While the jury is out on the Pixel 9 Pro XL, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is one of the best phones on the market—how do they stack up?
The choice between these two often comes down to personal preference, depending on whether you lean towards Pixel or Samsung. Both devices have unique strengths—and price points—so let’s delve into what makes each one stand out and help you determine which is the best fit for you.
Table of contents
Hardware and design
Both of these phones are premium in their build but differ quite a lot in style. The Pixel 9 Pro XL features a mostly flat aluminum design with a distinctive, eye-catching camera visor that stands out. We all know that the boxy iPhone look has made the jump across to Pixels this year, but it’s less sharp and more comfortable in the hand than Cupertino’s well-crafted contraption.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra features another tried-and-tested iterative design. The four-camera design has remained consistent over the years, and while it has flat sides top and bottom, the side rails are softened with minor curves. It’s also made from titanium, which feels quite different from the glossy aluminum frame of the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The Galaxy’s slightly heavier weight is noticeable, though it also features a matte finish, which some may prefer over the Pixel’s glossy aluminum – I know that I do.
This duo sports exceptional 6.8-inch QHD+ displays with smooth 120Hz refresh rates. The Pixel 9 Pro XL boasts a brighter display, reaching up to 3,000 nits, ideal for those who crave higher brightness levels. The Galaxy S24 Ultra display has a 2,600 nit max brightness, but includes an anti-reflective coating, making it easier to view in bright conditions.
This one addition seems inconsequential but makes the S24 Ultra screen the best on a smartphone. No glare means better viewing angles and an overall amazing experience, even if the uniform bezels on the Pixel 9 Pro XL screen are great in their own right.
Performance is by no means a close call. The Pixel 9 Pro XL utilizes Google’s Tensor G4 chipset, designed for AI and machine learning tasks, and comes with a whopping 16GB of RAM. However, due to Tensor’s AI allocation, the effective RAM for standard use is similar between the two.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and this easily delivers superior performance in benchmarks, gaming, and just about everything else, thanks to higher clock speeds and more CPU cores. Tensor G4 is okay, but the fact is that it’s nowhere near a flagship-level chip. If you want to play games at the highest settings for a sustained period a Pixel is not going to be a great choice.
That’s not all. The Galaxy S24 Ultra also has way faster UFS 4.0 storage, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s UFS 3.1 storage is a few generations behind. Does that mean a lot? Well, it should result in faster loading speeds and data transfer rates on your phone.
We haven’t even touched on the S Pen. It’s a truly unique power tool that enables pixel-perfect penmanship for notes, annotations, precise selections, camera controls, and way more to boot. The Note series may be dead, the the Galaxy S24 Ultra keeps the tradition of the exceptional in-built accessory alive and kicking.
Software
Ordinarily, you’d put the software differences on a Samsung and Pixel phone down to “brains” or “brawn” or “clean” and “custom heavy.” Some of those sentiments ring true, but the reality is that Google is banking on AI while Samsung is leveraging both power and AI enhancement.
One UI 6.1 is still rolling out, but includes a whole host of Galaxy AI features that are very similar to the core Google AI suite. You can add content to your photos with sketch prompts, but Reimagine goes a step further with accurate text inputs turning into realistic additions to your photos and images.
Where the Pixel 9 Pro XL has the edge is the other apps like Pixel Screenshots and, as most Pixel owners would agree, the streamlined interface. One UI is full of changes and foibles that help make it what it is. Google having the keys to the kingdom means less fuss, but also less functionality out of the box. The benefit is that this means updates on day one.
Samsung is a little slower when preparing and pushing out Android updates. Sometimes the updates can take half a year before they appear on the latest flagship phone. Even so, Samsung is now matching Google’s 7-year update pledge, so you’ll have a device that is supported until 2031, no matter which side of the fence you fall on.
Camera
Looking at the camera systems of the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Pixel 9 Pro XL it’s hard to pick out a true winner. Google has opted to stick with a 50MP main sensor and upgrade the 48MP ultrawide and 50MP 5x telephoto. Samsung has a huge 200MP main sensor, 50MP 5x telephoto, but an inferior 12MP ultrawide.
Google also has a habit of overreliance on “fixing it in post.” For example, Video Boost and some of the AI functions like Add Me. The former feature is exacerbated as the Galaxy S24 Ultra smokes the Pixel in videography modes and Pro controls. On-device 8K video recording is not possible on the Pixel. You need to use Video Boost and have the video processed in the cloud.
These camera systems trade blows, but the Pixel can’t match the zoom level while the Samsung isn’t as good as capturing moving subjects. Ultimately, the choice depends on your photography or videography preferences. That said, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has a tad more flexibility in all areas if you want or need that.
Battery and charging
Battery life and charging capabilities are also key differentiators when comparing the 9 Pro XL and S24 Ultra. The Pixel 9 Pro XL features a slightly larger 5,060mAh battery with 37W wired and up to 23W wireless charging on a compatible stand.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra has faster 45W wired charging but a slightly smaller 5,000mAh battery. Wireless charging is also capped at 15W. An interesting – and potentially frustrating – negative here is that 0-100% takes over an hour on the S24 Ultra and 9 Pro XL. That is slow by modern industry standards.
Despite this annoyance, both phones offer comparable battery performance in real-world usage. The Snapdragon chip could have the edge thanks to better overall efficiency than the Pixel Tensor chip. A day of intensive usage is going to be well within reach without too many problems.
Pixel 9 Pro XL vs. Galaxy S24 Ultra: Which is the best Android phone?
About upgrading: 9to5Google often gives specific product recommendations. Sometimes, we may suggest not upgrading, due to various reasons including, but not limited to: increased device cost, negligible performance gains, or environmental impact. Whether to upgrade is always your call, but our aim is to help you make as informed a decision as possible.
If you love a clean, streamlined Android experience, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is a great option. In terms of performance, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is in a different weight category with more headroom than the Tensor G4 chip will ever be capable of.
Price is a significant factor. The Galaxy S24 Ultra starts at a hefty $1,299, but that does also include an S Pen and 256GB of storage, offering value for those who use these features. The Pixel 9 Pro XL starts at a marginally cheaper $1,099 but that includes just 128GB of storage, though upgrading to 256GB keeps it under the Galaxy’s starting price. As noted, both promise seven years of software updates and security patches.
These are expensive phones and at least on paper, the Pixel lags behind quite substantially. By this point in time, it’s clear that a Google Pixel isn’t just a sum of its parts.
The better device for you heavily depends on what you value most. If AI features, a new design, and a slightly lower price appeal to you, the Pixel 9 Pro XL might be your best bet. However, if you prioritize superior performance, a versatile camera setup, and additional features like the S Pen, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is, without a doubt, the better buy.
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