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The iPhone 16e was recently launched a few weeks back and is still a hot topic. It's surpassed the affordable range and is now being sold in the mid-range category, so it'd be interesting to see how it holds up against a smartphone in the same range. For this comparison, we've chosen the Google Pixel 8a and we'll be comparing the two phones based on their performance, features, camera, and more.
Despite having a small price difference, both phones share quite a few specs. However, they are completely different phones upon comparison. In this article, we'll be comparing the Google Pixel 8a and the iPhone 16e and discuss which is the better smartphone to buy in 2025.
Note: This article is subjective.
Google Pixel 8a vs iPhone 16e: Specs and features
The Pixel 8a and the new iPhone 16e are both very impressive smartphones in the mid-range category. They're both high-performance smartphones with good displays, cameras, and decent battery life.
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Both the Google Pixel 8a and the iPhone 16e feature a 6.1-inch display. The Pixel 8a has a standard OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, whereas the iPhone 16e has a Super Retina XDR OLED screen with a 60Hz refresh rate. Despite having a lower refresh rate, the iPhone exceeds the Pixel in terms of vibrance and display clarity.
Here's a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two phones:
Performance
Processor-wise, both devices have great chips. The Pixel 8a comes with the Google Tensor G3 processor, which is pretty decent for multitasking and gaming. It features more cores compared to Apple's chip, which makes it faster on paper. The iPhone 16e, however, features the A18 Bionic chip which beats the former when it comes to efficiency, gaming performance, and battery life.
While Pixel's Tensor G3 is fast, it is not as smooth as Apple's A18 chipset, which lets you use your phone with buttery smooth performance. Thus, Apple beats the Pixel when it comes to multitasking.
In terms of gaming, both the Pixel 8a and iPhone 16e are solid options. The Pixel runs most Android games at relatively high settings without any issues with performance. Both phones feature 8GB RAM, which helps with the smooth handling of tasks and workloads, whether productivity or gaming.
The iPhone, on the other hand, runs the games well and also comes with a more impressive game library. As of this writing, iOS is the only mobile platform that supports Assassin's Creed: Mirage, giving it a slight upper hand.
Moreover, when it comes to mobile, certain games like the Resident Evil 4 Remake, Final Fantasy VII, and titles from the Castlevania series are exclusives on the iOS platform.
Battery life
The Pixel 8a features a 4492 mAh battery, providing an average of 7 hours of gaming, and 10-12 hours of light use. The iPhone 16e features a 4005 mAh battery, providing an average run time of 12-14 hours of light use. Apple also claims the 16e to last up to 22 hours of video playback.
Pricing
The Google Pixel 8a starts at $499 for the 128GB variant and $559 for the 256GB variant. This exactly puts it in the mid-range category, right between a budget smartphone and a flagship.
The iPhone 16e, on the other hand, starts at $599 for the 128GB variant and goes up to $899 for the 512GB model. This brings it to the upper mid-range category, making it slightly more expensive than contemporary options.
Google Pixel 8a vs iPhone 16e: Which one has the better camera?
The Pixel 8a has a dual camera setup, featuring a 64MP main camera along with a 13MP ultrawide lens. On the front, you get a 13MP camera that shoots up to 4K video. The rear camera too, excels at 4K video, shooting at up to 60fps. The coloration on the Pixel is what gives it the upper hand, as images and videos are a lot more rich and lively.
The iPhone 16e, on the other hand, features a single 48MP camera. It features a 12MP front camera, which is also capable of shooting up to 4K video. The rear camera of the iPhone shoots up to 4K video at up to 60fps and offers incredible clarity.
Based on the samples we've seen, we notice that pictures shot on both phones look super clean, with no unnecessary AI add-ons that increase contrast or saturation. These typically make the photo look unnatural, and luckily, neither of these phones does that.
Pictures on both mobiles have great clarity, with the Pixel having the upper hand in this case. The 64MP sensor on the 8a does shine and beats the 48MP sensor on the 16e. Pictures shot on the Pixel also have greater color depth and look a lot more vibrant compared to those of the iPhone, which tend to look slightly dull.
Thus, the iPhone shoots pictures with greater clarity, whereas the Pixel offers better color tones. That's pretty much the main difference that we noticed.
Google Pixel 8a vs iPhone 16e: Final Verdict
In this comparison of the Google Pixel 8a and the iPhone 16e, we see that both phones emerge as excellent choices. However, if we were to choose one, we'd go with the Google Pixel 8a. For a power user, it simply beats the latter in terms of multitasking, battery life, and camera capabilities.
It's surely not as good as the other Pixel phones or other flagships in general, but for the price point, it's a solid mid-range smartphone.
This is subjective though, as some users may be more inclined towards what Apple has to offer. Simply put, the iPhone 16e has a brilliant display, great multitasking capabilities, and a super impressive game library, at least from a gamer's perspective. The final choice would come down to what you prefer.
Also read: 7 reasons why you should buy the iPhone 15 over the iPhone 16e
Check out similar articles by Sportskeeda:
- Google Pixel 8a hits the lowest price on Amazon
- Samsung Galaxy S25 vs iPhone 16: Which is the best smartphone?
