Apple iPhone 17 vs Google Pixel 10: a ₹80,000 close call

In a face-off between the iPhone 17 and Google Pixel 10, find out which flagship phone deserves your investment

- Shouvik Das [e-mail]

The base models of the Apple iPhone 17 and Google Pixel 10.

Three months ago, Apple introduced a much-improved iPhone 17, the base model of its flagship series.

Google preceded Apple with the Pixel 10, making it a close call between the two flagships. Consumers who want a flagship smartphone upgrade are looking at both to see which fares better. While the margins between the two are fine, can one outperform the other?

Both the Apple iPhone I7 and the Google Pixel 10 have retained near-identical designs from last year, though the Pixel 10 looks a touch more upmarket in my view. The iPhone’s biggest strength and struggle lies in the fact that its social validation for buyers is derived out of the three-cam-cra design of the ‘Pro’ series. The Pixel 10's design is similar to its Pro and Pro XL models—buyers won't feel like they're making a compromise.

It also looks stately, and the uniform camera bar at the top end of the rear gives it proportionate measurements—meaning that it won't rock unevenly on a tabletop without a cover on.

The iPhone 17 takes the cake with its 6.3-inch Oled display, which for the first time gets 120Hz refresh rate, the same as its “Pro” brethren. Additionally, it gets Dolby Vision certification, alongside support for HDRIO visuals.