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 XSGoogle Pixel 3
PriceRs. 37,599Rs. 21,000
Our rating8/107/10
Battery2,658 mAh2,915 mAh
Wired charging18W18W
Storage (max)512 GB128 GB
Screen size5.8 in5.5 in
Main camera63 MP12.2 MP
Weight (lower is lighter)177 g148 g
ReleasedSep 2018Oct 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. If budget matters more than the extra capability, Google Pixel 3 is the cheaper option.

Display

Apple iPhone XSGoogle Pixel 3
TypeSuper Retina OLED, HDR, 625 nits (typical)P-OLED, HDR
Size5.8 inches5.5 inches, 76.7 cm2 (~77.2% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution1125 x 2436 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density)1080 x 2160 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~443 ppi density)
ProtectionScratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coatingCorning Gorilla Glass 5
FeaturesTrue Tone, Wide color gamut, 3D Touch—

Platform

Apple iPhone XSGoogle Pixel 3
OSiOS 12, upgradable to iOS 18.7 (as of 2026)—
ChipsetApple A12 Bionic (7 nm)Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm)
CPUHexa-core (2x2.5 GHz Vortex + 4x1.6 GHz Tempest)Octa-core (4x2.5 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.6 GHz Kryo 385 Silver)
GPUApple GPU (4-core graphics)Adreno 630
Neural Engine8-core Next-generation Neural Engine—

Memory

Apple iPhone XSGoogle Pixel 3
RAM4GB4GB LPDDR4X
Internal Storage64GB, 256GB, 512GB (NVMe)64GB or 128GB
Card SlotNoNo

Main Camera

Apple iPhone XSGoogle Pixel 3
Dual12 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—
FeaturesQuad-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama), Panorama (up to 63MP), Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control, Smart HDRDual-LED flash, Pixel Visual Core, Auto-HDR, panorama
Video4K@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 XSGoogle Pixel 3
Single7 MP, f/2.2, 32mm (standard)—
FeaturesHDR, Portrait modeAuto-HDR
Video1080p@30fps1080p@30fps
Dual—8 MP, f/1.8, 28mm (wide), PDAF; 8 MP, f/2.2, 19mm (ultrawide), no AF

Battery

Apple iPhone XSGoogle Pixel 3
TypeLi-Ion 2658 mAh, non-removableLi-Po 2915 mAh, non-removable
Charging15W wired, 50% in 30 min (advertised, with 18W adapter sold separately); Qi wireless charging18W wired, PD2.0; 10W wireless (Qi) with Pixel Stand, 5W with other Qi chargers
EnduranceTalk time: Up to 20h; Internet use: Up to 12h; Video playback: Up to 14h; Audio playback: Up to 60h—

Body

Apple iPhone XSGoogle Pixel 3
Dimensions143.6 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)
Weight177 g (6.24 oz)148 g (5.22 oz)
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back (Gorilla Glass), stainless steel frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame
Water & Dust ResistanceIP68 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 XSGoogle Pixel 3
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspotWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot
Bluetooth5.0, A2DP, LE5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
GPSGPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS—
NFCYesYes
USBLightning, USB 2.0USB Type-C 3.1
Positioning—GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
Radio—No

Launch

Apple iPhone XSGoogle Pixel 3
AnnouncedSeptember 12, 2018October 2018
StatusReleased 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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