OnePlus 7 Pro vs. Google Pixel 4 XL: A Detailed Comparison in 2024

The OnePlus 7 Pro and Google Pixel 4 XL represent a fascinating crossroads in Android history. Released within months of each other in 2019, they both aimed for the flagship crown, but took drastically different approaches. Now, with the Pixel 4 XL available at significantly reduced prices, the question of which phone offers the better value is more relevant than ever. This comparison dives deep into their strengths and weaknesses, focusing on what matters most in 2024.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user in 2024, the OnePlus 7 Pro emerges as the stronger choice. Its significantly superior battery life (85h endurance vs 73h) and faster 30W charging outweigh the Pixel 4 XL’s software advantages, especially given the similar performance profiles from the Snapdragon 855 chipset. The Pixel 4 XL’s lower price is attractive, but the battery compromise is substantial.

PHONES
Phone Names OnePlus 7 Pro Google Pixel 4 XL
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Global1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66, 71 - Global
SpeedHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 MbpsHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTEGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE
 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - North America1, 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, May 14. Released 2019, May 162019, October 15
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2019, October 22
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame
Dimensions162.6 x 75.9 x 8.8 mm (6.40 x 2.99 x 0.35 in)160.4 x 75.1 x 8.2 mm (6.31 x 2.96 x 0.32 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + eSIM
Weight206 g (7.27 oz)193 g (6.81 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 5Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~516 ppi density)1440 x 3040 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~537 ppi density)
Size6.67 inches, 108.8 cm2 (~88.1% screen-to-body ratio)6.3 inches, 98.0 cm2 (~81.3% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeFluid AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+P-OLED, 90Hz, HDR
 -Always-on display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485)Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm)Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm)
GPUAdreno 640Adreno 640
OSAndroid 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12, OxygenOS 12.1Android 10, upgradable to Android 13
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM
 UFS 3.0UFS 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
FeaturesLaser AF, Dual-LED flash, panorama, HDRDual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama
Triple48 MP, f/1.6, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 78mm (telephoto), 3x optical zoom, PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 17mm (ultrawide), AF-
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@480fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS, no video rec. with ultrawide camera4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS)
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
SingleMotorized pop-up 16 MP, f/2.0, 25mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm8 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1.22µm, no AF TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a)GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGUSB Type-C 3.1
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNAWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compassFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 Virtual proximity sensing-
Battery
Charging30W wired18W wired, PD2.0 Wireless
TypeLi-Po 4000 mAh, non-removableLi-Po 3700 mAh, non-removable
Misc
ColorsMirror Grey, Almond, Nebula BlueClearly White, Just Black, Oh So Orange
ModelsGM1911, GM1913, GM1917, GM1910, GM1915G020P, G020, GA01181-US, GA01182-US, GA01180-US
PriceAbout 590 EURAbout 180 EUR
Pricing
128GB 6GB RAM-$ 364.52
64GB 6GB RAM-$ 274.99
RENEWED-$ 149.00
Tests
Audio quality Noise -93.0dB / Crosstalk -89.6dB Noise -93.9 / Crosstalk -94.1
Battery life Endurance rating 85h Endurance rating 73h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Loudspeaker -23.9 LUFS (Very good) Voice 80dB / Noise 78dB / Ring 88dB
Performance AnTuTu: 364025 (v7) GeekBench: 10943 (v4.4), 2721 (v5.1) GFXBench: 19fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 323305 (v7), 403267 (v8) GeekBench: 10171 (v4.4), 2267 (v5.1) GFXBench: 21fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

OnePlus 7 Pro

  • Superior battery life (85h endurance)
  • Faster 30W wired charging
  • Larger display for immersive viewing

  • No wireless charging
  • Less refined image processing compared to Pixel

Google Pixel 4 XL

  • Exceptional computational photography
  • Wireless charging support
  • Lower price point in 2024

  • Significantly shorter battery life (73h endurance)
  • Slower 18W wired charging
  • Potential for throttling under sustained load

Display Comparison

Both the OnePlus 7 Pro and Pixel 4 XL feature excellent displays, but the OnePlus 7 Pro holds a slight edge. While both utilize OLED technology, the OnePlus 7 Pro achieves a measured peak brightness of 616 nits, offering better visibility in direct sunlight. The Pixel 4 XL’s display specs aren’t publicly available, but anecdotal evidence suggests it’s comparable, though potentially slightly less bright. Both phones feature a 90Hz refresh rate, contributing to a smoother scrolling experience, but the OnePlus 7 Pro’s larger screen real estate and higher peak brightness make it more immersive for media consumption.

Camera Comparison

Both phones excel in photography, but approach it differently. The Pixel 4 XL leverages Google’s renowned computational photography algorithms to produce stunning images, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. While specific sensor details aren’t provided in the context data, the Pixel 4 XL’s strength lies in its software processing. The OnePlus 7 Pro offers a versatile camera system, but relies less on computational tricks and more on hardware capabilities. Both phones are capable of capturing high-quality photo and video, but the Pixel 4 XL’s image processing is generally considered more refined, especially for portraits and low-light shots. The absence of detailed sensor information makes a direct hardware comparison difficult.

Performance

Under the hood, both devices are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (7nm) chipset, paired with an identical CPU configuration: an octa-core setup with 1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485, 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485, and 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485 cores. This means raw processing power is virtually identical. However, the OnePlus 7 Pro benefits from potentially better thermal management due to its larger chassis, potentially leading to slightly sustained performance during extended gaming sessions. Both phones utilize LPDDR4X RAM, and while the Pixel 4 XL offers configurations with 6GB of RAM, the OnePlus 7 Pro also offers options with higher RAM capacities, which could be beneficial for multitasking.

Battery Life

This is where the OnePlus 7 Pro truly shines. With an endurance rating of 85 hours, it significantly outlasts the Pixel 4 XL’s 73-hour rating. The OnePlus 7 Pro also boasts 30W wired charging, allowing for a much faster 0-100% charge compared to the Pixel 4 XL’s 18W charging with PD2.0. The Pixel 4 XL does offer wireless charging, a feature absent on the OnePlus 7 Pro, but the convenience is offset by the slower charging speeds and the substantial difference in overall battery endurance. For users who prioritize battery life, the OnePlus 7 Pro is the clear winner.

Buying Guide

Buy the OnePlus 7 Pro if you prioritize all-day battery life, fast charging, and a smooth, responsive user experience. It’s ideal for power users, gamers, and those who frequently travel. Buy the Google Pixel 4 XL if you are a photography enthusiast who values Google’s computational photography prowess and are willing to accept a shorter battery life and potentially need to top up during the day. The Pixel 4 XL is also a better fit for those deeply integrated into the Google ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 855 in either phone struggle with modern apps and games in 2024?
While not the latest chipset, the Snapdragon 855 remains capable of handling most modern apps and games. However, demanding titles may require reduced graphics settings for optimal performance. Both phones should provide a generally smooth experience, but don't expect the same level of performance as devices with newer processors.
❓ Is the battery life difference between the OnePlus 7 Pro and Pixel 4 XL noticeable in everyday use?
Absolutely. The 12-hour difference in endurance rating translates to a significant real-world impact. Pixel 4 XL users will likely need to top up their phones during the day, especially with moderate to heavy usage. OnePlus 7 Pro users can typically get through a full day without needing to charge.
❓ How does the software experience differ between OxygenOS (OnePlus) and stock Android (Pixel)?
OxygenOS offers a more customizable experience with additional features and tweaks, while stock Android on the Pixel 4 XL provides a cleaner, more streamlined interface with guaranteed timely updates directly from Google. The choice depends on personal preference – those who enjoy customization may prefer OxygenOS, while those who prioritize simplicity and updates may prefer stock Android.