Between the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Pixel 9, the iPhone 15 Pro Max comes out ahead in antutu and front camera, while the Pixel 9 wins on ram and weight. Overall, the iPhone 15 Pro Max scores 63.2 and the Pixel 9 scores 63.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (63.2 vs 63.5). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the iPhone 15 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, front camera, pixel density, among others.
Pick the Pixel 9 if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. Its strongest claims are ram, weight, battery capacity, among others.
Both ship with comparable refresh rate, 5g support, water resistance, 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 15 Pro Max wins
- ▲AnTuTu — 23.39% more. 1530000 vs 1240000.
- ▲Front camera — 14.29% more. 12 MP vs 10.5 MP.
- ▲Pixel density — 9.00% more. 460 ppi vs 422 ppi.
- ▲Screen size — 6.35% more. 6.7 " vs 6.3 ".
Why Google - Pixel 9 wins
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Weight — 23.00 g less. 198 vs 221.
- ▲Battery capacity — 6.29% more. 4700 mAh vs 4422 mAh.
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 5).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 221 g | 198 glead |
| Thickness | 8.25 mmlead | 8.5 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.7 "lead | 6.3 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppilead | 422 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2000 nits | 2700 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 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 15 Pro Max | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4422 mAh | 4700 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 27 W | 27 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 15 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 5 years | 7 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 15 Pro Max or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 has 6.3% more battery — 4422 mAh vs 4700 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 15 Pro Max or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 is 23g lighter — 221g vs 198g.
Is iPhone 15 Pro Max waterproof?+
iPhone 15 Pro Max has an IP68 rating.
Does Pixel 9 support 5G?+
Yes, Pixel 9 supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone 15 Pro Max or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 15 Pro Max or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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