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In this article, we’ll compare the Google Pixel 6a vs Apple iPhone 14. These two smartphones are immensely different, and so are their prices. Depending on where you buy it, you can basically buy two Pixel 6a handsets for the price of a single entry-level iPhone 14. Still, the Pixel 6a is an excellent smartphone, and if you’re not looking to spend as much as the iPhone 14 costs, it could be a great alternative.
These two phones are somewhat similar in terms of size, as they’re both rather compact. That could be a very important factor for some of you. That’s where similarities stop when their design is concerned, though. We’ll talk more about that soon. We’ll first list their specs, however, and then we’ll move to the design, display, performance, battery life, camera performance, and audio categories.
Specs
| Google Pixel 6a | Apple iPhone 14 | |
| Screen size | 6.1-inch fullHD+ OLED HDR display (60Hz) | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display (60Hz refresh rate) |
| Screen resolution | 2400 x 1080 | 2532 x 1170 |
| SoC | Google Tensor | Apple A15 Bionic |
| RAM | 6GB (LPDDR5) | 6GB |
| Storage | 128GB (UFS 3.1), non-expandable | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, non-expandable |
| Rear cameras | 12.2MP (f/1.7 aperture, 27mm lens, 1.4um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS) 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 17mm lens, 114-degree FoV, 1.25um pixel size) |
12MP (wide, f/1.5 aperture, 26mm lens, 1.9um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS) 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.4 aperture, 13mm, 120-degree FoV) |
| Front cameras | 8MP (f/2.0 aperture, 24mm lens, 1.12um pixel size) | 12MP (wide-angle, f/1.9 aperture, 23mm lens, PDAF) SL 3D (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Battery | 4,410mAh, non-removable, 18W wired charging Charger not included |
3,279mAh, non-removable, 23W wired charging, 15W MagSafe wireless charging, 7.5W Qi wireless charging Charger not included |
| Dimensions | 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9mm | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8mm |
| Weight | 178 grams | 172 grams |
| Connectivity | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, Lightning port |
| Security | In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) | Advanced facial scanning |
| OS | Android 12 (upgradable to Android 13) | iOS 16 |
| Price | $349 (discounted from $449) | $799/$899/$1,099 |
| Buy | Apple |
Google Pixel 6a vs Apple iPhone 14: Design
The Pixel 6a and iPhone 14 are very different design-wise. They are similar in terms of overall size, and both smartphones do have flat displays, but that’s where the similarities end. The Pixel 6a has a more squarish frame, but it has more curves overall. The iPhone 14 is flat on the front, back, and all around the device. The Pixel 6a does have a slightly curved back, and its sides are definitely not flat.
The Pixel 6a has a centered display camera hole, while the iPhone 14 has a notch on the front. Both phones have fairly thin bezels. Even their physical buttons are in different places. The back side of the two phones also looks quite different. The Pixel 6a has a camera visor that is covered by glass, and it goes from one side of the phone to the other. The iPhone 14 includes a camera island in the top-left corner. Both devices have two cameras on the back.
The Pixel 6a comes with a frame made out of metal, and a plastic back. The iPhone 14 combines an aluminum frame with a glass back. The Pixel 6a is a bit taller and thicker than the iPhone 14, but they’re almost identical in terms of width. The Pixel 6a is also slightly heavier at 178 grams. Both phones do offer water and dust resistance, while both are quite slippery. The iPhone 14 does feel a bit more premium, but both feel really good in the hand. The Pixel 6a is actually more comfortable to hold and use.
Google Pixel 6a vs Apple iPhone 14: Display
These two phones have the same display sizes, but different panels entirely. The Pixel 6a features a 6.1-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) flat display, which comes down to a 20:9 aspect ratio. That is an OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate, and it supports HDR content. The Gorilla Glass 3 is placed on top of this display for protection purposes. Needless to say, it’s not exactly the newest or the best protection out there.
The iPhone 14, on the other hand, has a 6.1-inch fullHD+ (2532 x 1170) Super Retina XDR OLED display, which is flat. That panel supports HDR10 content, and Dolby Vision too. It gets up to 1,200 nits of peak brightness, and the display has a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The Ceramic Shield Glass protects this display. This panel also has a 60Hz refresh rate, so it doesn’t offer a high refresh rate.
Truth be said, both of these displays look really nice. The colors are vibrant, the viewing angles are good, and the blacks are deep. Both displays do offer a good touch response, and neither has a high refresh rate. The iPhone’s panel offers better protection, however, while it also gets a bit brighter in comparison. So, it does have an edge, on one hand, but both displays will serve you just fine.
Google Pixel 6a vs Apple iPhone 14: Performance
Google’s mid-range is fueled by the Google Tensor SoC, the company’s first-ever mobile processor. The phone also includes 6GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and UFS 3.1 flash storage. The iPhone 14, on the flip side, is fueled by the Apple A15 Bionic SoC. It includes 6GB of RAM, and NVMe storage. The iPhone 14 technically has the more powerful chip, but both devices do perform really well.
The Pixel 6a does a great job in everyday performance, and it basically doesn’t stutter at all. The same goes for the iPhone 14, actually. That goes for basically everything you may do, ranging from opening apps and consuming multimedia, to image processing and taking pictures. The thing is, the iPhone 14 does perform better in the gaming department, especially when we’re talking about really graphically-intensive games. If you’re not a gamer, you don’t have to worry about anything, as both phones will serve you really well.
Google Pixel 6a vs Apple iPhone 14: Battery
A 4,410mAh battery sits inside the Pixel 6a. The iPhone 14, on the other hand, is equipped with a 3,279mAh battery pack. Do note that iPhones usually need less battery capacity to achieve the same results as Android phones, so this battery size difference shouldn’t surprise you. Both smartphones actually offer really good battery life. They are comparable in that regard, though the Pixel 6a may offer a bit more juice.
Getting 7 hours of screen-on-time is not a problem with either phone, and in some cases, you may be able to push them beyond that level, maybe even to 8 hours of screen-on-time. We managed to do it with the Pixel 6a a couple of times. That will largely depend on your usage, of course, so your mileage may vary significantly. There are a lot of factors included here, and we didn’t really game much during our usage.
When it comes to charging, neither phone is particularly fast. The Pixel 6a supports 18W wired charging only. The iPhone 14 supports 20W wired, 15W MagSafe wireless, and 7.5W Qi wireless charging. One thing to note is that neither phone comes with a charging brick in the box. You’ll need to buy one, if you don’t already own it.
Google Pixel 6a vs Apple iPhone 14: Cameras
The Google Pixel 6a includes a 12.2-megapixel main camera, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. The iPhone 14 features a 12-megapixel main camera, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. The ultrawide camera on the iPhone 14 has a wider FoV than the one on the Pixel 6a. Now, in terms of the actual camera performance, well, these two phones trade blows in the photography department.
Some pictures end up looking better on the Pixel 6a, and some on the iPhone 14. In fact, we prefer the Pixel 6a for photos mainly because of that contrasty Pixel look, and because it almost always does a great job. The iPhone 14 has a tendency to overblow the highlights in some shots, and it also overshapens the foliage. When it comes to video recording, however, the iPhone 14 wins, easily, it’s not even close.
Low light performance is excellent on both smartphones actually. The iPhone pictures look closer to real life, but if you like lighter shots in low light, the Pixel 6a is the way to go. Its images do look more pleasing to the eye, and chances are most people will prefer these over the iPhone low-light pictures. In any case, both phones do a really good job.
Audio
Both of these devices do include a set of stereo speakers. The sound is good from both of them, but the iPhone 14 does have an edge in that department. It seems to have a wider soundstage, and a bit more bass.
What you will not find on either phone is a 3.5mm headphone jack. You will need to use their charging ports for wired audio connections. The Pixel 6a has a Type-C USB port, while the iPhone 14 includes a Lightning port. If you prefer wireless audio. The Pixel 6a is equipped with Bluetooth 5.2, while the iPhone 14 comes with Bluetooth 5.3.