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The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you value a more budget-friendly option with solid camera performance, the Google Pixel 6a is suitable, but for improved camera features, the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max is better though more expensive. The iPhone 13 Pro Max also has a larger screen, longer battery life, and a higher brightness display, but if a smaller device is preferable and you're fine with a lower refresh rate, the Pixel 6a might be the better fit. The iPhone has iOS while the Pixel runs on Android, so consider which operating system you prefer. Lastly, the Pixel 6a has a plastic back, whereas the iPhone 13 Pro Max boasts a glass back. 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 13 Pro Max
- Very good battery life
- Best in class display quality
- Very good performance
Advantages of the Google Pixel 6a
- The Google Pixel 6a has no clear advantages over the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Key differences
Video Quality
8.6
7.2
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max takes very good videos, while the Google Pixel 6a takes good videos.
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max delivers very good videos thanks to its excellent video resolution, framerate, stabilization, dynamic range, low light performance, and microphone quality. In comparison, the Google Pixel 6a also delivers good videos, yet it slightly lags behind in stabilization, dynamic range, low light performance, and microphone quality.
Battery
9.6 Hours
7.6 Hours
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max has 9.6 hours of battery life. The Google Pixel 6a has 7.6 hours of battery life.
Screen Size
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max has a screen size of 6.7 inches and the Google Pixel 6a is 6.1 inches.
Cost
$639
$349
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max has a price of $639 and the Google Pixel 6a costs $349.
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Key similarities
Overall Camera Quality
8.0
7.6
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max to have very good overall camera quality, while the Google Pixel 6a has good overall camera quality.
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max offers an excellent camera experience with strengths in versatility and selfie quality, making it ideal for both varied photography needs and high-quality front-facing photos. The Google Pixel 6a also provides a very good camera experience, particularly praised for its photo software and camera versatility, although with a slightly less impressive selfie performance compared to the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Photo Quality
7.8
7.4
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max and Google Pixel 6a both have good photos.
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max takes very good photos due to its high performance in photo software experience, dynamic range, and low light performance, with an added benefit in selfie quality. Conversely, the Google Pixel 6a is also known for excellent photos largely due to its strong photo software experience and good selfie quality, albeit with slightly less versatility in comparison to the iPhone.
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How the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max and the Google Pixel 6a compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max | Google Pixel 6a |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$639 | $349 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | ||
Operating System | |||
Operating System | iOS | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 24, 2021 | July 21, 2022 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.7" | 6.1" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2778 x 1284 | 2400 x 1080 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | Yes | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 458 | 429 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | A15 | Tensor | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 128 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 6 GB | 6 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 7.9/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 8.6/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | Main, Ultrawide | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 12 megapixels + OIS | 12.2 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.6 Hours | 7.6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 4352 mAh | 4410 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | No | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 15 W | 0 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | No | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 6.33" x 3.07" | 5.99" x 2.83" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.47 oz | 6.28 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Plastic | |
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, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 78, 79, 258, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 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 | Alpine Green, Graphite, Sierra Blue, Gold, Silver | Chalk, Sage, Charcoal | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | N/A | Yes | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | No | |
Shopping
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Guide
Mark Spoonauer | March 2023
"The iPhone 13 Pro Max is that rare phone that gets a 5-star rating from us. You get blistering performance and a very responsive 120Hz display. Plus, the battery life is among the best we’ve seen from a 5G flagship. Some may simply prefer the iPhone 13 Pro because it’s smaller and lighter, as there are no other functional differences between the two handsets. But if you prefer a bigger screen, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is the closest thing to perfect you can get in a phone."
Google Pixel 6a
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Dig into reviews and images
Ars Technica
Ron Amadeo | July 2022
"it's very hard to find fault with the Pixel 6a. It has a processor that, in the US at least, blows away other Android phones in this price range. The design is great, the camera is fine, and the price is right. What's not to like?"
Get a great deal on the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max or the Google Pixel 6a
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
68
Phones evaluated
7,820
Phones stats compiled
8
Proprietary Phones ratings developed
151,800
Recommendations made
86,020
Consumer hours saved
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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