• Home
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Digital technology
  • Cloud
  • Data analytics
  • Digital leaders
  • IoT
  • Opinion
  • Events
  • Resources
  • SMB Spotlight
  • Newsletters
  • Sign in
  • Events
    • Follow V3 Events

      Sign up to receive email alerts about our events

      Sign up
  • Resources
    • V3resources 120x194
      Network Security Forensics For GDPR Compliance

      An effective network security forensics strategy can assist an organization in providing key compliance-related details as part of any post-incident GDPR investigation.

      Download
      V3resources 120x194
      10 ways to increase productivity with managed Office 365

      For businesses large and small, relying on a cloud-based collaboration and productivity suite such as Microsoft Office 365 is becoming the norm. Enhancing productivity in your organisation is vital to get ahead in 2017 - and using Office 365 can help, if it's used right...

      Download
      Find resources
      Search by title or subject area
      View all resources
  • SMB Spotlight
  • Sign in
  •  
    •  

      You are currently accessing V3 .co.uk via your Enterprise account.

      Personalise your on site experience

      Download and use the apps

      Access your subscription from outside of the office

      Get relevant news and insight straight to your inbox

      • Sign in
     
      • Newsletters
      • Account details
      • Contact support
      • Sign out
     
  • Follow us
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • Newsletters
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Register
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Digital technology
  • Cloud
  • Data analytics
  • Digital leaders
  • IoT
  • Opinion
 
  •  

    You are currently accessing V3 .co.uk via your Enterprise account.

    Personalise your on site experience

    Download and use the apps

    Access your subscription from outside of the office

    Get relevant news and insight straight to your inbox

    • Sign in
 
    • Newsletters
    • Account details
    • Contact support
    • Sign out
 
V3.co.uk
  • Mobile Phones

Google Pixel XL vs iPhone 7 review

It's Apple's David vs Google's Goliath

Pixel XL vs iPhone 7
  • Matt Farrington-Smith
  • Matt Farrington-Smith
  • @helloMFS
  • 27 October 2016
  • Tweet  
  • Facebook  
  •  
  •  
  • Send to  
0 Comments

Google Pixel XL vs iPhone 7 review

Page 1

Google Pixel XL vs iPhone 7 review

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

Page 1

With the Pixel XL, Google attempts to take on Apple in a bid to beat the Cupertino giant at its own game. There's nothing giant about the iPhone 7 mind, but this is a little phone that could, and we fell for it hard when we reviewed it previously.

The Pixel XL impressed us too, but you might have a harder time of fixing it. To that end how do the two phones stack up when placed in direct competition?

Design
Google Pixel XL: 154.7x75.7x8.5mm, 168g, USB Type-C
iPhone 7: 138x67x7.1mm, 138g, IP67 certification, Lightning port

Pixel XL vs iPhone 7 - size

Comparing the diminutive iPhone 7 with the Pixel XL is a bit like pitting David against Goliath.

The Pixel marks Google's entry-proper into the hardware world, but that doesn't mean we won't see fingerprints from the so-called "contract manufacturer" all over it. In this case that's HTC, so it's unsurprising the Pixel XL looks a lot like the HTC One A9. That very handset took inspirational cues from the iPhone, so when put side-by-side at least, the subject's of this review look spookily similar.

Both the iPhone 7 and Pixel XL exhibit a curved metal shell replete with antenna lines and oversized chunky bezels. To its credit the Google Pixel does its best to introduce a little differentiation by adding a two-tone finish, and partially covering the rear of the device in glass.

On the face of it the iPhone 7 it looks like business as usual - the design is a winner after all, save for the implementation of IP67 certification which is a welcome addition seeing as all and sundry are jumping on the bandwagon. Such safeguards mean the iPhone 7 is able to survive in water up to 1m deep, for a period of 30 minutes. In contrast, the Pixel XL offers no such tricks.

Pixel XL vs iPhone 7

Things get a little interesting elsewhere - both phones incorporate fingerprint sensors for security and payment purposes, this can be found on the rear of the Pixel, and in the Home button on the iPhone. This time around however Apple has replaced the technology behind the button, it now uses a solid-state input, with a vibration motor that provides feedback. While we're talking changes, the iPhone 7 also marks the much-publicised removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack. Audio is now provided through the Lightning port (which also scratches data and power itches), or via use of a bundled adapter.

Conversely the Google Phone uses USB Type-C for all of its connectivity needs.

Winner: Draw

Display
Google Pixel XL: 5.5in 2560x1440, 534ppi
iPhone 7: 4.7in 1334x750 resolution at 326ppi

iphone-7 display

On paper the iPhone has never really dazzled with its display specs. It's all the more frustrating as we know Apple's capable of more - the iPhone 7 Plus gets a resolution bump to 1080x1920 for instance.

Resolution aside, the most jarring aspect is the size of that screen. The 5.5in of the Pixel XL dwarfs the 4.7in iPhone 7 - so if you're an Android user and looking to make the move, it might take some readjustment.

In its defense the iPhone does offer a wider colour gamut and a 25 per cent increase in brightness compared to the iPhone 6S before it. If that sounds impressive, it is. The iPhone 7 is capable of 705 nits meaning it's as bright as you like, as such it's easy to look past the discrepancy's between the two. No one display is better than the other.

There's a difference in screen technology too - the iPhone's LCD vs Pixel's AMOLED. The latter is deemed 'Daydream-Ready' and will enable the Pixel to take advantage of Google's burgeoning VR platform in the coming months. Never one to be outdone the iPhone offers extra levels of functionality with its pressure sensitive 3D Touch tech.

We already know Apple's doubled-down on protection for 2016, and the display isn't left out with its Ion-strengthened glass and oleophobic coating. The latter should help to prevent the build-up of fingerprints by making it easier to wipe down. The Pixel XL is strengthened with Gorilla Glass 4.

Winner: Draw

← PreviousNext >>

Google Pixel XL vs iPhone 7 review

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

  • Tweet  
  • Facebook  
  •  
  •  
  • Send to  
  • Topics
  • Mobile Phones
  • Apple
  • iPhone
  • Google
  • Android
  • review
  • Cloud computing

Latest reviews

Review: The Huawei P20 Pro
Review: The Huawei P20 Pro
Dragon
Review: Dragon Professional Individual v15
Review: Samsung Galaxy S9+
Review: Samsung Galaxy S9+
Back to Top

Most read

Oracle: Java SE 8 business users must buy a licence from January next year
Oracle: Java SE 8 business users must buy a licence from January next year
Scientists uncover new battery chemical with 50 percent more storage capacity
Scientists uncover new battery chemical with 50 percent more storage capacity
Former spies are scraping Facebook data to build a massive facial recognition database
Former spies are scraping Facebook data to build a massive facial recognition database
BT plan to close down conventional fixed-line phone network by 2025 and go all-IP
BT plan to close down conventional fixed-line phone network by 2025 and go all-IP
Oracle tells President Trump that winner-takes-all cloud contract for Pentagon is nonsense
Oracle tells President Trump that winner-takes-all cloud contract for Pentagon is nonsense
  • Contact
  • Marketing solutions
  • Enterprise IT Events
  • About
  • Terms & conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Newsletters
  • Facebook
  • YouTube

© Incisive Business Media (IP) Limited, Published by Incisive Business Media Limited, New London House, 172 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5QR, registered in England and Wales with company registration numbers 09177174 & 09178013

Digital publisher of the year
Digital publisher of the year 2010, 2013, 2016 & 2017