Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max and Google Pixel 11 Pro XL Camera and Specs Compared

Apple and Google have set up a direct fight in the smartphone market with their newest flagship devices, the iPhone 18 Pro Max and the Google Pixel 11 Pro XL. Both handsets rely on triple rear-camera setups, but they use very different sensors, zoom tools, and software features.

Rear Cameras and Zoom

The iPhone 18 Pro Max features three 48-megapixel rear sensors, including a main Fusion camera with an adjustable opening that shifts across varying settings, a tetraprism telephoto lens offering 4-times optical zoom, and an ultrawide lens with a 120-degree field of view. Apple builds in digital zoom up to 40 times and an overall optical-quality range reaching 16 times. The Pixel 11 Pro XL pairs a 50-megapixel main sensor with a 48-megapixel telephoto lens giving 5-times optical zoom and a 48-megapixel ultrawide sensor with a 123-degree field of view. Google includes a Pro Zoom mode that stretches up to 120 times.

Video and Front Cameras

For video work, the Pixel supports 8-kilobit video recording at 30 frames per second via Video Boost alongside 4-kilobit footage at 60 frames per second, backed by tools like Night Sight Video and Audio Magic Eraser. The iPhone counters with spatial video capture, macro video, Genlock support, and pro video formats. Selfie cameras differ sharply, as the iPhone uses an 18-megapixel front sensor with Center Stage and an f/1.9 aperture, while the Pixel packs a 42-megapixel dual-PD front camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a 103-degree field of view. Both devices shoot 4-kilobit video from the front.

Display, Build, and Price

Physical builds and internal hardware also set the two apart. The iPhone carries a 6.9-inch OLED display with 1320 by 2868 resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and up to 3,000 nits of outdoor peak brightness. The Pixel comes with a slightly smaller 6.8-inch LTPO OLED screen featuring 1344 by 2992 resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and up to 3,600 nits of peak brightness. The Pixel weighs 226 grams and measures 76.5 by 162.7 by 8.5 millimeters, making it lighter and slightly smaller than the iPhone, which weighs 249 grams and measures 78 by 163.4 by 8.75 millimeters. Under the hood, both offer 12 gigabytes of RAM and 256 gigabytes of storage. The iPhone runs iOS 27 on an A20 Pro chip, while the Pixel runs Android 17 on a Tensor G6 chip. The Pixel includes a 5,115mAh battery with 25-watt wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, while security relies on Face ID for Apple and an in-display fingerprint sensor plus face unlock for Google. In India, the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at 1,79,900 rupees, and the Google Pixel 11 Pro XL starts at 1,34,999 rupees.