Up next in 10
iPhone vs Pixel 9a
0 views
Aug 11, 2025
@paulAntill swapped his $1,000 iPhone 16 Pro for Google’s new $499 Pixel 9a—and used it as his daily phone for the past few weeks. Here’s what it was like to leave the Apple ecosystem, whether the Pixel 9a’s AI features and clean Android experience held up, and what really matters when choosing your best phone. Spoiler: There’s a lot to love about the 9a… but also a few things that reminded him why he’s still tied to his iPhone.
View Video Transcript
0:00
Can the $500 Pixel 9a really replace my iPhone 16 Pro that costs twice as much
0:06
Everyone's already been comparing this to Apple's budget iPhone 16e, but I wanted to see how well it holds up against what I think is actually the best iPhone you can
0:14
buy today. For context, I used to be all in on Google phones. I've owned every Pixel from the OG
0:19
to the Pixel 5 until I made the switch to the iPhone 11 and I've stuck with Apple ever since
0:24
So I figured it was time to go back to my roots. I put down my 16 Pro and ideally the Pixel 9a
0:29
for a few weeks straight. And sure, comparing a mid-range Android phone
0:33
to a flagship iPhone isn't exactly Apple's to... Pixels. But with phone prices climbing and budgets getting tighter
0:40
the gap between the two tiers is way closer than you think. And spoiler, the Pixel 9a is a way better phone
0:46
than I expected. If there's one thing Google's proven over the years
0:50
it's that budget phones don't have to settle for junky displays. I'm looking at you, 16e
0:55
Both the Pixel 9a and the 16 Pro rock a 6.3 inch 120Hz screen, and side by side they look
1:03
just as sharp and vibrant. Honestly though, I'd give the edge to the 9a, mainly because of its higher peak brightness
1:09
when outdoors. Really, the only giveaway that the 9a isn't a flagship is the slightly thicker bezels
1:15
you get. And even then, I couldn't care less when the screen itself looks this good
1:20
In fact, I'd argue that the 9a looks more premium at a glance
1:25
The punch hole camera cutout is smaller and way less distracting, which made shows and
1:29
full screen apps feel noticeably more immersive. Meanwhile, Apple's dynamic island… yeah, let's be real, it's never been some
1:36
groundbreaking feature. Face ID still needs somewhere to live after all. Anyway, Google also cleaned up the 9A's design in another really big way
1:46
The camera bump. It's gone. Finally. Now the back is basically flush, and I'm here for it, especially since it gives us a
1:52
really nice boost to battery capacity. It might be a budget phone, but it's simple
1:58
clean design actually makes the 9A my favorite looking phone of 2025 so far
2:03
Maybe it's just me, but the iPhone's camera bump? It's long overstayed its welcome
2:08
Apple, it's time for a facelift. But a great design doesn't mean much if the softer driving it gets in the way
2:16
The day experience between Android 15 and iOS 18 feels way closer than it used to Now that iOS has fully embraced widgets and added a decent amount of customization you no longer completely stuck in Apple walled garden
2:30
at least not the way you used to. A lot of iOS's newer features
2:34
definitely feel like they were inspired by Android. It was around this point where I realized
2:39
iOS has come a really long way. There were really only a few iOS exclusives
2:44
that I genuinely missed, Apple News being the big one. Beyond that though, pretty much everything else I use had a native Android app, which isn't something I could have said five years ago
2:54
Now here's a cool thing that I completely forgot Android had. When you're in your Maps, if you minimize it, you actually get a widget overlay
3:02
That way you can continue to use your phone and still have your turn-by-turn directions
3:07
That's one feature I wish Apple would steal from Android. Of course, I can't bring up iOS without mentioning iMessage, AirDrop, and continuity
3:15
especially when you're also using it with an iPad or a MacBook. Not being able to seamlessly share files, reply to text, or even copy and paste simple links
3:24
between my Pixel 9a and my other devices, at that point, I just wasn't sure I was going to make it through this challenge
3:32
But here's where the Pixel really had a chance to win me back. The Pixel 9a comes loaded with genuinely useful AI features
3:40
And it's not just gimmicks or half-baked promises. Circle to Search is the MVP
3:46
You can literally draw a circle around anything on your screen. A video you're watching, a text you can't read, and boom, instant Google results
3:54
It's a fun and easy way to learn more about the content on screen without needing to switch out of my app
4:00
Call Screen is still criminally underrated too, and I didn't realize how much I missed it
4:05
when I gave up my Pixel years ago. When an unknown number rings, the phone can pick up for you
4:10
You can just watch a live transcript of the call as it's happening
4:14
It's the perfect way to dodge spam. And to be fair, a lot of those awkward conversations
4:18
I just don't feel like having at that moment. And I love that feature. And then there's my surprise favorite, Gemini
4:24
I used it way more than I thought I would. It's not just a voice assistant
4:28
it's like having a full on smart helper that you can talk to naturally, ask follow up questions
4:34
and even have it describe what it's looking at with your pixels rear camera
4:38
What tree am I looking at? Wow that a beautiful cherry blossom tree Are you wondering about the specific type of cherry blossom Or do you have something else in mind What does it bloom It blooming right now
4:50
Quanzan cherry trees usually bloom in mid-spring. Even for simpler stuff like asking for a restaurant recommendation the other day
4:58
Gemini didn't just spit out a list. It gave me actual context to help me decide where to go
5:04
Find me a good Japanese barbecue restaurant near 42nd Street that's not too expensive
5:10
I found two Japanese barbecue restaurants near 42nd Street that fit your criteria
5:16
Kyukaku Japanese Barbecue. This restaurant is praised for its high quality meats, exceptional service, and overall amazing experience
5:24
So let's see how well Siri can do. Siri does give me the same result, but it only gives me one option
5:30
It doesn't give me the whole little backstory and context if I wanted to learn a little bit more
5:33
If someone's maybe a little bit pickier or isn't familiar with the restaurant, this isn't as detailed as I'd like
5:39
And it's not just that Siri's responses felt more basic in comparison
5:44
Gemini quickly and reliably gave me the info I wanted, so much so that it became the smarter way to find things
5:51
instead of just bouncing between Maps, Yelp, and a bunch of other browser tabs
5:56
And if you're curious just how far Pixel's AI has come, including all the crazy stuff like photo editing and generative art
6:03
you can check my full deep dive link below. If you know me, you know that I'm all about cameras
6:11
As someone who shoots a ton of content for work, any phone I carry has to be a powerhouse
6:15
for both photos and videos. So how does this year's budget Pixel stack up
6:20
The Pixel 9a has a really solid dual camera system and in daylight, it absolutely holds its own
6:26
Photos and videos come out sharp, even in tough high contrast scenes. And for the most part, I didn't have any major complaints
6:32
Portrait mode is good, but when you put it side by side with the 16 Pro
6:37
you don't quite get that same depth of field. Telephoto performance is where things get a little bit more interesting though
6:44
Because the iPhone 16 Pro does have that dedicated 5x 12 megapixel telephoto lens
6:49
it does take the lead. Although at similar zoom levels and good lighting
6:53
the Pixel 9a isn't too far behind. When you start pixel peeping
6:57
yes, the iPhone definitely shows more detail and better depth of field
7:00
and you can see where the 9A is actually leaning on software magic to sharpen things up But still it impressive how far Google computational photography has come Once the lights go down though it a different story The 9A starts to
7:14
show its limits even more, and if I wasn't standing perfectly still, shots would get blurry really
7:18
fast. That carries over into video 2, where the 16 Pro easily takes the win. It's got better
7:25
stabilization, especially with its telephoto lens, better dynamic range and harsh lighting
7:31
and much cleaner, less jittery, low-light footage. I might do a blind test soon
7:35
just to see how close these phones can look in the same conditions, but if cameras are your top priority
7:41
the Pixel 9a is still a very much good for the price option
7:45
just not the iPhone 16 killer you thought it might be. So a few weeks in
7:51
what was replacing my iPhone 16 Pro with the Pixel 9a like? Honestly, they revealed a lot
7:57
First, the Pixel 9a is an insanely good value. I got flagship level performance, an arguably better display, especially for outdoors
8:05
and AI tools that I actually wanted to use, all for $500
8:09
And that's before any of the promos or discounts that we frequently see
8:13
It reminded me why I love the Pixel series and got hooked on it in the first place
8:18
And for a lot of people, this is hands down the phone you should buy today
8:22
But has it fully won me back? Not quite. And that's not because the Pixel 9a isn't good enough
8:27
because for its price, it's absolutely stellar. Ultimately, this whole challenge showed me
8:32
that it's not really about hardware or even software that keeps me loyal to my iPhone
8:37
It's the ecosystem. And it's that ecosystem that more than makes up for the underwhelming Siri and honestly
8:42
what feels like a few years without any real invasion on iPhone's front
8:46
All that to say, the Pixel 9a made a lasting impression, especially with its genuinely useful Gemini features
8:52
which yeah, I'm gonna miss when I switch back to my iPhone. At its budget price point, this phone offers a lot for $500
8:59
But what do you think? Could you ever make the switch? Let me know in the comments below
9:03
If you want more comparisons or deep dives on tech content, subscribe and turn on notifications
9:08
so you don't miss my next video. You can find us everywhere at Tom's Guide and you can follow me to see what other cool
9:12
tech I'm reviewing. And that's a wrap. Stay tuned for more tech goodness
9:17
And until the next one, I'll catch you later
#Computers & Electronics