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The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If camera quality is a top priority and you're okay with spending more, the iPhone 12 may be the better choice with its higher video recording quality. However, the Google Pixel 6 offers a more recent system chip and a significantly larger battery, which could mean better performance and longer battery life, at a more affordable price. The Pixel 6 also has twice the base storage. Both have high-quality OLED screens, but the Pixel 6 has a slightly larger screen and a higher refresh rate, which can result in smoother scrolling and better gaming experiences. The operating systems are different with the iPhone running iOS and the Pixel running Android, which could influence your decision based on your preference for app ecosystems and user interfaces. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple iPhone 12
- Very good display quality
Advantages of the Google Pixel 6
- The Google Pixel 6 has no clear advantages over the Apple iPhone 12.
Key differences
Photo Quality
7.1
7.7
The Google Pixel 6 and Apple iPhone 12 both have good photos, though the Google Pixel 6 takes somewhat better photos.
The Apple iPhone 12 has a good selfie score, ensuring nice quality for front-camera photos, while the Google Pixel 6 offers very good selfie quality, making it superior for capturing selfie images. Both excel in photo dynamic range and low light performance, but the software experience and resolution for photos are better on the Pixel 6, enhancing overall photo quality beyond just selfies.
Battery
6.2 Hours
6.9 Hours
The Apple iPhone 12 has 6.2 hours of battery life. The Google Pixel 6 has 6.9 hours of battery life.
Cost
$600
$270
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
The Apple iPhone 12 has a price of $600 and the Google Pixel 6 costs $270.
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Key similarities
Overall Camera Quality
7.3
7.7
The Google Pixel 6 and Apple iPhone 12 both have good overall cameras quality.
The Apple iPhone 12 offers good versatility in its camera setup and selfie camera performance, which is solid for those wanting reliable photo-taking capabilities. Comparatively, the Google Pixel 6 excels with a very good selfie camera and a richer software experience for photography, making it a better choice for users who prioritize selfie quality and advanced camera software features.
Video Quality
7.2
7.0
The Apple iPhone 12 and Google Pixel 6 both have good videos.
The Apple iPhone 12 delivers better videos than the Google Pixel 6 primarily due to its superior video software experience, video stabilization, and dynamic range, all of which contribute to overall video quality. While both phones have similar microphone quality, the iPhone 12 also excels in low light video performance, which is an area where the Pixel 6 is less capable.
Screen Size
The Apple iPhone 12 has a screen size of 6.1 inches and the Google Pixel 6 is 6.4 inches.
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How the Apple iPhone 12 and the Google Pixel 6 compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple iPhone 12 | Google Pixel 6 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$600 | $270 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | ||
Operating System | |||
Operating System | iOS | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 23, 2020 | October 28, 2022 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.1" | 6.4" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2532 x 1170 | 2400 x 1080 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | No | Yes | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 460 | 411 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | A14 | Tensor | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 64 GB | 128 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 7.1/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 7.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide | Main, Ultrawide | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 12 megapixels + OIS | 50 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.2 Hours | 6.9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 2815 mAh | 4614 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 15 W | 21 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | Yes (5 watts) | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 5.78" x 2.81" | 6.24" x 2.94" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.78 oz | 7.30 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Glass | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | Yes | Yes | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.2 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 6 | 6e | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6) 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave) 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6) 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock | Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | Yes (Except Verizon Models) | |
Color | |||
Color | Blue, Purple, Green, White, Black, Red | Stormy Black, Sorta Seafoam, Kinda Coral | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | N/A | Yes | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | No | |
Shopping
Apple iPhone 12
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Dig into reviews and images
Pocket-lint
Stuart Miles | March 2022
"The iPhone 12 offers many of the important things that you want from the iPhone: a decent camera, 5G, great screen, fast processor. For the group of people who want a new iPhone without the price tag of the iPhone 12 Pro or iPhone 13 range, this is a great choice. There's no settling for second best with this smartphone."
Google Pixel 6
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Dig into reviews and images
Android Police
Taylor Kerns | April 2022
"It punches above its weight in nearly every way: performance is great, build quality is very good, and the cameras positively rip. this is a big phone, which is a bit of a shock after the compact Pixel 4 and Pixel 5. But it’s a very good big phone at a very good price."
Get a great deal on the Apple iPhone 12 or the Google Pixel 6
About Apple
The tech giant called Apple is synonymous with the most popular smartphone in the world: the iPhone. Known for their build quality and aesthetics, as well as for their excellent integration between hardware and software, iPhones have defined the smartphone industry ever since their conception and they continue to do so by setting new industry standards. Apple's own operating system, called iOS, is known for its simplicity and ease of use, and the company tends to complement it well by creating devices with some of the most powerful processing hardware available in the mobile world. The iPhone is also known for its robust ecosystem of accessories, as it facilitates a very seamless experience when interacting with other Apple products, more so than most of its competitors.
About Google
Google can be considered a relatively new player in the smartphone industry, joining as late as 2016 with their phone, the Google Pixel. Since then, the Pixel lineup has undergone many changes, but it has always been characterized by a focus on photography and clean software, by providing a pure Android experience. By virtue of Google being the creator of the Android operating system, Pixels are known for receiving timely software updates and for being supported with updates for a long time. Additionally, over the past few generations of devices, Google started designing their own processors. This allowed for the implementation of unique software features that are not present in any other phone, such as automatic call screening and unique voice transcribing capabilities.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec phones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest phone information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
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Phones evaluated
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Proprietary Phones ratings developed
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Recommendations made
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About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Phones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Seth Peoples
Phones Expert
Seth is a US-based product expert focusing on smartphones and he is a moderator of one of the largest smartphone subreddits. His tailored recommendations have helped him earn over 87k comment karma, putting him in the top 1% of Redditors.
Efthimis Kotanidis
Phones Expert
Efthimis is a Greece-based product expert focusing on smartphones. He has been recommending phones for 4 years and his recommendations on Reddit have earned him over 35k karma.
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