Pixel 8 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro speed test shows Google’s latest crushed by Apple [Video]

The Pixel series has never been about performance, but in a new speed test up against the iPhone 15 Pro, the Pixel 8 Pro is heavily beaten by Apple.

The classic PhoneBuff speed test takes two phones – in this case, the Pixel 8 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max – in a side-by-side comparison where an automated machine sends both phones through a loop of opening apps and performing tasks up against a timer. While many are quick to point out that “no one uses their phone like that,” the test does as good a job as any in showing the difference in how smartphones compare in tasks you might perform, as well as showing how well the devices keep apps in memory.

Historically speaking, Google’s Pixel phones have never beaten the iPhone in this comparison, and nothing has changed this time around.

As our sister site 9to5Mac first put it, the iPhone really “crushed” the Pixel here.

In the first lap of the test, the Pixel takes an early lead in opening apps but falls behind, unsurprisingly, in a video export test, where Apple’s raw power and typical better app optimization takes hold. The Pixel really never comes back from that delay, finishing the first lap almost 30 seconds after the iPhone. In lap two, where keeping apps in memory is key, the Pixel also fails to keep some apps, including Microsoft Excel and Word, open, which only further puts it behind.

In the end, the Pixel finishes the test in 3:28, about 40 seconds slower than the iPhone’s 2:48.

As an added note of context, too, the Pixel 7 Pro lost to the iPhone 14 Pro Max by around 30 seconds, while the Pixel 6 Pro only came behind the iPhone 13 Pro Max by a mere six seconds.

Why did the Pixel lose? Aside from the simple fact that Tensor G3 isn’t nearly as powerful as Apple’s A17 Pro, there’s also the fact that, even compared to other Android flagships, Google is a bit behind the curve. The newer UFS 4.0 storage in devices such as the Galaxy S23 Ultra helps certain tasks move a bit faster, and the superior power in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in Samsung’s phone (as well as devices from OnePlus and others) also helps export tasks and more move a little quicker.

It’s abundantly clear that, no, the Pixel 8 Pro isn’t “slow.” Google’s flagship still moves through everything quite quickly, and its early lead shows how the conversation of performance in day-to-day use really just depends on how you use your phone.

But, on the other hand, the lack of raw power in Google’s Tensor chips played a role here, and it’s something Google should definitely keep in mind in future releases. After all, the extra overhead in Apple’s chips is part of what helps them stay usable for several years after release, and that’s something crucial for Google given the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro get OS updates for seven years now.

More on Pixel 8:

• Google Pixel 8 Pro Initial Review: It’s all coming together
• Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro’s faster charging lasts longer into the charging cycle too
• Google will provide 7 years of repair parts for Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, too