED panel with a 60Hz refresh rate. Its resolution (2556 x 1179) is slightly sharper on paper, but its real-world brightness falls short at just 1,012 nits in our lab tests, with worse outdoor visibility than the Pixel 9.

As for biometrics, the Pixel 10 is expected to have an upgraded ultrasonic fingerprint sensor beneath the display. It will also most likely offer face unlock, but it still won't be as reliable as iPhone 16's Face ID.

The iPhone 16 is powered by Apple’s latest A18 Bionic chip, built on TSMC’s N3E 3nm node. Our tests showed up to 30% faster CPU and 40% better GPU performance compared to the A16, and even AAA games run beautifully. There's also a new thermal substructure that helps sustain that power under load.

In comparison, the Pixel 10 will introduce the long-awaited Tensor G5—Google’s first fully custom chip, built on the same 3nm node by TSMC. While this marks a big shift from Samsung-manufactured Tensor G4, early reports suggest the raw power may still lag behind Apple’s and Qualcomm’s offerings.

Where Google might pull ahead is AI. The Pixel 10 is expected to debut Pixel Sense, a new on-device assistant that leverages Gmail, Maps, Calendar, and other Google services to proactively help users. It’s set to replace Google Assistant on Pixels, focusing on fully offline, deeply personalized functionality.

Apple is playing catch-up with Apple Intelligence, which only began rolling out via iOS 18.1 in late October and will continue into 2025. The reimagined Siri Apple was boasting at its announcements is still pending.

The Pixel 10 will ship with Android 16 and get seven years of software and security updates. Apple doesn’t advertise support durations, but most iPhones get around five to six major iOS updates.

As for the RAM, the Pixel 10 is expected to come with 12 GB of LPDDR5X, while the iPhone 16 has just 8 GB (enough for Apple Intelligence). Storage tiers are the same, starting at 128 GB, although the iPhone 16 can be bought with 512 GB of storage, whereas the Pixel 10 is expected to max out at 256 GB.

For the first time ever, the base Pixel model is expected to come with a triple-camera system. The Pixel 10 will reportedly feature a 50 MP main sensor (Samsung GN8), a 13 MP ultra-wide (Sony IMX712), and a telephoto camera—likely the 11 MP Samsung 3J1 seen in the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

The iPhone 16 keeps a dual-camera setup: a 48 MP main and a 12 MP ultra-wide with macro capabilities. It still lacks a dedicated telephoto, which hurts it in zoom comparisons.

The iPhone does have things like Spatial Video capture and a the new Capture Control button, but at this point those are rather unused and impractical. That Capture Control button lets you tap, long-press, or swipe to perform different camera actions—including controlling zoom and toggling exposure options—but we found it awkward to use in our review.

Apple’s main camera still delivers excellent detail and color, and the ultra-wide has improved low-light performance compared to the predecessor thanks to a wider aperture and larger pixel size. But if the Pixel 10’s telephoto is at least decent, it will make Google's base flagship much more versatile.

On the video front, the iPhone 16 remains strong with reliable stabilization and 4K 60fps recording. Google is rumored to bring 4K HDR at 60fps to the Pixel 10, and may even include the Video Boost feature from the Pro models this time around.

The iPhone 16 has a 3,561 mAh battery—a bump over the previous model—but it still falls short of the Pixel 10’s expected 4,700 mAh cell. In our testing, the iPhone lasted 6h 21m overall, while the Pixel 9 with the same battery as the Pixel 10 lasted 6h 48m. We hope the new Tensor G5 offers efficiency gains to push the Pixel even further.

Charging is another split. The iPhone 16 officially charges at 20W via Lightning or USB-C, but can sometimes spike to 38W when it's under heavy load. Its new 25W MagSafe charging is also a nice addition.

Google, on the other hand, is expected to stick with 27W wired and 15W wireless (likely still no Qi2). Given the larger battery capacity, however, we expect it to charge for a similar amount of time.

Here's a quick overview of the Pixel 10 vs iPhone 16 specs:

*Rumored

On paper, the Pixel 10 is shaping up to be one of Google’s most exciting base model releases to date. With a larger battery, a high-refresh display, and a versatile triple-camera system, it addresses key areas where the iPhone 16 still feels stagnant.

Apple’s hardware and performance remain top-notch. But while the A18 chip continues to dominate power-wise, Apple's slow introduction of meaningful AI functionality is making its phones feel outdated.

If you want raw power and are already in Apple’s ecosystem, the iPhone 16 is a solid, if conservative, upgrade. But if you’re looking for more innovation at the same price—particularly in AI, camera flexibility, and display quality—the Pixel 10 might be the smarter long-term choice.