Both Samsung and Google released several truly compelling smartphones as part of their current-gen flagship lineups. We’ve compared quite a few since now, but not all of them. This time around, we’re comparing the vanilla Galaxy S25 offering with the largest and most powerful current-gen Pixel. In other words, we’ll be comparing the Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL specs.
As per usual, we’ll first list the specs of both smartphones and then jump over to a number of other categories. We’ll be comparing their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio output. These two phones are very different in pretty much every way, and that includes the overall footprint. That’s what should make the comparison interesting, all the differences.
Specs
Samsung Galaxy S25
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | Google Pixel 9 Pro XL | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2 mm | 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm |
| Weight | 162 grams | 221 grams |
| Display | 6.2-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X | 6.8-inch LTPO OLED |
| Refresh rate | 1-120Hz (adaptive) | 1-120Hz (adaptive) |
| Resolution | 2340 x 1080 | 2992 x 1344 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy | Google Tensor G4 |
| RAM | 12GB LPDDR5X | 16GB (LPDDR5X) |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB/512GB (UFS 4.0) | 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 3.1) |
| Main camera | 50MP (wide, f/1.8 aperture, 1/1.56-inch sensor size, 1.0um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS) | 50MP (f/1.7 aperture, 1/1.31-inch sensor size, 1.2um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS) |
| Ultra-wide camera | 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1/2.55-inch sensor size, 120-degree FoV, 1.4um pixel size) | 48MP (f/1.7 aperture, 1/2.55-inch sensor size, 123-degree FoV, dual pixel PDAF) |
| Telephoto camera | 10MP (f/2.4 aperture, 1/3.94-inch sensor size, 1.0um pixel size, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom) | N/A |
| Periscope telephoto camera | N/A | 48MP (f/2.8 aperture, 1/2.55-inch sensor size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom) |
| Selfie camera | 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1/3.2-inch sensor size, 1.12um pixel size) | 42MP (f/2.2 aperture, PDAF) |
| Battery size | 4,00mAh | 5,060mAh |
| Charging | 25W wired, 15W wireless (Qi2 Ready), 4.5W reverse wireless (charger not included) | 37W wired, 23W wireless (Pixel Stand), 12W wireless (Qi), 5W reverse wired (charger not included) |
| Colors | Icy Blue, Mint, Navy, Silver Shadow, Pink Gold, Coral Red, Blue Black | Porcelain, Rose Quartz, Hazel, Obsidian |
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Design
Both of these smartphones are made out of aluminum and glass. In fact, both of them include the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 from Corning on their backs. You’ll also notice flat displays on both smartphones, with a centered display camera hole up top. The bezels around the Galaxy S25 display are thinner, even though the bezels on both smartphones are uniform. That camera hole is also notably smaller on the Galaxy S25.
All the physical buttons sit on the right-hand side of both smartphones. Their positioning is different, however. The Galaxy S25 has a power/lock key below the volume up and down buttons. It’s the other way around on the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. The frame is flat on both smartphones, all around. Both of them do have slightly tapered edges, for comfort’s sake. The backplate is flat on both devices.
You’ll notice considerably different camera modules on their backs. The Samsung Galaxy S25 has three vertically aligned rings in the top-left corner. Each of those rings protrudes directly from the backplate. On the flip side, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, has a horizontal camera bar with three cameras on the inside.
Both of those camera setups protrude on the back. The Galaxy S25 has a notably smaller display and is thus smaller overall. It’s a lot shorter, narrower, and even thinner. On top of that, it’s 59 grams lighter. Both devices are IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. The Galaxy S25 is way easier to use in one hand, and less slippery because of its size.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Display
The Samsung Galaxy S25 features a 6.2-inch fullHD+ (2340 x 1080) Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display. That panel is flat, and it supports HDR10+ content. It also has an adaptive refresh rate (1-120Hz). The peak brightness this display can offer is 2,600 nits, in theory. The screen-to-body ratio is at around 91%, while the display aspect ratio is 19.5:9. Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection sits on top of the phone’s display.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, on the other hand, has a 6.8-inch 2992 x 1344 LTPO OLED display. That panel is also flat, and it supports HDR10+ content. It has an adaptive refresh rate (1-120Hz), while the peak brightness it can provide is 3,000 nits, in theory. The screen-to-body ratio here is 88%, while the display aspect ratio is 20:9. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects this display, too.
Both of these displays are really good, actually. They’re vivid, have great viewing angles, and they do get bright enough in basically any scenario. The touch response is good, and the blacks are as deep as you’d expect them to be. Neither phone has a particularly high-frequency PWM dimming, like many of the competitors do. With that aside, both of these displays are really good and not many people will complain.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S25 is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor from Qualcomm, a 3nm chip. That is an overclocked version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite. It comes with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 flash storage. The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, on the flip side, is fueled by the Google Tensor G4, a 4nm chip. It is paired with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage. Neither phone supports storage expansion, by the way.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 does have a more powerful processor and faster storage. When you directly compare it with the Pixel 9 Pro XL, it is a bit snappier in day-to-day tasks. Don’t get me wrong, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is plenty fast, but in a direct comparison, the Galaxy S25 wins, even with less RAM. Both smartphones are very fluid, though, and don’t really have a lag problem, not at all.
When it comes to gaming, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is not the best choice here. Thanks to the Galaxy S25’s spec advantage, it does handle high-end titles better than the Pixel 9 Pro XL. When it comes to low-tier and mid-tier games, however, it doesn’t really matter. Both of them can run basically any game you can think of, however, so there’s really no problem there. The Galaxy S25 is simply more oriented towards gaming than the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Battery
The Samsung Galaxy S25 includes a 4,000mAh battery on the inside. The Pixel 9 Pro XL, on the other hand, has a 5,060mAh battery. There is a considerable size difference between these two phones, so that’s the main reason for such a huge difference in battery capacity. You’ll be pleased to hear that despite the smaller battery, the Galaxy S25 offers solid battery life, as does the Pixel 9 Pro XL, actually.
No, neither of these two smartphones will break records when it comes to battery life. However, the battery life they offer will be sufficient for most people, that’s for sure. You can get a good number of screen-on-time hours with both phones before you need to charge them. Neither can compete with the likes of the OnePlus 13, Galaxy S25 Ultra, iPhone 16 Pro Max, and a number of other devices on the market, however.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 supports 25W wired, 15W wireless (Qi2 Ready), and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The Pixel 9 Pro XL, on the flip side, supports 37W wired, 23W wireless (Pixel Stand), 12W wireless (Qi), and 5W reverse wireless charging. They can charge up to 100% in about the same time, around an hour and 20 minutes. Neither smartphone comes with a charger in the box.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S25 has three cameras on the back, led by a 50-megapixel main snapper (1/1.56-inch sensor size). A 12-megapixel ultrawide camera (1/2.55-inch sensor size, 120-degree FoV) is also included on the back, as is a 10-megapixel telephoto camera (1/3.94-inch sensor size, 3x optical zoom).
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, on the other hand, has three cameras on the back as well. It includes a 50-megapixel main camera (1/1.31-inch sensor size), a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera (1/2.55-inch sensor size, 123-degree FoV), and a 48-megapixel periscope telephoto snapper (1/2.55-inch sensor size, 5x optical zoom).
While the Samsung Galaxy S25 does a good job with photos, our choice would be the Pixel 9 Pro XL out of the two. It has a better main camera sensor, and it shots, while it also includes a periscope telephoto camera, unlike the Galaxy S25. On top of that, even the camera hardware for the ultrawide camera is better. Its cameras offer more details, more often than not, while the HDR is also better. The Pixel 9 Pro XL will also be able to capture more details in low light, more often than not.
Audio
Both of these smartphones include stereo speakers. The ones on the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL are a bit louder, but the difference is not that big at all. The audio output from both smartphones is really good, though.
There is no audio jack on either phone. You can use their Type-C ports to connect your headphones. Alternatively, Bluetooth 5.4 is available on the Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Bluetooth 5.3 on the Galaxy S25 for wireless audio connectivity.
The post Phone Comparisons: Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Specs appeared first on Android Headlines.
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