iPhone 12 Pro vs. Google Pixel 5a 5G: A Detailed Comparison
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For users prioritizing raw performance and a premium ecosystem, the iPhone 12 Pro is the superior choice. However, the Pixel 5a 5G delivers exceptional battery life and a capable camera at a significantly lower price point, making it ideal for budget-conscious users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Apple iPhone 12 Pro | Google Pixel 5a 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2341 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 Sub6/mmWave - A2341 | 1, 2, 5, 12, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 Sub6 - A2406 | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, October 13 | 2021, August 17 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, October 23 | Available. Released 2021, August 26 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, aluminum back |
| Dimensions | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm (5.78 x 2.81 x 0.29 in) | 156.2 x 73.2 x 8.8 mm (6.15 x 2.88 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 189 g (6.67 oz) | 183 g (6.46 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Ceramic Shield glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 1170 x 2532 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~415 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.1 inches, 90.2 cm2 (~86.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.34 inches, 97.0 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) | OLED, HDR |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver) |
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) | Adreno 620 |
| OS | iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM |
| NVMe | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm, (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 119˚ (ultrawide), 1.0µm |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) | LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/1.6, 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, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) | - |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10‑bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec. | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | Lightning, USB 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | - | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.4 update | 18W wired, PD2.0 |
| Type | Li-Ion 2815 mAh (10.78 Wh) | Li-Po 4680 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue | Mostly Black |
| Models | A2407, A2341, A2406, A2408, iPhone13,3 | G1F8F, G4S1M |
| Price | $ 277.86 / C$ 419.75 / £ 250.00 / € 299.99 | $ 189.00 / C$ 249.99 |
| SAR EU | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) | - |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 6GB RAM | $ 725.05 | - |
| 256GB 6GB RAM | $ 575.00 | - |
| 512GB 6GB RAM | $ 799.50 | - |
| RENEWED | $ 499.00 | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 81h | Endurance rating 122h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -24.2 LUFS (Very good) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 596244 (v8) GeekBench: 4056 (v5.1) GFXBench: 58fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 291303 (v8) GeekBench: 1337 (v5.1) GFXBench: 19fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Apple iPhone 12 Pro
- Significantly faster processor (A14 Bionic)
- Premium build quality and design
- Excellent video recording capabilities
- Shorter battery life
- Higher price point
- Limited storage options at lower price points
Google Pixel 5a 5G
- Exceptional battery life (122h endurance)
- Excellent still photography with Google’s processing
- More affordable price
- Less powerful processor (Snapdragon 765G)
- Slower charging speed compared to iPhone 12 Pro
- Less premium build materials
Display Comparison
The iPhone 12 Pro boasts an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels, offering deep blacks and vibrant colors. While the Pixel 5a 5G also utilizes an OLED display with an infinite contrast ratio, it shines brighter at 861 nits measured, making it more visible outdoors in direct sunlight. Both lack high refresh rate technology, but the Pixel’s higher peak brightness provides a tangible advantage in real-world visibility.
Camera Comparison
Both phones excel in photography, but approach it differently. The iPhone 12 Pro’s camera system, while details are limited in the provided data, is known for its video capabilities and natural color reproduction. The Pixel 5a 5G leverages Google’s computational photography expertise, delivering exceptional dynamic range and detail in still images, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. The Pixel’s image processing excels at noise reduction and shadow recovery. Without specific sensor size data, the Pixel’s strength lies in its software algorithms, compensating for potential hardware limitations.
Performance
Apple’s A14 Bionic (5nm) chip in the iPhone 12 Pro significantly outperforms the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G (7nm) in the Pixel 5a 5G. The A14’s hexa-core CPU, with its 3.1 GHz Firestorm cores, delivers faster processing speeds for demanding applications and gaming. While the Pixel 5a 5G’s octa-core CPU is competent, it cannot match the A14’s single-core performance. The iPhone 12 Pro’s 6GB of RAM is comparable to the Pixel 5a 5G, but the A14’s architectural efficiency and tighter software integration provide a smoother overall experience.
Battery Life
The Pixel 5a 5G dominates in battery endurance, achieving a remarkable 122-hour rating compared to the iPhone 12 Pro’s 81 hours. This translates to significantly longer usage between charges. While the iPhone 12 Pro supports faster wired charging (50% in 30 minutes with PD2.0) and wireless charging (15W MagSafe/Qi2), the Pixel 5a 5G’s 18W wired charging is sufficient given its superior battery capacity. The Pixel’s longer battery life is a clear advantage for users who prioritize minimizing charging frequency.
Buying Guide
Buy the Apple iPhone 12 Pro if you need a powerful processor for demanding tasks like video editing, a seamless iOS experience, and access to Apple’s ecosystem. Buy the Google Pixel 5a 5G if you prioritize all-day battery life, excellent still photography in various conditions, and a clean Android experience without breaking the bank.