Google Pixel 4 XL vs Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max - Apples vs Oh So Oranges - Android

Let’s be honest, the Pixel 4 XL might be an Android device, but it doesn’t quite feel like a direct competitor to its Android-powered brethren. With an emphasis on simplicity and camera performance over bells and whistles, the Pixel line feels a lot like an Android iPhone.

I’ve been using the Pixel 4 XL for about two weeks now. I also reviewed the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro Max earlier this year. There are some pretty clear similarities, but also some crucial differences beyond just the OS these devices run.

How do the Pixel 4 XL and the iPhone 11 Pro Max compare? Let’s jump in and take a look. 

A lesson in minimalism: two different approaches with the same goal

Both Apple and Google strive for simple yet refined phone designs. While their overall design languages have clear differences, the Pixel family has always given off somewhat of an iPhone-like vibe. This remains true with the Pixel 4 XL, at least on the rear.

Both phones feature a camera setup in square housings with rounded edges, though the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s cameras stick out both literally and figuratively. Pixel has taken a more subtle approach, as the camera lenses and sensors blend into the black color of the housing.

This year Google ditched its two-tone design pattern on the rear, leaving a more minimal rear that looks pretty similar to the iPhone 11 Pro Max (save for the obvious difference in logos.)

Turning over the handset you’ll find Apple and Google are taking very different approaches here. While the iPhone 11 Pro Max features its infamous notch, the Pixel 4 XL moves away from notches this year. Instead Google has a larger bezel area on top that houses its camera and the new Soli sensor (which we’ll discuss later.)

I don’t feel like this solution looks much better than the notch, but it doesn’t look worse either. If you hated the notch, you might appreciate the change.

Probably my favorite design element on the Pixel 4 XL is the black aluminum frame. I just love the way it looks — especially in the Oh So Orange color.

Oh So Orange is my personal favorite, and the one I’m rocking.

If you like lighter phones, the iPhone 11 Pro Max might disappoint at 8 ounces, though the Pixel 4 XL isn’t much lighter at 6.8 ounces. I think both phones feel great, but the new black sides on the Pixel 4 XL makes it a bit grippier. On the rear the iPhone and Pixel both have a matte covering, unless you get the Clearly Black configuration of the Pixel 4 XL (it’s glossy.)

At the end of the day, I prefer the Pixel 4 XL’s design. For me, it comes down to three reasons:

• The black sides on the Pixel 4 XL stand out in a good way.
• The iPhone 11 Pro Max has really boring professional colors, whereas the Oh So Orange helps this phone feel different from the pack.
• While I got used to the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s camera design, the Pixel 4 XL does a better job of helping it blend in. That said, neither camera design is particularly beautiful.

Objectively, the iPhone 11 Pro Max *might* be slightly more durable thanks to the stainless steel frame. Both phones have the same IP68 certification, though Apple claims the iPhone can handle a depth of 4 meters vs the Pixel’s 1.5 meters.

Google one-ups Apple in the display game, but just barely

Both phones have big displays, though the iPhone 11 Pro Max is slightly larger at 6.5-inches, versus the 6.3-inch display found on the Pixel 4 XL.

Apple and Google both utilize OLED technology, so you get deep black and vibrant colors. The Pixel wins in resolution, at 3,040 x 1,440 vs 2,688 x 1,242. In reality, both screens look pretty sharp and you won’t necessarily immediately notice the difference.

The Pixel 4 XL offers a 90Hz variable refresh rate, as opposed to the iPhone’s 60Hz display. A variable display means it intelligently bumps up from 60Hz to 90Hz in supported apps and games. The end result is a smoother, snappier experience in some situations (such as games.)

To Apple’s credit, the iPhone 11 Pro Max is the better phone for outdoor use, with a pretty much unrivaled screen brightness. The Pixel 4 XL is much dimmer, though I still found it reasonably easy to use outdoors unless directly in sunlight.

Ultimately the Pixel 4 XL has a better display, but the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s display is no slouch either.

Performance

iPhones are faster than Android devices, doesn’t matter how you slice it. When an OS has to support dozens of phones and countless drivers, it’s going to have optimization issues. We’ve seen it with Windows versus Mac OS, and the same applies when comparing Android to iOS.

Both handsets feature high-end silicon, with the iPhone offering the new A13 Bionic and the Pixel 4 XL turning to the Snapdragon 855. Looking at benchmarks alone, it’s pretty obvious that Apple knows how to make its hardware and software play nicely together. The iPhone 11 Pro Max scores a 3,478 on Geekbench 5, while the Pixel 4 XL has a more modest 2,300. The Pixel 4 XL also scored slightly less than the iPhone 11 Pro Max on 3DMark’s Sling Shot test, scoring 4,769 vs the iPhone’s score of 5,404.

While performance might not be as good by the numbers, AI is one area the Pixel 4 XL excels. The Pixel 4 XL also has its own secret weapon of sorts: the Pixel Neural Core. You can read more about what it does here, but essentially this core allows for improved AI performance. This opens the door to real-time image editing, offline speech transcription, and more.

In real world scenarios like opening apps and playing games, both phones offer a very similar experience. Where the iPhone wins is in processor intensive tasks like video rendering.

Overall the iPhone is faster and offers better performance, but you probably won’t notice the difference in day to day use. Both phones are extremely speedy.

Hardware, biometrics, and the Soli Sensor

Neither phone offers extras like microSD and both ship with 64GB base storage. In 2019 this is less than puny, especially when pretty much every other phone on the market starts at a base of 128 or even 256GB of storage.

We already mentioned that the Pixel 4 XL and iPhone 11 Pro Max are without fingerprint scanners. Instead the phones utilize face unlock technology as their only means of biometric security. While the methods are mostly similar, the Pixel 4 XL has had some weird controversy around the fact it will unlock even if your eyes are closed (though Google is working to address this.) On the bright side, Google’s unlock technology is faster than Apple’s and honestly impressively accurate. I had many situations where the iPhone 11 Pro Max failed to recognize me but this has been a pretty rare occurrence with the Pixel 4 XL.

The secret behind the Pixel 4 XL’s speedy face unlock technology is Google’s new Soli radar chip. The radar senses you’re getting ready to reach for it and prepares to scan even before you actually bring it up to your face. Soli also enables Google’s new Motion Sense features, which are basically new hands-free gestures such as swiping to change songs or to stop an alarm.

Soli isn’t a much-have feature but it does have a lot of potential. Google has promised more functionality over time and that includes the potential to open it up to third-party developers. To read more about Soli and the rest of its features, head here.

The Pixel 4 XL has pretty awful battery life, especially compared to the iPhone 11 Pro Max

Historically iPhones haven’t had the best battery life, and neither has the Pixel series. The iPhone 11 Pro Max addresses battery life concerns in a big way, packing in a 3,969mAh battery that — when combined with Apple’s great software/hardware optimizations — easily can make it through two days of use without skipping a beat.

During my time reviewing the iPhone 11 Pro Max I easily could make it to 7 hours of screen-on or more. In fact, when playing around with a video loop test I achieved 13 hours of screen-on time. While the latter wasn’t necessarily a realistic use case, the point is the Pro Max has more than enough juice even for heavy users.

Battery life is one of the iPhone 11 Pro's key strengths.. and the Pixel 4 XL's biggest weakness.

Unfortunately, this is one lesson Google didn’t learn this year. Despite the criticism of Pixel 3 family, the Pixel 4 XL did nothing to improve its battery situation. While the Pixel 4 is significantly worse off, the Pixel 4 XL isn’t exactly a battery champion either. It’s 3,700mAh battery just isn’t big enough for a device of this size.

I typically get up around 6am each day and take my phone off the charger. By the end of my workday the phone typically needs charging and rarely makes it all the way to bedtime without needing a top off. For most users, the Pixel 4 XL will make it through a workday, but if you’re going to be away from an outlet for most of the day, bring a power bank with you.

The good news for the Pixel 4 XL is that it charges reasonably fast, though there are faster charging devices out there. The 18-watt charger can go from 0 to 42 percent in about 30 minutes. This was fairly similar to my experience with the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s quick charger, though I’d say the iPhone 11 Pro Max was maybe a hair faster.

Both the Pixel 4 XL and the iPhone 11 Pro Max offer wireless charging as well, if that’s your thing.

Near-even camera performance, at least when it comes to photos