In benchmark tests, Google Pixel lags far behind the iPhone 7. Google’s flagship smartphone scored 1565 points in single-core tests on Geekbench compared to the iPhone 7’s single-core score of 3449. On multi-core tests, Google Pixel scored 4103, again lagging behind the new iPhone’s 5590 points. But benchmark results don’t always reflect the real-life performance of smartphones.
Google Pixel holds its ground against the iPhone 7 Plus
Apple has a tight control over both the hardware and software of the iPhones, which helps it design top-performing devices. Google has done the same thing with Pixel to optimize the mobile experience. In terms of raw specs, Pixel is one of the best Android phones out there, and it is powered by Google’s own Android operating system. So, how do the two devices compare in real-world performance?
YouTube channel SuperSaf TV posted a video comparing the performance of Google Pixel and the iPhone 7 Plus. You may wonder why they chose to compare Pixel against the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus rather than the 4.7-inch iPhone 7. It’s because Pixel and iPhone 7 Plus both have the same screen resolution of 1080p, and that’s how SuperSaf TV could level the playing field.
In the roughly 8-minute long video, the narrator opens the same apps on both devices and in order, to see how quickly they load. Google Pixel held its ground and came pretty close to the iPhone 7 Plus when opening simple apps. But the iPhone 7 Plus is clearly ahead of Pixel when loading more complex apps like games. It does show that Google has built an incredibly powerful device.
Google Pixel more difficult to repair than iPhone 7
Separately, a teardown by iFixit revealed that Google Pixel is more difficult to repair than the iPhone 7. After tearing open Google’s smartphone, experts at iFixit gave it a repairability score of 6 out of 10. iFixit is well known for tearing down latest gadgets, and ranking them based on how easy it would be to repair them. The iPhone 7 Plus had received a repairability score of 7 out of 10.
The teardown also reveals the components used inside smartphones. Experts at iFixit point out that Google Pixel has several modular components that can be removed easily after you have taken out the display assembly. Removing its battery is also “painless,” thanks to a “removal tab.” However, Pixel’s “thin, poorly-supported display assembly” makes it extremely difficult to open up the device without causing some damage.
Removing Pixel’s midframe is also not easy. The teardown revealed that Pixel uses UFS 2.0 as well as RAM supplied by Samsung. Google Pixel costs $769 for 32GB model. It comes with a 2770mAh battery, an 8-megapixel front camera, and a 12.3MP main camera with OIS and dual-LED flash.
