iPhone SE 4 (2025) vs Pixel 9a preview: which mini flagship to care about?
Intro
Google has the habit of releasing a sort-of-budget version of its Pixel phones midway through the latest model's lifecycle. The Pixel "a" series typically come with a cheaper build maybe a different camera sensor, but all the Google brains inside, including the same Tensor chip that powers the big boys. This year, it should be the Pixel 9a, with a Tensor G4, expected to launch in March.
Apple's own "budget iPhone" series is the iPhone SE. They don't launch annually, in fact — we haven't seen an iPhone SE since the 2022 model. But one has been rumored for long enough, and it feels like we are at the precipice of a refresh. And, get this, it may end up being called iPhone 16E, since it will have a rich feature pack (read — AI), so Apple may want to keep its branding close to the main iPhone series.
And the iPhone SE 4 (or iPhone 16E) is also expected to launch in March. so, that's going to be a pretty intense month for those that care for bang-for-the-buck phones. Here's what we expect:
iPhone SE 4 (2025) vs Pixel 9a expected differences:
| iPhone SE 4 | Pixel 9a |
|---|---|
| Flat sides, notch — like iPhone 14 with single camera | Flat sides like Pixel 9, pill-shaped camera too |
| 6.1-inch OLED screen, 60 Hz | 6.3-inch OLED screen, 120 Hz |
| Apple A18 chip, 8 GB RAM | Google Tensor G4 chip, 8 GB RAM |
| Single 48 MP camera 12 MP front camera | 48 MP main camera 13 MP ultrawide camera 13 MP front camera |
| 3,279 mAh battery | 5,000 mAh battery |
| USB C 20 W wired MagSafe | USB C 18 W wired 7.5 W wireless |
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Design and Size
Flat sides united
Early on, we used to believe that the next iPhone SE would be shaped like an iPhone XR from the past — with rounded frames and thick-ish bezels. However, more recent reports from pretty trustworthy sources seem to iterate over and over that it will be dressed up in the shell of an iPhone 14. That means, aluminum frame and flat sides. The only difference would be that the camera on the back will be a single ring for the lonely 48 MP main camera. No Dynamic Island on the front, too — it will rock the "classic" iPhone notch above the screen.
Google's latest Pixel phones also adopted the flat sides, with the Pixel 9 sporting that super-shiny frame. Again, it is said that the Pixel 9a will have the same. It will also have that remodeled camera visor on the back — instead of going side to side like before, it will be in the flat pill shape that the latest Pixel 9 phones have.
Fans of the classic iPhone mute toggle will find it on the iPhone SE 4. No Camera Control Button, no Action Button — good old "volume, power, mute" combo. The Google Pixel 9a is expected to have a power button and volume rocker as before.
The Pixel will be slightly larger. It's said its screen will be 6.3 inches, versus the 6.1 inches of the iPhone SE 4. Aspect ratio will also matter when translating that diagonal length to actual device size, but those details are still a bit muddy.
Oh, also, the iPhone SE will be the first SE to have a USB-C port! Well... technically, it could end up being called the iPhone 16E, so maybe the SE line will go down in hostory as being Lightning-equipped to the end. Of course, no question, the Pixel 9a will also have a USB Type-C port.
Display Differences
We already talked about display size expectations — the iPhone would have a 6.1-incher, the Pixel 9a a slightly bigger 6.3-inch screen. They are both expected to be OLED panels with an FHD+ resolution (or something around it, seeing as iPhones always have unorthodox resolutions).
But here's the bad news — the iPhone SE 4 will very likely be stuck to a 60 Hz refresh rate yet again. Yes, Apple insists that's a premium feature, and that's the first thing to get axed when you travel south of the Pro. The Pixel 9a, on the other hand, will probably generously be giving you "premium" 120 Hz every time you swipe and swoop through the interface. The Pixel 8a already did — no reason to believe Google would go back on that.
The iPhone will most definitely rock a Face ID unlock sensor in its rather large notch cutout at the top of the screen. And the Pixel 9a is expected to have an optical under-screen fingerprint scanner, as before.
Performance and Software
Tensor, please
The iPhone SE 4 (a.k.a. iPhone 16E) is supposedly going to bring Apple Intelligence to the masses. Because everyone wants it, right? So, Apple is reportedly going to equip it with an A18 chip and 8 GB RAM. All hail AI, at least it got Apple to give us higher specs on phones and laptops!
The Pixel 9a, as mentioned before, is expected to rock the newest Tensor chip — the Tensor G4. Google's chipsets are, unfortunately, not powerhouses. They get beaten out by both their contemporary Qualcomm Snapdragons and Apple A competitors. Not to say that Pixel phones don't run well — of course they do, Google optimizes both the software and the hardware. But if you are a benchmark aficionado, they won't give you the bragging rights you may want.
On the other hand, the Apple A18 is pretty impressive. It's a 2nd generation 3 nm chip for Apple and powers the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. It's pretty fast and capable!
For software, of course we will be getting iOS 18 in the iPhone SE 4. To be more exact — iOS 18.3. It seems the supposed March launch date is no coincidence, as we do expect iOS 18.3 to launch in March and bring the final batch of AI features that Apple promised us last summer. Those would be the modularity and better speech capabilities of Siri.
Android 15, on the other hand, already comes with everything Google had for us. Gemini is constantly evolving, constantly being developed in the back end. If you hear about a new Gemini feature — chances are a Pixel phone near you already has it. All that's left is to test it out, say "Hey, that's pretty cool!", and never use it again.
Camera
Cutting corners, or just being a minimalist
I have to say, I find the idea for a single-camera iPhone to be kind of alluring. Over the last few years, we've had double- and triple-camera modules, each getting bigger than the last. Samsung even went as far as to attach extra-large lens rings to make its camera module appear even bigger than it is this year around. Pixels' camera visors are also quite chunky.
And, after all of this, Apple may come out with an iPhone SE 4 with a single 48 MP camera on the back. If it utilizes the excellent crop-in zoom that the iPhone 16 does, it may end up being the only thing most users need.
The Pixel 9a is expected to come with a 48 MP main sensor of its own, and a 13 MP ultra-wide camera. A slight downgrade from the mainline Pixel 9 series, but we still expect excellent camera performance here. It's in the Pixel's DNA. Hopefully, we don't get disappointed!
Battery Life and Charging
iPhones always skate with what's "passable"
The iPhone SE 4 is said to have a battery somewhere around 3,279 mAh. The community often criticizes iPhones for having a "small" battery, compared to contemporaries. Truth is, iOS does magic when it comes to preserving battery life, and iPhones generally can last you a day and a half with little trouble. Though, we get it — if they can do so well with "smaller" batteries, imagine what they can do with a conventional 5,000 mAh cell!
The Pixel 9a is going to rock that conventional capacity, rumors say. A 5,000 mAh battery is very much normal nowadays, and while some more exotic manufacturers are trying to push that envelope, a "budget" phone like the Pixel 9a will comfortably stick to it. And that's fine — 5,000 mAh is a lot of juice and we expect the Pixel 9a to provide the same day-and-a-half endurance.
Specs Comparison
Here's what we know about the iPhone SE 4 (2025) — a.k.a. iPhone 16E — specs thus far, and what we know about the Pixel 9a spec sheet. These are based on leaks, so they are definitely subject to change:
| iPhone SE 4 (2025) | Pixel 9a |
|---|---|
| Size, weight 5.78 x 2.81 x 0.31 inches (146.7 x 71.5 x 7.80 mm) 172 g | Size, weight 6.09 x 2.88 x 0.35 inches (154.7 x 73.2 x 8.9mm) 186 g |
| Screen 6.1" OLED 60 Hz | Screen 6.3" OLED 120 Hz |
| Processor Apple A18, 3 nm | Processor Google Tensor G4, 4 nm |
| Versions: 8 / 128GB 8 / 256GB | Versions: 8 / 128GB 8 / 256GB |
| Cameras: 48 MP main 12 MP front | Cameras: 48 MP main 13 MP ultrawide 13 MP front |
| Battery: 3,279 mAh | Battery: 5,000 mAh |
| Charging: USB-C 20 W wired MagSafe | Charging: USB-C 18 W wired 7.5 W wireless |
Wishful thinking suggests that MagSafe spec on the iPhone SE 4 would allow for the new 25 W charging speeds, but we don't know that for sure yet. That aside, it looks like a pretty solid phone — depending on what its final price may be. The Pixel 9a will offer a bit more camera options with that extra lens, and a slightly larger display. But the iPhone SE 4 looks like it will hit hard with a better processor. The thought of it having a 60 Hz screen yet again does make us wince, though.
Summary
If both of these phones end up being launched in March, expect another couple of events talking up AI (or press releases with at least a couple of pages dedicated to it). But will the phones be actual AI powerhouses? No, not really.
What it does look like is that they will be very solid phones for less money than the exorbitantly-priced flagships. The Pixel 9a is expected to start around $500. The iPhone SE 4 — if it does replace the iPhone 14, which is currently being sold by Apple as a budget option — should sit in the $600 slot. We are not completely sold on the SE, especially if it is at that price. But, if its camera is great, and its battery life is good, it may be very much worth it.
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