iPhone 12 is the “regular” model of the series. Although it has less features than the Pro version, the iPhone 12 still has excellent features. Google also has the Pixel 5 that’s capable and reliable for general mobile use. If you are wondering which one to choose, here are things to consider:
Design and Display
Both devices have huge displays and slim bezels, that give an all-screen appearance. The iPhone 12 has a notch to accommodate the selfie camera, while the Pixel 5 uses a punch hole on the top left. OLED displays on these phones produce accurate colours and deep black. However, iPhone 12 seems to have slight yellowish blue, while the Pixel 5 leans a bit towards bluish tone. If you want a more fluid animation, it is better to choose the Pixel 5 with its 90Hz display. On the other hand, the iPhone 12 still uses the regular 60Hz display. As usual, the iPhone 12 has aluminium sides and glass back, which attracts fingerprints easily. Pixel 5 surprises us with its entirely aluminium design that somehow still supports wireless charging. That’s because the Pixel 5 has electrically conductive material on the back.
Camera
iPhone 12 and Pixel 5 have similar camera configuration on the back. They have primary wide-angle lens and ultra-wide-angle lens, all with 12MP resolution. With software algorithm, iPhone 12 and Pixel 5 can enhance photo results. Pixel 5 with HDR+ and iPhone 12 with Deep Fusion and HDR 3. There are some differences between the two. The iPhone 5 has emphasis on dynamics, but its photos look a bit underexposed with cold cast. The iPhone 12 produces warm, striking and bright images, which capture attention more easily on social media pages. On the front, the iPhone 12 has 12MP camera and Pixel 5 with 8MP lens. Again, the selfie photo of Pixel 5 looks slightly cold and the iPhone 12 delivers selfie photos that look vibrant and bright. Both are able to record videos at 4k @60fps.
Speakers and Audio
The brand-new iPhone has classic stereo speaker arrangement. The audio quality sounds loud and detailed, although somewhat over-compressed when you crank up the volume. Unfortunately, Google decided to ditch the stereo system, making the Pixel 5 sound mediocre. There’s only a speaker at the bottom. Although it can sound thumping and loud, it lacks clarity. Watching YouTube on Pixel 5 may not be too enjoyable.
Performance
The A14 Bionic used by iPhone has excellent performance and efficiency with 5nm manufacturing process. In terms of performance, the Pixel 5 isn’t in the same class, because it has the mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset. Fortunately, the Pixel 5 still performs really well for casual tasks. Google promises three years of update for Android software. It is likely that Google can keep the Pixel 5 optimized with its own Android operating system.
Battery Life
Today, smartphones are now hard at work. People use them for various tasks, like communicating with others, surfing the web, doing productivity work and watching videos. However, it appears that iPhone 12 is struggling to maintain good battery life, especially for gaming. Although the A14 is the fastest chipset in the market, it drains the battery quickly when gaming. The Snapdragon 765G may not be the fastest in the market, but it promises balanced performance and power consumption. The Pixel 5 comes with an 18W charger inside the box. Apple’s flagship supports 20W charging brick, but you need to buy it separately. Although they don’t have the fastest charging performance, you can still get decent battery life after 30 minutes.
Conclusion
Your selection should depend on personal preferences. If you want exceptional performance, iPhone 12 is the best choice. It also has reliable and responsive Face ID. Speakers sound satisfying and you will be comfortable inside Apple’s ecosystem. Choose Pixel 5 if you want a more responsive 90Hz display and balanced performance/efficiency chipset. It’s also cheaper and has better battery life for most tasks.
