iPhone 16 Pro vs Pixel 9 Pro: Best Camera vs Most Improved
Both placed at MKBHD's 2024 Smartphone Awards: iPhone 16 Pro won Best Camera; Pixel 9 Pro won Most Improved. They're priced $100 apart in 2026 (16 Pro at $899 discounted, 9 Pro at $999) and answer different questions about what you want from a phone.
Updated · Verdict based on MKBHD Smartphone Awards results and spec analysis.
iPhone 16 Pro
Apple · 2024 · From $999
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Google Pixel 9 Pro
Google · 2024 · From $999
Round wins
iPhone 16 Pro: 3 · Google Pixel 9 Pro: 3 ·Ties: 2
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | iPhone 16 Pro | Google Pixel 9 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.3-inch OLED, 120Hz ProMotion | 6.3-inch OLED, 120Hz LTPO |
| Processor | Apple A18 Pro | Google Tensor G4 |
| RAM | 8GB | 16GB |
| Camera | 48MP main + 48MP ultrawide + 12MP 5x telephoto | 50MP main + 48MP ultrawide + 48MP 5x telephoto |
| Battery | 3,582 mAh | 4,700 mAh |
| OS | iOS 18 | Android 14 |
| Starting price | $999 | $999 |
| Released | 2024 | 2024 |
Round-by-round breakdown
Display
TieBoth 6.3-inch LTPO OLED at 120Hz. Roughly equivalent brightness and color accuracy.
Performance
Winner: iPhone 16 ProA18 Pro outperforms Tensor G4 by roughly 20% in benchmarks and meaningfully more under sustained load.
Camera (stills)
Winner: Google Pixel 9 ProPixel 9 Pro's computational pipeline produces more consistent everyday family photography. iPhone 16 Pro is more controllable for advanced shooters.
Camera (video)
Winner: iPhone 16 ProiPhone 16 Pro has ProRes Log capture and the deeper creator-app ecosystem. Pixel video has improved but trails.
AI features
Winner: Google Pixel 9 ProPixel 9 Pro has the broader on-device AI catalog: Magic Editor, Pixel Studio, Audio Magic Eraser. Apple Intelligence is more polished but narrower.
Battery
Winner: iPhone 16 ProiPhone 16 Pro: 6.5–7.5 hours screen-on. Pixel 9 Pro: 5.5–6.5 hours.
Software longevity
TieBoth ship 7 years of major OS updates.
Price
Winner: Google Pixel 9 ProPixel 9 Pro: $999. iPhone 16 Pro: $899 (discounted from $999 launch). iPhone is now $100 cheaper.
Final verdict
iPhone 16 Pro for video creators and iOS-ecosystem buyers — same fundamental camera pipeline as the 17 Pro at $200 less, plus full Apple Intelligence. Pixel 9 Pro for buyers who want clean Android, the best on-device AI features, or telephoto camera with Google's pipeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
iPhone 16 Pro or Pixel 9 Pro: which to buy?
iPhone 16 Pro at $899 for video creators, iOS-ecosystem buyers, or anyone wanting better battery life. Pixel 9 Pro at $999 for clean Android, better AI features, or Google-ecosystem buyers.
Which has the better camera, iPhone 16 Pro or Pixel 9 Pro?
iPhone 16 Pro for video and stills consistency (won MKBHD's 2024 Best Camera). Pixel 9 Pro for AI editing and everyday family photography.
Should I buy iPhone 16 Pro or wait for the 18 Pro?
iPhone 16 Pro at $899 — won 2024 Best Camera and shares the same fundamental pipeline as iPhone 17 Pro. iPhone 18 Pro launches fall 2026 with incremental upgrades.