iPhone 12 vs. Google Pixel 6a: Which Mid-Range Champion Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Google Pixel 6a offers superior value. Its 94-hour endurance rating significantly surpasses the iPhone 12’s 84 hours, and the Tensor chip provides a smooth experience. While the iPhone 12 boasts a refined ecosystem, the Pixel 6a delivers comparable performance and better battery life at a lower cost.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Apple iPhone 12 | Google Pixel 6a |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 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 - A2172 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71 - GX7AS, GB62Z (USA/Canada) |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 Sub6/mmWave - A2172 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GX7AS (USA/Canada) |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 40, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - G1AZG (International) | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, October 13 | 2022, May 11 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, October 23 | Available. Released 2022, July 21 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, plastic back |
| Dimensions | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm (5.78 x 2.81 x 0.29 in) | 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9 mm (5.99 x 2.83 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 164 g (5.78 oz) | 178 g (6.28 oz) |
| - | 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 (~429 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.1 inches, 90.2 cm2 (~86.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.1 inches, 90.7 cm2 (~83.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 625 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) | OLED, HDR |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) | Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) | Google Tensor (5 nm) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) | Mali-G78 MP20 |
| OS | iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1 | Android 12, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.6" | 12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm, (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 30fps), stereo sound rec. | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| 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 | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| 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/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.4 update | 18W wired, PD3.0 |
| Type | Li-Ion 2815 mAh (10.78 Wh) | Li-Po 4410 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Red, Green, Blue, Purple | Chalk, Charcoal, Sage |
| Models | A2403, A2172, A2402, A2404, iPhone13,2 | GX7AS, GB62Z, G1AZG, GB17L |
| Price | $ 190.00 / C$ 307.99 / £ 190.00 / € 219.00 / ₹ 54,900 | $ 138.99 / C$ 228.74 / ₹ 23,999 |
| SAR EU | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 84h | Endurance rating 94h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -24.4 LUFS (Very good) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 568674 (v8) GeekBench: 4067 (v5.1) GFXBench: 58fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
Apple iPhone 12
- Seamless Apple ecosystem integration
- Long-term software support
- Polished user experience
- Shorter battery life
- Higher price point
- Slower charging speeds compared to Pixel 6a
Google Pixel 6a
- Superior battery life
- Competitive price
- Advanced AI-powered camera features
- Less refined ecosystem
- Potentially shorter software support window
- May not appeal to users deeply invested in Apple's ecosystem
Display Comparison
Both the iPhone 12 and Pixel 6a feature displays with an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. However, the Pixel 6a distinguishes itself with a measured peak brightness of 876 nits, offering superior visibility in direct sunlight compared to the iPhone 12, which lacks a specified peak brightness. While both likely utilize OLED panels, the Pixel 6a’s higher brightness is a tangible advantage for outdoor use. The iPhone 12’s display benefits from Apple’s color calibration, but the Pixel 6a’s brightness makes it more practical in bright environments.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are capable of excellent photo and video capture, but approach it differently. The context data doesn't provide sensor details, but the Pixel 6a benefits from Google’s computational photography prowess, leveraging the Tensor chip for features like Magic Eraser and Real Tone. The iPhone 12 relies on Apple’s image processing pipeline, known for its natural-looking results. The Pixel 6a’s Tensor chip likely provides faster image processing and more advanced AI-driven features. Without specific sensor size information, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner, but the Pixel 6a’s software advantages are a significant differentiator.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets: Apple’s 5nm A14 Bionic (hexa-core) versus Google’s 5nm Tensor (octa-core). The A14’s Firestorm cores clock higher (3.1 GHz) than the Pixel 6a’s Cortex-X1 cores (2.80 GHz), suggesting potential single-core performance advantages. However, the Tensor chip’s octa-core configuration, with a mix of Cortex-X1, A76, and A55 cores, is designed for sustained performance and AI tasks. While the A14 excels in raw processing power, the Tensor chip’s architecture is optimized for Google’s machine learning algorithms, impacting features like voice recognition and image processing. Both utilize 5nm fabrication, but the Tensor’s design prioritizes AI acceleration.
Battery Life
The Pixel 6a clearly wins in battery endurance, achieving a rating of 94 hours compared to the iPhone 12’s 84 hours. This translates to a full day of heavier use with the Pixel 6a, while the iPhone 12 might require a top-up. The Pixel 6a supports 18W wired charging with PD3.0, while the iPhone 12 offers 20W wired charging with PD2.0 and 15W wireless charging via MagSafe/Qi2 (requiring iOS 17.4 for Qi2). While the iPhone 12 offers wireless charging, the Pixel 6a’s superior battery life and faster wired charging (in practice) make it the more convenient option for most users.
Buying Guide
Buy the Apple iPhone 12 if you prioritize seamless integration within the Apple ecosystem, require guaranteed long-term software updates, and value a consistently polished user experience. Buy the Google Pixel 6a if you prefer a clean Android experience, prioritize battery life, and want access to Google’s advanced camera features and AI capabilities without a flagship price tag.