Google Pixel 9 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24: More similar than ever

• 

  All-in-one device

  Google Pixel 9

  The Pixel 9 is Google’s latest and most affordable flagship in the series, featuring a compact form factor, an upgraded 48MP ultrawide camera, and a more than capable 50MP primary. It has a great battery life, an extremely bright display, and all the new Gemini AI features you need.

  Pros

  • Premium look and feel
  • Great camera improvements
  • Excellent performance

  Cons

  • Costs $100 more than its predecessor
  • Slow charging

• 

  More customization

  Samsung Galaxy S24

  Samsung’s new Galaxy S24 is a great upgrade over its predecessor. It offers a beautiful display, a great rear shooter, a full day’s worth of battery life, and top-notch performance that lets you easily multitask and play any demanding game. The S24 also packs new Galaxy AI features, and it’s one of the most customizable OS experiences.

  Pros

  • Gorgeous display
  • Superb performance
  • Long battery life

  Cons

  • Less impressive cameras
  • Slow charging

The Google Pixel 9 is one of the best Android smartphones available to date. And Samsung’s Galaxy S24, announced at the beginning of the year, is still a contender six months after its launch.

Both phones offer flagship-level performance, beautiful displays, new and exclusive AI features, and a long battery life. They’re also notorious for their slow charging speeds, but at least they have new features that make them stand out. And let’s not forget, they’ll both continue to receive software and security updates for seven years. But which one fares out better?

Price, availability, and specs

The Google Pixel 9 is available at most retailers and carriers, as well as directly through Google. The base model comes with 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and it retails for $799, a $100 increase over the previous generation. The new Pixel comes in four colors: Obsidian, Porcelain, Wintergreen, and Peony.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 is available at all the usual places, including Best Buy, Amazon, and most carriers, like previous Galaxy flagships. It retails for $800, which gets you 128GB of storage. The 256GB model costs $60 more, retailing for $860. Nowadays, you can get it much cheaper during sales events, often as cheap as $500 to $600, and let’s not forget that trade-ins can further reduce the price.

• 	Google Pixel 9	Samsung Galaxy S24
  SoC	Google Tensor G4	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
  Display type	OLED, 120Hz	AMOLED, 120Hz
  Display dimensions	6.3″	6.2″
  Display resolution	1080 x 2424	2340 × 1080
  RAM	12GB	8GB
  Storage	128GB or 256GB	128GB, 256GB
  Battery	4,700mAh	4,000mAh
  Charge speed	27W wired, 15W wireless	25W
  Charge options	Wired, wireless, reverse wireless	USB-C wired, Qi wireless
  Ports	USB-C	USB-C
  SIM support	Nano-SIM and eSIM	Dual SIM (Nano SIM and eSIM)
  Operating System	Android 14	Android 14 and One UI 6.1
  Front camera	10.5MP, f/2.2	12MP, f/2.2
  Rear camera	50MP, f/1.7, OIS main; 48MP, f/1.7 ultrawide	50MP, f/1.8, OIS main; 12MP, f/2.2 ultrawide; 10MP, f/2.4 zoom (3x)
  Cellular connectivity	5G, LTE	4G, 5G (incl. mmWave)
  Wi-Fi connectivity	Wi-Fi 7	Wi-Fi 6E
  Connectivity		NFC
  Bluetooth	5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
  Dimensions	152.8 x 72 x 8.5mm	147.1 x 70.6 x 7.6mm
  Weight	198g	168g
  IP Rating	IP68	IP68
  Colors	Obsidian, Porcelain, Wintergreen, Peony	Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow, Jade Green, Sapphire Blue, and Sandstone Orange
  Price	From $799	From $800

Design

Slightly refined to feel more premium

The Pixel 9 and Galaxy S24 have a lot of similarities. They’re compact and easily some of the easiest phones to use with one hand. The devices are built from premium materials, including an aluminum frame and a Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back. They even have the same buttons and cutouts. The main difference is the color and the layout of the cameras and other sensors on the rear.

These phones feel and look premium, and thanks to the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 panel, they’re more rugged and should survive a fall or two without any cracks – depending on the height and other factors. As always, we recommend you pick up a case, to avoid accidental damage.

The Pixel 9 measures 152.8 x 72 x 8.5 mm, while the Galaxy S24 is 147 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm. In terms of numbers, the Galaxy S24 is slightly shorter, narrower, and slimmer. It also weighs considerably less at 167 grams than the Pixel 9’s 198 grams. It’s easier to use with one hand, although the Pixel 9 is still comfortable.

Even the front-facing selfie camera is placed at the same location on both phones: the top center in a punch-hole cutout. Of course, the sensor is different, but we’ll get to that in the camera section. In terms of design, the two phones have a lot in common and are very close in dimensions, although the Galaxy S24 has a slight edge in weight and size. At least both phones have an IP68 water and dust-resistant certificate, meaning they can survive water exposure and dusty environments.

Display

Bright and colorful displays

The Pixel 9 has a slightly larger display than the Galaxy, but not by much. It has a 6.3-inch OLED panel with 2,700 nits of peak brightness, whereas the Galaxy S24 has a 6.2-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X panel. Both screens support 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+.

In terms of brightness, the Pixel 9 wins this round as it has 100 nits more than Samsung, although it’s worth mentioning that this can only be seen when playing back supported HDR content. Both devices handle sunlight well and are more than bright enough to be used in direct sunlight.

Colors are equally good on both devices. They’re enjoyable for watching movies and TV shows, and social media and gaming are flawless without any jitter or ghosting effects. The high refresh rate makes the two phones stand out with their excellent calibrations and high response levels.

Software and performance

Lot of OS and security support across the board

Google was always known for its unique stock Android experience, but the Pixel lineup required a few changes. The Pixel user interface looks nothing like stock Android, and it comes with Google’s own take and design language.

Samsung is in a similar boat, using its own One UI interface to set itself apart from other smartphone makers. One UI is far more customizable than Google’s interface, giving users more control and personalization options to make their devices truly unique. Downloading Good Lock can result in even more features, enabling customization of the phone’s appearance and how it handles various tasks.

However, at the root, both manufacturers provide excellent support for their latest devices. Samsung and Google offer seven years of software and security updates for their new flagship series, making them some of the best companies to provide more than adequate support for premium smartphones.

And finally, let’s not forget that both phones come with a plethora of new Galaxy AI, and Gemini AI features under the hood. While most Galaxy AI features are exclusive to the latest Samsung Galaxy Smartphones, some Gemini AI features are actually present on some Samsung Galaxy devices, thanks to the close partnerships between the two companies. Still, many Gemini AI features are limited to the latest Pixel phones, including the option to take a photo without being present in the original capture – called Add me.

Battery life

Slow charging and long battery life

The Pixel 9 boasts a 4,700 mAh battery, while the Galaxy S24 packs a more conservative 4,000 mAh battery cell. We found that both phones can last a full day on a single charge — depending on your usage. Still, the larger battery in the Pixel 9 means it can outlast the S24. The extra 700 mAh is great to see, even if the phone is slightly thicker.

But the charging department is just as disappointing as ever. The Pixel 9 supports 27W wired charging that can go from 0% to 55% in 30 minutes, while a full charge takes over an hour. Luckily, it supports 15W wireless charging with the Pixel Stand or 12W wireless with a Qi charger.

Samsung is behind, too, only providing the aging 25W wired charging technology that reaches 0% to 50% in 30 minutes; a full charge requires over an hour. There’s support for 15W wireless charging, and the phones support reverse wireless charging.

Camera

Competitive cameras access the board

During our review, we found that the Pixel 9 and Galaxy S24 take excellent photos in all lighting conditions. The Pixel has a dual camera setup, consisting of a 50MP f/1.7 primary, a 48MP f/1.7 ultrawide camera, and a 10.5MP f/2.2 front-facing shooter. The Galaxy S24 is slightly more versatile, equipped with a 50MP f/1.8 primary, a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide, and a 10MP f/2.4 telephoto with 3x optical zoom.

In terms of features and options, the Galaxy S24 has a slight edge over the Pixel, as the telephoto could come in handy when taking photos from a bit further away. But the Pixel has its own magic that can zoom in and take close-up photos from about the same distance away – which is then scaled up using AI. Both are competitive, but the Galaxy will win extra marks for that.

When it comes to photos using primary and ultrawide, the devices capture enough detail in most lighting conditions. They’re not as powerful as their more premium counterparts, but still, they’ll get the job done and provide excellent overall results to capture your important moments.

Which is right for you?

Google’s latest Pixel 9 is one of the best smartphones to date, and it excels in nearly every department. While it costs $100 more than its predecessor, there are some notable improvements, aside from AI, that make it a great buy. The Samsung Galaxy S24 might be a bit older, but it’s aging well, and it’s a more versatile, compact smartphone. It has a great battery life, a true flagship performance, a great triple camera setup, and long support.

While both phones will serve you well, we’d recommend the Pixel 9 for those who are looking for a great out-of-package experience that requires little to no tweaking. It’ll continue receiving software and security updates for 7 years, and it’ll be first in line to get these patches. The device will also benefit from future feature upgrades that constantly improve the Pixel experience. Google will likely continue to roll out new Google-exclusive features to the platform, which makes it even more appealing.

Samsung is still an excellent choice for many of the same reasons as the Pixel 9. However, Samsung bundles even more features and options in OneUI, making it far more customizable for those who want to take advantage of a more personalized smartphone. It has most of the same features as the Pixel, and some more thanks to Galaxy AI. The camera is comparable and even more versatile thanks to the added telephoto, and it can last a full day on a single charge.