The Galaxy S24 is Samsung’s compact flagship phone, while the Pixel 8 is Google’s non-Pro flagship phone from late 2023. Together, they represent the best of what the two companies offer in small form factors. While the Pixel 8 packs a punch, the Galaxy S24 is arguably the superior choice, offering a more consistent and superior experience. Wondering why? Here are five reasons we think the Galaxy S24 is better than the Pixel 8.
1 Brighter and better display
With a more durable cover glass
The Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8 both ship with a 6.2-inch 120Hz OLED display. But it’s the Galaxy S24 that uses a superior panel. Its screen can hit a claimed peak brightness of 2,600 nits, while the Pixel 8’s panel tops out at just 2,000 nits.
More importantly, Samsung’s phone uses an LTPO panel, allowing it to dynamically adjust its refresh rate from 1 to 120Hz based on the content on screen. In comparison, the Pixel 8’s display can only switch its refresh rate between 60Hz and 120Hz. This makes the Galaxy’s display more power efficient and enables a smoother experience in some cases. Samsung uses an ultrasonic fingerprint reader on the Galaxy S24, which works more reliably than the Pixel 8’s sensor.
2 Compact and lighter design
So you don’t strain your pinky finger
Despite shipping with a similar 6.2-inch panel, there’s a notable difference in the dimensions of the two phones. The Galaxy S24 is smaller (147 x 70.6 x 7.6mm vs. 150.5 x 70.8 x 8.9mm) and lighter (168g vs. 187g) than the Google phone. Hold both units in your hand, and you’ll feel the difference right away. Meanwhile, the Pixel 8’s display is surrounded by chunkier bezels, making it taller than its Galaxy competitor.
Given that compactness is a major selling point of the two phones, the Pixel 8’s additional heft and larger size is a bummer. The Pixel also offers no additional features or longer battery life to justify its size.
3 Faster processor
With a better modem
Source: Qualcomm
In the US, the Galaxy S24 ships with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. Fabricated on TSMC’s enhanced 4nm node, Qualcomm’s latest and greatest flagship SoC is notably faster and power-efficient than the Pixel 8’s Tensor G3.
Pixel phones have never been known for their raw performance, and the Pixel 8 is no exception. Its Tensor G3 chip cannot even beat flagship Qualcomm chips from a couple of years ago in benchmarks. The SoC’s GPU performance is also disappointing, and if you game a lot, the Galaxy S24 is just a better buy. The Snapdragon chip can run all your favorite Android games smoothly without overheating or throttling significantly.
Google’s Tensor SoC stands out for its AI and ML performance, but the Galaxy S24 offers almost the same features as a part of Galaxy AI.
What is Galaxy AI, what can it do, and how can I use it?
Learn more about Galaxy AI and how to use it on your Samsung Galaxy S24 phone
Besides a superior CPU, the Galaxy S24’s Snapdragon modem is much more efficient. It will also do a better job of latching onto signals in areas with spotty connectivity and be kind to your phone’s battery while doing so.
Sub-par mobile connectivity has been an issue with the Pixels since the Pixel 6 series, and the Pixel 8 is no exception.
4 Longer battery life
And a more consistent runtime
The Galaxy S24 ships with a 4,000mAh battery, considerably smaller than the Pixel 8’s 4575mAh cell. Yet, the Galaxy provides a more consistent and longer battery life. It can easily last through a day of heavy use, unlike the Pixel 8, which will require a midday recharge if pushed hard.
Inconsistency is another issue with the Pixel’s battery life. On some days, the phone might make it through moderate use, while on other days, you will drain its cell in just a few hours. The inefficient Exynos modem does not help things either, with the Pixel 8’s battery draining much faster on mobile data.
Google Pixel 8 users are reporting poor battery life on mobile data
Along with 5G connectivity issues and the phone getting excessively warm
The Galaxy S24’s battery life is a lot more predictable, and you are unlikely to face any random battery drain issues. Its Qualcomm-built modem — at least on US models — is not as power-hungry, so mobile data doesn’t kill your battery before bedtime.
Due to the bigger cell, the Pixel 8 takes longer to charge despite supporting faster 27W wired charging speeds. It takes around 70 to 75 minutes to top up its cell, while the Galaxy S24 can fill its 4,000mAh battery at 25W speeds in just over an hour.
5 Superior accessories ecosystem
Galaxy has plenty of options
Samsung sells a lot more of its flagship phones than Google. There are multiple reasons behind this, including the wider availability of the Galaxy and Samsung consistently releasing great Andorid phones over the years. A major benefit of this is a wider accessory ecosystem.
You will find a larger case and accessory variety for the Galaxy S24 than for the Pixel 8. This includes cases that add MagSafe to the Galaxy, screen protectors, camera lenses, and more. The Pixel 8’s limited availability means accessory makers are just not as interested in making accessories for it.
The Galaxy is the superior choice
The Pixel 8 packs superior cameras than the Galaxy S24. But if camera performance is not your top priority, the Galaxy S24 is clearly a better buy. You get a better display, longer battery life, a more compact design, and a wider accessory ecosystem. All these combine to deliver a better user experience than what the Pixel 8 can offer.
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