This year, there are two pro Pixel phones vying for buyers’ attention. There is the standard 6.3-inch Google Pixel 9 Pro and a higher-end model called the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL with a larger 6.8-inch display and bigger 5,060mAh battery (versus 4,700mAh in Pixel 9 Pro). It goes without saying that the top-tier Pixel 9 Pro XL goes up against the iPhone 15 Pro Max in every sense of the word.
There’s a brand-new Tensor G4 chip and lots of AI thanks to Google’s Gemini integration inside the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max meanwhile dominates the super-premium smartphone space with a bevy of cool features including the industry-leading A17 Pro chip. Apple Intelligence may not be as “high-profile” but it’s just the start, and probably, it will get better with time.
Without further ado, here’s a quick comparison between the Pixel 9 Pro XL and iPhone 15 Pro Max to see how the two stack up against one another.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL versus Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max — step-by-step breakdown
- Design: There is no denying that the Pixel 9 Pro XL draws some inspiration from the iPhone 15 line-up. The flat sides, the rounded corners, they are all reminiscent of the iPhone. In fact, take the camera visor away and you’ll be hard-pressed to know the difference. Google has completely revamped the design this year. At 8.5 mm, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is slightly thicker than the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
- Build: The Pixel 9 Pro XL has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back. The sides are made of metal. The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a glass back and ceramic shield front, both sourced from Corning. The outer frame uses Titanium. Both phones are IP68 rated for dust and water resistance.
- Display: The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a 6.8-inch OLED display with a maximum of 120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness. The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch OLED with up to 120Hz refresh rate and 2,000 nits of peak brightness.
- Processor: The Pixel 9 Pro XL is powered by Google’s Tensor G4 chip. The iPhone 15 Pro Max has Apple’s A17 Pro under the hood.
- Memory: The Pixel 9 Pro XL has 16GB of RAM by default. The iPhone 15 Pro Max has only 8GB RAM.
- Software: The Pixel 9 Pro runs Android 14 and is eligible for seven years of updates. The iPhone 15 Pro Max boots iOS 17 and will get security updates for a minimum of five years from the first supply date, according to Apple. Also, AI is a big sell in both devices. While Google has Gemini, Apple has something it calls Apple Intelligence that integrates, among other things, OpenAI’s ChatGPT in the iPhone 15 Pro models.
- Camera: The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a 50-megapixel wide, 48-megapixel ultrawide, and another 48-megapixel 5x telephoto. The front camera is a 42-megapixel. The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 48-megapixel wide, 12-megapixel ultrawide, and another 12-megapixel 5x telephoto. The front camera is a 12-megapixel.
- Battery, charging: The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a 5,060mAh battery and supports 37W fast wired and 23W Qi wireless charging. The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 4,422mAh battery and supports 27W wired and 15W MagSafe (Qi2) wireless charging.
- Connectivity: The Pixel 9 Pro XL supports Wi-Fi 7. The iPhone 15 Pro Max has Wi-Fi 6E.
- India prices: The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is priced at Rs 1,24,999 for 16GB/256GB and Rs 1,39,999 for 16GB/512GB. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is priced at Rs 1,54,000 for 256GB, Rs 1,73,900 for 512GB, and Rs 1,93,500 for 1TB.
