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Galaxy S24 Ultra or Pixel 8 Pro is the better Android flagship?
Galaxy S24 Ultra or Pixel 8 Pro is the better Android flagship?
The Galaxy S24 Ultra is Samsung's flagship phone of 2024, while the Pixel 8 Pro is Google's best offering despite launching in 2023. So how do these two devices compare and which one is better? Let's find out in detail through the article below!
Pricing and storage options
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra : $1,299 for 256GB; $1,419 for 512GB; $1,659 for 1TB
Google Pixel 8 Pro : $999 for 128GB; $1,059 for 256GB; $1,179 for 512GB; $1,399 for 1TB
There’s a big price difference between the Pixel 8 Pro and the Galaxy S24 Ultra. While both are flagship phones from their respective companies, Google’s phone is $300 cheaper than the S24 Ultra. While the Pixel 8 Pro starts with 128GB of base storage, it only costs $59 more to upgrade to the 256GB model.
At $1,299, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is one of the most expensive flagship Android phones available. But for that price, you get a phone with a titanium frame, a big, bright display, great battery life, and advanced camera hardware.
Both Samsung and Google are offering steep discounts on their phones. You can often get a $150 discount on the S24 Ultra on Amazon, which brings the price down to $1,150. The Pixel 8 Pro, on the other hand, is listed on Amazon for $950 for the 128GB variant.
Quality of design and construction
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Titanium Back Cover
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra : 162.3 x 79 x 8.6 mm; 233 grams; IP68 water and dust resistant
Google Pixel 8 Pro : 162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8 mm; 213 grams; IP68 water and dust resistant
The Galaxy S24 Ultra has a boxy design and offers minor improvements over its predecessor. One notable change in build quality is the switch to titanium edges for the chassis, similar to what Apple did with the iPhone 15 Pro series. You might not notice the change right away, but the new material should be more durable than the old Armor Aluminum frame.
The S24 Ultra comes with an S Pen, which you can use to take notes on the screen, doodle on pictures, and more. The flat screen means there's more space for you to doodle, and the stylus won't slip off the glass when you're near the edge of the screen.
The Pixel 8 Pro, on the other hand, has a more rounded design, with a prominent camera cluster on the back. However, it uses an aluminum construction instead of titanium. While the Pixel 8 Pro feels premium, the S24 Ultra feels well put together and is above Google’s offering in terms of build quality.
If you find the S24 Ultra too big or bulky, you'll love the Pixel 8 Pro's design with its rounded edges. This allows the phone to sit comfortably in your hand, making it better to use for long periods of time.
Google Pixel 8 Pro : 6.7-inch Super Actua OLED display; 1Hz–120Hz variable refresh rate; 1344 x 2992 resolution; 2,400 nits peak brightness
You don’t have to worry about display quality on either of these devices. The Pixel 8 Pro has a 6.7-inch QHD+ AMOLED panel with a dynamic refresh rate of 1-120Hz and a peak brightness rated at 2,400 nits. You get the same screen on the S24 Ultra, but it’s slightly larger at 6.8 inches and offers a peak brightness of 2,600 nits.
While both displays are impressive, the S24 Ultra has a big advantage thanks to Corning’s Gorilla Glass Armor. In addition to being more scratch-resistant, Samsung claims that this glass reduces reflections by about 75%. The difference is noticeable in everyday use, especially when you’re outdoors.
Performance and efficiency
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Titanium Gray Back
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra : Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy; 12GB LPDDR5X RAM; UFS 4.0 storage
Google Pixel 8 Pro : Google Tensor G3; 12GB LPDDR5X RAM; UFS 3.1 storage
The Galaxy S24 Ultra uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip for Galaxy. This is Qualcomm's flagship mobile processor for 2024, known for its power and efficiency. Samsung has paired this powerful chip with 12GB of RAM and UFS 4.0 storage.
The Pixel 8 Pro is powered by Google's third-generation Tensor G3 chip, which is known for its AI and ML capabilities. Compared to the Tensor G1, Google claims the Pixel 8 Pro with Tensor G3 can run more than twice as many Machine Learning models on the device.
While the Tensor G3 is impressive, it's not as efficient as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The Tensor G3 is built on Samsung's 4nm node, while Qualcomm uses TSMC's advanced 4nm node, which is much more efficient. Google also uses slower UFS 3.1 NAND storage on the Pixel 8.
Both companies promise seven years of OS upgrades and security updates for their flagships, so you can use them for years without worrying about software updates. The Galaxy AI features on the S24 Ultra are similar to those on the Pixel 8 Pro, so you don’t have to decide between the two phones based on their AI features.
Camera configuration and quality
Pixel 8 Pro Camera
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra : 200MP f/1.7 main, OIS, Laser AF, 8K video at 30FPS; 50MP f/3.4 periscope lens with 5x optical zoom, OIS; 10MP f/2.4 telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, OIS; 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, macro; Front cam: 12MP, f/2.2, 4K video at 60FPS
Google Pixel 8 Pro : 50MP f/1.68 main, OIS, Laser AF, 4K video at 60FPS; 48MP f/1.95 ultra-wide (125.5-degree FoV), macro; 48MP f/2.8 telephoto, OIS, 5x optical zoom; Front cam: 10.5MP f/2.2, 4K video at 60FPS
The Galaxy S24 Ultra has four cameras, while the Pixel 8 Pro has three. The main difference is that the Pixel has a 50MP main camera, while the S24 Ultra has a 200MP main camera.
Both phones come with a 5x optical zoom and an ultra-wide camera, although the Pixel uses a higher-resolution sensor for the rear camera. The Galaxy S24 Ultra has a dedicated 10MP 3x telephoto lens, allowing it to take better photos at that zoom level than the Pixel.
Despite the big difference in main camera resolution, the S24 Ultra doesn’t take noticeably better photos than the Pixel 8 Pro. That’s because Google’s software processing is superior to Samsung’s. The Pixel 8 Pro also does a better job of capturing moving objects, which is an area where Samsung struggles.
The Pixel 8 Pro is the better point-and-shoot camera, but you can get better photos from the S24 Ultra via Pro mode or Samsung's Expert RAW app. Also, as noted in our Galaxy S24 Ultra review, camera performance is inconsistent, especially in low-light situations.
On the plus side, the Galaxy S24 Ultra can shoot better quality video at up to 8K resolution. However, the Pixel 8 Pro has an AI-powered Video Boost feature that can help improve the quality of your videos. However, for this feature to work, you have to use Google Photos to upload all the media you shoot.
Google Pixel 8 Pro : 5,050mAh battery; 30W wired charging and 23W wireless charging; reverse wireless charging
The Galaxy S24 Ultra should be your top pick if battery life is a priority. Thanks to its 5,000mAh battery combined with the increased performance of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, the S24 Ultra can deliver all-day battery life. You can easily get 6 to 7 hours of screen-on time regardless of whether you're connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data.
While the Pixel 8 Pro also has a beefy 5,050mAh battery, it offers inconsistent battery life. It should get you through a day, but if you use the phone a lot for gaming or video recording, you’ll need to charge it in the evening.
Worse still, the Pixel 8 Pro's Exynos modem is less efficient than the Snapdragon modem inside the S24 Ultra, so the battery will drain significantly faster when using cellular data.
Neither phone impresses when it comes to charging speeds, although the premium Galaxy fares better. The Pixel 8 Pro tops out at 30W (wired), while the S24 Ultra tops out at 45W. Google’s phone takes around 80 minutes to charge from 0 to 100%. By comparison, the S24 Ultra can reach 100% in 60–65 minutes.
The Pixel supports faster 23W wireless charging, but you only get that with the Pixel Stand (2nd generation). Samsung’s phone can get 15W of wireless power via a Qi charger. Unfortunately, both phones lack support for the newer Qi2 wireless charging standard, which might be a problem for some.
Overall, you won’t regret choosing either phone. If you have to choose between the two, decide what’s more important to you. If you want all-day battery life, great performance, and a great camera, the S24 Ultra is enough. And if you need the best camera performance, the Pixel 8 Pro has a slight edge.