In September, Apple finally unveiled the iPhone 15, and a few weeks later, Google announced the Pixel 8. While both phones come in a no-bell-or-whistle-spared model, both also have a more affordable, entry-level device, one that is not only cheaper, but one that is not as packed with features you might not even use. So, we thought we’d put the cheaper models through a little bit of a battle. We present, the Apple iPhone 15 vs the Google Pixel 8.
You’ll find our review of the iPhone 15 here, and the Google Pixel 8 here, but while we’ve still got both review units, we thought we’d take a look at everything from battery life, to software, to camera, and anything in between.
Which is better iPhone 15 or Google Pixel 8?
In our review of the iPhone 15, as we did with the 14, we highlighted a lot that for the cost, you should consider spending a little bit more on the Pro. Meanwhile, in our Google Pixel 8 review, there was little we could fault, except that the 7a (or waiting for the 8a) was a more compelling proposition. If you’re yet to check out those reviews, the below will serve as a little TL;DR.
iPhone 15 vs Pixel 8: Price
The Google Pixel 8 comes in two different storage configs: 128GB and 256GB, while the iPhone 15 comes in those, but also 512GB option. The below is pricing as per Apple’s website and the Google Store.
- Pixel 8 128GB: $1,199
- Pixel 8 256GB: $1,299
- iPhone 15 128GB: $1,499
- iPhone 15 256GB: $1,699
- iPhone 15 512GB: $2,049.
As you can see, the most expensive Pixel device is $200 cheaper than the cheapest iPhone 15. This is also the first time a base model iPhone costs over $2,000. The Pixel also gets a chunky price hike this year. Worth mentioning, however, that the 15 range also has a larger Plus device, with pricing higher still.
- iPhone 15 Plus 128GB: $1,649
- iPhone 15 Plus 256GB: $1,849
- iPhone 15 Plus 512GB $2,199.
Apple iPhone 15 vs Google Pixel 8: If we’re purely measuring by cost, the Pixel 8 is the cheapest – but if cost is your driver, may I interest you in the Pixel 7a? It’s $749 and pretty good.
iPhone 15 vs Pixel 8: Look & feel
Both phones are distinctly products of their respective maker. I actually prefer the look and feel of the Pixel 8 to the Pixel 7 – this year, Google ditched the waterfall edges and replaced it with a nicer, flat screen. But, the Pixel 8 is actually smaller than the 7 – even smaller than the 7a. The camera bump doesn’t look any different to last year’s model either, and the colours have been refreshed. Additionally, the material on the back feels about the same as that of the Pixel 7 – a fairly nice polished plastic. The black is nothing short of gorgeous.
Over in Appleland, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max get the majority of the (super tiny) aesthetic changes, but the 15 and 15 Plus have a few worth mentioning – mostly the gorgeous, more pastel hues the devices come in. Also, USB-C and the Dynamic Island. But otherwise, the 15 looks like the other iPhones that came before it.
Apple iPhone 15 vs Google Pixel 8: This is like choosing your favourite child. The iPhone wins because of its flat edges – the rounded Pixel, despite losing the waterfall being a brilliant move, feels less lavish than the iPhone 15.
iPhone 15 vs Pixel 8: The guts
The iPhone this year gets the guts that shipped with the 14 Pro and Pro Max last year – the A16 Bionic chip. The A16 chip has a 5-core GPU, 6-core CPU with two performance cores and four efficiency cores, and a 16-core neural engine capable of 17 trillion operations per second. The Pixel 8, meanwhile, boasts the same chip that’s in the 8 Pro. The Google Tensor G3 is touted as being “built to push the boundaries of on-device machine learning”, and, really, the handset is a computing workhorse (some would argue too powerful for many users).
Performance wise, the iPhone 15 is the perfect marriage of Apple hardware and Apple software. Shockingly, the Pixel 8 is what happens when Google makes hardware to showcase its software. Who’da thought?
On every device we can (laptop, phone), we do the Avengers: Endgame test. That is, we stream the three-hour movie from Disney+ on the highest quality, brightness all the way up, and volume at max. We see how much this drains the battery. Unfortunately, the results here would be like comparing apples to oranges, as the 15 we have is the Plus and bigger phone equals bigger battery. But, just in case you were curious, starting from 100 per cent, one hour in, the Pixel 8 dropped to 92 per cent, 80 per cent in the second hour, then 68 per cent in the third. The 15 Plus had 93 per cent after the first hour, 80 per cent after the second, and as the credits were winding up, the iPhone 15 Plus had 66 per cent.
Both have great battery life.
Apple iPhone 15 vs Google Pixel 8: It’s a tie, you can’t split top-tier hardware.
iPhone 15 vs Pixel 8: Software
There’s no denying iOS 17 has been pushed out to favour the iPhone 15 and its Pro cousins. Some features of the new software shipping with the iPhone 15 range include the ability to just say “Siri”, share contact info by making two phones kiss, and how iMessage handles the ability to reply and send stickers.
Meanwhile, between the introduction of Android 14 and Google’s Pixel-only smarts, including the creepy new ‘Best Take’ AI face editing feature, and favourites like Magic Eraser, photo unblur, and even non-camera stuff like live language translation, Pixels are extremely feature packed.
Both are distinctly Apple and Google, respectively.
Apple iPhone 15 vs Google Pixel 8: For looks, the iPhone wins, but only because I find iOS nicer, and for smarts, Google takes the crown. When Apple stops trying to make numbers in Notes a hyperlink, we’ll talk.
iPhone 15 vs Pixel 8: The camera
The iPhone 15 still has two physical cameras (48MP main, 12MP ultra-wide), but you get essentially three different camera lengths. You also get a 12MP TrueDepth selfie camera. The Pixel’s camera system is mostly unchanged from last year, too, with the main camera 50MP, and the ultrawide 12MP. Here’s how that looks.
In the image above, I’d argue the Pixel is more true to life, even though the iPhone shot looks better.
While neither of these handsets are touted as having macro capability, neither do a terrible job of capturing the textured foreground and tonal background. The Pixel software is better at rendering a final shot, though.
1x zoom (standard), and the iPhone has made everything inside Mad Mex yellow, and the Pixel has added a nice 3D effect to the shot, too.
Zoomed in, the Pixel gets closer and I’d argue it’s more clear. Again with the yellow from the iPhone.
And lastly, rewarding Zac for allowing me to drag him around Sydney CBD during his lunch break with a nice little portrait shot. The Pixel is more true to life in the face, but the colours are over saturated. The softness applied to his face on the iPhone is more aesthetic.
Apple iPhone 15 vs Google Pixel 8: The shots from the Pixel are just better, but the post-production smarts on the Pixel take over a little too much. Despite this, the Pixel wins – and I think it’s safe to say Apple has made sure the 15 Pro and Pro Max is the phone for photographers.
The verdict
Pitting the iPhone 15 against the Pixel 8 was a lot harder than it was last year for the 14 and 7 handsets. Last year, I wasn’t convinced the iPhone 14 needed to exist and the cost of the Pixel was just brilliant value for money. This year, however, the Pixel 8 is $400 more expensive than it was last year and the iPhone 15 is a far cheaper option than its Pro cousin. The iPhone 15 serves quite a large market, but the Pixel just… it really just doesn’t, because you’d upgrade to the 8 Pro or downgrade to the 7a (which isn’t really a downgrade). But that’s not to say the Pixel 8 isn’t a great phone. To be honest, the decision here will come down to if you use a lot of Google apps and you’ve previously used Android phones, the Pixel 8 would be the choice for you. And if you use Apple AirPods/MacBook, get the iPhone 15. It’s really going to be a matter of if you want an Apple or Google experience.
While you’re here, why not check out our daily tech deals, our guide to the best value for money NBN plans, and info on the latest phones from Apple, Google, and Samsung. Head to our dedicated Mobile tab for more. We pin the Pixel 8 Pro against the iPhone 15 Pro over here.
Image: Apple/Google/Gizmodo Australia