Google Pixel 5 vs Apple iPhone XS Max

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Google Pixel 5 vs Apple iPhone XS Max

61 out of 100
Google Pixel 5
VS
59 out of 100
Apple iPhone XS Max

Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 6-inch Google Pixel 5 (with Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G) that was released on September 30, 2020, against the Apple iPhone XS Max, which is powered by Apple A12 Bionic and came out 25 months before. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.

Key differences

An overview of the main advantages of each smartphone
Reasons to consider the Google Pixel 5
  • Comes with 906 mAh larger battery capacity: 4080 vs 3174 mAh
  • Higher display refresh rate – 90 Hz
  • Has 2x more RAM: 8GB versus 4GB
  • Modern USB Type-C port
  • Shows 24% longer battery life (31:36 vs 25:23 hours)
  • Better camera quality (According to DxOMark rating)
  • Fingerprint scanner
  • Has an ultra-wide angle camera lens
  • The phone is 2-years and 1-month newer
Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone XS Max
  • 58% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (665K versus 420K)
  • The rear camera has a 2x optical zoom
  • Has a 0.5 inch larger screen size
  • Apple releases software updates and supports their phones a few years longer than Google
  • Supports Dolby Atmos sound technology
  • 71% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 1320 and 770 points

Review

Evaluation of Google Pixel 5 and Apple iPhone XS Max crucial features
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
NanoReview Score
Final comparison evaluation

Value for money

Tests and specifications

Comparison table of technical specifications and tests

Display

Type OLED OLED
Size 6 inches 6.5 inches
Resolution 1080 x 2340 pixels 1242 x 2688 pixels
Aspect ratio 19.5:9 19.4:9
PPI 432 ppi 456 ppi
Refresh rate 90 Hz 60 Hz
Adaptive refresh rate No No
Max rated brightness 700 nits 625 nits
HDR support Yes, HDR10+ Yes, Dolby Vision
Screen protection Corning Gorilla Glass 6 Tempered glass
Screen-to-body ratio 85.9% 85.41%
Display features - Always-On Display - DCI-P3
Display tests
RGB color space 97.4% 98.8%
PWM 367 Hz 240 Hz
Response time 5 ms 11.2 ms
Contrast ∞ Infinity ∞ Infinity
Peak brightness test (auto)
702 nits

Design and build

Height 144.7 mm (5.7 inches) 157.5 mm (6.2 inches)
Width 70.4 mm (2.77 inches) 77.4 mm (3.05 inches)
Thickness 8 mm (0.31 inches) 7.7 mm (0.3 inches)
Weight 151 g (5.33 oz) 208 g (7.34 oz)
Waterproof IP68 IP68
Rear material Metal Glass
Frame material Metal Metal
Colors Black, Green Silver, Gold, Gray
Fingerprint scanner Yes, rear No
Screen-to-body ratio
85.9%

Performance

Tests of Google Pixel 5 and Apple iPhone XS Max in the benchmarks
SoC
Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G Apple A12 Bionic
Max clock 2400 MHz 2490 MHz
CPU cores 8 (1 + 1 + 6) 6 (2 + 4)
Architecture - 6 cores at 1.8 GHz: Kryo 475 Silver (Cortex-A55)
- 1 core at 2.2 GHz: Kryo 475 Gold (Cortex-A76)
- 1 core at 2.4 GHz: Kryo 475 Prime (Cortex-A76)
- 4 cores at 1.6 GHz: Tempest
- 2 cores at 2.49 GHz: Vortex
Lithography process 7 nanometers 7 nanometers
Graphics Adreno 620 Apple A12 GPU
GPU shading units 384 256
GPU clock 750 MHz 1100 MHz
FLOPS ~576 GFLOPS ~576 GFLOPS

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)
Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)
AnTuTu Benchmark 10
420377
665855
CPU 132677 167833
GPU 89779 157230
Memory 90554 121395
UX 106168 215799
Total score 420377 665855
3DMark Wild Life Performance
Max surface temperature 38.6 °C 45.2 °C
Stability 89% 66%
Graphics test 6 FPS 34 FPS
Graphics score 1084 5704

Memory

RAM
RAM size 8 GB 4 GB
Memory type LPDDR4X LPDDR4X
Memory clock 2133 MHz -
Channels 2 2
Storage
Storage size 128 GB 64, 256, 512 GB
Storage type UFS 2.1 NVMe
Memory card No No

Software

Operating system Android 11 (Can be upgraded to Android 13) iOS 12 (Can be upgraded to iOS 17)
ROM Stock Android -
OS size 16.6 GB 16 GB

Battery

Capacity 4080 mAh 3174 mAh
Max charge power 18 W 18 W
Battery type Li-Po Li-Ion
Replaceable No No
Wireless charging Yes (12 W) Yes, Qi (10 W)
Reverse charging Yes No
Fast charging Yes (30% in 30 min) Yes (50% in 30 min)
Full charging time 1:45 hr 03:29 hr
Battery life tests
Web browsing 10:13 hr 09:13 hr
Watching video 15:02 hr 10:50 hr
Gaming 05:39 hr 04:38 hr
Standby 104 hr 80 hr
General battery life
31:36 hr

Camera

Specs and camera test of smartphones
Main camera
Matrix 12.2 megapixels 12 megapixels
Image resolution 4290 x 2800 4032 x 3024
Zoom Digital Optical, 2x
Flash 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 107° -
Lenses 2 (12.2 MP + 16 MP) 2 (12 MP + 12 MP)
Wide (main) lens - 12.2 MP
- Aperture: f/1.7
- Focal length: 27 mm
- Sensor: 1/2.55", Sony IMX363 (CMOS)
- Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel)
- Optical stabilization
- 12 MP
- Aperture: f/1.8
- Focal length: 28 mm
- Pixel size: 1.4 micron
- Sensor: 1/2.5", Apple iSight X (CMOS)
- Phase autofocus
- Optical stabilization
Telephoto lens - - 12 MP
- Aperture: f/2.4
- Focal length: 52 mm
- Pixel size: 1 micron
- Sensor: 1/3.4" (CMOS)
- Phase autofocus
- Optical stabilization
Ultra-wide lens - 16 MP
- Aperture: f/2.2
- Focal length: 24 mm
- Pixel size: 1 micron
-
Camera features - Bokeh mode
- Pro mode
- RAW support
- Bokeh mode
- Pro mode
- RAW support
Samples Photo samples of Google Pixel 5 from DxOMark Photo samples of Apple iPhone XS Max from DxOMark
Selfie camera
Megapixels 8 megapixels 7 megapixels
Image resolution 3264 x 2448 3088 x 2316
Aperture f/2.0 f/2.2
Focal length 24 mm 32 mm
Pixel size 1.12 microns -
Sensor type CMOS BSI CMOS
Sensor size 1/4.0" -
Video resolution 1080p (Full HD) at 30 FPS 1080p (Full HD) at 60 FPS

DxOMark camera tests

Photo quality
Video quality
Generic camera score

Connectivity

Wi-Fi standard Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac) Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac)
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 5
Bluetooth features LE, A2DP SPP, PBAP/PAB, PAN, OPP, MAP, LE, HSP, HFP, HDP, GAP, GAVDP, DIP, AVRCP, A2DP
USB type USB Type-C No
USB version 3.1 2
USB features - Charging
- USB-Storage mode
- Charging
- USB-Storage mode
- OTG
GPS GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS GPS, GLONASS, Galileo
NFC * Yes Yes
Infrared port No No
Network
Number of SIM * 1 1
Type of SIM card Nano Nano
Multi SIM mode Standby -
eSIM support * Yes Yes
Hybrid slot No No
LTE Cat * 15 16
5G support Yes No

Sound

Speakers Stereo Stereo
Headphone audio jack No No
FM radio No No
Dolby Atmos No Yes
Speakers test
Max loudness
91.9 dB

Other

Category Flagship Flagship
Announced September 2020 September 2018
Release date October 2020 September 2018
SAR (head) 0.96 W/kg 0.99 W/kg
SAR (body) 1.39 W/kg 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
* Disclaimer! NFC, GSM network support, and some other specs can be different depending on the country.

Conclusion

If the display, camera, battery life, and connectivity are more important to you, then choose the Google Pixel 5 . But if the performance, gaming, software, and sound are more of a priority – go for the Apple iPhone XS Max .

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