Google needed to hit that $699 price point and still include 5G
At the $699 crossroads where technology meets daily human life, Google and Apple have placed two distinct visions of what a pocket-sized companion should be. In October 2020, Google's Pixel 5 arrived carrying 5G connectivity and a smoother display, while Apple's iPhone 11 — already a year on the market — answers back with a faster processor and superior front-facing camera. The comparison is less a verdict than a mirror: what you choose reveals what you value in the device that rarely leaves your hand.
- Two phones, one price — $699 — and a genuine standoff that forces buyers to choose between Google's forward-looking 5G bet and Apple's proven processing power.
- Google is entering this fight with one hand tied: pandemic constraints limit Pixel 5 production to just 800,000 units, and the iPhone 12 with 5G is already looming on the horizon.
- The Pixel 5 strikes first with a sharper 90Hz OLED screen, a larger 4,000mAh battery, reverse wireless charging, and 128GB of storage at a price Apple can't quite match — but its downgraded processor is a deliberate concession.
- Apple fires back where it counts for many users: the iPhone 11's A13 Bionic chip outperforms the Pixel 5 in benchmarks, and its front camera records 4K video with slow-motion — capabilities the Pixel 5 simply cannot match.
- The race is already shifting beneath both phones — with iPhone 12's imminent 5G launch threatening to erase the Pixel 5's single clearest advantage before it has fully settled into consumers' hands.
Google's Pixel 5 and Apple's iPhone 11 meet at exactly the same $699 price point, and on the surface they look like near-equals: dual rear cameras, water resistance, and screens close to six inches. But beneath those similarities lie two genuinely different philosophies about what a smartphone should prioritize.
The Pixel 5, unveiled at a virtual event and arriving in stores October 29, brings 5G connectivity, Android 11, an ultrawide rear camera, and the largest battery ever placed in a Pixel — 4,000mAh versus the iPhone 11's 3,110mAh. Its OLED display refreshes at 90Hz, making scrolling feel noticeably more fluid than the iPhone 11's 60Hz LCD panel. Google also added portrait blur in Night Mode and adjustable portrait lighting — features Apple has offered for some time. The Pixel 5's design leans minimalist: matte aluminum and glass in an earthy green, with a rear fingerprint reader. The iPhone 11 goes the opposite direction — glossy pop-art finishes in five colors, with Face ID instead.
Where Apple pulls ahead is processing power and front-camera capability. The Pixel 5 uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765G — a step down from its predecessor — while the iPhone 11 runs Apple's A13 Bionic, a chip that consistently wins in benchmark testing and will likely feel faster in real-world use. The iPhone 11's front camera records 4K video and 120fps slow-motion; the Pixel 5's front camera tops out at 1080p with no slow-motion at all. Apple also charges $749 for 128GB of storage, fifty dollars more than Google, though it discloses neither RAM count nor battery size.
The Pixel 5's strongest card is 5G — a feature the iPhone 11 simply doesn't have. But that advantage carries an asterisk: 5G coverage remains sparse, and Apple's iPhone 12 is expected to launch with 5G imminently, potentially closing the gap before the Pixel 5 finds its footing. Google has already tempered expectations, planning to manufacture only 800,000 units this year due to pandemic constraints. For now, the choice between these two phones is really a choice between what matters most — and neither phone holds all the answers.
Google has released the Pixel 5 directly into the ring with Apple's iPhone 11, and on paper at least, the two phones are locked in a genuine standoff. Both cost $699. Both have dual rear cameras, water resistance, and screens hovering around six inches. But the ways they differ reveal two fundamentally different philosophies about what a phone should be.
The Pixel 5 arrived in October after Google unveiled it at a virtual event, bringing 5G connectivity, an ultrawide-angle camera, Android 11, and a battery larger than any previous Pixel. It will reach retailers on October 29, though Google is tempering expectations. The company anticipates lower sales than usual due to the pandemic and plans to manufacture only 800,000 units this year. The iPhone 11, meanwhile, has been on the market since last September and remains formidable competition—even as Apple prepares to announce the iPhone 12 in mid-October.
Start with the screens. The Pixel 5 has an OLED display with higher resolution and pixel density than the iPhone 11's LCD panel, which means sharper images and more vibrant colors with deeper blacks. The Pixel 5 also refreshes at 90 hertz, compared to the iPhone 11's 60 hertz—a difference you feel immediately when scrolling through webpages or text. The iPhone 11's screen is perfectly serviceable; the Pixel 5's is noticeably more fluid.
The design philosophies couldn't be more distinct. Google gave the Pixel 5 a matte texture, aluminum and glass body, and soft rounded corners in an earthy green that evokes a pebble worn smooth by time. The iPhone 11 takes the opposite approach: high-gloss finishes and pop-art pastels, available in five colors beyond the standard black and green. Neither is objectively better. The Pixel 5 uses a fingerprint reader on the back; the iPhone 11 relies on facial recognition.
Both phones have dual rear cameras with optical image stabilization and low-light modes, but they're configured differently. The Pixel 5 pairs a standard lens with an ultrawide at 107 degrees. The iPhone 11 pairs a wide lens with an ultrawide at 120 degrees—slightly wider. Google added two new camera features to the Pixel 5: you can now blur portrait shots in Night Mode and adjust lighting in portraits, capabilities the iPhone has offered for some time. On the front, the iPhone 11 is the clear winner. Its front-facing camera can record 4K video and slow-motion at 120 frames per second. The Pixel 5's front camera maxes out at 1080p with no slow-motion option.
The processor choice reveals Google's strategy. The Pixel 5 uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765G, a step down from the Pixel 4's Snapdragon 855. Google made this choice deliberately to keep costs down. The iPhone 11 uses Apple's A13 Bionic, which consistently outperforms the 765G in benchmark tests like 3DMark and Geekbench 5. In real-world use, the iPhone 11 will likely feel faster, though the Pixel 5 should handle most tasks without strain.
Storage and memory tell another story. The Pixel 5 comes with 128 gigabytes of storage and 8 gigabytes of RAM for $699. The iPhone 11 with 128 gigabytes costs $749—fifty dollars more. Apple doesn't disclose RAM, but regulatory filings show 4 gigabytes. Neither phone has expandable storage, though both companies push their cloud services. Google Photos offers unlimited storage for high-quality photos and video; Apple's iCloud starts at 5 gigabytes free.
The Pixel 5's battery is its most impressive specification: 4,000 milliamp-hours, the largest in any Pixel phone. The iPhone 11's battery, by comparison, is 3,110 milliamp-hours. But battery capacity doesn't always translate to runtime. In CNET's testing, the iPhone 11 lasted 15 hours and 24 minutes during continuous video playback and 13 hours and 52 minutes while streaming video. The Pixel 5 will need to beat those numbers to claim victory. The Pixel 5 also includes reverse wireless charging, allowing it to power accessories like the Pixel Buds 2 without cables.
The one feature that truly separates these phones is 5G. The Pixel 5 connects to next-generation networks; the iPhone 11 does not. This is Google's clearest advantage, though it comes with a caveat: 5G networks are still sparse and inconsistent. The iPhone 12, expected to launch soon, will almost certainly include 5G, closing this gap. For now, if you want a 5G phone at this price, the Pixel 5 is your only choice. Everything else—the faster processor, the better front camera, the extra color options—belongs to Apple.
Notable Quotes
Google said it went with the 765G to keep costs down— Google (on processor choice)
Google anticipates lower-than-usual sales due to the coronavirus pandemic— Google (on production expectations)
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why would Google deliberately choose a slower processor if they're competing directly with Apple?
Cost. The 765G is cheaper than the 855 they used in the Pixel 4, and it's fast enough for most people. Google needed to hit that $699 price point and still include 5G, which isn't cheap. They made a trade-off.
But doesn't that mean the iPhone 11 will just feel snappier?
Probably, yes. In benchmarks, definitely. But in daily use? Most people won't notice the difference unless they're gaming or doing heavy video editing. The real question is whether 5G matters to you more than raw speed.
What about the cameras? The specs look similar.
Similar, but not identical. The iPhone 11's front camera is genuinely better—it can do 4K and slow-motion video. The Pixel 5 can't. But the rear cameras are close enough that it'll come down to Google's computational photography, which we haven't fully tested yet.
Google is only making 800,000 units. Why so few?
The pandemic. They're being cautious about demand. But it also means if you want one, you might need to move fast. The iPhone 11 has been available for over a year and is still selling well.
Is the 90Hz display really that noticeable?
Yes. Once you use it, 60Hz feels sluggish. It's not essential, but it's one of those things that makes the phone feel more responsive and pleasant to use every day.
So who should buy which phone?
If you want 5G and don't mind a slightly slower processor, get the Pixel 5. If you want the fastest phone and don't care about 5G yet, get the iPhone 11. Both are solid at $699.