This time around, we’re comparing the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. Samsung announced its new flagship smartphone about a week ago, while Google’s arrived months ago. These two phones are very, very different, and that should make this comparison quite interesting. Their designs are notably different, as are their camera setups, even their processors.
As per usual, we’ll first list the specifications of both smartphones and take it from there. Aside from the specs, we’ll be comparing their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio. At first glance, Samsung didn’t change much in the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but you may be surprised. So, let’s see what these two phones have to offer, shall we?
Specs
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, respectively
– Screen size:
6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (flat, adaptive 120Hz, HDR10+, 2,600 nits max brightness)
6.8-inch QHD+ OLED (flat, adaptive 120Hz, HDR, 3,000 nits)
– Display resolution:
3120 x 1440
2992 x 1344
– SoC:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
Google Tensor G4
– RAM:
12GB (LPDDR5X)
16GB (LPDDR5X)
– Storage:
256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 4.0)
128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 3.1)
– Rear cameras:
200MP (wide, f/1.7 aperture, OIS, multi-directional PDAF, 1/1.3-inch sensor, 0.6um pixel size), 50MP (ultrawide, 120-degree FoV, f/1.9 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF 0.7um pixel size), 10MP (telephoto, f/2.4 aperture, OIS, 1/3.52-inch sensor size, Dual Pixel PDAF, 1.12um pixel size, 3x optical zoom), 50MP (periscope telephoto, OIS, 1/2.52-inch sensor size, PDAF, 5x optical zoom)
50MP (wide, f/1.7 aperture, 1.2um pixel size, OIS, EIS), 48MP (ultrawide, f/1.7 aperture, 123-degree FoV), 48MP (periscope telephoto, f/2.8 aperture, OIS, EIS, 5x optical zoom)
– Front cameras:
12MP (wide, f/2.2 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF, 1/3.2-inch sensor size, 22mm lens)
42MP (f/2.2 aperture)
– Battery:
5,000mAh
5,060mAh
– Charging:
45W wired, 15W wireless (Qi2 Ready), 4.5W reverse wireless (charger not included)
37W wired, 23W wireless (Pixel Stand), 12W Qi wireless, 5W reverse wireless (no charger)
– Dimensions:
162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2 mm
162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm
– Weight:
218 grams
221 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.4/5.3
– Security:
In-display fingerprint scanner (ultrasonic), facial scanning
Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner & facial scanning
– OS:
Android 15 with One UI 7
Android 14
– Price:
$1,299+
$1,099+
– Buy:
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (Samsung.com)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (Best Buy, Google Store)
Both of these phones have flat displays and flat backplates. Unlike many of their competitors, they actually have flat glass on top of their displays too. A display camera hole is placed at the top of both displays, and it’s also centered. The one on the Pixel 9 Pro XL is larger, though, and it’s positioned lower, so we do prefer Samsung’s implementation. Both devices also have thin bezels, and those bezels are uniform. They’re thinner on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, though.
The frames on both phones are flat too, and have slightly rounded edges for comfort. They do feel a bit different in the hand, though. Both smartphones include their physical keys on the right-hand side, but their positioning is different. On the Pixel 9 Pro XL, the power/lock button sits above the volume up and down buttons. It’s the other way around on the Pixel 9 Pro XL. There are no buttons or anything like that on the left-hand side, on either phone.
They have very different camera setups on the back
The Galaxy S25 Ultra also has an S Pen stylus on the inside, and it’s accessible from the bottom. You’ll notice that their camera islands on the back are vastly different. The Galaxy S25 Ultra has five separate protrusions, four of which are cameras. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a horizontal camera bar, a pill-shaped one, with three cameras inside it. Both phones include glass on the back, but use different materials for the frame. The one on the Galaxy S25 Ultra is made out of titanium, while Google used aluminum.
Both of these phones come with an IP68 certification for water and dust resistance. The devices are the exact same in terms of height, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra is a bit wider and a bit thinner. It’s also 3 grams lighter, but you won’t really be able to feel that difference. Both phones are quite slippery in the hand.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Display
The display on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is a 6.9-inch panel, and it’s flat. It’s a Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display with an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The resolution here is 3120 x 1440, and HDR10+ content is supported. The peak brightness this display can offer is 2,600 nits. The screen-to-body ratio is around 92%, while the display aspect ratio is 19.5:9. The Gorilla Armor 2 protection from Corning sits on top of the display.
On the flip side, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL features a 6.8-inch 2992 x 1344 LTPO OLED display. That display is also flat, and it supports HDR10+ content. It offers an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz, and the peak brightness here is 3,000 nits. The screen-to-body ratio is at around 88%, while the display aspect ratio is 20:9. Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2 sits on top of the display.
Both of these displays are really good, actually. They’re vivid, sharp, and can get very bright when needed. The touch response is good, and so are the viewing angles. The Galaxy S25 Ultra does have one major advantage, though, the Gorilla Glass 2. Its anti-glare properties are beyond what anything else offers at the moment. Neither phone supports high-frequency PWM dimming, though.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Performance
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor fuels the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. That chip is an overclocked variant of the regular Snapdragon 8 Elite. It’s a 3nm chip. It’s combined with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM here, and UFS 4.0 flash storage. The 16GB RAM model does exist, but it’s sold in very specific markets only, so chances are that a 12GB model is your only option.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, on the other hand, is fueled by the Google Tensor G4 processor. That is a 4nm chip from Google, and it’s less powerful than the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. Still. It’s well-adapted to Pixels, more on that soon. This chip is combined with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM inside the Pixel 9 Pro XL, while Google is using slower UFS 3.1 flash storage for some reason. Neither phone offers storage expansion.
Both smartphones do perform really well day-to-day, though the Galaxy S25 Ultra is faster. That is something you’ll especially notice if you use them side-by-side. It opens apps notably faster, while it’s also faster when you’re jumping between them, etc. Not that the Pixel 9 Pro XL is slow, not at all, but in a direct comparison, that much is obvious. Both phones will serve you well, though, and are very fast in terms of performance.
If you’re into gaming, however, it’s recommended you go for the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The processor on the inside is more catered to gaming, and the storage is faster too. Non-demanding games are well-suited for both phones, but those graphically intensive titles run better on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, especially if you want to access the best look and performance they have to offer. Neither phone has a problem with overheating.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Battery
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra includes a 5,000mAh battery. The Pixel 9 Pro XL comes with a 5,060mAh battery. Neither phone has a silicon-carbon battery. The important thing is, they both deliver in terms of battery life. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has really good battery life, but it’s trumped by the Galaxy S25 Ultra. We’re still not done with all of our tests, but from what we can see at this point, the device will offer monstrous battery life.
We were able to hit 10 hours of screen-on-time on the Galaxy S25 Ultra twice thus far, while day-to-day it managed to get up to almost 10 hours of screen-on-time constantly. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is not as good, but it’s not much below that at around 8 hour of screen-on-time. That’s with our usage and signal, though. Gaming was not included on those days, by the way. Your mileage may vary, but chances are you’ll be happy with the battery life from both phones.
When it comes to charging, the Galaxy S25 Ultra supports 45W wired, 15W wireless (Qi2 Ready), and 4.5W reverse wireless. The Pixel 9 Pro XL supports 37W wired, 23W wireless with the Pixel Stand, 12W Qi wireless, and reverse wireless charging. The Galaxy S25 Ultra charged all the way up in a little bit over an hour, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL took around an hour and 20 minutes to charge. Neither phone comes with a charger, though.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Cameras
These two phones have notably different camera hardware. The Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with four rear cameras, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL includes three. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra includes a 200-megapixel main camera (1/1.3-inch sensor), along with a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera (120-degree FoV). A 10-megapixel telephoto unit (1/3.52-inch sensor, 3x optical zoom) is also included, as is a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera (1/2.52-inch sensor, 5x optical zoom).
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, on the flip side, has a 50-megapixel main snapper (1/1.31-inch sensor), a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera (1/2.55-inch sensor, 123-degree FoV), and a 48-megapixel periscope telephoto camera (1/2.55-inch sensor, 5x optical zoom). Now, the images the two phones provide are notably different. They have completely different styles and priorities.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL usually provides brighter images with more natural colors. The Galaxy S25 Ultra does tend to artificially boost colors still, though not as much as its predecessor. HDR snaps were better on the Pixel 9 Pro XL, from what we’ve seen, though the Galaxy S25 Ultra did a good job overall. The Pixel 9 Pro XL does have a faster shutter, in case you take a lot of pics of animals, for example.
When it comes to zoom shots, they actually provide similar images in terms of quality. They do look a bit different, but they’re both really good up to 30x. Ultrawide cameras do a good job of keeping the same color profile as the main camera, though the quality is not up to par with the main camera. The pictures do end up looking good, though.
Audio
In regards to audio, they’re on par. Both phones include a set of stereo speakers, and those speakers are both really good. They have similar loudness, and even though their sound profiles are different, both are more than good enough.
What they do not have is audio jacks. You can always utilize their Type-C ports to connect your wired headphones, though. Alternatively, the Galaxy S25 Ultra supports Bluetooth 5.4, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL comes with Bluetooth 5.3 support.
