Apple iPhone XS Max vs Google Pixel 8a: What is the difference? (2024)

Why is Apple iPhone XS Max better than Google Pixel 8a?

• 6.51% higher pixel density?
  458 ppivs430 ppi
• 28.8% higher resolution?
  1242 x 2688 pxvs1080 x 2400 px
• 6.56% bigger screen size?
  6.5"vs6.1"
• 256GB more internal storage?
  512GBvs256GB
• 5.26% wider aperture at minimum focal length?
  f/2.4 & f/1.8vsf/2.2 & f/1.9
• Newer Gorilla Glass version?
  Gorilla Glass 6vsGorilla Glass 3
• 1.2 mm thinner?
  7.7 mmvs8.9 mm
• Higher Ingress Protection (IP) rating?
  IP68vsIP67

Why is Google Pixel 8a better than Apple iPhone XS Max?

• 41.52% more battery power?
  4492 mAhvs3174 mAh
• 4GB more RAM memory?
  8GBvs4GB
• 3.17x more megapixels (main camera)?
  64 MP & 12 MPvs12 MP & 12 MP
• 1.88x faster CPU speed?
  1 x 3 GHz & 4 x 2.45 GHz & 4 x 2.15 GHzvs2 x 2.5 GHz & 4 x 1.6 GHz
• 1.86x more megapixels (front camera)?
  13MPvs7MP
• Wi-Fi version?
  Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)vsWi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
• Has a fingerprint scanner?
• 0.3 newer Bluetooth version?
  5.3vs5

Apple iPhone XS Max

Google Pixel 8a

We consider a lower weight better because lighter devices are more comfortable to carry. A lower weight is also an advantage for home appliances, as it makes transportation easier, and for many other types of products.

The thickness (or depth) of the product.

The width represents the horizontal dimension of the product.

The height represents the vertical dimension of the product.

The device is protected with extra seals to prevent failures caused by dust, raindrops, and water splashes.

The first number of the IP rating refers to protection against dust, while the second number refers to protection against liquid. E.g. a first number of 6 denotes that it is completely dustproof, and a second number of 7 denotes that the device can withstand full immersion in water.

The waterproof depth rating indicates how well the device is protected against water ingress and water pressure. Devices which can withstand more water pressure are better for swimming or diving.

Volume is the quantity of three-dimensional space enclosed by the product's chassis or, in simpler terms, the space the product occupies.

The minimum temperature at which the device can perform to the optimal level.

The size of the screen (measured diagonally).

The type of technology used in the display.

Pixel density is a measurement of a screen's resolution, expressed as the number of pixels per inch (PPI) on the screen. A higher pixel density translates into more clarity and sharpness for the images rendered on the screen, thus improving the quality of the viewing experience.

Resolution is an essential indicator of a screen's image quality, representing the maximum amount of pixels that can be shown on the screen. The resolution is given as a compound value, comprised of horizontal and vertical pixels.

The frequency at which the display is refreshed (1 Hz = once per second). A higher refresh rate results in smoother UI animations and video playback.

The touch sampling rate is the speed at which a screen can register your touch input and respond by rendering the next frame. Also called the touch refresh rate.

A nit is a measurement of the light that a display emits, equal to one candela per square meter. Brighter displays ensure a screen's contents are easy to read, even in sunny conditions.

Damage-resistant glass (such as Corning Gorilla Glass or Asahi Dragontrail Glass) is thin, lightweight, and can withstand high levels of force.

Gorilla Glass is one of the most popular brands of chemically strengthened glass, manufactured by Corning. Several versions have been developed, the newer ones being more durable and providing better damage resistance.

The internal storage refers to the built-in storage space available in a device for system data, apps, and user-generated data. With a large amount of internal storage, you can save more files and apps on your device.

Random-access memory (RAM) is a form of memory used to store working data and machine code. Having more RAM is particularly useful for multitasking, allowing you to run more programs at once or have more tabs open in your browser.

A newer version of Android generally provides a better user experience. Major Android releases include new features and improvements to performance, as well as important security updates.

AnTuTu is one of the most important benchmarks for Android devices. The score reflects the overall performance of a device by summing up results of individual tests that various parameters, such as RAM speed, CPU performance, 2D & 3D graphics performance.

Wild Life is a cross-platform benchmark developed by 3DMark that tests the graphical performance of a device (using the Vulkan API on Android/Windows and the Metal API on iOS). Source: 3DMark.

Wild Life is a cross-platform benchmark developed by 3DMark that tests the graphical performance of a device (using the Vulkan API on Android/Windows and the Metal API on iOS). The Unlimited version runs off-screen so that factors such as display resolution don’t affect the score. Source: 3DMark.

Wild Life is a cross-platform benchmark developed by 3DMark that tests the graphical performance of a device (using the Vulkan API on Android/Windows and the Metal API on iOS). The Extreme version is much more graphically-demanding than the standard Wild Life benchmark. Source: 3DMark.

Geekbench 6 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures a processor's multi-core performance. (Source: Primate Labs, 2024)

Geekbench 6 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures a processor's single-core performance. (Source: Primate Labs, 2024)

The number of megapixels determines the resolution of the images captured with the main camera. A higher megapixel count means that the camera is capable of capturing more details. However, the megapixel count is not the only important element determining the quality of an image.

The number of megapixels determines the resolution of the images captured with the front camera. A higher megapixel count means that the front camera is capable of capturing more details, an essential factor for taking high-resolution selfies.

Optical image stabilization uses gyroscopic sensors to detect the vibrations of the camera. The lens adjusts the optical path accordingly, ensuring that any type of motion blur is corrected before the sensor captures the image.

The maximum resolution available for videos shot with the main camera. Although it may be possible to choose among other frame rates, those recordings usually have lower resolutions.

With a wider aperture the sensor can capture more light, helping to avoid blur by enabling a faster shutter speed. It also provides a shallow depth of field, allowing you to blur the background to focus attention on the subject.

A dual-tone flash has LED lights with different color temperatures, delivering a better color balance to photos and videos.

A BSI (backside illuminated) sensor is a camera image sensor which captures better quality images in poor lighting conditions, and offers better overall sharpness and image quality.

When recording movies they stay focussed and sharp.

Phase-detection autofocus is much faster than a contrast detection autofocus, allowing for sharper images.

This privacy feature alerts you with a small notification when an app copies data from your clipboard.

This privacy feature allows you to share your approximate location with an app instead of your precise location.

You can enable or disable an app’s access to the camera or microphone on your device. There are also indication icons to show you when an app uses the camera or microphone.

Mail Privacy Protection is a feature built into the default email app that blocks senders from using “tracking pixels” to see when you’ve read an email. It also hides your IP address from senders.

Theme customization allows you to easily change the appearance of the user interface (UI). For example, by changing the system colors or the app icons.

Some apps track your activity even when the app is not in use. This privacy feature allows you to block this tracking, either across all apps or on a per-app basis.

This setting (in the default browser) allows you to block cross-site tracking cookies and data to help protect your privacy.

On-device machine learning is used to recognize people, places, and more in the Photos app. The algorithms run on the device, where this sensitive data is then kept. Competing services upload the photos and perform this on their servers, which requires the sharing of personal data.

This means you don’t have to wait for the entire game to download first, as the later stages of the game download while you are playing.

Battery power, or battery capacity, represents the amount of electrical energy that a battery can store. More battery power can be an indication of longer battery life.

It supports a wireless charging standard such as Qi. To charge the device, you simply put it down on a compatible charging pad.

Fast charging technologies, like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge or MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to reduce the time it takes to charge a device. For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in just 30 minutes.

Charging speeds are expressed in watts (W), a measure of electrical power. A higher wattage results in a faster charging speed. In order to achieve the advertised charging speed, it is important to use a compatible charger.

Charging speeds are expressed in watts (W), a measure of electrical power. A higher wattage results in a faster charging speed. In order to achieve the advertised charging speed, a compatible wireless charger must be used.

The device can be used as a wireless charging station to power other gadgets.

Charging speeds are expressed in watts (W), a measure of electrical power. A higher wattage results in a faster charging speed.

The battery is removable and can be replaced by the user if broken.

The ultra power-saving mode, also called low power mode, is an effective way to extend the battery life of the device. Usually, it involves limiting screen brightness and contrast, disabling location services, restricting connectivity, and turning off nonessential apps.

With a standard mini jack socket, you can use the device with most headphones.

Devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better experience.

aptX is a codec used for transmitting audio wirelessly with Bluetooth. It is developed by Qualcomm, and supports 16-bit audio at a bit rate of 384kbps.

LDAC is a codec developed by Sony for Bluetooth audio. It is capable of a very high bitrate of 990kbps, which provides high resolution audio. It can also automatically adjust to a lower bitrate of 330kbps or 660kbps to increase stability.

aptX HD is an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that is developed by Qualcomm. It supports high quality 24-bit audio (at a bit rate of 576kbps).

aptx Adaptive is an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that is developed by Qualcomm. It has a variable bit rate (between 279kbps and 420kbps), which means it can adjust the bit rate for different scenarios, such as listening to HD audio or reducing interference from other devices.

aptX Lossless is an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that is developed by Qualcomm. It supports high quality 16-bit/44.1kHz audio (at a maximum bit rate of 1200kbps). This codec provides CD-quality audio without any loss of data.

A built-in FM radio tuner allows you to listen to most of the live-broadcasted FM radio stations without using the internet.

More microphones result in better sound quality and enable the device to filter out background noise.

The fifth-generation wireless technology delivers higher speeds and lower latency than the previous, fourth-generation tech.

The Wi-Fi versions supported by the device.

This is the maximum download speed supported. In reality, the download speed will usually be lower, as it will be affected by other factors (such as your home/mobile network speeds).

This is the maximum upload speed supported. In reality, the upload speed will usually be lower, as it will be affected by other factors (for example your home/mobile network speeds).

The USB Type-C features reversible plug orientation and cable direction.

Newer USB versions are faster and have better power management.

NFC (near-field communication) allows a device to perform simple wireless transactions, such as mobile payments. Note: this feature may not be available in all markets.

The number and type of SIM cards supported.

The device has a fingerprint scanner which identifies the user.

A video light helps when recording a movie in low-light conditions.

DirectX is used in games, with newer versions supporting better graphics.