Google has a new big flagship on the market, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. This device was just recently launched alongside three other Pixel 9 smartphones. With that in mind, here we compare Google’s big flagship with its direct competitor from Samsung. This is a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL comparison. These two smartphones are both big and powerful, but immensely different.
While the differences start with the design, they don’t end there. So, of course, there’s a lot to talk about. As usual, we’ll first list the specifications of both smartphones. After that, we’ll compare their design, and then compare their displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio output. With that in mind, let’s get started, shall we?
Technical data
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Vivo X100 Ultra
– Screen size:
6.9 inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (flat, adaptive 120 Hz, HDR10+, 2,600 nits maximum brightness)
6.8-inch QHD+ OLED (120 Hz, HDR, 3,000 nits)
– Screen resolution:
3120×1440
2992×1344
– SoC:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
Google TensorG4
– R.A.M.:
12GB (LPDDR5X)
16GB (LPDDR5X)
– storage:
256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 4.0)
128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 3.1)
– Rear view cameras:
200 MP (wide angle, f/1.7 aperture, OIS, multi-directional PDAF, 0.6 µm pixel size), 12 MP (ultra wide angle, 120-degree field of view, f/2.2 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF, 1.4 µm pixel size), 10 MP (telephoto, f/2.4 aperture, OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF, 1.12 µm pixel size, 3x optical zoom), 50 MP (periscope telephoto, OIS, PDAF, 5x optical zoom)
50 MP (wide angle, f/1.7 aperture, 1.2 µm pixel size, OIS, EIS), 48 MP (ultra wide angle, f/1.7 aperture, 123-degree field of view), 48 MP (periscope telephoto lens, f/2.8 aperture, OIS, EIS, 5x optical zoom)
– Front cameras:
12 MP (wide angle, f/2.2 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF, 22 mm lens)
42 MP (f/2.2 aperture)
– battery:
5,000mAh
5,060mAh
– Load:
45W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless (charger not included)
37W wired, 23W wireless (Pixel Stand), 12W Qi wireless, 5W reverse wireless (no charger)
– Mass:
162.3 x 79 x 8.6mm
162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5mm
– Weight:
232/233 grams
221 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, WiFi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
Ultrasonic fingerprint scanner and face scan in the display
– Operating system:
Android 14 with One UI 6.1
Android14
– Price:
From 1,299 USD
From 1,099 USD
– Buy:
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (Best Buy)
Pixel 9 Pro XL (Best Buy, Google Store)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Design
Both smartphones are made of metal and glass. Samsung’s flagship uses titanium for the frame, while Google uses aluminum. The display sizes are the same here, and while the two phones are essentially the same in terms of height and thickness, the difference is negligible. However, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is noticeably wider, even if the Pixel 9 Pro XL isn’t exactly a slim device.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra is also heavier than the Pixel 9 Pro XL. It weighs 232 grams compared to 221 grams of the Google handset. You’ll also notice that the Galaxy S24 Ultra has sharp corners and looks quite different to the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The Google handset has rounded corners. This phone also has a flat bezel all around, which is not the case with the Galaxy S24 Ultra. What they both have is a centered display camera hole on their flat displays. However, the camera hole on the Pixel 9 Pro XL is considerably larger and sits lower on the display.
Both smartphones have very thin bezels around their displays, and those bezels are uniform. All physical buttons are on the right side, but they are placed differently. On the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the power/lock button is below the volume rockers. On the Pixel 9 Pro XL, it’s the other way around. The Galaxy S24 Ultra has four cameras on the back, each one individually protruding from the back. The Pixel 9 Pro XL, on the other hand, has a large pill-shaped camera island that is aligned horizontally. Three cameras sit there, and it’s located on the top of the phone’s back plate.
These two phones are actually quite slippery due to their build materials. The Galaxy S24 Ultra has Gorilla Glass Armor on the back, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL includes Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The two devices are IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. Although they look and feel different, both feel like premium phones.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Display
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra features a 6.8-inch 3120 x 1440 Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display. This panel is flat and has an adaptive refresh rate between 1 and 120 Hz. HDR10+ content is supported here and the peak brightness of this display is 2,600 nits. The screen-to-body ratio of the phone is about 88% while the display aspect ratio is 19.5:9. The Gorilla Glass Armor protects this display.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, on the other hand, has a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display with 2992 x 1344 pixels. This panel is also flat and also supports HDR10+ content. Its peak brightness is 3,000 nits and it has an adaptive refresh rate of 1 to 120 Hz. The screen-to-body ratio is about 88%, while the display aspect ratio is 20:9. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s display.
Both displays are really good. They are both very sharp and have great viewing angles. The colors are vibrant while the blacks are deep. The touch response is really good on both of them too. The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s panel has one big advantage: Gorilla Glass Armor. This makes the display much less reflective and easy to see in a direct comparison. Don’t get me wrong, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is no more reflective than any other competitor except the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Samsung is the only one so far to have resorted to Gorilla Glass Armor, at least as far as mainstream flagships go.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Performance
Samsung’s flagship is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy SoC. This is basically an overclocked variant of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. In addition, Samsung has included 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 flash storage here. The Google Tensor G4 chip powers the Pixel 9 Pro XL. This is Google’s own SoC and it is nowhere near as powerful as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It is well optimized for the Pixel 9 Pro XL and AI tasks. The Pixel 9 Pro XL also includes 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage.
Google shouldn’t have cut corners on UFS storage, but that’s just how it is. You won’t notice this difference in everyday performance, though. Both phones are pretty snappy in normal use. Both open apps pretty quickly, with the Galaxy S24 Ultra usually being a bit faster. They also switch between apps very quickly, web browsing is great on both, as is taking pictures, sending messages, and basically anything else you can think of for everyday use.
Even gaming on the Pixel 9 Pro XL isn’t as bad as we thought it would be. The vapor chamber seems to make a difference. The phone managed to run through a couple of really demanding games just fine, although some frame drops were noticeable. The Galaxy S24 Ultra does have the edge in gaming, but that’s to be expected. The Tensor G4 isn’t designed for gaming.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Battery
The Galaxy S24 Ultra has a 5,000mAh battery, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL has a 5,060mAh battery, so they have almost identical battery packs inside. We already knew that the Galaxy S24 Ultra offers excellent battery life, and the Pixel 9 Pro XL isn’t bad in that regard either. Both phones can achieve both 7 and 8 hours of screen time.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra, however, manages to get over 8 hours of screen time more easily than the Pixel 9 Pro XL. In a direct comparison, it does offer better battery life, but still, the Pixel 9 Pro XL surprised us with its endurance. It was able to keep up with the Galaxy S24 Ultra to some extent. The point is, you will be more than happy with the battery life of both smartphones, at least the vast majority of you will be. Both phones easily last a full day, at least that was the case for us. Your mileage may vary, of course.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra supports 45W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL supports 37W wired charging, 23W wireless charging with Pixel Stand, 12W wireless charging with a Qi charger, and 5W reverse wireless charging. Both smartphones take over an hour to charge, but the Pixel 9 Pro XL is a bit faster. In our test, it took an hour and 18 minutes to charge, compared to an hour and 26 minutes for the Galaxy S24 Ultra. By the way, neither phone comes with a charger, so keep that in mind.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Cameras
The Galaxy S24 Ultra has four cameras on the back. It has a 200-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle unit (120-degree field of view), a 10-megapixel telephoto camera (3x optical zoom), and a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera (5x optical zoom). The Galaxy S24 Ultra, on the other hand, has a 50-megapixel main camera, a 48-megapixel ultra-wide-angle unit (123-degree field of view), and a 48-megapixel periscope telephoto camera (5x optical zoom).
Both smartphones are quite capable when it comes to cameras, but they deliver different results. The Pixel 9 Pro XL delivers more contrasting images with the familiar Pixel look. It handles HDR situations like a champion. The Galaxy S24 Ultra delivers a lot of detail and does a great job, even if it sometimes needs a bit of over-sharpening, and the same goes for saturation.
In low light, both phones brighten up shots quite a bit, but with varying results. Shots from the Galaxy S24 Ultra look a little more lifelike, although most of you will probably prefer shots from the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Both ultra-wide cameras do a good job, and the same goes for telephoto shots, although the results are again different. Both phones do a good job of maintaining the same color profile across all cameras, although things aren’t perfect in that regard, they never are.
Audio
Both smartphones have stereo speakers. Both sets are very good, the speakers are more than loud enough and deliver high quality results. In terms of volume, they are actually quite similar, although the Galaxy S24 Ultra has a slight advantage in this regard.
What you won’t find on either phone is an audio jack, but you can use the Type-C ports as an alternative. Both ship with Bluetooth 5.3 support in case you prefer wireless audio over wired.
