A Google Pixel 7 Pro vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max showdown is in the works, with Google’s October 6 event just a few days away. That’s when Google will show off its latest phones, highlighted by the Pixel 7 Pro. And though Apple won’t be mentioned at the event, you have to think that its latest phones will be very much on Google’s mind.
After all, the iPhone 14 Pro Max currently sits atop our rankings of the best phones as well as the best camera phones. Google would very much like to knock Apple off its perch — especially when it comes to cameras — and the Pixel 7 Pro could be the phone to do that.
Google’s phone will have a high bar to clear thanks to the premium upgrades Apple made with the iPhone 14 Pro Max. This new phone brings an always-on display, a redefined notch called the Dynamic Island and a more powerful 48MP camera.
Rumors are rife on what we could expect to see on Google’s upcoming phone, with the Pixel 7 Pro likely to build upon the success of the Pixel 6 Pro. We already know that the new device is debuting with the new Tensor G2 chip, which should build upon the unique machine learning-powered experiences that made the Pixel 6 Pro one of the best Android phones.
Here’s how a Google Pixel 7 Pro vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max comparison is shaping up based on our time with Apple’s phones and what we’ve heard about Google’s handset. For a comparison of the two phone makers’ base models, check out our iPhone 14 vs Google Pixel 7 preview.
Google Pixel 7 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Release date and price
The Pixel 7 Pro is one of the many Google devices making its debut this Thursday (October 6); see our guide on how you can watch the Made by Google event live stream. We’re still not sure when the Pixel 7 Pro will go on sale, though Pixel 7 pre-orders being October 6.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max’s launch preceded the Google event by a month. However, you’re still in for a long wait for any of Apple’s Pro models as you can see on our iPhone 14 delivery dates page.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is one of the most expensive phones, with its 128GB base model starting at $1,099. That figures to be much higher than the Pixel 7 Pro’s price.
According to one leaker (opens in new tab), Google is likely to keep the same $899 price as last year’s Pro model. That would mean a gap of $200 between the phones, giving the Pixel 7 Pro quite an advantage over the best iPhone.
Google Pixel 7 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Specs
| Rumored Pixel 7 Pro specs | iPhone 14 Pro Max specs | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.7 inches OLED, 120Hz | 6.7 inches OLED, 120Hz |
| Chip | Tensor G2 | A16 Bionic |
| RAM | 12GB | 6GB |
| Storage | 128GB. 256GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Battery size | 5,000 mAh | 4,323 mAh |
| Charging | 30W fast charging | 20W wired |
| Rear cameras | 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 48MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom | 48MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom |
| Front camera | 11MP | 12MP |
Google Pixel 7 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Design
Pixels and iPhones have different design languages, which will surely be on display again in the Pixel 7 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Both are large phones towering over some of the other flagships with their 6.7-inch displays. But neither one really brings drastic design upgrades from their predecessors.
Apple stuck with a triangular arrangement of the camera lenses on the back for the iPhone 14 Pro Max. The phone itself is flat-sided and is slightly thicker and heavier than the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
One major change this time is that Apple has done away with the display’s notch for a more fluid Dynamic Island. It’s basically a pill-shaped camera cutout that houses the selfie camera and sensors but can also be used as a hub for notifications and on-going app activities.
What’s missing from the iPhone 14 Pro Max design this time is a physical SIM slot. Apple removed that on US iPhone models in a bid to push users toward eSIMs.
It’s not a mystery as to what the Pixel 7 Pro will look like. Google gave us a glimpse at the Pixel 7 series during its Google I/O 2022 event. The overhauled design from the Pixel 6 returns, with a horizontal camera bar stretching across the back of the phone. This time, that bar will use aluminum and include slightly more prominent camera lenses on the back. Unlike the iPhone 14 Pro Max, the Pixel 7 is expected to retain a physical SIM slot.
A hands-on with some Pixel 7 prototypes suggests that the Pro could be similar in size and weight to the Pixel 6 Pro. It might be slightly wider with its dimensions, but that will hardly be noticeable to the naked eye.
From the front, it seems like Google’s new phone will not be as curved as the Pixel 6 Pro, but that’s based on a couple leaked photos, and not an official feature.
Google is going with some conservative colors for the Pixel 7 Pro — Obsidian, Hazel, and Snow. The iPhone 14 Pro Max comes in deep purple that really pops on the phone along with silver, gold, and space black options.
Google Pixel 7 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Display
One big Google Pixel 7 Pro vs. iPhone 14 similarity involves their screen size. The iPhone 14 Pro Max has a large 6.7-inch display and the Pixel 7 Pro is also expected to get the same sized panel, if the Pixel 6 Pro’s screen is anything to go by. Since that older Google phone had an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, you’d imagine the feature will return on the Pixel 7 Pro. If so, it’d match the ProMotion display the iPhone 14 Pro Max features.
Apple has brought the ability to scale down its phone’s display refresh rate all the way down to 1Hz on the iPhone 14 Pro Max. That helps support a new always-on display feature that includes lock screen widgets on a lower brightness level. Pixels have had an always-on display for some time now.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max has a Super Retina XDR display that is vivid and bright — it can go up to 2,000 nits of brightness in sunlight. We’re going to have to wait for Google’s reveal to find out how the Pixel 7 Pro compares.
Google Pixel 7 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Cameras
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is the best camera phone you can buy right now, and the upgrades Apple made for this year’s phone is a big reason why. After years of sticking with 12MP cameras, Apple bumped the main lens on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max lens to a 48MP sensor. The Pixel 6 Pro uses a 50MP main camera, and the Pixel 7 Pro isn’t expected to change that, so a fascinating camera face-off is in the works.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max takes stunning photos especially on the ProRAW mode that shoots in 48MP resolution and captures a lot of detail. Apple has focussed on improving low light shots with the iPhone 14 series.
In addition to sticking with the Pixel 6 Pro’s 50MP main camera, the other lenses — 12MP ultrawide and 48MP telephoto — are rumored to be remaining the same as well on the Pixel 7 Pro.
A new leak points to the fact that the Google Pixel 7 Pro could take on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max cameras with possibly better zoom levels. The 7 Pro could get a more powerful 5x telephoto lens, instead of 4x that we saw on the 6 Pro, with a maximum of 30x magnification when accounting for both optical and digital zoom. This makes the 3x telephoto zoom lens (and a 15x digital zoom max) on the iPhone 14 Pro Max pale in comparison.
There could be two new modes that we see on the Pixel 7 Pro according to the same rumor — Cinematic Blur and Macro Focus. Cinematic Blur could probably have a portrait mode-style effect but for video, while Macro Focus (which is tipped to only come on the Pro model) could let us take close-ups with the ultrawide camera.
Comparatively, the iPhone 14 Pro Max comes with an impressive Action Mode that stabilizes videos taken on-the-go and Cinematic Mode can now capture video at 4K resolution.
The selfie shooter on the Pixel 7 Pro could be the same as the 6 Pro — 11MP. The iPhone 14 Pro Max has a 12MP front camera, but Apple added autofocus to the front lens, which also benefits from a wider aperture to let in more light.
Google Pixel 7 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Performance
Google introduced its new Tensor silicon last year, bringing more machine learning-powered experiences to its devices. Now the Pixel 7 Pro will be powered by the second gen Tensor chip that’s expected to deliver new and improved capabilities. We will have to see how it measures up against Apple’s A16 Bionic chip that powers the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
The original Tensor couldn’t keep pace with the performance of the A15 Bionic chip found in the iPhone 13 Pro Max. You wouldn’t imagine the Tensor G2 is going to close that gap given the improvements we saw when we recorded A16 Bionic benchmarks.
Google Pixel 7 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Battery life and charging
The iPhone 14 Pro Max has proven itself to have a long battery life in our testing. It averaged at an impressive 13 hours and 39 minutes and earned the second best spot in our best phone battery life list. However, the iPhone only packs in a 20W fast charge, leaving some room for Google to catch up on that front.
The Pixel 6 Pro offered a 5,000 mAh battery and while there are no rumors on the battery of the upcoming Pixel 7 Pro, we assume the new flagship will stick to that size for its power pack. The Pixel 6 Pro did not impress with its battery life but hopefully the new capabilities from the Tensor G2 chip will improve that on the 7 Pro.
Charging on the Pixel 6 Pro was also capped at 23W so hopefully rumors of true 30W charging on this year’s Google flagship prove to be true.
Google Pixel 7 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Software and special features
Apple and Google are as different as chalk and cheese with their mobile software. Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max runs on the new iOS 16 which brings customizable lock screens, editing and deleting options for your iMessage texts, battery percentage icon, among many other features.
The Pixel 7 Pro on the other hand, will come preloaded with Android 13, which will bring customization options for the software’s Material You design, a new Now Playing widget for the lock screen, editable copy/paste text and other privacy features.
Like its predecessor, the Pixel 7 Pro could get a whole host of some fun software features courtesy of the Tensor chipset. The Pixel 6 Pro introduced us to smart tools like Magic Eraser, which easily removed unwanted objects from an image. The original Tensor silicon also enabled on-the-go translation features with Live Translate, real-time voice typing and a Wait Times function that lets you know how long you have to wait for a customer representative to pick up your call.
Google Pixel 7 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Outlook
Apple’s most powerful flagship, the iPhone 14 Pro Max, is easily also one of the most capable phones you can buy right now. With an A16 Bionic chip and a 48MP camera and an eye catching Dynamic Island feature, the iPhone 14 Pro Max represents a significant improvement over its predecessor. And earlier iPhones were already impressive in their own right.
Can the Google Pixel 7 Pro compete with that? It all depends on the cameras and those software smarts enabled by the Tensor G2. Moreover, if the Pixel 7 Pro does cost $200 less than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, it might offer real value.
We will know very soon how this comparison plays out once the Pixel 7 series is launched and we have a chance to complete our Google Pixel 7 Pro vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max testing.
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