The Samsung Galaxy S24 is considered one of the best compact smartphones on the market right now. However, Google has announced some competing devices and we compare one of them with the Galaxy S24 here. In this article, we compare the Google Pixel 9 with the Samsung Galaxy S24. Because of its price, we first compare the standard Pixel 9. The launch price of the Galaxy S24 is exactly the same as the Google Pixel 9.

However, the Pixel 9 is actually a slightly larger smartphone than the Galaxy S24. Still, both are considered compact, so… it makes sense. These two smartphones are quite different, though. That goes for their design, but also for their internals. Luckily for us, that should make for a pretty interesting comparison. We’ll start with their specs and go from there. Let’s get started, shall we?

Technical data

Google Pixel 9 vs Google Pixel 8

– Screen size:
6.3-inch FullHD+ OLED (120 Hz, HDR, 2,700 nits)
6.2 inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (flat, 120 Hz, 2,600 nits maximum brightness)
– Screen resolution:
2424×1080
2340×1080
– SoC:
Google TensorG4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3/Samsung Exynos 2400
– R.A.M.:
12GB (LPDDR5X)
8GB (LPDDR5X)
– storage:
128GB/256GB (UFS 3.1)
128GB (UFS 3.1)/256GB/512GB (UFS 4.0)
– Rear view cameras:
50 MP (wide angle, aperture f/1.7, pixel size 1.2 µm, OIS, EIS), 48 MP (ultra wide angle, aperture f/1.7, 123-degree field of view)
50 MP (wide angle, aperture f/1.8, OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF), 12 MP (ultra wide angle, 120-degree field of view, aperture f/2.2, 1.4 µm pixel size), 10 MP (telephoto lens, aperture f/2.4, OIS, PDAF, 3x optical zoom)
– Front cameras:
10.5 MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.22 µm pixel size)
12 MP (wide angle, f/2.2 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF, 22 mm lens)
– battery:
4,700mAh
4,000mAh
– Load:
27W wired, 15W wireless (Pixel Stand), 12W Qi wireless, 5W reverse wireless (no charger)
25W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless (charger not included)
– Mass:
152.8 x 72 x 8.5mm
147 x 70.6 x 7.6mm
– Weight:
198 grams
167/168 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, WiFi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
Ultrasonic fingerprint scanner in the display
– Operating system:
Android14
Android 14 with One UI 6.1
– Price:
From 799 €
$799.99+
– Buy:
Google Pixel 9 (Best Buy, Google Store)
Galaxy S24 (Best Buy)

Google Pixel 9 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24: Design

Both the Pixel 9 and Galaxy S24 are made of metal and glass. In fact, both companies have used aluminum for the frame of their devices. In addition, both smartphones have a flat frame all around and even a similar curvature in the corners. This frame is also slightly rounded towards the edges on both smartphones. You will also find a flat display on both phones with a centered hole for the display camera at the top. Note that the hole on the Pixel 9 sits a little deeper than the one on the Galaxy S24 and is also larger.

Both smartphones have thin bezels, but the Galaxy S24’s are thinner. The physical buttons are on the right side of both smartphones, but are placed differently. On the Pixel 9, the power/lock button is above the volume buttons. On the Galaxy S24, it’s the other way around. The camera setup on the back is completely different. Before we get to that, though, note that both phones have flat backs.

The Pixel 9 has a pill-shaped camera island that is aligned horizontally. Two cameras sit inside it, and the camera island protrudes quite a bit on the back. The Galaxy S24, on the other hand, has three cameras on the back, but each of them protrudes directly from the back plate. They are stacked vertically and are located in the top left corner of the back of the phone. The Pixel 9 has a slightly larger display than the Pixel 9, but is noticeably taller and wider. It is also thicker than the Galaxy S24 and heavier too, around 30 grams. Both devices are slippery and come with an IP68 certification for water and dust resistance.

Google Pixel 9 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24: Display

The Google Pixel 9 features a 6.3-inch FullHD+ (2424 x 1080) OLED display. The panel is flat and has a refresh rate of 120Hz (60-120Hz) while supporting HDR10+ content. The brightness of this panel is up to 2,700 nits and the screen-to-body ratio is around 86%. The display aspect ratio, on the other hand, is 20:9 while we are looking at 422 ppi here. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 is fitted on the panel for protection.

The Galaxy S24, on the other hand, has a 6.2-inch FullHD+ (2340 x 1080) Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display. This panel has an adaptive refresh rate of 1 to 120 Hz. The display is flat and has a brightness of up to 2,600 Nist. HDR10+ content is supported, while the screen-to-body ratio is around 90%. The display aspect ratio is 19.5:9, we see 416 ppi here. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 also protects this panel.

Both displays are really good. They’re both vibrant, bright, and have great viewing angles. The touch response is good on both as well. The Galaxy S24 has thinner bezels around the display, and it technically has a more advanced display (LTPO). Therefore, it has a display that should draw less power from the battery, which is good. Still, we think both displays are really good, and the LTPO difference alone isn’t much. So… chances are you’ll be happy with either panel.

Google Pixel 9 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24: Performance

Google’s new Pixel handset is powered by the Google Tensor G4 chip. That’s Google’s brand new processor, which in this case comes with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage. The Galaxy S24, on the other hand, is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for the Galaxy processor or, depending on the market, the Exynos 2400. However, we used the Snapdragon variant. Samsung’s phone also offers 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and uses UFS 4.0 flash storage, except for the entry-level 128GB storage model, which uses UFS 3.1.

Frankly, Google should have used UFS 4.0 instead of UFS 3.1. Its chip is also significantly less powerful than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. However, the Tensor G4 was designed with AI in mind and seems to work well in everyday use. Still, the difference in raw performance is notable. However, when it comes to everyday tasks, both smartphones perform really well. They respond quite quickly, no matter what you throw at them.

And what about gaming? Well, the Pixel 9 gets hotter than the Pixel 9 Pro because it doesn’t have a vapor chamber inside. It did a good job at gaming, though. While it did lose more frames than the Galaxy S24 in graphically demanding titles, it performed better than expected. Keep in mind that the Tensor G4 is definitely not designed for gaming, so it’s surprising. The Galaxy S24 is the better choice if you play a lot of games. Keep in mind, though, that we used the Snapdragon model, not the Exynos model.

Google Pixel 9 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24: Battery

The Google Pixel 9 has a 4,700mAh battery, while the Galaxy S24 has a 4,000mAh battery. While the Galaxy S24 has a slightly smaller display, it has a significantly smaller battery. However, it also has a more power-efficient SoC and storage (most of its devices do). However, from what we’ve seen so far, the Pixel 9 has the edge in terms of battery life.

If you’re careful, the Galaxy S24 can get up to 6 hours of screen time. It’s easy to go under that mark. The Pixel 9, on the other hand, can easily go over and even exceed the 6 hour screen time mark. 7 hours of screen time isn’t impossible on the Pixel 9. Your range may vary, though, as we obviously use our phones in different ways, with different apps, and with different signal strengths, so… it all depends.

And what about charging? Well, neither of these two phones are particularly fast in that regard. The Google Pixel 9 supports 27W wired, 15W wireless (Pixel Stand), 12W Qi wireless charging, and 5W reverse wireless charging. The Galaxy S24, on the other hand, supports 25W wired, 15W Qi wireless charging, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. Both take quite a long time to fully charge, although you’ll get to 50% in around 30 minutes. Neither phone comes with a charger in the box, though.

Google Pixel 9 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24: Cameras

The Pixel 9 has two cameras on the back, while the Galaxy S24 has three cameras on the back. The Google Pixel 9 has a 50-megapixel main camera and a 48-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera (123-degree field of view). The Samsung Galaxy S24, on the other hand, has a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera (120-degree field of view), and a 10-megapixel telephoto lens unit (3x optical zoom).

Note that the Pixel 9 has a larger camera sensor for its main camera. It also has a more modern and better ultra-wide angle camera sensor. That said, the photos the two smartphones deliver are noticeably different. The Pixel 9 does a similar job to its predecessor. You get those really nice, high-contrast photos with excellent HDR processing. The Galaxy S24 also likes to deliver colorful photos and does a good job here too, especially in good lighting. We usually preferred the Pixel 9’s shots as they were more consistent and they just looked better straight out of the camera.

In low light, both smartphones are very fond of brightening up scenes. Sometimes they can even look too bright, but that’s what most people seem to prefer these days. In any case, we noticed less noise and more preserved details on the Pixel 9’s camera. The Galaxy S24 doesn’t do a bad job at all, but the difference is noticeable. Also, in low light, it’s best to stick with the main camera, although ultra-wide shots don’t look bad either.

Audio

Yes, both devices have stereo speakers, and yes, they are pretty good. They are not the best, not even close, but hardly anyone will object to that. They are loud enough and offer rich audio output as well. The volume is also very similar on both.

What you don’t get here on either phone is an audio jack. However, you can still use their Type-C ports to connect your wired headphones. If not, you’ll be happy to know that both smartphones support Bluetooth 5.3.