iPhone 16e vs Pixel 9a preview: which mini flagship to care about?
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Intro
The iPhone 16e is out, and it's more powerful than previous SE phones, but it also costs more. It seems to be marking the end of small phones from Apple at least for now. It doesn't have the mini form factor that many were hoping to see, and its release also resulted in the de-listing of the iPhone SE (2022). In fact, it also took out the iPhone 14, which Apple was still selling as a budget option.
Now, the $600 iPhone 16e is the cheapest one in the iPhone lineup. But it still costs $600.
Here's the thing, though — we are expecting Google to launch a new Pixel 9a within weeks. And, if it follows its old price structure, it should cost about $500. So, which one of these phones would potentially be the better deal or better bang for buck?
iPhone 16e vs Pixel 9a expected differences:
| iPhone 16e | Pixel 9a* |
|---|---|
| Flat sides, notch — like iPhone 14 with single camera | Flat sides like Pixel 9, pill-shaped module with two cameras |
| 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 |
| 4,005 mAh battery | 5,100 mAh battery |
| USB C 20 W wired 7.5 W wireless | USB C 23 W wired 7.5 W wireless |
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Design and Size
Flat sides united
The iPhone 16e is "dressed" in the clothes of an iPhone 14, meaning it has an aluminum frame and flat sides. The big difference is that the camera on the back is 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 not find it on the iPhone 16e, but instead you have the newer Action Button (but no Camera Control button here, though). The Google Pixel 9a is not expected to have any extra buttons apart from the standard power button and volume rocker.
The Pixel is also expected to be slightly larger, with a 6.3-inch screen versus the 6.1 inches of the iPhone 16e.
Oh, also, the iPhone 16e has a USB-C port, so this marks the end of Lightning on iPhones. Good riddance! 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 is a 6.1-incher, while the Pixel 9a is expected to have 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 16e is stuck with 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 also rocks 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 16e delivers Apple Intelligence to the masses. Because everyone wants it, right? So, Apple equipped 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 are getting iOS 18 in the iPhone.
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
The iPhone 16e launched with a single 48 MP camera on the back. It has been quite a while since we've seen a high-profile phone launch with just one camera. The minimalism is a breath of fresh air, but it will result in a limitation — no ultra-wide angle capabilities. The good news is that Apple employs that crop-in trickery to achieve some pretty OK-looking zoom shots.
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
Surprisingly good battery life on the 16e
Apple surprised us by unveiling the iPhone 16e as having the "best battery life on a 6.1-inch iPhone". We now also know that this is thanks to a nearly 20% bigger battery than on previous iPhones (it has a 4,005 mAh battery capacity).
The Pixel 9a, on the other hand, is said to expand its capacity by a little bit. A 5,100 mAh battery is very much normal for an Android phone 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 — 5,100 mAh is a lot of juice and we expect the Pixel 9a to provide the same day-and-a-half endurance.
Which of these two phones will have the better battery life? The iPhone 16e already passed our battery benchmark test with mixed results — 17 hours of browsing time, but only 6 hours of YouTube binging. We'll see how the Pixel does once it's out!
One disappointment with the 16e is that it does not support MagSafe. It does have wireless charging, but the old Qi standard which gets it 7.5 W. Well, the Pixel is also not likely to support magnets, and may also have 7.5 W wireless charging, so that would make them equal.
Specs Comparison
Here's what we know about the iPhone 16e and the Pixel 9a specs.
| iPhone 16e | Pixel 9a* |
|---|---|
| Size, weight 5.78 x 2.81 x 0.31 inches (146.7 x 71.5 x 7.80 mm) 167 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 / 128 GB 8 / 256 GB 8 / 512 GB | Versions: 8 / 128GB 8 / 256GB |
| Cameras: 48 MP main 12 MP front | Cameras: 48 MP main 13 MP ultrawide 13 MP front |
| Battery: 4,005 mAh | Battery: 5,100 mAh |
| Charging: USB-C 20 W wired 7.5 W wireless | Charging: USB-C 18 W wired 7.5 W wireless |
*Based on leaks and rumors.
Summary
If the Pixel 9a indeed arrives in March, it will be the biggest challenger to the new iPhone 16e. These are not only mid-range phones, but these are vessels for all the new AI features. And while Apple's take has been underwhelming thus far, Google at least throws more stuff at the wall with Gemini and has been for longer.
Excluding the meme that is AI. 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, while the iPhone 16e is more expensive at $600.
Which one would you pick and why?
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