iPhone 17 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: A level playing field

We've spent plenty of time with the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, and we keep coming to the same conclusion: this is an Android phone for iPhone users ready to make a change. That puts a bit of pressure on Apple and the iPhone 17 Pro Max to provide an experience great enough to keep longtime iOS users on board. Now that the iPhone 17 Pro Max is official, is it enough to beat the Pixel 10 Pro XL and keep iPhone users happy?

That's up for debate, because whether you love or hate the iPhone 17 Pro Max will likely come down to your thoughts on the new aluminum chassis. Otherwise, performance and everyday use will likely feel similar to that of its predecessor. Another factor will certainly be whether you prefer iOS 26's Liquid Glass or Android 16's Material 3 Expressive design language. If you're on the fence, this comparison will help you choose between Apple and Google's top smartphones.

iPhone 17 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Design and display

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Google popularized the modern concept of a "camera bar" on Pixel phones, which has recently become more of a camera "island" on the Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Pro XL. Apple seems to be copying Google's homework a bit, because the new iPhone 17 Pro Max has what it's calling a camera "plateau." It might sound a bit silly, and some think it looks silly, but it's part of an impressive iPhone 17 Pro Max design shift to a unibody construction.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max is crafted out of one piece of aluminum that holds all the components with a small cutout on the back for a slab of glass. It creates something of a two-tone look for the iPhone — also reminiscent of older Pixels — that makes wireless charging transmission remain possible. The design change improves durability and thermals, as aluminum is better at dissipating heat than titanium, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max has a vapor chamber for the first time.

It's worth noting that Google has been using polished aluminum for a while on Pixel Pro phones, and had vapor chambers for cooling before Apple.

I tend to be critical of big and heavy phones, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max actually makes the Pixel 10 Pro XL feel small in this regard. Apple's phone is 8.75mm thick (which doesn't even take the camera plateau into account) and weighs 233 grams.

Meanwhile, the Pixel 10 Pro XL is thinner at 8.5mm and lighter at 232 grams. Those figures don't include the camera bump either, but the Pixel 10 Pro XL is still thinner and lighter than the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Maybe that matters to you, maybe it doesn't.

Both phones have impressive durability features. The iPhone 17 Pro Max and Pixel 10 Pro XL are both IP68-certified against dust and water ingress, and each has durable glass — Ceramic Shield 2 and Gorilla Glass Victus 2, respectively.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max has a larger display, measuring 6.9 inches. It's an OLED screen with a 120Hz variable refresh rate, and it tops out at 3,000 nits of peak brightness. The Pixel 10 Pro XL's 6.8-inch OLED display is actually brighter, maxing out at 3,300 nits. This could help the Pixel with outdoor visibility, but the iPhone has the advantage of an anti-reflective display coating.

iPhone 17 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Hardware and specs

Hardware and specs could lean in favor of either the iPhone 17 Pro Max or the Pixel 10 Pro XL, depending on whether you want raw power or practicality. If you need the former, the Apple 19 Pro chip in the iPhone 17 Pro Max will run circles around Pixels in benchmarks.

It's faster and can handle AAA gaming on-device, paired with 12GB of memory. While the Tensor G5 chip in the Pixel 10 Pro XL is vastly improved, it still lags a bit behind Apple and Qualcomm in benchmarks and strenuous use cases, like gaming. Google did equip the Pixel 10 Pro XL with 16GB of RAM, which will help with longevity and come in handy in certain situations, like on-device AI processing.

Speaking of AI, the Pixel 10 Pro XL clearly has the better artificial intelligence suite with Google AI and Gemini. Apple Intelligence isn't anything to write home about at the moment — we're still waiting for the revamped Siri, and Visual Intelligence is a subpar experience compared to multimodal Gemini Live. The good news is that you can get many of Google's best AI features on iOS via the Google, Chrome, and Gemini apps.

In terms of connectivity, both the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Pixel 10 Pro XL offer the latest and greatest wireless technology. You get Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, mmWave 5G, UWB, and NFC on both models. Apple takes things a step further with a Thread radio, but this will only matter if you have or plan to use Thread-supported networking and smart home products.

Apple and Google both took charging speeds to the next level this release cycle. The iPhone 17 Pro Max has a 5,088mAh battery, the largest ever in an iPhone, and can charge at up to 40W wired. That equates to 50% of charge in 20 minutes in the real world. On the flip side, the Pixel 10 Pro XL has a 5,200mAh battery and can charge at 45W over a cable.

Both phones support the latest Qi2.2 wireless charging standard, enabling 25W wireless charging over supported MagSafe, Qi2.2, or Pixelsnap chargers.

iPhone 17 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Cameras

Apple and Google loaded up their new flagships with similar triple-camera systems on the rear, with a main, ultrawide, and telephoto lens on each phone. Google has the higher-megapixel main camera sensor at 50MP, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max has three 48MP sensors.

Notably, the Pixel 10 Pro XL telephoto camera can do true 5x optical zoom, whereas the iPhone 17 Pro Max reaches 8x optical-quality zoom — but true optical zoom is capped at 4x length.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max has a unique advantage in the front-facing camera battle. On paper, it would appear the Pixel 10 Pro XL's 42MP selfie cam runs circles around the iPhone's 18MP sensor. However, Apple is using a square sensor this year, enabling horizontal and portrait selfies without needing to physically rotate the phone. This is a cool party trick that'll really come in handy when taking group photos.

iPhone 17 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Which should you buy?

Of course, if you have a preference for iOS or Android, the hardware in Apple and Google's respective flagships is unlikely to sway you. In fact, they're very similar from a specs standpoint. The iPhone 17 Pro Max has a slightly larger display and a faster processor on paper, but in terms of daily use, it'll likely feel similar to the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL.

To that end, both phones support Qi2.2, meaning they can tap into the vast MagSafe and new Pixelsnap ecosystems of chargers and accessories. They also have aluminum materials and a triple-camera system on the back. One advantage of going with the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the 2TB storage option, but the Pixel 10 Pro XL similarly has more RAM at 16GB.

Put simply, you can't go wrong with either the iPhone 17 Pro Max or the Pixel 10 Pro XL. If you like the Apple ecosystem, go with the iPhone; if you want tons of on-device AI, grab the Pixel. Either way, you're going to end up with an excellent phone that will last you into the next decade.