Galaxy S25 vs Pixel 9: Comparing top-end flagships with big differencesnews24

The Samsung Galaxy S25 and the Google Pixel 9 are two of the best Android flagships you can get on the market, priced around ₹80,000. The Pixel 9 comes in at ₹79,999 for the 256GB variant, while the Galaxy S25 costs ₹80,999. Both phones are reliable and cater to users who prefer well-known brands, offering some of the best Android experiences. However, they both provide fundamentally different experiences. Samsung is ideal for power users, while the Pixel is better suited for someone switching from iPhone or for someone who prioritises a simple experience with minimal learning curves, all while keeping AI at the forefront. Let’s compare these phones and see how they measure up to each other.

Google Pixel 9 vs Galaxy S25: Performance and battery

Right off the bat, let’s tell you that both phones are quite different when it comes to performance, with the S25 certainly being the winner here. This is because the S25 features the latest Snapdragon chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which competes with the likes of Apple’s A18 Pro and the MediaTek Dimensity 9400. Samsung couples this with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

The Pixel 9, on the other hand, packs Google’s fourth-generation chip, the Tensor G4 chipset. Google includes 12GB of RAM as standard and offers 256GB of storage.

That said, both processors are quite different, and the Tensor G4 is certainly not as powerful as the Snapdragon 8 Elite. However, in everyday use, you won’t notice significant differences. Where you will notice the difference is in more intensive tasks like gaming or processes such as exporting files in apps like Lightroom. The Tensor G4 may be slightly slower in these tasks, but it’s not something that will be a deal breaker. RAM management is equally good on both phones, and both are well optimised.

When it comes to the battery, the S25 has a 4000mAh battery with a maximum fast-charging speed of 25W. The Pixel 9 has a larger 4700mAh battery and supports a maximum fast-charging speed of 27W. In terms of battery life, both phones are not too far apart, but on paper, the Pixel 9 slightly edges out the S25.

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Google Pixel 9 vs Galaxy S25: Camera

There are key differences in the cameras, which primarily come down to image quality versus versatility. The S25 gets a triple-camera setup, while the Pixel 9 features a dual-camera setup. To get into the details, the S25 has a 50MP wide camera, a 10MP 3x telephoto camera, and a 12MP ultra-wide camera.

The Pixel 9, however, has a 50MP main wide camera (shared with the Pixel 9 Pro) and a 48MP ultra-wide camera. In terms of selfie cameras, the S25 has a 12MP front camera, while the Pixel 9 offers a 10.5MP front camera. The video capabilities also differ: the S25 allows 8K video recording at up to 30fps or 4K video at up to 60fps. The Pixel 9 is limited to 4K video at 60fps. Both phones’ front cameras can record 4K video at 60fps.

That said, both phones feature different AI tools and various tricks that certainly improve the experience. Both produce social-media-ready images, with the Pixel 9 tending to go for a more natural look, with slightly muted colours, whereas Samsung produces more vibrant colours by default.

You can’t go wrong with either of them, but you’ll certainly miss out on the telephoto lens on the Pixel 9, despite having digital zoom improvements thanks to background algorithms.

Pixel 9 vs Galaxy S25: Design and display

Both phones feature solid build quality, with aluminium and glass construction. The S25 offers a glass back and aluminium sides, while the Pixel 9 also features similar materials. The S25 is equipped with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on both the front and back, and the Pixel 9 offers the same Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

The display on the S25 is a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED panel, supporting a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2600 nits,supporting 416 pixels per inch. The Pixel 9, on the other hand, has a 6.3-inch OLED display, also supporting 120Hz and a peak brightness of 2700 nits, with a pixel density of 422. Both models feature always-on displays.

Both phones are also IP68-rated for dust and water resistance. That said, the S25 is much lighter, weighing in at 162g, while the Pixel 9 is considerably heavier at 198g.

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Pixel 9 vs Galaxy S25: Software and more

In terms of software, both phones now run on Android 15, though it’s worth noting that the Pixel 9 launched with Android 14 out of the box. And this is where the Galaxy S25 gets a minor advantage. How? Well, both phones will receive seven years of major software updates, but Samsung will receive one more version compared to the Pixel 9, as it launched with Android 15.

Coming to the biometrics, both phones feature ultrasonic fingerprint scanners, which are under-display, and both are fast, accurate, and secure.

Lastly, both phones offer an AI-first experience, with some of the best AI tricks that Google has to offer, including Google Circle to Search and more.