Technologies

Google Pixel 9A vs. iPhone 16E: Budget Phone Specs Compared

How do Google and Apple’s new budget-conscious phones measure up? Let’s take a close look at the specs.

Editor’s note: The Google Pixel 9A is now in stores. Make sure to read CNET’s Pixel 9A review.

Google’s Pixel A series phones have always offered the essence of what makes the flagship models so great, but in a pared-back package with a more affordable price tag. The Pixel 9A is no different, with the same Tensor G4 processor as the Pixel 9 Pro, along with a 48-megapixel main camera and a vibrant 6.3-inch display. Not bad for $499.

But Apple has just released the iPhone 16E, a $599 phone that also aims to distill the flagship experience into a slightly more affordable package. So how do they compare? Let’s take a look.

Pixel 9A vs. iPhone 16E: design

The Pixel 9A is the larger of the two phones. Its 6.3-inch screen isn’t a huge step up over the iPhone 16E’s 6.1-inch screen, but it’s enough to maybe make playing mobile games on the move a bit more immersive. However, the iPhone’s display is marginally sharper as it crams more pixels into a smaller space, though whether you’d ever notice that difference is debatable. The Pixel 9A’s display has a variable refresh rate between 60Hz and 120Hz that helps make animations look smoother and gaming more immersive. The iPhone 16E, on the other hand, has a screen locked at 60Hz.

The Pixel 9A’s Design: Google Takes Minimalism to the Extreme

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Pixel 9A vs. iPhone 16E: performance

The Pixel 9A runs the same Tensor G4 chip as the Pixel 9 Pro. It’s not a powerhouse processor, but it should offer solid performance for everyday tasks. However, when we reviewed the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro, it returned fairly disappointing results on benchmark tests. The iPhone 16E uses Apple’s A18 chip, which delivered much better scores on benchmark testing for both processor power and graphical prowess. For sheer straight-line speed, the iPhone is likely the one to go for here.

Pixel 9A vs. iPhone 16E: camera

While both phones have 48-megapixel main rear cameras, the Pixel 9A also offers a 13-megapixel ultrawide lens. The 9A also macro images, meaning you can get close to a subject and have them in focus. We’ll have to wait and see how the camera quality compares on each phone, but those of you who want a more well-rounded photography experience may find the iPhone’s single rear camera limiting.

Both the Pixel 9A and iPhone 16E come fully equipped to use their companies’ respective AI platforms (Gemini on the Pixel, Apple Intelligence on the iPhone), with both offering a variety of built-in AI tools for productivity and imaging. Take a look below at how the Pixel 9A’s specs stack up against the iPhone 16E.

Google Pixel 9A and iPhone 16E specs compared

	Google Pixel 9A	Apple iPhone 16E
Display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate, brightness	6.3-inch OLED; 2,424×1,080 pixels; 60-120Hz variable refresh rate	6.1-inch OLED display; 2,532×1,170 pixels; 60Hz refresh rate
Pixel density	422 ppi	460 ppi
Dimensions (inches)	6.1 x 2.9 x 0.4 in	5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31 in.
Dimensions (millimeters)	154.7 x 73.3 x 8.9 mm	146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm
Weight (grams, ounces)	186g (6.6 oz)	167g (5.88 oz)
Mobile software	Android 15	iOS 18
Camera	48-megapixel (wide), 13-megapixel (ultrawide)	48-megapixel (wide)
Front-facing camera	13-megapixel	12-megapixel
Video capture	4K	4K
Processor	Google Tensor G4	Apple A18
RAM/storage	8GB + 128GB, 256GB	RAM unknown + 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Expandable storage	None	None
Battery/charging speeds	5,100 mAh	Up to 26 hours video playback, 21 hours streamed video playback, 90 hours of audio playback. 20W wired charging, 7.5W Qi wireless charging
Fingerprint sensor	Under display	No, Face ID
Connector	USB-C	USB-C
Headphone jack	None	None
Special features	7 years of OS, security and Pixel feature drops; Gorilla Glass 3 cover glass; IP68 dust and water resistance; 2,700-nit peak brightness; 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio; 23W fast charging (charger not included); 7.5W wireless charging Qi certified; Wi-Fi 6E; NFC; Bluetooth 5.3; dual-SIM (nano SIM + eSIM); Add Me; Best Take; Magic Eraser; Magic Editor; Photo Unblur; Super Res Zoom; Circle To Search	Action button, Apple C1 5G modem, Apple Intelligence, Ceramic Shield, Emergency SOS, satellite connectivity, IP68 resistance
US price off-contract	$499 (128GB)	$599 (128GB)
UK price	£499 (128GB)	£599 (128GB)
Australia price	AU$849 (128GB)	AU$999 (128GB)

Technologies

Your Next Vacation Starts in a Chat: TripAdvisor Debuts App Inside ChatGPT

You can tap AI and TripAdvisor for your travel planning.

You may already use artificial intelligence for planning vacations, but now you can use a new TripAdvisor app inside of ChatGPT to book hotels. The app puts TripAdvisor’s reviews and hotel insights directly into ChatGPT. It’s «a new AI-powered way to experience the best of TripAdvisor,» according to the travel company.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

Using the app, trip planners can see top-rated TripAdvisor hotels on an interactive map. They can also read TripAdvisor review summaries, access details about hotels, including images and amenities, and refine results with conversational follow-ups.

Once a would-be traveler selects a hotel, they’ll see available deals from booking sites. When they choose one, they will be redirected to TripAdvisor or one of its partners to complete the booking.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

The new app is available to logged-in ChatGPT users in the US on Free, Go, Plus and Pro plans. You can start using it by opening ChatGPT, navigating to Settings, then Apps & Connectors, and Browse Apps and connect to TripAdvisor. (You should only have to follow these steps once.) Then, and on subsequent visits, simply start your message in ChatGPT with the word TripAdvisor.

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Technologies

Group Chats With ChatGPT Are Rolling Out Globally

OpenAI wants you to collaborate with its chatbot in a group setting.

Last week, OpenAI — always looking for opportunities to put its chatbot into new spaces — introduced Group Chats with ChatGPT baked right in. Based on early feedback, it’s now expanding the feature to all logged-in users on ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus and Pro plans globally over the coming days.

The feature is pitched as a new way to use ChatGPT with other people, especially in collaboration efforts, like planning a big event.

Up to 20 people can be added to a group chat, and messages between individuals don’t count against the rate limit to ChatGPT — only when it responds.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

Group chats use ChatGPT-5.1 Auto. OpenAI has also introduced some new implementations of how and when the chatbot responds. It’s been taught new social behaviors for group chats and will apparently follow the flow of the conversation and stay quiet or chime in based on what’s being said.

Adding «ChatGPT» to a message you send will always yield a response from the AI chatbot. You can also provide custom instructions to ChatGPT for the entire chat if you want it to reply in a certain tone or personality, and it can react to messages with emoji.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Group Chats don’t use memory from your existing personal chats, and new memory isn’t created from group conversations, though OpenAI says it’s exploring a way for you to opt in to use existing memory in the future.

If you’re concerned that you’ll be thrown into a dozen chats without your permission, then you’ll likely be happy to hear that you must accept an invitation before you can be added to a group chat with ChatGPT. Additional safeguards are also in place for users under the age of 18, which will reduce sensitive content to all within the group chat.

OpenAI says Group Chats are the beginning of its effort to make ChatGPT more of a shared and collaborative space for people.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Nov. 21, #424

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Nov. 21, No. 424.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a fun one. If you know a Gen Z person, you might be familiar with their favorite nonsense phrase, «6-7.» The puzzle editors throw a 6 and a 7 into the puzzle today just to see if we’re paying attention. Do the numbers end up in the same group? I bet you know the answer to that one. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Splish-splash.

Green group hint: Football score.

Blue group hint: Colorado QB.

Purple group hint: Not small.