Apple
iPhone 16 Pro
A18 Pro · 6.3″ LTPO · Titanium
94
/ 100
From $999
VS
iPhone 16 Pro wins by 4
Google
Pixel 9 Pro XL
Tensor G4 · 6.8″ LTPO · Gemini-first
90
/ 100
From $1,099
Verdex verdict
iPhone 16 Pro takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Verdex score, iPhone 16 Pro lands at 94 and Pixel 9 Pro XL at 90. That puts iPhone 16 Pro ahead by 4 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick iPhone 16 Pro if…
- ✓Class-leading single-core CPU
- ✓Stellar video pipeline
- ✓Seven years of updates
Pick Pixel 9 Pro XL if…
- ✓Best computational photography
- ✓Clean Android with 7-yr updates
- ✓On-device Gemini
Score breakdown
iPhone 16 Pro
94 cpu 98
gpu 94
camera 95
battery 86
display 93
design 96
Pixel 9 Pro XL
90 cpu 86
gpu 80
camera 96
battery 88
display 94
design 91
Specs side-by-side
Spec
iPhone 16 Pro
Pixel 9 Pro XL
Display
6.3″ LTPO OLED, 120Hz, 2622×1206
6.8″ LTPO OLED, 120Hz, 2992×1344
Chipset
Apple A18 Pro (3 nm)
Google Tensor G4 (4 nm)
RAM
8 GB
16 GB
Storage
128 / 256 / 512 GB / 1 TB
128 / 256 / 512 GB / 1 TB
Rear camera
48 MP + 48 MP UW + 12 MP 5× tele
50 MP + 48 MP 5× tele + 48 MP UW
Front camera
12 MP TrueDepth
42 MP
Battery
3582 mAh
5060 mAh
Charging
27W wired, 25W MagSafe
37W wired, 23W wireless
OS
iOS 18
Android 14, 7-yr updates
Weight
199 g
221 g
IP rating
IP68
IP68
iPhone 16 Pro
Pros
- +Class-leading single-core CPU
- +Stellar video pipeline
- +Seven years of updates
Cons
- −Charging still slow
- −Premium pricing
- −No 8K video
Pixel 9 Pro XL
Pros
- +Best computational photography
- +Clean Android with 7-yr updates
- +On-device Gemini
Cons
- −Tensor G4 behind in raw GPU
- −Heats under sustained load
- −Slower charging
FAQ: iPhone 16 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro XL
Which is better, iPhone 16 Pro or Pixel 9 Pro XL? +
iPhone 16 Pro scores 94 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 4. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is iPhone 16 Pro worth the price? +
At $999, iPhone 16 Pro delivers a Verdex score of 94 — strongest in cpu.
Is Pixel 9 Pro XL worth the price? +
At $1,099, Pixel 9 Pro XL delivers a Verdex score of 90 — strongest in camera.
Does iPhone 16 Pro or Pixel 9 Pro XL last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.