iPhone 17 vs. Pixel 10: Which phone has the better display, price, and specs?

If you need a new phone and don’t care that much about whether it runs iOS or Android, there are a couple of solid options for you right now.

Specifically, those would be the iPhone 17 and Google Pixel 10. The former was just revealed at a big announcement event, while the latter is already on store shelves. There’s plenty to like about both of these phones, so instead of wasting any more time, let’s jump right in.

iPhone 17 vs. Pixel 10: Price

Both the iPhone 17 and Pixel 10 start at $799. While it might not seem like it, that actually gives Apple the edge on price.

That’s because the base version of the iPhone 17 comes with 256GB of storage (which is still on the light side), while the base Pixel 10 comes with a measly 128GB. If you opt for the Pixel 10 with 256GB of storage, you’ll have to pay $899.

So, point Apple.

iPhone 17 vs. Pixel 10: Specs

Here are the iPhone 17’s basic specs:

• 6.3-inch display with 2622×1206 resolution and adaptive 120Hz refresh rate

• A19 chip

• 256GB/512GB storage

• Rear cameras: 48MP wide, 48MP ultrawide

• Front camera: 18MP

And here are the Pixel 10’s specs:

• 6.3-inch display with 2424×1080 resolution and adaptive 120Hz refresh rate

• Google Tensor G5 chip

• 128GB/256GB storage

• Rear cameras: 48MP wide, 13MP ultrawide, 10.8MP telephoto

• Front camera: 10.5MP

Okay, so what do all those numbers and abbreviations mean? There are actually major differences worth noting. Not only does Apple’s handset have higher base storage of 256GB, but it also goes up to 512GB. The Pixel 10 starts at 128GB and maxes out at 256GB. For two phones that cost the same amount of money, that’s a pretty big disparity.

Aside from that, Apple caught up with the Joneses this year by embracing a 120Hz refresh rate in the base iPhone 17’s display. In previous years, you needed to shell out for an iPhone Pro model to get that, while Google included it in the base Pixel phone. That’s not a disparity anymore, which is good for Apple.

The two phones also have different in-house chipsets and fairly different camera arrays, which we’ll get to in a little bit.

iPhone 17 vs. Pixel 10: Design

Left:
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Right:
Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

There really isn’t a lot to say in this category. Both the iPhone 17 and Pixel 10 look a lot like their 2024 predecessors. While the internet is extremely divided on the iPhone 17 Pro and its “cosmic orange” color, the iPhone 17 just looks like a regular ol’ iPhone. It carries forward the vertically stacked dual-camera bump on the phone’s backside, while the Pixel 10 maintains the Cyclops-looking horizontal camera bar that the Pixel 9 had.

You do get different color options with both phones, at least. The iPhone 17 comes in five hues: Lavender, Mist Blue, Black, White, and Sage. As for Pixel 10, here are your choices: Indigo, Frost, Lemongrass, and Obsidian. I’m a big proponent of the Pixel 10’s indigo color, but this ultimately is a matter of personal taste for everyone.

iPhone 17 vs. Pixel 10: Performance and battery

The new iPhone 17.
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Both the Pixel 10 and iPhone 17 use custom, in-house chipsets rather than third-party chips. For Apple, it’s the new A19 chip, while Google’s handset uses the Tensor G5 chip.

Since the iPhone 17 isn’t actually out yet, we can’t directly compare the Tensor 5 to the A19, though Apple usually has the edge when it comes to processors. I can say that the Pixel 10’s performance is totally fine, and if recent history is any indication, the same will be true of the iPhone 17. Processor performance is rarely an issue with Apple devices, and there’s no reason to believe it will start being one this year.

As for battery life, both phones are rated for about 30 hours on a single charge. The Pixel 10 almost got there in my testing, but we haven’t tested the iPhone 17 yet. It remains to be seen if there is a significant difference between these two phones when it comes to battery endurance.

iPhone 17 vs. Pixel 10: Cameras

1x zoom on Pixel 10.
Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

5x zoom on Pixel 10.
Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

Lastly, Google has one big advantage over Apple when it comes to cameras: A third telephoto lens.

Apple has never included this on any of its base iPhone models, instead making it a Pro feature. Google never had, either, until this year. The Pixel 10’s telephoto lens has up to 5x optical zoom, which produced pretty sharp results in my testing. You only get up to 2x optical zoom on iPhone 17, so that puts Apple at a sizable disadvantage.

That’s not to say Apple doesn’t have some numerical wins over Google this year, though. The main shooter on each phone is 48MP, but the iPhone 17’s ultrawide lens is 48MP, while the Pixel 10’s is just 13MP. Apple also has a cool new 18MP Center Stage selfie camera (versus 10.5MP on Pixel 10), and it sports a wider field of view so you can fit more people into selfies. We’ll have to wait until we can properly test this out to see if it really beats Google at the selfie game, but for now, it seems like it will.

So, if you take more selfies, iPhone has the advantage for now. If you like to zoom in, the Pixel has the edge.

Should you buy the iPhone 17 or Pixel 10?

Apple fans disappointed by this year’s iPhone launch event may be tempted to explore Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones for the first time. But the vast majority of people have a clear preference when it comes to the iOS or Android question. We’ll reserve judgment on this question until we’ve tested the iPhone 17. If you need more help in the meantime, check out our full Pixel 10 review.

Products featured in this guide:

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