Between the iPhone 16 and Pixel 9, the iPhone 16 comes out ahead in antutu and weight, while the Pixel 9 wins on refresh rate and ram. Overall, the iPhone 16 scores 57.4 and the Pixel 9 scores 63.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Pixel 9 edges ahead on the Mars Score (57.4 vs 63.5), but the 6.1-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the iPhone 16 if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. The biggest gaps in its favor are antutu, weight, front camera, among others.
Pick the Pixel 9 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 refresh rate, ram, wired charging, among others.
Both ship with comparable 5g support, water resistance, optical image stabilization, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Pixel 9 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
- ▲AnTuTu — 30.65% more. 1620000 vs 1240000.
- ▲Weight — 28.00 g less. 170 vs 198.
- ▲Front camera — 14.29% more. 12 MP vs 10.5 MP.
- ▲Pixel density — 9.00% more. 460 ppi vs 422 ppi.
Why Google - Pixel 9 wins
- ▲Refresh rate — 100.00% more. 120 Hz vs 60 Hz.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Wired charging — 35.00% more. 27 W vs 20 W.
- ▲Battery capacity — 31.99% more. 4700 mAh vs 3561 mAh.
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲Screen size — 3.28% more. 6.3 " vs 6.1 ".
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 5).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 170 glead | 198 g |
| Thickness | 7.8 mmlead | 8.5 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.1 " | 6.3 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppilead | 422 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 60 Hz | 120 Hzlead |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2000 nits | 2700 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | 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 16 | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 3561 mAh | 4700 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 20 W | 27 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 15 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 5 years | 7 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 16 or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 has 32.0% more battery — 3561 mAh vs 4700 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 16 or Pixel 9?+
iPhone 16 is 28g lighter — 170g vs 198g.
Is iPhone 16 waterproof?+
iPhone 16 has an IP68 rating.
Does Pixel 9 support 5G?+
Yes, Pixel 9 supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone 16 or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 16 or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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