Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: A friendly but heated rivalry
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Intro
Slowly but surely, more and more information about the upcoming Galaxy S25 Ultra chips away from the rumor mill. Once it finally gets revealed on the expected date of January 22, 2025, Samsung's most premium phone will be direct competition for Google's Pixel 9 Pro XL, one of the best Android phones for this year.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL comes with a new design befitting its high-end status, catching up (at least looks-wise) to Samsung's Ultra phones. It also has an upgraded chip, faster charging, new AI tricks; all for the price of $1099.
But the Galaxy S25 Ultra is shaping up to offer an even faster processor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite, albeit at the much higher expected starting price of $1299.
Keep in mind that all of the information about the Galaxy S25 Ultra you will read below is based purely on leaked information and speculation from our end. The other half of the puzzle we already have, the details of which you can read in our Pixel 9 Pro XL review.
Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Pixel 9 Pro XL differences:
| Galaxy S25 Ultra | Pixel 9 Pro XL |
|---|---|
| $1299 starting price for 256GB variant | $1099 starting price for 128GB model, and $1159 for 256GB |
| Twice as fast UFS 4.0 storage | Still pretty fast UFS 3.1 storage |
| More capable Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 (3nm) silicon | Less powerful Tensor G4 (4nm) chipset |
| More durable titanium frame that is still very light | Light but much less durable aluminum frame |
| More durable and less reflective display thanks to Gorilla Glass Armor | Display is still very durable but scratches more easily and shows more reflections |
| One 3X and one 5X telephoto camera | Comes with one 5X telephoto, but can use sensor cropping to achieve lossless zoom |
| Faster wired charging | Faster wireless charging |
| Comes with a stylus embedded in its body | Does not have a stylus |
Table of Contents:
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Design and Size
Samsung's dedication to impeccable design
Samsung's high-end Galaxy S Ultra series has always been one of the largest phones on the market. But one leak suggests that the Galaxy S25 Ultra will have a thinner body, measuring 77.6mm (vs. 79mm on the predecessor), while simultaneously increasing the display size.
There were renders showcasing the Galaxy S25 Ultra's thinner and rounder body in the best way possible. Check them out:
S24 Ultra vs S25 Ultra This is the most direct contrast. The S25U has removed the thick and heavy metal middle frame, which makes it look thinner and lighter. pic.twitter.com/t3G0xBdcVY
— ICE UNIVERSE (@UniverseIce) September 15, 2024
In fact, the Galaxy S25 Ultra will likely be the thinnest and lightest of the big phones on the market, including the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The same leaker has also stated that the new Ultra will weigh 219 grams, which is less than most of the competition on the market.
Here you see the Galaxy S24 Ultra on top of the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The S25 Ultra's reduced body should result in a more similar look to the Pixel. (Image credit PhoneArena)
Google's Pixel Pro phones have been historically pretty hefty, although not as much as the Galaxy Ultra. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a similar size and weight as the Pixel 8 Pro from last year, measuring 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm and weighing 221 g.
Materials-wize, Samsung will surely be sticking to titanium for the S25 Ultra's frame, although we still don't know whether it will remain Grade 2 titanium or it will be upgraded. Google, on the other hand, is yet to not switch to titanum, with the Pixel 9 Pro XL featuring a less durable aluminum frame.
As for pure-looks, judging by the leaked images depicting the S25 Ultra, the phone seems to have a slightly more rounded design than the sharp-edged one we've come to know.
This new look for Samsung's Ultra model makes it resemble the Pixel 9 Pro XL a tiny bit. Google introduced a new aesthetic for its flagship phones with the Pixel 9 series, giving them flat sides and curved corners. Most visible is the change to the iconic camera bar, which now looks more like a comic book speech bubble instead.
When it comes to durability, the S25 Ultra might have the upper hand here, as it comes with Corning's best screen protection glass to this date, dubbed Gorilla Glass Armor. It is visibly more resistant to scratches than previous generations, which is why we are a bit sad that it is not on the Pixel 9 Pro XL too, which has the next best — Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
Display Differences
The Galaxy S25 Ultra's display will likely have one major benefit over that of the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The Gorilla Glass Armor we mentioned earlier is not only more durable but also eliminates light reflections very well.
There might be some bad news regarding the S25 Ultra's display though. Some insiders are claiming Samsung will add an improved display with higher brightness and better color accuracy, while others are saying that the company will downgrade the display to cut down on production cost.
Whatever the case, we expect nothing less than a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 1440 by 3080 pixels and 120Hz refresh rate for the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
On the other hand, the Pixel 9 Pro XL has one of the best displays we have ever tested here at the lab. It was highly accurate when it came to gamma, white balance, and color reproduction And, to top it all off, it comes with amazing brightness levels, maxing out at 2052 nits in our testing.
But Google has caught up to Samsung in one more major way this year — by introducing an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor embedded in the display. This is the same biometric technology that Samsung has been using on its flagship phones for years, and we can confirm it feels just as fast in real life.
Performance and Software
What it lacks in performance, Google makes up in creativity
Google's Pixel phones, even the "Pro" ones, have traditionally lagged behind the competition from Samsung when it comes to performance. The Tensor G4 chipset inside the Pixel 9 series does not change that, which means it will be even less powerful than the S25 Ultra's expected Snapdragon 8 Elite.
Although, since some Galaxy S25 Ultra models might come with Samsung's new Exynos 2500 processors, it would be interesting to see how that version would compare to the Tensor G4. The Exynos processors from Samsung are typically not as capable as what Qualcomm offers with its Snapdragon silicon, so the difference in power should be less stark.
A recent Geekbench score has shown what's believed to be a Galaxy S25 Ultra and the results it got during the benchmark. Here they are, next to the ones we got of the Pixel 9 Pro XL:
| Phone Model | Geekbench Single Core Score | Geekbench Multi Core Score |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S25 Ultra | 3069* | 9080* |
| Pixel 9 Pro XL | 1967 | 4775 |
If we were to judge by these numbers, the Galaxy S25 Ultra should be nearly twice as powerful compared to the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
While Google has had an even bigger hand in customizing the 4nm Tensor G4 than previous generations, it is still based on one of Samsung's Exynos chipsets. It is only with the Tensor G5 rumored to come with the Pixel 10 series that Google might finally rival the competition from Samsung and other manufacturers.
As for RAM, the Pixel 9 Pro XL comes with 16 GB across all of its storage variants, and that's what we also expect from the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The Pixel starts from 128 GB and the S25 Ultra will probably start at 256 GB.
On the software side of things, the Pixel 9 Pro XL debuted the new Android 15 software, which is also what the Galaxy S25 Ultra will be rocking on its launch day, with the One UI 7.1 skin on top.
Both manufacturers offer 7 years of software support for their most expensive phone models, so the S25 Ultra and Pixel 9 Pro XL will be sufficiently future proofed and should get major OS updates until Android 22.
When it comes to AI features, the two company's share mostly similar ones, but with some differences in the approach. Google makes it more fun and has features such as Best Take and Audio Eraser. Samsung offers users customization options to set how each AI feature acts. For example, you can decide whether you get a more summary of a web page, or a more concise one with Galaxy AI.
One new fun feature that Google introduced with the Pixel 9 Pro XL is called "Add Me," and it helps you create a group photo that everyone can be in by combining two separate ones. The feature utilizes AI and augmented reality to guide the one holding the phone.
But Samsung will allegedly introduce a new AI feature that might prove to be crucial for the phone's success. The feature is called Battery AI, and all we know for now is that it will help prolong the battery life of the S25 Ultra, and possibly even the battery health.
Apart from all the AI news, the S25 Ultra is said to get satellite connectivity just like the Pixel 9 Pro XL, which comes with better connection stability and Satellite SOS. This feature allows users to contact emergency services even when they don't have connection.
Camera
The part to get excited for: A promisingly fun battle
Let's get the basics out of the way first. The S25 Ultra will most probably still have a camera system consisting of one wide (main), ultra wide, a 3X telephoto, a 5X telephoto and one front camera. The Pixel almost matches that number of cameras minus the 3X telephoto one.
Apart from the number of cameras though, there are big changes to note on both sides, mostly in the form of brand new sensors. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is said to feature a new 50MP Samsung Isocell JN3 ultra-wide-angle sensor with 0.7 micrometer pixel size. And the Pixel 9 Pro XL has a brand new 42 MP selfie camera that comes with higher light sensitivity, resulting in more clear images.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL has superb zooming capabilities, and despite the Pixel's lack of a 3X telephoto camera it is close to or even matches that of the S25 Ultra thanks to its sensor crop mode.
On the video side of things, we don't have enough information the S25 Ultra, but the Video Boost feature that's only available on the Pixel 9 Pro models can now upscale 4K footage into 8K resolution, adding tons of detail to the image.
Battery Life and Charging
Probably some of the best you can get
The Pixel 9 Pro XL comes with a massive 5060 mAh battery capacity that most definitely contributed to its amazing performance in our battery life tests. Unfortunately, however, a certification for the S25 Ultra's battery by the China Compulsory Certificate body implies that its battery will stay at 5,000 mAh.
Despite its lower battery capacity, the Galaxy S25 Ultra might very well match the 9 Pro XL's results we got during our battery life tests, as it will feature the new Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which is expected to be more power efficient. Not to mention the rumored Battery AI feature, which could make the S25 Ultra top of its class in this segment.
Charging-wise, the S25 Ultra and its 45W of wired charging speeds would still be enough for Samsung to win on this front, as the Pixel 9 Pro XL comes with 37W charging. With its smaller battery, it should also mean that it takes much less time to charge from 1-100%.
For wireless charging things are the other way around, with 15W for the Galaxy and 23W for the Pixel. The caveat is that you need the latest Pixel Stand wireless charger in order to charge the Pixel 9 Pro XL at 23W wirelessly.
For wireless charging things are the other way around, with 15W for the Galaxy and 23W for the Pixel. The caveat is that you need the latest Pixel Stand wireless charger in order to charge the Pixel 9 Pro XL at 23W wirelessly.
Specs Comparison
Here's a quick look at the specs for both phones, but feel free to check out our more detailed Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Pixel 9 Pro XL specs comparison.
| Galaxy S25 Ultra | Pixel 9 Pro XL | |
|---|---|---|
| Size, weight | 162.3 x 77.6 x 8.6 mm, 232 g | 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm, 221 g |
| Screen | 6.8" OLED 1-120Hz LTPO | 6.8" OLED 1-120Hz LTPO |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Elite 3nm | Tensor G4 4nm |
| RAM, Storage | --- 16/256GB 16/512GB 16/1TB LPDDR5 | 16/128GB 16/256GB 16/512GB 16/1TB LPDDR5 |
| Cameras | 200MP main 12MP ultrawide 10MP 3X telephoto 50MP 5X telephoto 12MP front | 50 MP wide 48 MP ultrawide 48 MP 5X telephoto --- 42 MP front |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh | 5,060 mAh |
| Charging | USB-C 45W wired 15W wireless | USB-C 37W wired 23W wireless |
Most notable here are the different chipsets, number of cameras and their megapixels, as well as the lack of a 128GB model from Samsung. In general, the differences in these spec sheets are similar to comparisons between previous generations of both phones.
Summary
What makes this comparison especially exciting are the two different camera systems. Samsung is replacing the main camera sensor with yet another impressive one, while Google has introduced what might potentially be the best selfie camera on the market.
Performance is the more boring topic here, with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 expected to make the S25 Ultra massively more capable. What's more interesting is how each company utilizes AI, and Google has doubled down on that aspect this year with the Pixel 9 Pro XL
Of course, despite the price hike, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is still has a starting price that's $200 less than what the S25 Ultra is expected to cost. This not so small difference in price will yet again (probably) be a deciding factor for many potential buyers out there who don't want the extra bells and whistles that Samsung offers with its ultimate flagship.
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