Google Pixel 6a vs Apple iPhone 12
70
out of 100
VS
71
out of 100
Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 6.1-inch Google Pixel 6a (with Google Tensor) that was released on May 11, 2022, against the Apple iPhone 12, which is powered by Apple A14 Bionic and came out 19 months before. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.
Key differences
Reasons to consider the Google Pixel 6a
- Comes with 1595 mAh larger battery capacity: 4410 vs 2815 mAh
- Modern USB Type-C port
- Delivers 36% higher peak brightness (880 against 646 nits)
- Newer Bluetooth version (v5.2)
- Fingerprint scanner
- Uses a faster type of memory: LPDDR5 3200 MHz
- Has 50% more RAM: 6GB versus 4GB
- The phone is 1-year and 7-months newer
- CPU with a higher amount of cores (+2)
Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone 12
- Handles wireless charging up to 7.5W
- Waterproof body (IP68 classification)
- Apple releases software updates and supports their phones a few years longer than Google
- 16% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (1061K versus 914K)
- 33% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 1953 and 1467 points
- Weighs 14 grams less
- The front-facing camera can record video at 4K
Review
Display
Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness
Camera
Photo and video recording quality
Performance
CPU and memory performance (apps, system)
Gaming
Capabilities for playing modern games
Battery
Battery life, charging type and speed
Connectivity
Networks, ports, data transmission
Value for money
Tests and specifications
Comparison table of technical specifications and testsDisplay
| Type | OLED | OLED |
| Size | 6.1 inches | 6.1 inches |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels | 1170 x 2532 pixels |
| Aspect ratio | 20:9 | 19.5:9 |
| PPI | 429 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Adaptive refresh rate | No | No |
| Max rated brightness | 500 nits | 625 nits |
| Max rated brightness in HDR | 1100 nits | - |
| HDR support | Yes, HDR10+ | Yes, Dolby Vision |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Ceramic Shield |
| Screen-to-body ratio | 83% | 86% |
| Display features |
- DCI-P3
- Always-On Display |
- DCI-P3 |
| RGB color space | 96.9% | 99.4% |
| PWM | 240 Hz | 226 Hz |
| Response time | 3 ms | 16 ms |
| Contrast | ∞ Infinity | ∞ Infinity |
Peak brightness test (auto)
Design and build
| Height | 152.2 mm (5.99 inches) | 146.7 mm (5.78 inches) |
| Width | 71.8 mm (2.83 inches) | 71.5 mm (2.81 inches) |
| Thickness | 8.9 mm (0.35 inches) | 7.4 mm (0.29 inches) |
| Weight | 178 g (6.28 oz) | 164 g (5.78 oz) |
| Waterproof | IP67 | IP68 |
| Rear material | Plastic | Glass |
| Frame material | Metal | Metal |
| Colors | White, Black, Green | White, Black, Blue, Green, Red |
| Fingerprint scanner | Yes, in-display | No |
Screen-to-body ratio
Performance
| Chipset | Google Tensor | Apple A14 Bionic |
| Max clock | 2800 MHz | 3100 MHz |
| CPU cores | 8 (2 + 2 + 4) | 6 (2 + 4) |
| Architecture |
- 4 cores at 1.8 GHz: Cortex A55
- 2 cores at 2.25 GHz: Cortex A76 - 2 cores at 2.8 GHz: Cortex-X1 |
- 4 cores at 1.8 GHz: Icestorm
- 2 cores at 3.1 GHz: Firestorm |
| L3 cache | 4 MB | - |
| Lithography process | 5 nanometers | 5 nanometers |
| Graphics | Mali-G78 MP20 | Apple A14 GPU |
| GPU shading units | 1280 | 256 |
| GPU clock | 848 MHz | 1278 MHz |
| FLOPS | ~2170.9 GFLOPS | ~654.3 GFLOPS |
Benchmarks
Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)
Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)
AnTuTu Benchmark 10
| CPU | - | 221376 |
| GPU | - | 336882 |
| Memory | - | 136582 |
| UX | 913000 | 363783 |
| Total score | 914585 | 1061696 |
3DMark Wild Life Performance
| Max surface temperature | 41.4 °C | 41.2 °C |
| Stability | 56% | 77% |
| Graphics test | 37 FPS | 45 FPS |
| Graphics score | 6194 | 7603 |
PCMark 3.0
| Web score | 6177 | - |
| Video editing | 5806 | - |
| Photo editing | 17969 | - |
| Data manipulation | 9425 | - |
| Writing score | 15432 | - |
Memory
| RAM size | 6 GB | 4 GB |
| Memory type | LPDDR5 | LPDDR4X |
| Memory clock | 3200 MHz | - |
| Channels | 4 | 2 |
| Storage size | 128 GB | 64, 128, 256 GB |
| Storage type | UFS 3.1 | NVMe |
| Memory card | No | No |
Software
| Operating system | Android 12 (Can be upgraded to Android 13) | iOS 14.1 (Can be upgraded to iOS 17) |
| ROM | Stock Android | - |
| OS size | 14.3 GB | 7 GB |
Battery
| Capacity | 4410 mAh | 2815 mAh |
| Max charge power | 18 W | 18 W |
| Battery type | Li-Po | Li-Ion |
| Replaceable | No | No |
| Wireless charging | No | Yes (7.5 W) |
| Reverse charging | No | No |
| Fast charging | Yes (42% in 30 min) | Yes (58% in 30 min) |
| Full charging time | 1:51 hr | 1:30 hr |
| Web browsing | 10:54 hr | 11:23 hr |
| Watching video | 16:44 hr | 12:11 hr |
| Gaming | 06:05 hr | 05:05 hr |
| Standby | 91 hr | 119 hr |
General battery life
Camera
| Matrix | 12.2 megapixels | 12 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 4032 x 3024 | 4032 x 3024 |
| Zoom | Digital | Digital |
| Flash | Dual LED | Quad LED |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
| 8K video recording | No | No |
| 4K video recording | Up to 60FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| 1080p video recording | Up to 60FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| Slow motion | 240 FPS (1080p) | 240 FPS (1080p) |
| Angle of widest lens | 114° | 120° |
| Lenses | 2 (12.2 MP + 12 MP) | 2 (12 MP + 12 MP) |
| Wide (main) lens |
- 12.2 MP
- Aperture: f/1.7 - Focal length: 27 mm - Pixel size: 1.4 micron - Sensor: 1/2.55", Sony IMX363 (Exmor-RS CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) - Optical stabilization |
- 12 MP
- Aperture: f/1.6 - Focal length: 26 mm - Pixel size: 1.4 micron - Sensor: 1/3.4", Sony IMX372 (Exmor-RS CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) - Optical stabilization |
| Ultra-wide lens |
- 12 MP
- Aperture: f/2.2 - Focal length: 17 mm - Pixel size: 1.12 micron - Sensor: 1/2.9", Sony IMX386 (Exmor-RS CMOS) |
- 12 MP
- Aperture: f/2.4 - Focal length: 13 mm - Sensor: 1/3.6" (CMOS) |
| Camera features |
- Bokeh mode
- Pro mode - RAW support |
- Bokeh mode
- Pro mode |
| Samples | Photo samples of Google Pixel 6a from DxOMark | Photo samples of Apple iPhone 12 from DxOMark |
| Megapixels | 8 megapixels | 12 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 3840 x 2160 | 4032 x 3024 |
| Aperture | f/2.0 | f/2.2 |
| Focal length | 24 mm | 23 mm |
| Pixel size | 1.12 microns | - |
| Sensor type | Exmor-RS CMOS | BSI CMOS |
| Sensor size | 1/2.8" | - |
| Video resolution | 1080p (Full HD) at 30 FPS | 2160p (4K) at 60 FPS |
DxOMark camera tests
Photo quality
Video quality
Generic camera score
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax) | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax) |
| Wi-Fi features |
- Dual Band
- Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display |
- Dual Band
- Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display |
| Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5 |
| Bluetooth features | LE, A2DP | LE, A2DP |
| USB type | USB Type-C | No |
| USB version | 3.1 | - |
| USB features |
- Charging
- USB-Storage mode - OTG |
- Charging
- USB-Storage mode |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS |
| NFC * | Yes | Yes |
| Infrared port | No | No |
| Number of SIM * | 1 | 1 |
| Type of SIM card | Nano | Nano |
| eSIM support * | Yes | Yes |
| Hybrid slot | No | No |
| LTE Cat * | 20 | 18 |
| 5G support | Yes | Yes |
Sound
| Speakers | Stereo | Stereo |
| Headphone audio jack | No | No |
| FM radio | No | No |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes |
Speakers test
Max loudness
Other
| Category | Flagship | Flagship |
| Announced | May 2022 | October 2020 |
| Release date | June 2022 | October 2020 |
| SAR (head) | - | 0.99 W/kg |
| SAR (body) | - | 0.99 W/kg |
| Sensors |
- Barometer
- Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint |
- Barometer
- Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Face recognition sensor |
| Bundled charger | Not included | - |
*
Disclaimer!
NFC, GSM network support, and some other specs can be different depending on the country.
Conclusion
If the performance, gaming, software, and design are more important to you, then choose the Apple iPhone 12 . But if the display, battery life, and connectivity are more of a priority – go for the Google Pixel 6a .
