Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs iPhone SE (2022)

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (released in August 2024) and the iPhone SE 2022 (released in March 2022) represent distinct approaches to smartphone design and functionality. While the Pixel 9 Pro XL offers a large, feature-rich experience with a focus on advanced photography and artificial intelligence, the iPhone SE 2022 provides a compact form factor with robust performance within Apple's ecosystem. Both devices operate on their respective proprietary operating systems, Android and iOS, offering different user interfaces and app ecosystems.

These two smartphones differ significantly in their release timelines and expected software support, impacting their practical lifespan for users.

• Release Timeline: The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, launched in August 2024, is a more recent device compared to the iPhone SE 2022, which debuted in March 2022. This difference in release date inherently gives the Pixel 9 Pro XL a longer period of relevance in terms of hardware and software.
• OS Support: Google has committed to providing seven years of software updates for the Pixel 9 Pro XL, extending its functional life well into the future. The iPhone SE 2022, while receiving consistent iOS updates, typically sees support for approximately five to six years from its release.
• Repairability: While specific repairability scores can vary, both devices are designed with modern smartphone construction, which often involves specialized tools for repairs. The Pixel 9 Pro XL features Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on its display and back, contributing to its durability. The iPhone SE 2022 uses ion-strengthened glass and has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance.

Performance is a key area where these two devices cater to different user expectations, driven by their internal components and design philosophies.

• Processing Power: The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is equipped with a current-generation processor designed for demanding tasks, ensuring smooth operation across complex applications, advanced gaming, and integrated artificial intelligence features. The iPhone SE 2022 features a powerful processor that delivers responsive performance for everyday use, multitasking, and a wide range of mobile games, matching the performance of more premium devices from its release era.
• Multitasking and Storage: The Pixel 9 Pro XL typically offers a substantial amount of RAM, facilitating seamless multitasking and efficient handling of numerous open applications. It also provides a wide array of storage options, including configurations up to 1TB. The iPhone SE 2022 comes with a more modest RAM configuration and storage options up to 256GB, which is suitable for most users but may require more careful storage management for extensive media libraries or numerous large applications.
• Battery Behavior: The Pixel 9 Pro XL is known for its extended battery life, often capable of lasting up to two days on a single charge with moderate usage, making it suitable for users who need prolonged power. The iPhone SE 2022 offers average battery life, generally sufficient for a full day of moderate use, though heavy users might find themselves needing to recharge before the day ends.

The visual experience on these two smartphones is a significant differentiator, primarily due to their display technologies and physical dimensions.

• Display Technology and Clarity: The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL features a large 6.8-inch OLED display, which provides deep blacks, vibrant colors, and excellent contrast, contributing to a rich viewing experience for media consumption and detailed content. Its high resolution ensures sharp text and images. In contrast, the iPhone SE 2022 utilizes a 4.7-inch Retina IPS LCD. This display offers accurate colors and good viewing angles, though it does not achieve the same level of contrast or true blacks as an OLED panel.
• Brightness and Smoothness: The Pixel 9 Pro XL's display can reach very high brightness levels, making it highly visible even in direct sunlight, and features an adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz for exceptionally smooth scrolling and fluid animations. The iPhone SE 2022 has a typical maximum brightness that is adequate for most indoor and outdoor conditions, but it has a standard 60Hz refresh rate, which provides a consistent but less fluid visual experience compared to higher refresh rate displays.
• Screen Size and Viewing: The larger screen of the Pixel 9 Pro XL is well-suited for immersive gaming, video streaming, and productivity tasks that benefit from more screen real estate. The compact 4.7-inch display of the iPhone SE 2022 is ideal for users who prefer a smaller device for one-handed use and easy pocketability, prioritizing portability over expansive viewing.

The camera systems of the Pixel 9 Pro XL and iPhone SE 2022 offer distinct capabilities, catering to different photography needs and preferences.

• Rear Camera Versatility: The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL boasts a versatile triple-camera setup, including a high-resolution main sensor, an ultrawide lens with macro capabilities, and a telephoto lens offering 5x optical zoom. This configuration allows for a wide range of photographic styles, from expansive landscapes to detailed close-ups and distant subjects. The iPhone SE 2022 features a single 12MP wide-angle camera on the rear, relying heavily on its advanced computational photography to enhance image quality. It excels in everyday photography but lacks the optical zoom and ultrawide perspective of multi-lens systems.
• Low-Light Performance and Features: The Pixel 9 Pro XL includes advanced features like Night Sight and Astrophotography, designed to capture detailed and well-exposed images in very challenging low-light conditions. Its larger sensors and computational algorithms contribute to superior performance in dim environments. The iPhone SE 2022 performs well in adequately lit conditions, but it notably lacks a dedicated Night Mode, which can result in noisier and less detailed photos in very low light.
• Video Recording and Audio: Both devices are capable of recording high-quality video, with the Pixel 9 Pro XL supporting up to 8K resolution through cloud-based Video Boost and 4K at 60fps natively, alongside advanced microphone systems for clear audio capture. The iPhone SE 2022 also records 4K video at 60fps, offering good video stabilization and clear audio, making it a capable device for capturing moments.