Pixel 6 and iPhone 13: which smartphone to choose? ? – MacGeneration

Which smartphone to choose between the Pixel 6 and the iPhone 13 at the end of 2021? If the prices are not quite the same, we can fully understand the hesitation that photo enthusiasts or those undecided between Android and iOS may feel.

The never-ending battle between Android and iOS continues with the Pixel 6 and the iPhone 13, the two flagship smartphones for the end of 2021. With the Christmas holidays fast approaching, it is time to make a choice. A difficult choice for some, as the two devices have strong arguments to make.

Google unveiled the Pixel 6 (and Pixel 6 Pro) on October 19, slashing the competition with a puzzling starting price of $ 649. Even the iPhone 13 mini – the smallest phone in the line with basic specs – is more expensive than it, since it starts at $ 809.

As we all know, paying more does not always mean making the right choice and unfortunately, neither is the reverse. For all those undecided between the new Google flagship and the latest Apple jewel, we will compare the Pixel 6 and the iPhone 13 here, whether in terms of autonomy, camera, screen, and more.

For this comparison, we relied on the Pixel 6 test provided by the Phonandroid site and our own test on the iPhone 13.

Pixel 6 and iPhone 13: technical sheets

	Pixel 6	iPhone 13
Price	649 €	€ 909
Screen	6.4 inches, 1080 x 2400 OLED, 90 Hz	6.1 inch, 2532 x 1170 OLED, 60Hz
CPU	Google Tensor processor	A15 Bionic
RAM	8 GB	4GB
Storage	from 128 GB	from 128 GB
Selfie camera	8 MP f / 2.0	12 MP, f / 2.2
Rear camera	Dual sensors (50 MP + 12 MP)	Dual sensors (12 MP + 12 MP)
Drums	4,614 mAh	3,227 mAh
Certifications	IP68	IP68
Dimensions	158.60 x 74.80 x 8.90 mm	146.7 x 71.5 x 7.7 mm
Weight	207 g	173 g

Pixel 6 vs iPhone 13: what’s the price difference?

Let’s get straight to the point: the Pixel 6 is offered at a much more attractive price than the iPhone 13. Google’s smartphone starts at 649 € (and the Pixel 6 Pro at € 899). The standard model comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, Google’s custom Tensor chip, and a 6.4-inch, OLED, 2400 x 1080-pixel display. The 256 GB model is not yet available in France (it costs $ 100 more in the United States).

The standard iPhone 13 is offered at € 909. It comes with 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, the A15 Bionic, and a 6.1-inch display offering 2532 x 1170 pixels. If 128 GB is not enough, you can buy it in 256 GB (at 929 €) or in 512 GB (at 1,159 €).

Offered to € 260 less, the Pixel 6 is the big winner in this category.

? Winner: Pixel 6

Pixel 6 vs iPhone 13: what availability?

As simplistic as it may sound, the availability of a product can weigh heavily in its choice. According to Google, the pre-ordered Pixel 6 won’t ship until late 2021, early 2022 in the worst-case scenario.

Conversely, the iPhone 13 is available today at most traditional resellers, in the Apple Store and on the Apple website. A difference that will probably crack the most undecided.

? Winner: iPhone 13

Pixel 6 vs iPhone 13: what are the differences in terms of design?

All you need to do is step into a store to realize the obvious: all modern smartphones look the same from an aesthetic point of view.

If smartphone manufacturers choose to place their photo modules in the upper left corners of their devices, Google wanted to stand out with the Pixel 6. On this ground, Google’s smartphone offers a definitely unique design. The black band, located at the back, differentiates it from other smartphones and brings a real touch of freshness.

On the other hand and as indicated by our colleagues from Phonandroid, the design and handling of the Pixel 6 will certainly be debated.

The smartphone’s body displays sharper right angles than its predecessor, the Pixel 5. On the right side, you’ll find a volume rocker and the power button. The left side has a slot for the SIM.

As for the iPhone 13, Apple’s smartphone displays a flat edge design which will delight the former owners of iPhone 4. Unlike the Pixel 6, the dual lenses of the iPhone 13 are placed inside a module located in the upper left corner.

On the left side, there is a SIM card slot, volume buttons and mute button. On the right, the power button. At the bottom you’ll find the Lightning port that Cupertino can’t seem to drop – Apple, it’s high time to switch to USB-C !

Finally, the iPhone 13 (173 g) is thinner and lighter than the Pixel 6 (207 g), which can be decisive for many users. Indeed, those extra 34 grams will make all the difference once the smartphone is in your hand or in your pocket.

? Winner: tie

Pixel 6 vs iPhone 13: who has the better screen?

The Pixel 6 has a screen 6.4 inch AMOLED with 2400 x 1080 pixels. It has a slab larger than the screen 6.1 inch OLED, 2532 x 1170 pixels of the iPhone 13. However, the iPhone 13 has an 87% screen-to-body ratio, offering more screen space compared to the Pixel 6, which has a screen-to-body ratio of 84. %.

In contrast, the Pixel 6 outperforms the iPhone 13 with 90Hz refresh rate. Apple’s smartphone has been stuck in the past with a 60 Hz panel. The iPhone 13’s screen however has the advantage of being ceramic, so it is more resistant.

In terms of brightness, the iPhone 13 benefits from a 795 nits screen while the Pixel 6 is darker, at 497 nits. Once outside, you may find that the Pixel 6’s screen is harder to see than the iPhone 13’s.

The DCI-P3 color gamut is 78% for the iPhone 13 and 71% for the Pixel 6. Apple’s phone is also more color faithful with a Delta-E score of 0.26 versus 0.28 for that of Google.

? Winner: tie

Pixel 6 vs iPhone 13: which is more powerful?

As you can imagine, we will not specifically dwell on this point since the A15 Bionic chip iPhone 13 literally pulverizes chip performance Google Tensor Pixel 6.

On Geekbench 5, the iPhone 13 posted a score of 4,436 points against 2,696 for the Pixel 6, a little more than double in terms of performance.

On 3DMark Wild Life, the Pixel 6’s GPU posted a score of 5,705 points against 8,659 for that of the iPhone 13.

On JetStream 2, a web browser test designed to measure the performance of JavaScript, the iPhone 13 demolished the Pixel 6 with a score of 203 to 73.

? Winner: iPhone 13

Pixel 6 vs iPhone 13: which one has the best battery life?

Battery life is one of the most important aspects of a smartphone. On this ground, the Pixel 6 sports a 4,614 mAh battery and the iPhone 13 has a 3,227 mAh battery. Google’s phone has a bigger battery, but Android and its Tensor chip are less power efficient than iOS and the A15 Bionic.

As reported Phonandroid, in classic use (streaming, web, social network, telephony, messaging, photo), the Pixel 6 offers more than a day and a half of autonomy (with adaptive cooling).

By way of comparison, in our test, the iPhone 13 will have lasted more than a full day in intensive use and until late at night, or even more by activating the energy saving on the last laps of the track.

? Winner: iPhone 13 (by little)

Pixel 6 vs iPhone 13: which is the best camera phone?

This is probably “the” point that will cause the most debate between the two devices.

First of all, let’s discuss technique. The Pixel 6 has a 12 MP (f / 2.2) ultra-wide lens, a 50 MP (f / 1.85) wide lens, and an 8 MP (f / 2.0) front camera. Conversely, the iPhone 13 has an ultra-wide lens of 12 MP (ƒ / 2.4), a wide lens of 12 MP (f / 1.6) and a front camera of 12 MP (f / 2.2).

The Pixel 6 test Phonandroid reveals a particularly controlled photo and video part, especially during the day, with the main sensor. The selfie (portrait) mode is however below expectations, as is the night mode, which is quite uneven overall.

Regarding the photo part of the iPhone 13, in our test we appreciated the Cinematic mode, which is rather innovative in this area, even if it is not free from flaws. We will also have welcomed the arrival of the Photographic Styles (photo below), but regretted the absence of wide angle and optical zoom.

Despite this, the iPhone 13 excels in photos and if it is not at the level of the Pro, the Apple smartphone will have convinced us on almost all points, whether in photo, portrait, day or night. , or on video.

? Winner: iPhone 13

Pixel 6 vs iPhone 13: which one has the best operating system?

The Pixel 6 runs on Material You software from Android 12, while the iPhone 13 runs on iOS 15, released on September 20. Basically Android 12 is a system focused on customization, while iOS 15 instead focuses on the functionality and consistency of the Apple ecosystem (which will not surprise anyone.)

Material You aims to make Android 12 more customizable, colorful and expressive. The lock screen has been updated and displays relevant information. The user interface reflects the wallpaper you choose (if your background is yellow, expect to see a similar color scheme throughout the interface: icons, apps, and search bar included).

Google is offering 5 years of security updates and claims the Pixel 6 is very secure because it runs sensitive information in an isolated core on the Tensor chip.

iOS 15 brings a myriad of new features in addition to the features already present in iOS 14. For example, you can call contacts on PC and Android via FaceTime, and SharePlay now allows FaceTime users to watch streaming content (for example). example, Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV) with other people live.

? Winner: tie

What to choose between the Pixel 6 and the iPhone 13?

If you need autonomy, performance, you use Apple products and you are looking for a smartphone without too many compromises, we will tend to recommend the iPhone 13. On the other hand, the high price of 909 € places it. in a different, more expensive price range, which is similar to the Pixel 6 Pro (which costs € 10 less). On this point, everything will depend on your budget.

If you’re looking for a high-end Android smartphone that stands out for its design and displays a relatively large screen – without being a phablet – with smooth 90Hz refresh, we would recommend the Pixel 6 instead. one of the best camera phones for Android.

Its price of 649 € is definitely tempting, especially when you put its price and technical specifications against the competition, but its very limited availability may be problematic to get one before the end of the year holidays.

? I watch the latest high-tech rumors on NewMedia and all Android news on the Phonandroid site