Between the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Pixel 9, the iPhone 17 Pro Max comes out ahead in antutu and wireless charging, while the Pixel 9 wins on weight and main camera. Overall, the iPhone 17 Pro Max scores 67.5 and the Pixel 9 scores 63.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The iPhone 17 Pro Max edges ahead on the Mars Score (67.5 vs 63.5), but the 4.0-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the iPhone 17 Pro Max if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. The biggest gaps in its favor are antutu, wireless charging, front camera, among others.
Pick the Pixel 9 if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. Its strongest claims are weight, main camera, promised os updates, among others.
Both ship with comparable ram, refresh rate, 5g support, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max wins
- ▲AnTuTu — 69.35% more. 2100000 vs 1240000.
- ▲Wireless charging — 66.67% more. 25 W vs 15 W.
- ▲Front camera — 14.29% more. 12 MP vs 10.5 MP.
- ▲Wired charging — 11.11% more. 30 W vs 27 W.
- ▲Screen size — 9.52% more. 6.9 " vs 6.3 ".
- ▲Pixel density — 9.00% more. 460 ppi vs 422 ppi.
Why Google - Pixel 9 wins
- ▲Weight — 29.00 g less. 198 vs 227.
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 6).
- ▲Battery capacity — 0.32% more. 4700 mAh vs 4685 mAh.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 227 g | 198 glead |
| Thickness | 8.3 mmlead | 8.5 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.9 "lead | 6.3 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppilead | 422 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2200 nits | 2700 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MP | 50 MPlead |
| Front camera | 12 MPlead | 10.5 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4685 mAh | 4700 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 30 Wlead | 27 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 25 Wlead | 15 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 6 years | 7 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 17 Pro Max or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 has 0.3% more battery — 4685 mAh vs 4700 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 17 Pro Max or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 is 29g lighter — 227g vs 198g.
Is iPhone 17 Pro Max waterproof?+
iPhone 17 Pro Max has an IP68 rating.
Does Pixel 9 support 5G?+
Yes, Pixel 9 supports 5G.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 17 Pro Max or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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