Between the iPhone 16 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the iPhone 16 comes out ahead in wireless charging / weight, while the Pixel 9 Pro Fold wins on ram / refresh rate. Overall, the iPhone 16 scores 57.4 and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold scores 67.1 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 9.7 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the iPhone 16 if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. The biggest gaps in its favor are wireless charging, weight, antutu, among others.
Pick the Pixel 9 Pro Fold if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. Its strongest claims are ram, refresh rate, screen size, among others.
Both ship with comparable main camera, 5g support, optical image stabilization, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - iPhone 16 wins
- ▲Wireless charging — 100.00% more. 15 W vs 7.5 W.
- ▲Weight — 87.00 g less. 170 vs 257.
- ▲AnTuTu — 30.65% more. 1620000 vs 1240000.
- ▲Pixel density — 23.32% more. 460 ppi vs 373 ppi.
- ▲Front camera — 20.00% more. 12 MP vs 10 MP.
Why Google - Pixel 9 Pro Fold wins
- ▲RAM — 100.00% more. 16 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Refresh rate — 100.00% more. 120 Hz vs 60 Hz.
- ▲Screen size — 31.15% more. 8.0 " vs 6.1 ".
- ▲Battery capacity — 30.58% more. 4650 mAh vs 3561 mAh.
- ▲Wired charging — 5.00% more. 21 W vs 20 W.
- ▲Water resistance: IPX8 (vs IP68).
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 5).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Google - Pixel 9 Pro Fold |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 170 glead | 257 g |
| Thickness | 7.8 mmlead | 10.5 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IPX8lead |
| Form factor | bar | foldable_booklead |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Google - Pixel 9 Pro Fold |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.1 " | 8.0 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppilead | 373 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 60 Hz | 120 Hzlead |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2000 nits | 2700 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Google - Pixel 9 Pro Fold |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MP | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MPlead | 10 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Google - Pixel 9 Pro Fold |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 3561 mAh | 4650 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 20 W | 21 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 Wlead | 7.5 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Google - Pixel 9 Pro Fold |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Google - Pixel 9 Pro Fold |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 5 years | 7 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 16 or Pixel 9 Pro Fold?+
Pixel 9 Pro Fold has 30.6% more battery — 3561 mAh vs 4650 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 16 or Pixel 9 Pro Fold?+
iPhone 16 is 87g lighter — 170g vs 257g.
Is iPhone 16 waterproof?+
iPhone 16 has an IP68 rating.
Does Pixel 9 Pro Fold support 5G?+
Yes, Pixel 9 Pro Fold supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone 16 or Pixel 9 Pro Fold?+
Pixel 9 Pro Fold offers 16GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 16 or Pixel 9 Pro Fold?+
Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a 48 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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