Google has finally unveiled the Pixel 10 and, as expected, a direct comparison with the iPhone 16 is inevitable, because both compete head-to-head as baseline reference models and target the same price range. This year the rivalry intensifies: while Apple continues to focus its offering on the brute force of its chip, Google doubles down with a faster display, a more versatile camera and a more ambitious artificial intelligence push. Although we will soon have the new iPhone 17, which currently offers the best balance for your day-to-day?
Design and display: fluidity versus continuity
On the visual side, Google’s proposal goes all in on smoothness and brightness. The Pixel 10 mounts a 6.3-inch OLED panel with a 120 Hz refresh rate and a 3,000-nit peak, which translates into an ultra-smooth experience when scrolling through the interface, cleaner animations and superior readability under strong sunlight. It’s the same sensation many associate with a good high-refresh-rate gaming monitor: once you try it, it’s hard to go back.
Apple, for its part, keeps a continuity line with the iPhone 16 and its 6.1-inch OLED display at 60 Hz and a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits. The quality is still high and the color is very well calibrated, but the difference in refresh rate is noticeable in everyday use, especially if you move between apps frequently, play games or consume social media at speed. In size, the iPhone is a bit more compact, a detail many value for one-handed use; however, if you prioritize a larger, smoother viewing experience, the Pixel 10 starts with the advantage.
Performance, AI and cameras: two clear philosophies
The chip strategy marks much of each phone’s character. The iPhone 16 relies on the A18 Bionic, a processor that traditionally sits at the top in pure power and efficiency, perfect if you come from the Apple ecosystem and seek that sustained performance you’re used to. Google, on the other hand, debuts its first fully custom Tensor G5, with the idea of deeply optimizing machine learning tasks and the execution of AI features that continue to grow in its catalog.
The story of artificial intelligence arrives at different times for each platform. According to its own roadmap, Apple Intelligence is beginning its rollout, so its offering still feels like it’s under construction. On the Pixel 10, Google pushes with its most ambitious wave to date, aimed at helping you both in computational photography and in editing, context and assistance functions; all with the focus that many of these tasks will benefit from the new silicon.
In photography, the approach diverges again. The Pixel 10 integrates a triple system that includes a telephoto with 5x optical zoom, which opens clear possibilities for compressed portraits, distant shots and greater creative flexibility without resorting to digital cropping. The iPhone 16 retains the dual-camera formula without a dedicated telephoto: it remains capable for general scenes and video, but if you value capturing distant details with the highest optical quality, the Pixel plays an extra card. In fact, the versatility that a third dedicated camera gives you is that plus that, when you have it, you start to use more than you think.
Battery and charging: more generous endurance and new magnets
Another interesting clash is in power. The Pixel 10 arrives with a 4,970 mAh battery, a notable jump compared to the iPhone 16’s 3,561 mAh, and it also supports wired charging at 30 W. This translates into a bigger margin to enjoy a 120 Hz screen, maps, photos or music without constantly watching the percentage. On the iPhone 16, wired charging stays at 20 W, sufficient for steady recharges, though somewhat slower in comparison.
Wirelessly, both bet on magnetic charging, but with different standards: the Pixel 10 adopts Qi2 at 15 W and debuts Google’s new Pixelsnap magnetic accessories, while the iPhone 16 remains in the MagSafe orbit with up to 25 W. If you already have a MagSafe accessory ecosystem, you will continue to enjoy that quick attachment experience popularized by Apple; if you prefer an open standard, Qi2 arrives precisely to unify the magnetic experience in the industry, with a similar approach to what technologies like G-Sync and FreeSync once brought to displays, pushing more manufacturers to align.
In practice, the combination of a larger battery and higher-power wired charging favors the Pixel 10 for those who prioritize endurance and short top-ups. For its part, the iPhone 16 makes up for it with more powerful magnetic wireless charging and polished integration with its accessory ecosystem.
So, which do you choose, the Pixel 10 for €899 or the iPhone 16 for €819? If you are attracted to the 120 Hz smoothness, extra brightness, the versatility of a 5x telephoto and a battery that invites you to forget your charger for longer, the Pixel 10 fits like a glove. If, on the other hand, you seek the brute force of the A18 Bionic and prefer the continuity of iOS with the promise of an Apple Intelligence that will grow, the iPhone 16 remains a safe bet. The good news is that, this year, the choice no longer depends only on the chip: the display, the camera and magnetic charging tip the scales like we haven’t seen in a long time. Ready to decide which philosophy will accompany you in your pocket?
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