iPhone 17 vs Google Pixel 10a: that’s how big the (price) differences are

Google released the Pixel 10a on February 18, 2026 – so time to see how this new device compares to the iPhone 17.

iPhone 17 vs Google Pixel 10a

In terms of price, the upcoming iPhone 17e is probably a better competitor for the Pixel 10a (549 euros). Because it is not available yet, we will now first compare the Pixel 10a with the iPhone 17 (€ 854).

Housing

The new Pixel 10a is slightly larger and heavier than the iPhone 17: 153.9 x 73 x 9 mm and 183 g compared to 149.6 x 71.5 x 8 mm and 177 g. Both devices have an aluminum frame and a glass front. The iPhone’s back is also glass, but the Pixel’s is plastic. Both cases are water resistant, although the iPhone can be submerged up to 6 meters for 30 minutes and the Pixel can be submerged up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. The housing of the iPhone 17 therefore seems a bit more solid.

In terms of colors, the Pixel 10a offers a choice of Lavender, Berry, Mist and Obsidian. The iPhone 17 is available in Lavender, Sage Green, Nebula Blue, White and Black.

Screen

Both devices have a 6.3-inch screen with a maximum brightness of 3000 nits. The iPhone’s screen also has an anti-reflective coating. At 1206 x 2622 pixels, that screen also has a higher resolution than the Pixel (1080 x 2424 pixels). Considering the same screen size and the dimensions of the housings, the bezels around the Pixel’s screen are a lot thicker than on the iPhone.

The iPhone’s image is therefore somewhat sharper and less reflective. The screen also looks a bit more modern thanks to the thinner edges. The iPhone also works with Face ID. The Pixel has a fingerprint scanner built in under the screen.

Camera

The Pixel 10a has a 48-megapixel wide-angle camera just like the iPhone 17, but the aperture of the iPhone is slightly larger than that of the Pixel (f/1.6 compared to f/1.7). Both devices also have an ultra-wide-angle camera. That of the iPhone 17 is also 48 megapixels, that of the Pixel 10a remains at 13 megapixels. This allows us to say that the camera of the iPhone 17 is better than that of the Pixel 10a.

The Pixel’s front camera is a 13-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera with an aperture of f/2.2. The iPhone has an 18-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera on the front with a larger aperture of f/1.9. This camera also surpasses that of the new Pixel.

Performance

The iPhone runs on an A19 chip, the Pixel on a Tensor G4. We don’t know exactly how big the difference is, but the A19 is certainly a bit more powerful. Furthermore, both devices have 8 GB of RAM. Overall, the iPhone 17 does perform slightly better than the Google Pixel 10a.

By the way, the Pixel 10a has less maximum storage space. At Google you can choose from 128 GB and 256 GB, at Apple from 256 GB and 512 GB.

Battery

The Pixel 10a has a battery with a capacity of 5100 mAh, which is a lot more than the battery of the iPhone 17 (3692 mAh). Yet in practice that doesn’t mean much. With the iPhone you can watch up to 30 hours of video and, according to Google, that is pretty much possible with the Pixel. This may be because the iPhone’s processor is more energy efficient. On this point the devices are evenly matched.

Conclusion: iPhone 17 vs Google Pixel 10a

The iPhone 17 is superior to the Google Pixel 10a in most aspects. Pay special attention to the screen, the cameras and the performance. That’s no surprise, because you also pay a higher price for it. It does not mean that the Pixel 10a is a bad smartphone. On the contrary. For most people, a smartphone with specifications like the Pixel 10a is more than sufficient.

Apple will also soon launch a new ‘budget’ iPhone, the iPhone 17e. We are therefore curious how the iPhone 17e compares to the Google Pixel 10a. You can expect that comparison on iPhoned as soon as possible!

Buy iPhone 17?

Are you still planning to purchase an iPhone 17? Be sure to keep an eye on the deals below to ensure you don’t pay too much!