Google Pixel 4a vs Apple iPhone XS
54
out of 100
VS
57
out of 100
Here we compared two smartphones: the 5.81-inch Google Pixel 4a (with Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G) that was released on August 3, 2020, against the Apple iPhone XS, which is powered by Apple A12 Bionic and came out 23 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 4a
- Modern USB Type-C port
- Shows 18% longer battery life (26:51 vs 22:46 hours)
- Delivers 26% higher peak brightness (805 against 641 nits)
- Newer Bluetooth version (v5.1)
- Fingerprint scanner
- Comes with 482 mAh larger battery capacity: 3140 vs 2658 mAh
- Has 50% more RAM: 6GB versus 4GB
- Has 2 SIM card slots
- The phone is 1-year and 11-months newer
Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone XS
- Waterproof body (IP68 classification)
- 67% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (600K versus 359K)
- The rear camera has a 2x optical zoom
- Handles Qi wireless charging up to 10W
- Apple releases software updates and supports their phones a few years longer than Google
- Slow-motion recording at 240FPS
- 91% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 1310 and 685 points
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 | 5.81 inches | 5.8 inches |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels | 1125 x 2436 pixels |
| Aspect ratio | 19.5:9 | 19.5:9 |
| PPI | 443 ppi | 458 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 60 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 3 | Tempered glass |
| Screen-to-body ratio | 83.3% | 82.9% |
| Display features | - Always-On Display | - DCI-P3 |
| RGB color space | 95.3% | 98.8% |
| PWM | 255 Hz | 240 Hz |
| Response time | 6.2 ms | 4.4 ms |
| Contrast | ∞ Infinity | ∞ Infinity |
Peak brightness test (auto)
Design and build
| Height | 144 mm (5.67 inches) | 143.6 mm (5.65 inches) |
| Width | 69.4 mm (2.73 inches) | 70.9 mm (2.79 inches) |
| Thickness | 8.2 mm (0.32 inches) | 7.7 mm (0.3 inches) |
| Weight | 143 g (5.04 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| Waterproof | No | IP68 |
| Rear material | Plastic | Glass |
| Frame material | Plastic | Metal |
| Colors | Black | Silver, Gold, Gray |
| Fingerprint scanner | Yes, rear | No |
Screen-to-body ratio
Performance
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G | Apple A12 Bionic |
| Max clock | 2200 MHz | 2490 MHz |
| CPU cores | 8 (2 + 6) | 6 (2 + 4) |
| Architecture |
- 6 cores at 1.8 GHz: Kryo 470 Silver (Cortex-A55)
- 2 cores at 2.2 GHz: Kryo 470 Gold (Cortex-A76) |
- 4 cores at 1.6 GHz: Tempest
- 2 cores at 2.49 GHz: Vortex |
| Lithography process | 8 nanometers | 7 nanometers |
| Graphics | Adreno 618 | Apple A12 GPU |
| GPU shading units | 256 | 256 |
| GPU clock | 825 MHz | 1100 MHz |
| FLOPS | ~422.4 GFLOPS | ~576 GFLOPS |
Benchmarks
Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)
Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)
AnTuTu Benchmark 10
| CPU | 115287 | 151927 |
| GPU | 70626 | 141208 |
| Memory | 78602 | 104587 |
| UX | 92505 | 200467 |
| Total score | 359268 | 600311 |
3DMark Wild Life Performance
| Max surface temperature | 41.4 °C | 44.8 °C |
| Stability | 99% | 63% |
| Graphics test | 6 FPS | 34 FPS |
| Graphics score | 1003 | 5700 |
Memory
| RAM size | 6 GB | 4 GB |
| Memory type | LPDDR4X | LPDDR4X |
| Memory clock | 2133 MHz | 2133 MHz |
| Channels | 2 | 2 |
| Storage size | 128 GB | 64, 256, 512 GB |
| Storage type | UFS 2.1 | NVMe |
| Memory card | No | No |
Software
| Operating system | Android 10 (Can be upgraded to Android 13) | iOS 12 (Can be upgraded to iOS 17) |
| ROM | Stock Android | - |
| OS size | 15 GB | 11.8 GB |
Battery
| Capacity | 3140 mAh | 2658 mAh |
| Max charge power | 18 W | 15 W |
| Battery type | Li-Po | Li-Ion |
| Replaceable | No | No |
| Wireless charging | No | Yes, Qi (10 W) |
| Reverse charging | No | No |
| Fast charging | Yes (50% in 25 min) | Yes (50% in 60 min) |
| Full charging time | 1:27 hr | 2:40 hr |
| Web browsing | 08:45 hr | 07:30 hr |
| Watching video | 11:16 hr | 09:19 hr |
| Gaming | 04:05 hr | 04:43 hr |
| Standby | 99 hr | 80 hr |
General battery life
Camera
| Matrix | 12.2 megapixels | 12 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 4000 x 3000 | 4032 x 3024 |
| Zoom | Digital | Optical, 2x |
| Flash | Dual LED | Quad LED |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
| 8K video recording | No | No |
| 4K video recording | Up to 30FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| 1080p video recording | Up to 60FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| Slow motion | 120 FPS (1080p) | 240 FPS (1080p) |
| Lenses | 1 (12.2 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/1.8 - Focal length: 26 mm - Pixel size: 1.4 micron - Sensor: 1/2.55", Apple iSight X (CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) - 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 |
| Camera features |
- Bokeh mode
- Pro mode - RAW support |
- Bokeh mode
- Pro mode - RAW support |
| Samples | Photo samples of Google Pixel 4a from DxOMark | - |
| 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 | 1.12 microns |
| Sensor type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor size | 1/2.8" | - |
| Video resolution | 1080p (Full HD) at 30 FPS | 1080p (Full HD) at 30 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 Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display |
- Dual Band
- Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display |
| Bluetooth version | 5.1 | 5 |
| Bluetooth features | LE, A2DP | SPP, PBAP/PAB, PAN, OPP, MAP, LE, HSP, HID, HFP, HDP, GAP, GAVDP, DIP, AVRCP, A2DP |
| USB type | USB Type-C | No |
| USB version | 3.1 | 2 |
| USB features |
- Charging
- USB-Storage mode - OTG |
- Charging
- USB-Storage mode - OTG |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo |
| NFC * | Yes | Yes |
| Infrared port | No | No |
| Number of SIM * | 2 | 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 | No | No |
Sound
| Speakers | Stereo | Stereo |
| Headphone audio jack | Yes | No |
| FM radio | No | No |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes |
Speakers test
Max loudness
Other
| Category | Mid-range | Flagship |
| Announced | August 2020 | September 2018 |
| Release date | October 2020 | September 2018 |
| SAR (head) | 1.37 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 performance, gaming, software, and design are more important to you, then choose the Apple iPhone XS . But if the display, battery life, and connectivity are more of a priority – go for the Google Pixel 4a .
