Between the iPhone 16e and Pixel 9, the iPhone 16e comes out ahead in weight and antutu, while the Pixel 9 wins on refresh rate and ram. Overall, the iPhone 16e scores 58.6 and the Pixel 9 scores 63.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Pixel 9 edges ahead on the Mars Score (58.6 vs 63.5), but the 4.9-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the iPhone 16e if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight, antutu, 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: 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 16e wins
- ▲Weight — 31.00 g less. 167 vs 198.
- ▲AnTuTu — 27.42% more. 1580000 vs 1240000.
- ▲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 — 17.35% more. 4700 mAh vs 4005 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).
- ▲Wireless charging: 15 W vs 0 W.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16e | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 167 glead | 198 g |
| Thickness | 7.8 mmlead | 8.5 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16e | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.1 " | 6.3 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppilead | 422 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 60 Hz | 120 Hzlead |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 1200 nits | 2700 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16e | 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 16e | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4005 mAh | 4700 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 20 W | 27 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 0 W | 15 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16e | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16e | Google - Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 5 years | 7 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 16e or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 has 17.4% more battery — 4005 mAh vs 4700 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 16e or Pixel 9?+
iPhone 16e is 31g lighter — 167g vs 198g.
Is iPhone 16e waterproof?+
iPhone 16e has an IP68 rating.
Does Pixel 9 support 5G?+
Yes, Pixel 9 supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone 16e or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 16e or Pixel 9?+
Pixel 9 has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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