Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Battle of intelligence

Doing an Apple vs. Android comparison is always tricky since they are based on completely different software platforms, and based on your current ecosystem of devices, you’re almost forced to go in just one direction, even if you’re not too happy with it. But if you’re just starting off or don’t care about ecosystem benefits, which is the best flagship phone to buy today? Apple’s best showcase is the newly launched iPhone 16 Pro Max. This is the top-of-the-line model with the largest display and the best specs. On the other side, we have Google’s Pixel 9 Pro XL which is arguably the best way to experience Android, the way Google intended it.

Both phones are priced roughly the same and boast cutting-edge hardware. For better or worse, AI is here to stay and that’s the current hook every manufacturer is grabbing on in order to sell their expensive devices. The iPhone 16 Pro Max and Pixel 9 Pro XL support the best AI advancements from each camp. The question is, which one should you give your money to?

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Design and display

If you love holding large slabs of glass and metal, you’ll love both these phones. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is a true successor to the Pixel 8 Pro since it has similar dimensions. Google has changed the design quite a bit this year and it looks pretty epic in my opinion. The flattened side frame actually makes it look more like an iPhone than ever, and the aluminum and scratch-resistant glass gives it a very premium feel in the hand. It’s a bit heavy at 221g, but not too chunky.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is pretty much indistinguishable from its predecessor at first glance. It’s grown a bit larger due to the bigger screen, and it’s slightly bigger than the 9 Pro XL in hand. It’s also heavier at 227g, but surprisingly slimmer than the Pixel at 8.3mm in depth. The Pro Max uses a sturdier titanium material for the frame and Apple’s own concoction for a scratch-protective glass which it calls Ceramic Shield. The phone gets a new dedicated camera button with haptic feedback, which lets you control various camera settings depending on how you press it.

Both phones have an IP68 rating, for dust and water resistance. Neither has expandable storage, so you need to think long and hard before picking a variant. Apple and Google use USB Type-C (USB 3.2) so file transfer speeds should be similar.

The displays on both phones are quite impressive. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a 6.8-inch OLED display with a high resolution of 2,992x1,344 pixels. There’s LTPO tech, which means the refresh rate can vary from 1Hz to 120Hz. The display has a 20:9 aspect ratio, full support for HDR playback, and a peak brightness of up to 3,000 nits.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max’s display is particularly impressive this year as it’s a whopping 6.9 inches, with razor-slim bezels. The resolution has increased to 2,868x1,320 so as to keep the same pixel count as the previous model. The other new feature is that the brightness can now drop to 1 nit for the always-on mode, so there’s extra power saving. Other specs have remained the same like ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate, 1,000 nits of max typical brightness and up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness when using it outdoors during the day.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Hardware and specs

The iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,199 for 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. In fact, all iPhone 16 models are confirmed to have 8GB of RAM in order to be able to run Apple Intelligence features. This might seem like a joke in the Android world, but it’s actually a big deal in iPhone land and it’s the first time we’re seeing the entire lineup with the same amount of RAM. It’s not an upgrade for the 16 Pro Max though, since the 15 Pro Max also had 8GB RAM.

There are four colors on offer – Desert Titanium, Natural Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium. Internal storage can go up to 1TB, which costs $1,599. It’s fairly expensive, but the 9 Pro XL is no different. Google’s offering starts a little lower at $1,099, but this is for 128GB of storage. You’d ideally want at least 256GB which will set you back $1,199, same as the iPhone. There’s 512GB and 1TB options too (only in the Obsidian color) for $1,549. All variants come with 16GB of RAM, which is what we’d expect for a top-tier Android phone. The Pixel comes in four colors — Porcelain, Rose Quartz, Hazel, and Obsidian.

Wireless and 5G connectivity is similar across Apple and Google. The 16 Pro Max and 9 Pro XL support all the major 5G bands and carriers in the U.S., along with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, Ultra Wideband, and satellite SOS service. You get secure biometric authentication on both, like an ultrasonic fingerprint reader on the Pixel and Face ID on the iPhone.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is powered by the A18 Pro SoC which we have no doubt will be blisteringly powerful. Apple is claiming big gains in GPU computing and memory bandwidth compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which was stellar to begin with. Apple is promising improved battery life of up to 33 hours with the 16 Pro Max with video playback. The phone can be fast-charged up to 50% in 30 minutes, or quicker when paired with a higher-wattage adapter. It also supports MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging standards.

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is powered by the Tensor G4 SoC, which is the most power-efficient processor yet. In our ongoing review, we found that the thermals are much better controlled, although it still throttles hard when playing heavy games. It’s not a big step forward in terms of compute performance, and will certainly trail behind Apple’s offering. The 9 Pro XL does, however, boast of a 24+ hour battery life thanks to the large 5,060mAh capacity. Charging speeds have improved over the previous model and it can be charged up to 70% in 30 minutes using Google’s 45W charger. Fast wireless charging is also present if you use the Pixel Stand (2nd Gen) charger.

Both phones should be almost evenly matched this generation when it comes to camera output. The Pixel 9 Pro XL and iPhone 16 Pro Max feature quality camera sensors, and will probably differ mainly when it comes to the image's color tone. The Pixel should still rule the house when it comes to capturing good details in zoom shots, thanks to its 48MP periscope telephoto camera. The iPhone has 5x optical zoom too, but it’s only a 12MP sensor.

The Pixel should also have an upper hand with selfies with its larger 42MP sensor. The 16 Pro Max does have one really cool trick up its sleeve, and that is its ability to shoot 4K 120fps Dolby Vision videos with the main camera. That’s a powerful tool for video creators, making this generation’s Pro series the best yet for video recording.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Software

Apple and Google want you to ultimately buy their phones for the software experience. For Apple, there’s only one choice and that’s the iPhone. iOS 18, Apple’s latest version of its mobile OS, was just rolled out to the public and it features some major UI changes like the ability to add a custom color to all your app icons and new ways to interact with the shortcuts and toggle switches. The highlight addition though is Apple Intelligence, because simply calling it AI is too mainstream for Apple.

Apple’s AI feature will work across the range of iPhone 16 models and only the Pro models in the last gen, along with select models of the iPad and Mac. Many of the “new” features are already things we’ve seen on Android phones. The kicker though is that none of these features will be there on the iPhone 16 Pro Max the day you buy it. That’s right, Apple Intelligence will be coming this fall to all supported devices as an update, while other AI features won’t be here till early next year. That’s a big leap of faith for early adopters. One thing’s for sure, the 16 Pro Max will have at least five years of software support, considering the 2018 iPhone XR is also getting iOS 18.

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is promised to get seven years of OS upgrades, which is incredible and not just for the best Android phone. While it doesn’t ship with the latest version of Android (because it’s not rolled out yet), you do get all the AI features from day one. The Pixel line has survived all these years despite having basic hardware, purely on the prowess of Google’s software. The 9 Pro XL gets exclusive AI features like Reimagine and Add Me that no other previous-gen Pixel gets, which is a good incentive for users with an older Pixel to upgrade.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Which one should you get?

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is easily the finest mobile hardware Apple has produced, and if you’re in the ecosystem and have been waiting for it to upgrade from an older iPhone, then chances are you’ve already pre-booked it and are already using it. For the rest who don’t really have a platform preference and just want the best phone above $1,000, I’d put my money on the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Now before you sound off in the comments saying “Android Central chose an Android phone as the winner over an iPhone, big surprise!”, hear me out.

I fully concede that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will decimate the Pixel in tasks like gaming and it is superior for any kind of video work (as iPhones generally tend to be). But other than the new SoC, camera button, and new ultrawide sensor, it’s not too different from the 15 Pro Max, which should start seeing big discounts soon as Apple has officially discontinued it from its online store. This older model should be able to run Apple Intelligence just as well, whenever this feature does drop.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL’s processor may lack the brute force of the iPhone’s chip, but it makes up for that in several other ways. For starters, it’s way cooler to look at and everyone will know it’s the latest Pixel. Secondly, the new AI features in Google’s first-party apps are scarily good and super useful. It also matches an iPhone in terms of longevity of software updates. We know the cameras are excellent for still photos and battery life is solid.

While you can make a case for the iPhone 16 Pro Max at launch if you’re one of those niche users that would actually take advantage of the hardware improvements, I think most users would get more use out of the 9 Pro XL’s superb AI features, which have a wider appeal.