Photo comparison: iPhone 16 Pro (Max) vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

Both Apple and Google have launched new top devices – this is how the iPhone 16 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL perform in a photo comparison.

Photo comparison: iPhone 16 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro XL

Both the iPhone 16 Pro and the Pixel 9 Pro XL show in this photo comparison that they can both take beautiful photos. But of course there are also differences. We have listed the most important ones for you.

Main camera

The main camera of the iPhone 16 Pro has 48 MP and an aperture of f/1.8. On paper, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL exceeds that with 50 MP and an aperture of f/1.7.

The Pixel’s photo appears slightly bluer than the iPhone’s. The iPhone also seems to display slightly more details in dark areas.

Macro

Both devices have an automatic Macro mode. This means that it is automatically switched on when you approach a subject very closely.

The amount of sunlight here is not the same in both photos, but the difference is so small that it was not noticeable when taking the photo. Here too, the iPhone seems to display more details in the shadows, but the comparison is not entirely fair.

Zoom lens

The iPhone 16 Pro Max and the Pixel 9 Pro XL both have a 5X optical zoom. The Pixel’s higher resolution sensor performs slightly better. We believe that the image is sharper and the colors of the Pixel are also a bit nicer here.

After the 5x optical zoom, it is of course also possible to zoom in even further digitally. That wasn’t easy without a tripod, but we gave it a try anyway. The iPhone zooms in a maximum of 25x, with the Pixel this is a maximum of 30x.

Especially when fully zoomed in, the Pixel seems a bit brighter and sharper. The colors here also seem to be a bit better than those of the iPhone.

Ultra wide angle

The biggest difference in the ultra-wide-angle lenses is the color reproduction. The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL displays the sky and clouds much brighter. The colors that the iPhone 16 Pro displays, on the other hand, are much more true to life.

Portrait

In a portrait, the subject appears sharp and the background appears out of focus. Both devices do this well, although the background of the Pixel is a lot blurrier at the standard setting than that of the iPhone. Here too, the color of the sky on the Pixel is a bit more saturated and unnatural.

Self-portrait

The selfie camera of the Pixel 9 Pro XL has 42 megapixels compared to 12 megapixels on the iPhone 16 Pro. The self-portrait is visibly sharper depicted by the Pixel. The face is also a bit more exposed, without exaggerating it. The iPhone has kept the lighting more natural.

Again, the iPhone has more realistic tones than the Pixel, but selfie enthusiasts may prefer the Pixel 9 Pro XL.

Conclusion: photo comparison iPhone 16 Pro vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

The broad line we see when we compare the photos from both devices is that the Pixel displays certain colors more saturated. The iPhone generally keeps the colors more natural. Which of the two you like better is of course very personal. If you like selfies, there’s a good chance you’ll choose the Pixel 9 Pro XL. If you especially like to take photos with natural colors, you will probably choose the iPhone 16 Pro.

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