Google Pixel 8a vs. iPhone 16e: Which midranger is the best value?

While it's always exciting to compare the most expensive flagship phones, the midrange sector is arguably more competitive than ever. Apple's newest iPhone 16e is effectively a successor to the third-generation iPhone SE, and it tries to offer a pared-down iPhone 16 experience at the $600 price point. That makes it a fitting competitor to Google's Pixel 8a, a midrange Android smartphone available for $500 with plenty of powerful AI features.

There are a few reasons to consider avoiding the Google Pixel 8a, but they all involve buying another midrange Android phone. The phone's successor, the Pixel 9a, is almost certainly set to arrive next month — and current Android midrangers like the OnePlus 13R could be a better value. But how does the Pixel 8a shake up when put directly against the iPhone 16e? That's what we're here to find out.

Google Pixel 8a vs. iPhone 16e: Design and display

Google and Apple took similar approaches in designing the Pixel 8a and the iPhone 16e. They're both closely related to past Pixel or iPhone flagships, while lacking some of the newer design choices or premium materials found on the latest models. Both phones are also slightly smaller than their flagship companions. The Pixel 8a has a 6.1-inch screen, smaller than the 6.2-inch Pixel 8. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16e also has a 6.1-inch screen, and that's smaller than the 6.12-inch iPhone 16.

The small form factor may be ideal for people who enjoy compact flagships. In that respect, the iPhone 16e is the smaller choice, measuring 146.7mm x 71.5mm x 7.80mm. By comparison, the Pixel 8a is bigger by every measurement, but its thickness is something specifically worth watching out for. Google's midranger measures 152.1 mm x 72.7 mm x 8.9 mm — that's over a millimeter thicker than the iPhone 16e.

Apple's midranger is considerably lighter, too, weighing just 167 grams. That makes the 188-gram Pixel 8a feel like a giant. This is especially odd when you consider that the Pixel has a plastic back and the iPhone has a glass back. In terms of design and build, the Pixel does have the advantage of comfort. Its curvy, pebble-shaped build conforms nicely to your hand without issue.

Moving to the displays, the Google Pixel 8a has the definitive edge. It has a 6.1-inch AMOLED panel with support for HDR10+ color and a 1,400-nit peak brightness rating. That's better in every way than the iPhone 16e's display, which has an OLED panel but only supports 60Hz refresh rate and a 1,200-nit peak brightness rating. Additionally, the iPhone 16e has a big notch at the top of the screen, whereas the Pixel 8a has a small hole-punch cutout.

In terms of durability, both phones are rated for IP68 dust and water-resistance. Google uses Gorilla Glass 3 on the front, while Apple is using its own Ceramic Shield glass. Both devices feature an aluminum construction and a USB-C port for connectivity.

That about sums up the design differences between the Pixel 8a and the iPhone 16e. The former might have slightly larger display bezels than the latter, but that won't matter since the iPhone 16e has that big notch anyway. The iPhone 16e has the edge in compactness and weight, but the Pixel 8a gets the display win.

Google Pixel 8a vs. iPhone 16e: Performance and specs

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Midrange phones usually come with a few compromises, with the processor often being one of them. That's true of the Google Pixel 8a and the iPhone 16e. Both phones are incredibly capable, supporting Google AI and Apple Intelligence respectively, but they won't stack up to flagship-level chips. Google uses the same Tensor G3 chip here as the rest of the Pixel 8 series. At first glance, it might look like Apple uses the same A18 chip as the iPhone 16, but the iPhone 16e actually has a binned version of the chip with one fewer graphics core.

What does that all mean? In simple terms, it means that neither midrange phone will be able to hang with the Pixel 9, Samsung Galaxy S25, or iPhone 16 Pro Max. But you probably already could've guessed that from their prices. The important part is that both phones support their respective AI suites, Gemini Nano on-device and Apple Intelligence (with Visual Intelligence via the Action button).

Google likely offers the edge in software support, as the Pixel 8a is guaranteed seven years of OS updates. It's already gotten the boost to Android 15, and has been upgraded with new Circle to Search and Gemini features. Of course, it's not guaranteed to get every new feature, but the Pixel 8a has a solid foundation.

While Apple has a good reputation for software support, it doesn't provide a guarantee. Additionally, even the year-old iPhone 15 didn't get Apple Intelligence, so it's unclear how Apple's software support could be affected by the fast-moving pace of AI progress.

Google Pixel 8a vs. iPhone 16e: Cameras

Neither the Google Pixel 8a or the iPhone 16e have the best camera system on a smartphone, but the Pixel 8a appears to be closest to flagship-caliber. Google's using a 64MP main camera sensor with an f/1.89 aperture and optical-image stabilization. With sensor crop, it can provide 2x optical zoom quality, with digital zoom beyond that. There's also a secondary 13MP ultrawide camera with a 120-degree field of view to round out the dual-camera system.

That's one more camera when than the iPhone 16e has. Apple tries to use one camera sensor that's versatile enough to serve as a main, ultrawide, and telephoto lens. It's a 48MP, f/1.6 lens with OIS capable of shooting either 24MP or 48MP photos. Like the Pixel 8a, it uses sensor crop to mimic a 2x telephoto. Make no mistake, though: while this single camera is likely impressive, it won't match the performance of a good dual or triple-camera system.

On the front, the Pixel 8a uses a wide 13MP, f/2.2 sensor. By comparison, the iPhone 16e has a 12MP camera with an f/1.9 aperture. Both front-facing cameras will get the job done. In terms of security, the Pixel 8a has both a fingerprint sensor and facial recognition, whereas the iPhone only has Face ID.

Google Pixel 8a vs. iPhone 16e: Which one should you buy?

After breaking down the specs between the iPhone 16e and the Google Pixel 8a, it's clear that the latter provides more for $500 than the former does for $600. However, I still wouldn't recommend buying the Pixel 8a at its full MSRP — considering it's nearly a year old and the Pixel 9a is on the way.

Instead, look to buy the Pixel 8a for even cheaper than its $500 sticker price, which will make it that much better of a value than the iPhone 16e. Right now, the Pixel 8a is $100 off when you activate it with a carrier at Best Buy. The deals will almost certainly get better after the Pixel 9a is released, so waiting a few weeks to see what's new could be a solid plan.

The iPhone 16e's value proposition is tricky, making it difficult to recommend for anyone except those who absolutely must have an iPhone on a sub-$600 budget. Even then, I'd argue that it's worth looking into an older — perhaps even refurbished or renewed — flagship iPhone instead.