iPhone 18 Pro vs Google Pixel 11 Pro: iOS or Android?

Specs Comparison Table

Price and Availability

The iPhone 18 Pro, alongside the larger Pro Max, will be available for pre-order from September 12th ahead of the official launch from September 18th. Available in a choice of four colours including Deep Black, Silver, Glacier and Burgundy, the iPhone 18 Pro has a starting RRP of £1199/$1199.

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In comparison, the Google Pixel 11 Pro is readily available to buy now and starts at a cheaper £1079/$1099. Like the iPhone 18 Pro, it also comes in a choice between four colours including Canyon, Olive, Fog and Obsidian. 

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A20 Pro vs Tensor G6

Both phones run on chips made by their respective manufacturers. That means the iPhone 18 Pro runs on Apple’s own A20 Pro while the Pixel 11 Pro is powered by Google’s Tensor G6 processor. 

Google never priorities speed and power with its Tensor chips and favours AI prowess instead. That means although the Pixel 11 Pro saw pretty low scores in our benchmark tests, it performs well in everyday use – though it does struggle with gaming. 

Apple has introduced its A20 Pro chip within both the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, alongside the iPhone Duo which is the company’s first foldable. Hailed as Apple’s fastest ever iPhone chip, the processor sports a 6-core CPU that’s deemed the fastest of any smartphone, a 7-core GPU that promises 40% faster graphics compared to last year’s A19 Pro and a new Dual 16-core neural engine for running on-device AI models.

With all of this in mind, Apple promises the A20 Pro is a “powerhouse” for everything from on-device AI workloads and demanding games too. While we’re yet to review the chip ourselves, its specs certainly seem like a more promising choice for those who want more power. Of course, we’ll be sure to update this versus once we review the iPhone 18 Pro.

Pixel 11 Pro introduces the HiLight feature

There’s no getting around the fact that smartphones are incredibly distracting devices. You’ll unlock your phone to reply to one message, but then see all your other notifications across multiple apps vying for your attention. That’s where Google’s new HiLight tool comes in.

HiLight is essentially coloured LED lights that are built around the Pixel 11 Pro’s flash, that’ll glow when you receive a phone call or when you start speaking to Gemini. It’s not dissimilar to Nothing Phones, which get you to keep your phone face down but uses its Glyph lights to keep you updated with important notifications. 

While right now HiLight seems somewhat basic, Google has promised that we’ll see new features added to HiLight over time, including message notifications.

Pixel 11 Pro has a 50MP main lens, but the iPhone 18 Pro has an industry-first main lens with variable aperture

Pixel Pro and iPhone Pro handsets usually find their way onto our best camera phones list, as both Google and Apple offer excellent hardware and image processing capabilities. 

Both handsets are equipped with three rear cameras, including a main, ultrawide and dedicated telephoto sensors, but they differ with their exact offerings. The Pixel 11 Pro sports a 50MP main alongside a 48MP ultrawide and 48MP telephoto, and overall we found the phone to be a reliable shooter – even at night when the lighting drops. 

Hardware aside, where the Pixel 11 Pro shines best is with its Gemini-infused software which includes tools like Camera Coach to advise you on how to improve your picture and Magic Capture that analyses 400 frames of the same shot to capture the best possible image. 

In comparison, the iPhone 18 Pro is fitted with three 48MP lenses – though the headline camera is undoubtedly its main. Hailed as Apple’s most advanced camera ever, the 48MP Fusion main camera is fitted with a variable aperture that automatically adjusts for lighting and depth of field.

There are also Pro controls that allow you to customise your shooting experience, from manually adjusting the aperture or shutter speed to changing the photographic styles too.

Apple Intelligence or Gemini Intelligence

Since its inception back in 2024, Apple Intelligence hasn’t taken off like we thought it would. In fact, two years on, the AI-powered toolkit still feels like an afterthought. However with iOS 27 Apple promises Apple Intelligence will see much-needed improvements and tweaks, from its photo editing tools to its writing assistance. Perhaps the headline update here is Siri AI, which promises to be a complete overhaul of Apple’s voice assistant, for a more conversational and reliable experience.

In comparison, Google’s Gemini Intelligence is easily one of the most reliable AI toolkits found in a smartphone. Sure, it shouldn’t be the reason you choose the Pixel 11 Pro, but there’s so many Google AI tools that can genuinely come in handy. For example, there’s Circle to Search which now allows you to make multiple searches at once, Google’s photo editing suite and, of course, access to the voice assistant Gemini.

Both roughly promise the same amount of battery

Battery life has never been a selling point of either iPhone or Pixel phones, especially when compared to phones like the Xiaomi 17 Ultra which has a 6000mAh cell. Even so, Apple promises that the iPhone 18 Pro will see up to 23 hours of typical use – though we’ll have to wait and see for ourselves.

We found that on days with around five or six hours of screen time, the Pixel 11 Pro’s battery would be depleted by 10pm, while other days would need a top-up in the evening to get through. Fortunately it supports PixelSnap which means you can conveniently top the phone up on the go.

Early Verdict

Realistically, choosing between the iPhone 18 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro will boil down to your existing ecosystem. For example, if you own AirPods, an Apple Watch or even a Mac, then the iPhone makes much more sense than the Pixel 11 Pro. 

If you do have more flexibility, then choosing between the two will come down to your own preferences. So, if you want more power, a phone that promises to cope with demanding games and a camera with variable aperture, then the iPhone 18 Pro seems a brilliant choice. On the other hand, if you favour AI smarts and want one of the confirmed best camera phones on the market, then the Pixel 11 Pro is an easy recommendation.

We’ll update this versus once we review the iPhone 18 Pro.