Google Pixel 8 • Unlocked vs iPhone SE (2022) • Locked AT&T

The Google Pixel 8, released in October 2023, and the iPhone SE 2022, launched in March 2022, represent distinct approaches to smartphone design and functionality. While the Pixel 8 operates on Android and offers a modern, feature-rich experience, the iPhone SE 2022 runs on iOS and maintains a classic, compact form factor. These differences extend to their display technologies, camera capabilities, and overall user interaction.

The expected practical lifespan and software support differ between these two devices, influencing their long-term usability.

• Software Support: The Google Pixel 8 offers an extended commitment of seven years of OS and security updates, ensuring support until at least October 2030. This surpasses the typical support window for many smartphones. The iPhone SE 2022, while also receiving consistent updates, is expected to receive iOS updates for approximately five to six years from its release, likely extending until around 2028.
• Physical Durability: The Pixel 8 features Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and Gorilla Glass Victus on the back, along with an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. The iPhone SE 2022 incorporates Ceramic Shield on the front, a glass back, and carries an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. Both devices offer a degree of protection against everyday elements.
• Repairability: While specific repairability scores for the Pixel 8 are still emerging, the iPhone SE 2020 (a direct predecessor with a similar design) received a repairability score of 6 out of 10 from iFixit, indicating a moderate ease of repair for certain components.

Both devices deliver capable performance for daily tasks, though they achieve this with different underlying hardware and offer varying experiences for demanding applications.

• Processing Power: The Google Pixel 8 is powered by Google's Tensor G3 processor, which contributes to smooth operation and efficient handling of applications and multitasking. The iPhone SE 2022 features the Apple A15 Bionic chip, known for its robust performance, allowing the device to run demanding apps and games with responsiveness.
• Multitasking and Responsiveness: With 8GB of RAM, the Pixel 8 generally manages multiple applications and transitions smoothly, providing a fluid user experience. The iPhone SE 2022, equipped with 4GB of RAM, also maintains a high level of responsiveness for typical smartphone usage, benefiting from iOS optimization.
• Battery Behavior: The Pixel 8 houses a 4575 mAh battery, which typically provides a full day of use for most users, often achieving 8-10 hours of screen-on time with mixed usage, though heavy use may reduce this to 6-8 hours. The iPhone SE 2022, with its 2018 mAh battery, generally lasts a full day for average users, offering around 6-7 hours of screen-on time, but heavy users might find themselves needing to recharge before the day ends.

The display experience on these two smartphones presents a significant contrast in terms of technology, size, and visual characteristics.

• Display Technology and Size: The Google Pixel 8 features a 6.2-inch Actua OLED display, offering deep blacks, vibrant colors, and excellent contrast. In contrast, the iPhone SE 2022 utilizes a more compact 4.7-inch Retina IPS LCD, which provides good color accuracy and viewing angles for an LCD panel.
• Resolution and Clarity: The Pixel 8's OLED panel has a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, resulting in sharp images and text. The iPhone SE 2022's LCD screen has a resolution of 750 x 1334 pixels, which delivers adequate clarity for its size.
• Brightness and Refresh Rate: The Pixel 8's display can reach a peak brightness of up to 2000 nits, making it highly visible even in bright outdoor conditions, and features an adaptive refresh rate that can go up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and animations. The iPhone SE 2022 offers a typical brightness of 625 nits and a standard 60Hz refresh rate.

The camera systems on the Pixel 8 and iPhone SE 2022 offer different capabilities, catering to varying photography preferences and needs.

• Rear Camera System: The Google Pixel 8 is equipped with a versatile dual-camera setup, including a 50 MP main sensor with optical image stabilization (OIS) and a 12 MP ultrawide lens that also supports macro photography. The iPhone SE 2022 features a single 12 MP main camera with OIS.
• Photography Performance: The Pixel 8 excels in computational photography, consistently producing images with excellent exposure, detail, and color reproduction across various lighting conditions, including strong low-light performance. The iPhone SE 2022 captures good quality images in well-lit environments and benefits from the A15 Bionic chip's computational enhancements like Smart HDR 4 and Photographic Styles, though it lacks a dedicated Night Mode, which can impact low-light results.
• Video and Front Camera: Both devices are capable of recording video at 4K resolution at 60 frames per second. The Pixel 8 has a 10.5 MP front camera, while the iPhone SE 2022 features a 7 MP front camera. The iPhone SE 2022 is noted for its sharp and smooth video quality for its class.