Apple iPhone XS vs Google Pixel 3
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Apple iPhone XS and the Google Pixel 3, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Apple iPhone XS | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| Our rating | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Battery | 2,658 mAh | 2,915 mAh |
| Wired charging | 18W | 18W |
| Storage (max) | 512 GB | 128 GB |
| Screen size | 5.8 in | 5.5 in |
| Main camera | 63 MP | 12.2 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 177 g | 148 g |
| Released | Sep 2018 | Oct 2018 |
Summary: Apple iPhone XS is ahead on our rating, storage (max), screen size, main camera. Google Pixel 3 is ahead on battery, weight (lower is lighter).
★ Which should you buy? Apple iPhone XS is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs.
Researched with AI assistance by infozme.com from manufacturer and retailer sources — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Apple iPhone XS | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| Type | Super Retina OLED, HDR, 625 nits (typical) | P-OLED, HDR |
| Size | 5.8 inches | 5.5 inches, 76.7 cm2 (~77.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution | 1125 x 2436 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) | 1080 x 2160 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~443 ppi density) |
| Protection | Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Features | True Tone, Wide color gamut, 3D Touch | — |
Platform
| Apple iPhone XS | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| OS | iOS 12, upgradable to iOS 18.7 (as of 2026) | — |
| Chipset | Apple A12 Bionic (7 nm) | Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) |
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x2.5 GHz Vortex + 4x1.6 GHz Tempest) | Octa-core (4x2.5 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.6 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) | Adreno 630 |
| Neural Engine | 8-core Next-generation Neural Engine | — |
Memory
| Apple iPhone XS | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB LPDDR4X |
| Internal Storage | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB (NVMe) | 64GB or 128GB |
| Card Slot | No | No |
Main Camera
| Apple iPhone XS | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| Dual | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS; 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom | — |
| Features | Quad-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama), Panorama (up to 63MP), Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control, Smart HDR | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Visual Core, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Video | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec. | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@240fps |
| Single | — | 12.2 MP, f/1.8, 28mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS |
Selfie Camera
| Apple iPhone XS | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| Single | 7 MP, f/2.2, 32mm (standard) | — |
| Features | HDR, Portrait mode | Auto-HDR |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Dual | — | 8 MP, f/1.8, 28mm (wide), PDAF; 8 MP, f/2.2, 19mm (ultrawide), no AF |
Battery
| Apple iPhone XS | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| Type | Li-Ion 2658 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 2915 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | 15W wired, 50% in 30 min (advertised, with 18W adapter sold separately); Qi wireless charging | 18W wired, PD2.0; 10W wireless (Qi) with Pixel Stand, 5W with other Qi chargers |
| Endurance | Talk time: Up to 20h; Internet use: Up to 12h; Video playback: Up to 14h; Audio playback: Up to 60h | — |
Body
| Apple iPhone XS | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| Dimensions | 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm (5.65 x 2.79 x 0.30 in) | 145.6 x 68.2 x 7.9 mm (5.73 x 2.69 x 0.31 in) |
| Weight | 177 g (6.24 oz) | 148 g (5.22 oz) |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back (Gorilla Glass), stainless steel frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Water & Dust Resistance | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 2m for 30 mins) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) |
| SIM | — | Nano-SIM and/or eSIM |
Comms
| Apple iPhone XS | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS | — |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | Lightning, USB 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| Positioning | — | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | — | No |
Launch
| Apple iPhone XS | Google Pixel 3 |
|---|
| Announced | September 12, 2018 | October 2018 |
| Status | Released September 21, 2018. Discontinued September 10, 2019. | Available. Released 2018, October 18 |
| OS at Launch | — | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12 |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Apple iPhone XS or Google Pixel 3?
Google Pixel 3 — 2,658 mAh for the Apple iPhone XS versus 2,915 mAh for the Google Pixel 3.
Which is lighter, Apple iPhone XS or Google Pixel 3?
Google Pixel 3 — 177 g for the Apple iPhone XS versus 148 g for the Google Pixel 3.
Which is newer, Apple iPhone XS or Google Pixel 3?
Google Pixel 3 — Sep 2018 for the Apple iPhone XS versus Oct 2018 for the Google Pixel 3.
Is the Apple iPhone XS or the Google Pixel 3 rated higher?
We rate the Apple iPhone XS 8/10 and the Google Pixel 3 7/10.
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