Google Pixel 7 Pro Vs iPhone 13

Google Pixel 7 Pro
Google Pixel 7 Pro
Starting at

Refurbished price:£169.75

Versus £899.99 new

See options
iPhone 13
iPhone 13
Starting at

Refurbished price:£204.00

Versus £599.00 new

See options

Ratings

The Google Pixel 7 Pro, released in October 2022, and the iPhone 13, launched in September 2021, represent distinct approaches to the premium smartphone experience. While the Pixel 7 Pro operates on the Android platform with a focus on advanced computational photography and a larger, high-refresh-rate display, the iPhone 13 runs on Apple's iOS, offering a streamlined user experience and robust ecosystem. These devices cater to users with differing preferences for operating systems and feature priorities.

Scores

Durability

When considering the long-term usability of these devices, their release timelines and software support policies are key factors.

  • Release Timeline: The iPhone 13 was released in September 2021, making it approximately one year older than the Google Pixel 7 Pro, which launched in October 2022. This difference in age can influence the duration of future software support.
  • Software Longevity: The Google Pixel 7 Pro is guaranteed to receive three generations of Android OS updates and five years of security updates, extending its support until at least October 2025 for OS and October 2027 for security. The iPhone 13 typically receives iOS updates for approximately five to six years from its release, offering a comparable, if not slightly longer, period of major OS updates.
  • Repairability: Both devices present moderate repairability challenges. The Google Pixel 7 Pro received a repairability score of 5.5 out of 10, with screen replacements being relatively straightforward but battery removal proving difficult due to strong adhesive, and the charging port being soldered to the motherboard. The iPhone 13 also scored 5.5 out of 10, featuring modular components but initially facing issues with Face ID after screen replacements, which was later addressed by a software update.

Year of Release

2022

2021

Compatible with latest Update

Yes

Yes

OS

Android

iOS

Foldable

No

No

Performance

Both smartphones deliver capable performance for daily tasks, but they differ in their underlying architecture and how they handle demanding applications.

  • Everyday Responsiveness: The iPhone 13, powered by its efficient system-on-a-chip, provides a consistently smooth and responsive experience for general navigation, app launching, and light multitasking. The Google Pixel 7 Pro, with its advanced processor, also handles everyday operations with fluidity, excelling in tasks that leverage its machine learning capabilities.
  • Demanding Applications: For more intensive use, such as graphic-heavy gaming or complex video editing, the Pixel 7 Pro's processor is designed to manage demanding apps and multitasking smoothly, supported by its larger RAM capacity. The iPhone 13 also performs well in these scenarios, offering robust performance for a wide range of applications.
  • Storage and Multitasking: The Google Pixel 7 Pro typically comes with 12GB of RAM, which provides ample headroom for extensive multitasking and keeping many applications open in the background without slowdowns. The iPhone 13 usually features 4GB of RAM, which is optimized by iOS to manage applications effectively, though users who frequently switch between a large number of heavy apps might notice a difference. Both devices offer storage options up to 512GB, with the iPhone 13 also having a 128GB and 256GB option.

Memory (GB)

12 GB

4 GB

Screen quality

The visual experience on both devices is vibrant, though they employ different display technologies and specifications.

  • Display Technology and Clarity: The Google Pixel 7 Pro features a 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a resolution of 1440x3120 pixels, resulting in a sharp and detailed image. The iPhone 13 sports a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a resolution of 1170x2532 pixels. Both OLED technologies deliver deep blacks and vibrant colors, enhancing the viewing experience.
  • Refresh Rate and Smoothness: A key difference lies in the refresh rate. The Pixel 7 Pro offers an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, allowing for smoother scrolling and more fluid animations, which can dynamically adjust down to 10Hz to conserve battery. The iPhone 13 has a standard 60Hz refresh rate, providing a consistent but less fluid visual experience compared to higher refresh rate displays.
  • Brightness and Outdoor Visibility: The Pixel 7 Pro can reach a peak brightness of 1500 nits, ensuring good visibility even in bright outdoor conditions. The iPhone 13 offers a typical maximum brightness of 800 nits and a peak HDR brightness of 1200 nits, which is also sufficient for most outdoor viewing scenarios.

Resolution

1440 x 3120

1170 x 2532

Screen type

LTPO AMOLED

Super Retina XDR OLED

Audiovisual

Both smartphones offer advanced camera systems, but with different strengths and capabilities.

  • Rear Camera Systems: The Google Pixel 7 Pro features a versatile triple-camera setup, including a 50MP wide lens, a 48MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom (and up to 30x Super Res Zoom), and a 12MP ultrawide lens that also supports macro photography. The iPhone 13 has a dual-camera system, comprising a 12MP wide camera with sensor-shift optical image stabilization and a 12MP ultrawide camera with a 120-degree field of view. The Pixel 7 Pro offers greater zoom capabilities due to its dedicated telephoto lens.
  • Photography Performance: The Pixel 7 Pro is praised for its excellent low-light performance, detailed images, and smart imaging tools, producing natural-looking photos with vibrant colors. The iPhone 13 also delivers strong photography performance, particularly in good lighting, with improved low-light capabilities over its predecessor and features like Photographic Styles for personalized image looks.
  • Video Recording and Audio: Both devices offer high-quality video recording, with the Pixel 7 Pro capable of 4K at 60 frames per second and the iPhone 13 supporting HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60 frames per second. The iPhone 13 introduced Cinematic Mode, which allows for a shallow depth of field effect in videos. Both phones provide good microphone quality for calls and recording, and stereo speakers for media consumption.

Main camera

50 megapixels

12 megapixels

Front camera

10.8 megapixels

12 megapixels

Miscellaneous

Beyond core features, several practical elements differentiate the user experience of these two devices.

  • Connectivity and Ports: Both the Google Pixel 7 Pro and iPhone 13 support 5G connectivity for fast mobile data. The Pixel 7 Pro uses a USB-C port for charging and data transfer, while the iPhone 13 utilizes Apple's proprietary Lightning port. The Pixel 7 Pro supports Wi-Fi 6e, offering potentially faster and more stable wireless connections than the iPhone 13's Wi-Fi 6.
  • Biometric Security: The Pixel 7 Pro features an under-display optical fingerprint scanner for secure unlocking, alongside face recognition. The iPhone 13 relies solely on Face ID for biometric authentication.
  • Physical Design and Durability: The Pixel 7 Pro has dimensions of 162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9 mm and weighs 212 grams, featuring a glass front and back with an aluminum frame. The iPhone 13 is more compact at 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65 mm and lighter at 173 grams, also with a glass front and back, and an aluminum frame. Both devices carry an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.

Weight

212 g

173 g

Screen size (in)

6.7

6.1

Mobile network

5G

5G

SIM card

Physical SIM + eSIM

Physical SIM + eSIM

Carrier compatibility

Unlocked

Unlocked

User feedback for the Google Pixel 7 Pro often highlights its exceptional camera capabilities, particularly its zoom and low-light performance, as well as its clean Android experience and useful AI features. Some common criticisms include its battery life not always being best-in-class for heavy users and its charging speed being slower compared to some competitors. The iPhone 13 is frequently praised for its reliable performance, improved battery life over previous models, and its enhanced camera system with features like Cinematic Mode. Users sometimes note its 60Hz display as a point of comparison with devices offering higher refresh rates, and the absence of a telephoto lens.

Users prioritizing a larger display with a high refresh rate, advanced zoom photography, and a customizable Android experience with Google's AI integrations may find the Google Pixel 7 Pro well-suited to their needs. Conversely, individuals who value a compact design, a highly optimized and secure iOS ecosystem, consistent performance, and strong video capabilities might lean towards the iPhone 13. Both devices offer robust performance and features, making the choice largely dependent on individual preferences for operating system and specific functionalities. For those looking for a more sustainable choice, both models are available as quality-assured refurbished options.

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