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Comparing the Google Pixel 5 vs Apple iPhone 12 Pro makes a lot of sense. Well, there are better pairings out there, but these two are kind of special. These are the best, relatively compact, smartphones from Google and Apple. The Pixel 5 is actually the best phone Google released this year, while the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max is also available, but it’s gigantic. The iPhone 12 Pro is basically its smaller version, so pitting it against the Pixel 5 makes sense.
These two phones are vastly different, though, in comparison. Not only do they incorporate completely different designs, different specs, and software, but their price tags are also drastically different. The iPhone 12 Pro is a much more expensive smartphone, and that may put you off from the get-go. If it doesn’t, and you’re still checking out both devices, you may want to read on. It’s time to compare the Google Pixel 5 vs Apple iPhone 12 Pro.
Specs
| Google Pixel 5 | Apple iPhone 12 Pro | |
| Screen size | 6-inch fullHD+ OLED display (90Hz) | 6.1-inch fullHD+ OLED Super Retina XDR display (60Hz) |
| Screen resolution | 2340 x 1080 | 2532 x 1170 |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G | Apple A14 Bionic |
| RAM | 8GB (LPDDR4X) | 6GB |
| Storage | 128GB, non-expandable | 128GB/256GB/512GB, non-expandable |
| Rear cameras | 12.2MP (f/1.7 aperture, 27mm lens, 1.4um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS) 16MP (ultra-wide, f/2.2 aperture, 1.0um pixel size, 107-degree FoV) |
12MP (f/1.6 aperture, 1.4um pixel size, 26mm lens, dual pixel PDAF, OIS) 12MP (f/2.0 aperture, 1.0um pixel size, 52mm telephoto lens, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom) 12MP (f/2.4 aperture, 120-degree FoV, 13mm ultrawide lens) TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Front cameras | 8MP (f/2.0 aperture, 24mm lens, 1.12um pixel size) | 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 23mm lens) SL 3D depth/biometrics sensor |
| Battery | 4,080mAh, non-removable, 18W fast battery charging, 18W wireless charging, reverse wireless charging | 2,815mAh, non-removable, 20W fast battery charging, 15W wireless charging |
| Dimensions | 144.7 x 70.4 x 8.0 mm | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm |
| Weight | 151 grams | 189 grams |
| Connectivity | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi, Lightning USB 2.0 |
| Security | Rear-facing fingerprint scanner | Face ID |
| OS | Android 11 | iOS 14.1 (upgradable) |
| Price | $699 | $999.99 |
| Buy | Apple |
Google Pixel 5 vs Apple iPhone 12 Pro: Design
The Google Pixel 5 is made out of metal, with a plastic overlay on the back. The Apple iPhone 12 Pro combines a metal frame with a glass backplate. The Pixel 5 offers far more curved edges than the iPhone 12 Pro, which opted for rather sharp, chamfered edges. Apple opted to incorporate similar design ideas to the iPhone 5, which people seem to love. The iPhone 12 Pro is much closer to industrial design guidelines than the Pixel 5, if that’s what you’re into. The Pixel 5 feels much better to hold though.
The Google Pixel 5 is also considerably less slippery than the iPhone 12 Pro. That’s mainly because of that resin overlay on the back, we all know how slippery glass is. The Pixel 5 offers uniform bezels, while the iPhone 12 Pro’s display notch kind of ruins the same for the device. The Pixel 5 does have a display camera hole in the top-left corner, but it’s much smaller and much less intrusive than the notch on the iPhone 12 Pro.
Both smartphones include rear camera sensors in the top-left corner. The iPhone 12 Pro’s display is 0.1 inches larger, while the device itself is both taller and wider than the Pixel 5. It is a bit slimmer, and considerably heavier. The Pixel 5 weighs 151 grams, while the iPhone 12 Pro weighs 189 grams. Both of these phones look really good, and feel great in the hand, it’s all a matter of personal preference.
Google Pixel 5 vs Apple iPhone 12 Pro: Display
The Google Pixel 5 features a 6-inch fullHD+ (2340 x 1080) OLED display. The iPhone 12 Pro, on the other hand, offers a 6.1-inch fullHD+ (2532 x 1170) Super Retina XDR OLED display. The Pixel 5’s panel supports HDR10+ content, while the iPhone 12 Pro is limited to HDR10. The display aspect ratio is the same on both phones, but the resolutions are still different. The iPhone 12 Pro offers slightly higher ppi, by the way.
The Pixel 5’s panel is protected by the Gorilla Glass 6, while the iPhone 12 Pro comes with ‘scratch-resistant ceramic glass’. Both of these displays are flat, by the way, which is what people seem to prefer these days. Bezels around the Pixel 5’s panel are uniform, and very thin. The iPhone 12 Pro also offers thin bezels around its display, but the display notch kind of ruins the uniform part of the equation.
Are these displays any good in real-life? Well yes, they are. They both deliver vivid colors, and great viewing angles. Blacks are deep on both panels, so no complaints there either. The Pixel 5’s display could be a bit brighter in direct sunlight, to be quite honest, but it’s not dim by any means. Both of these displays will suffice for pretty much anyone, and you won’t notice the difference between them and QHD+ panels in terms of sharpness, that’s for sure. One more thing worth noting is the refresh rate. The Google Pixel 5 offers a higher refresh rate, 90Hz vs 60Hz, which is something most of you will probably notice in day-to-day usage.
Google Pixel 5 vs Apple iPhone 12 Pro: Performance
When it comes to performance, they’re both really good. The Apple iPhone 12 Pro is, without a doubt, a more powerful smartphone. It comes with a much more powerful processor. The iPhone 12 Pro will handle graphically-intensive tasks better than the Pixel 5, without a doubt. The thing is, if you’re not a heavy gamer, and don’t really intend to push your phone’s SoC to the limits on a daily basis, you won’t really notice the difference.
In day-to-day usage, both of these phones are excellent. Both of them can run pretty much anything you throw at them, and they’re really fast when it comes to opening and closing apps, multitasking, consuming multimedia, processing images, and so on. Pretty much anything a regular user would do on a phone. You won’t really notice the difference in SoC power here, as Google did a great job optimizing the Pixel 5, and the Snapdragon 765G is a rather capable processor.
Google Pixel 5 vs Apple iPhone 12 Pro: Battery
The Google Pixel 5 has a considerably larger battery pack than the iPhone 12 Pro. Apple’s iOS is considerably different than Android, and its phones usually have smaller battery packs. Still, the Google Pixel 5 reigns supreme in terms of battery life. The phone comes with a 4,080mAh battery on the inside, while the iPhone 12 Pro offers a 2,815mAh battery pack. That’s a considerable difference between the two.
The Google Pixel 5 is one of the best battery life smartphones we’ve tested this year. Getting over 7 hours of screen-on-time in a single day was possible with the phone, at least during our testing. It will all depend on how you use your phone, of course. If you’re heavy on the gaming side, the battery will deplete sooner. The iPhone 12 Pro can’t reach such high screen-on-time numbers, but it’s nothing to scoff at. Getting around 6 hours of screen-on-time should be doable.
When it comes to charging, they’re quite similar. The Pixel 5 supports 18W fast wired charging, while the iPhone 12 Pro offers 20W wired charging. The Pixel 5 supports 12W wireless charging, while the iPhone 12 Pro offers 15W wireless charging. The Pixel 5 also supports reverse wireless charging (5W). Do note that the iPhone 12 Pro does not include a charger, though, so that’s something you’ll need to get separately.
Google Pixel 5 vs Apple iPhone 12 Pro: Cameras
In regards to the cameras, both of them do an excellent job. The Google Pixel 5 is equipped with two rear-facing cameras, wide-angle and ultra-wide angle units. The iPhone 12 Pro offers three sensors (plus a LiDAR scanner), a wide camera, an ultra-wide camera, and a telephoto unit. In daylight, pictures from the two phones end up plenty sharp, with tons of detail, and good colors. The dynamic range is excellent on both cameras, and they rarely skip a beat.
When it comes to low light, they both allow for plenty of light to get into the shot, while they manage to balance out the image as well. The Pixel 5 may have a slight advantage in low light, but the iPhone 12 Pro manages to keep up. When it comes to video recording, they’re both good, but the iPhone 12 Pro takes the cake. Apple’s devices have been leading the pack when it comes to video recording for years, and this year is no different.
Google Pixel 5 vs Apple iPhone 12 Pro: Audio
In terms of audio, well, the iPhone 12 Pro does have an advantage. Why? Well, because it has better speakers. Both phones come with stereo speakers, but the Pixel 5’s is located below the display, and it doesn’t have as much punch as the iPhone 12 Pro’s. The sound, overall, is richer from the iPhone 12 Pro’s speakers, and those speakers are also louder at the same time. When it comes to sound via headphones, they are quite similar.
Neither of these two smartphones offers a 3.5mm headphone jack. You’ll have to rely on a dongle, or Bluetooth connection. They’re both equipped with Bluetooth 5.0, and presuming you have a good set of headphones, you’ll be good to go. The sound via those headphones will be good, but nothing special. Not many people will have anything to complain about, that’s the point. The sound is well-balanced across the spectrum.