The latest Pixel phone is shipping real soon and we’re curious to see how it stacks up against its main rival: the iPhone 8. Will it have a better shot at shaking up the competition? For a first-generation model, the original Pixel phones mightily impressed. It couldn’t handily beat the iPhone 7 at its game, but it got consumers excited for what its future holds. A year later and both Apple and Google unveil the next iteration of their respective flagship devices. And if you’re in the market for the best smartphones that don’t overwhelm your hands with their sheer size, you’ll probably be torn between the iPhone 8 or Pixel 2.
The million-dollar question: which one should you buy?
Comparing Specifications
We’ll begin with the tale of the tape, where it’s clear that the contest is anyone’s ballgame.
| Pixel 2 | iPhone 8 | |
| Weight | 143g | 148g |
| Dimensions | 145.7 x 69.7 x 7.8mm | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm |
| Display | 5-in. AMOLED Full HD display 1920 x 1080 | 4.7-in., 1334×750 IPS panel, True Tone & Wide Colour display, 326ppi |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 | A11 Bionic |
| GPU | Adreno 540 | Custom design included in A11 Bionic |
| Memory | 4GB RAM | 2GB RAM |
| Storage | 64/128GB | 64/256GB |
| MicroSD Support | None | None |
| Camera | 8Mp, f/2.4 (front) + 12Mp, f/1.8 with OIS (main) | 7Mp, f/2.2 (front) + 12Mp, f/1.8 with OIS |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 + LE | 5 |
| 3.5mm Headphone Jack | None | None |
| Battery | 2700mAh | 1,821mAh with wireless charging |
| Water Resistance | IP67 | IP67 |
| Operating System | Android 8.0 | iOS 11 |
| Connectors | USB-C | Lightning |
There are already telltale differences just looking at the Pixel 2 and iPhone 8’s specs. So we go to the cards and see which flagship phone wins in key departments.
Design
You really don’t need a keen eye to see that both Pixel 2 and iPhone 8 haven’t changed all that much from last year. Both don’t deviate far from the plain aesthetics of their predecessors.
Flip the phones, though, and that’s when you see the difference. The Pixel 2 rocks a two-tone effect with a sleek glass cutout on top. Meanwhile, the iPhone 8 has gone back to a full glass back that gives it a nice feel. It lets the Apple smartphone do wireless charging, too.
To be honest, neither phone has that kind of appeal to make you do a double take. Between the two, though, people might not like the fact that the Pixel 2’s screen size shrank in favor of fuller bezels. That’s a step backward right there.
Winner: iPhone 8
Battery
On paper, the Pixel 2 leads by quite a large margin in the category of battery capacity. The Google handset sports a 2,700mAh battery while its Apple counterpart lugs around a paltry 1,821mAh.
Keep in mind, though, that those are just figures. What matters more is how each phone uses their respective power capacity in real-time. On that regard, we’ve still got to see both phones in action to get a better picture on which model has the stamina to keep you company longer.
It’s safe to assume that the Pixel 2 gets a better head start in this area, though.
Winner: Pixel 2
Display
The iPhone 8 comes with a 4.7-inch LCD screen (with 750p resolution) and the Pixel 2 rolls with the 5-inch AMOLED display (with 1080p resolution). Sadly, both phones haven’t made any significant strides forward in this aspect.
Despite the lack of improvements, the iPhone 8 falls a little flat in terms of resolution. It may come with the new True Tone feature you only see on iPad Pros, but the screen running at a lower resolution is an unacceptable compromise for a mid-range flagship of its caliber. The Pixel 2, on the other hand, wins this round despite going for a 1080p display instead of the Quad HD panel you see on other pricey Android flagships.
The Google smartphone’s screen looks pretty sharp and boasts of great contrast. It’s just visibly better than the one you’ll find on the iPhone 8.
Winner: Pixel 2
Performance
Although the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 on the Pixel 2 may be the top of its class among Android processors, it doesn’t hold a candle to iPhone 8’s Apple A11 Bionic chip. The latter just has a leg up, which is evident when you see the benchmark tests between these two processors.
Looking at Geekbench 4 scores, you’ll see the A11 Bionic chip easily blowing the competition out of the water. The Snapdragon 835 earns a respectable 1781 for single-core performance and 5983 for multi-core operations. In comparison, the A11 Bionic processor manages to log 4202 in single-core and 9990 in multi-core tests. It’s no surprise that most tech experts say the iPhones always have a leg up when it comes to raw processor power.
Benchmark tests are simply a part of the equation, however. Real-world performance matters just as much and it’s logical to think that Android 8.0 Oreo is equally responsive and snappy as iOS 11. Casual users probably won’t see much of a difference, but the iPhone 8 may be better equipped to take on more demanding workloads.
Winner: iPhone 8
Camera
Pixel phones got people buzzing last year by claiming that the handset owns one of the world’s best smartphone cameras. This isn’t an empty boast by Google, though. With the Pixel 2, the search engine giant delivers on the same promise despite not hopping aboard the dual-camera trend.
Hardware-wise, the Pixel 2 snaps photos with just one primary camera (a 12MP, f/1.8 shooter with optical and electronic image stabilizers, laser autofocus, and phase detection) on the back. The said sensor is more than capable of taking multiple shots and stitching them all together into one, seamless end product, though. Google matches this capable shooter with stellar software algorithm so even indoor snapshots look amazing.
As for the iPhone 8, its main snapper is just as formidable. It shoots with a 12MP, f/1.8 back camera with optical image stabilization and an upgraded sensor. Sadly, the iPhone 8 Plus has more camera tricks up its sleeves and its smaller sibling is simply a pure point-and-shoot kind.
The camera on the iPhone 8 may not be a slouch in an everyday setting, but the Pixel 2’s more refined setup handily wins this one.
Winner: Pixel 2
Software
An updated iMessage, a streamlined Control Panel, and a new App Store—the iOS 11 is well-defined user interface, no doubt. On the other hand, Android 8.0 Oreo is just as beautiful and well thought-out for a mobile platform.
A plus for the Google’s side is the fact that Google Assistant has vastly improved over the years. Simply squeeze the Pixel 2 and the Assistant pops ready to listen to you. Then there’s the Google Lens feature that lets you point the camera at an object and the Google AI will automatically search the Web for similar items.
While iOS is a solid mobile operating system (OS) in itself, Android is catching up fast. The likely deciding factor, in this case, would be a user’s familiarity with a particular ecosystem.
Winner: Draw
Price
The Google Pixel 2 will take you back $649 (64GB memory) and $749 (128GB model). The iPhone 8, meanwhile, will cost you $699 (64GB) and $849 (256GB).
With nearly identical price tags and well-balanced specs, it’s hard to say which of the two smartphones may be a better investment. It’ll likely boil down to personal preference.
Winner: Pixel 2
Verdict: Too Close to Call
The Google Pixel 2 has better display and camera, but the iPhone 8 is an absolute beast in terms of its processor. Even if the Pixel 2 sports superior specs in several departments, you can’t count the iPhone 8 out because of its unparalleled inner workings.
Long story short: it’s a really tough call. Picking one over the other, in fact, may solely depend on one’s preference. Either way, you’ll have little regret getting either as they’re both equally impressive machines.
Conclusion
Bigger is better when you’re getting a smartphone this year, sure. For folks with average-sized hands and pockets, though, it may still be a toss between the iPhone 8 and Pixel 2. Hopefully, this quick face-off will make it easier for you to choose which flagship phone to get.