iPhone 11 Pro vs. Google Pixel 4 XL: A Detailed Comparison of Flagship Phones

Released in 2019, the iPhone 11 Pro and Google Pixel 4 XL represent distinct philosophies in the flagship smartphone space. The iPhone 11 Pro prioritized a balanced experience with a focus on video recording, while the Pixel 4 XL doubled down on computational photography and a clean Android experience. Now, with both phones available at significantly reduced prices, the question arises: which offers the better value in 2024?
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user, the iPhone 11 Pro emerges as the stronger choice. Its superior battery endurance (86h vs 73h) and consistently excellent video capabilities outweigh the Pixel 4 XL’s photographic strengths, especially considering the price difference. However, Android purists and photography enthusiasts may still find the Pixel 4 XL compelling.

PHONES
Phone Names Apple iPhone 11 Pro Google Pixel 4 XL
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A22151, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66, 71 - Global
SpeedHSPA, LTE 1.6 Gbps DL, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 MbpsHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTEGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE
 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2160, A22171, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - USA
Launch
Announced2019, September 102019, October 15
StatusAvailable. Released 2019, September 20Available. Released 2019, October 22
Body
BuildGlass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), stainless steel frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame
Dimensions144 x 71.4 x 8.1 mm (5.67 x 2.81 x 0.32 in)160.4 x 75.1 x 8.2 mm (6.31 x 2.96 x 0.32 in)
SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China)Nano-SIM + eSIM
Weight188 g (6.63 oz)193 g (6.81 oz)
 IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 4m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
ProtectionScratch-resistant glassCorning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution1125 x 2436 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density)1440 x 3040 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~537 ppi density)
Size5.8 inches, 84.4 cm2 (~82.1% screen-to-body ratio)6.3 inches, 98.0 cm2 (~81.3% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeSuper Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)P-OLED, 90Hz, HDR
 -Always-on display
Platform
CPUHexa-core (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder)Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485)
ChipsetApple A13 Bionic (7 nm+)Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm)
GPUApple GPU (4-core graphics)Adreno 640
OSiOS 13, upgradable to iOS 26.1Android 10, upgradable to Android 13
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal64GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM
 NVMeUFS 2.1
Main Camera
Dual-12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom
FeaturesDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama
Single8 MP, f/2.0, AF-
Triple12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.0, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.6"-
Video4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec.4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS)
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)8 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1.22µm, no AF TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.0, A2DP, LE5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSSGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
RadioNoNo
USBLightning, USB 2.0USB Type-C 3.1
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspotWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA
Features
SensorsFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometerFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 Ultra Wideband (UWB) support-
Battery
ChargingWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min Wireless (Qi)18W wired, PD2.0 Wireless
Stand-byUp to 353 h (3G)-
Talk timeUp to 18 h 30 min (3G)-
TypeLi-Ion 3046 mAh, non-removable (11.67 Wh)Li-Po 3700 mAh, non-removable
Misc
ColorsMatte Space Gray, Matte Silver, Matte Gold, Matte Midnight GreenClearly White, Just Black, Oh So Orange
ModelsA2215, A2160, A2217, iPhone12,3G020P, G020, GA01181-US, GA01182-US, GA01180-US
PriceAbout 240 EURAbout 180 EUR
SAR1.18 W/kg (head)     1.16 W/kg (body)-
SAR EU0.99 W/kg (head)     0.99 W/kg (body)-
Pricing
128GB 6GB RAM-$ 364.52
64GB 6GB RAM-$ 274.99
RENEWED-$ 149.00
Tests
Audio quality Noise -94.2dB / Crosstalk -81.0dB Noise -93.9 / Crosstalk -94.1
Battery life Endurance rating 86h Endurance rating 73h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)-
Loudspeaker -24.3 LUFS (Very good) Voice 80dB / Noise 78dB / Ring 88dB
Performance AnTuTu: 460784 (v7) GeekBench: 13829 (v4.4) GFXBench: 57fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 323305 (v7), 403267 (v8) GeekBench: 10171 (v4.4), 2267 (v5.1) GFXBench: 21fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Apple iPhone 11 Pro

  • Superior battery life (86h endurance)
  • Exceptional video recording quality
  • Strong performance with the A13 Bionic chip

  • Less customizable software (iOS)
  • No high refresh rate display

Google Pixel 4 XL

  • Excellent still photography with Google’s image processing
  • Clean and intuitive Android experience
  • Competitive price point

  • Shorter battery life (73h endurance)
  • Slower wired charging (18W)

Display Comparison

The iPhone 11 Pro boasts a display capable of reaching 805 nits of peak brightness, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the Pixel 4 XL’s brightness isn’t specified, its OLED panel delivers vibrant colors. The iPhone’s ‘infinite’ contrast ratio, typical of OLED technology, provides deep blacks and a dynamic viewing experience. The Pixel 4 XL’s display, while excellent, lacks the iPhone’s measured peak brightness advantage, potentially impacting outdoor usability. Both phones lack high refresh rate displays, a feature becoming increasingly common in this price bracket.

Camera Comparison

Both phones excel in camera performance, but approach it differently. The iPhone 11 Pro’s camera system is renowned for its exceptional video recording capabilities, offering cinematic-quality footage. The Pixel 4 XL, however, shines in still photography, leveraging Google’s computational photography prowess to produce stunning images, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. While both capture photo and video, the Pixel 4 XL’s strength lies in its software-driven image processing, while the iPhone 11 Pro excels in capturing natural-looking video with excellent dynamic range. Sensor sizes and lens apertures are not specified, but the Pixel 4 XL’s image processing is the key differentiator.

Performance

The Apple A13 Bionic chip, fabricated on a 7nm+ process, features a hexa-core CPU configuration (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder). This architecture prioritizes both peak performance and efficiency. The Pixel 4 XL, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (7nm), utilizes an octa-core CPU. While the Snapdragon 855 offers strong performance, the A13 Bionic consistently outperforms it in both single-core and multi-core benchmarks. The A13’s Neural Engine also provides a significant advantage in machine learning tasks, impacting features like image processing and Siri performance. The iPhone’s tighter hardware-software integration further optimizes performance.

Battery Life

The iPhone 11 Pro achieves an endurance rating of 86 hours, significantly outperforming the Pixel 4 XL’s 73-hour rating. This translates to a noticeable difference in real-world usage, with the iPhone 11 Pro comfortably lasting a full day on a single charge for most users. Both phones support wired charging via USB-C with PD2.0, with the iPhone 11 Pro achieving a 50% charge in 30 minutes. The Pixel 4 XL’s 18W wired charging is slower. Both also support wireless charging via Qi, but the iPhone’s superior battery capacity provides a larger buffer for wireless charging’s inherent inefficiencies.

Buying Guide

Buy the Apple iPhone 11 Pro if you need a phone with all-day battery life, exceptional video recording capabilities, and a mature, polished ecosystem. It’s ideal for users heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem or those prioritizing reliability and resale value. Buy the Google Pixel 4 XL if you prefer a clean Android experience, prioritize still photography with Google’s renowned image processing, and are comfortable with potentially shorter battery life and a less extensive app ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Pixel 4 XL’s camera perform well in low-light conditions, and how does it compare to the iPhone 11 Pro’s Night mode?
The Pixel 4 XL is renowned for its low-light photography capabilities, leveraging Google’s Night Sight mode to capture bright and detailed images in extremely dark environments. While the iPhone 11 Pro’s Night mode is also excellent, the Pixel 4 XL often produces images with more detail and less noise in challenging low-light scenarios, thanks to its advanced computational photography algorithms.
❓ How does the A13 Bionic chip in the iPhone 11 Pro handle demanding tasks like gaming and video editing compared to the Snapdragon 855 in the Pixel 4 XL?
The A13 Bionic consistently outperforms the Snapdragon 855 in both CPU and GPU benchmarks. This translates to smoother performance in demanding tasks like gaming and video editing. The iPhone 11 Pro is capable of handling graphically intensive games at higher frame rates and rendering videos faster than the Pixel 4 XL. The A13’s Neural Engine also accelerates machine learning tasks, improving performance in apps that utilize AI features.
❓ Given the age of both phones, are software updates still being provided, and for how long can users expect to receive them?
The iPhone 11 Pro continues to receive iOS updates, and is expected to receive updates for at least another 2-3 years. The Pixel 4 XL has reached its guaranteed update window, and is no longer receiving major Android OS updates, though security patches may still be provided. This is a significant consideration for users prioritizing long-term software support.