Samsung and Google have been good friends for the past few years, at least in terms of the mobile technology sector, so it’s no surprise that Samsung has drawn inspiration from the wellspring of Android deliciousness. More precisely, the Galaxy S24 (and the S24 Plus/Ultra) has received numerous advancements as a result of on-device and cloud AI integration.
Naturally, plenty of additional elements distinguish and differentiate the Galaxy S24 from the Pixel 8, providing a distinct user experience, so continue reading if you want to learn more!
GALAXY S24 ULTRA VS PIXEL 8: SPECS COMPARISON
If you’re looking for a tiny flagship in the first part of the year, you’re considering the Samsung Galaxy S24, Google Pixel 8, or Xiaomi 14. However, because of the Xiaomi 14’s higher price, the Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8 are the more practical options. Google and Samsung are like two brothers ruling the Android phone market, each with a distinct style that sets them apart from one another. Regardless of which one you choose, you’ll have one of the best Android experiences available.
One of Google’s big draws thus far has been its distinct approach to making a phone entertaining and helpful. The Pixel 8 includes funny features that may appear to be gimmicks at first, but are essential in a user’s daily life. The issue is that Samsung has stolen part of Google’s thunder with the S24. If not for the S24’s new (to Galaxy) AI functions, it would have been a fairly uninteresting upgrade for 2024.
The question is, which software and “style” appeals to you more? We’re talking about two of the best Android phones available right now, and they have more than a few similarities.
CAMERA
The Pixel 8 has an excellent camera system, as has been the case with previous Pixel phones. That being said, the Galaxy S24 should be no slouch, with not only the additional camera on the back but also the other AI oddities and features introduced by Samsung.
For starters, Samsung announced that its flagship series now includes enhanced noise algorithms that allow the phone to analyze gyro data and discriminate between movement by the person holding the phone and movement by the subject being filmed. This is said to make low-light photos and videos crisper and less grainy.
Furthermore, a specific color tuning solution has significantly improved the overly saturated and contrasty appearance of Galaxy flagships. This implies that colors appear more realistic and accurate.
Google’s key selling point for their phones’ cameras was AI capabilities such as eliminating subjects from photos, unblurring blurry faces, and other similar functions. Well, Samsung has added its own set of AI capabilities to the S24 series, including as the ability to erase unsightly reflections in windows or water surfaces, as well as unpleasant shadows.
Much like Google demonstrated during the Pixel 8 unveiling, S24 owners may transfer people or objects from one location in a photo to another, as well as change the cutout size.
The main cameras on the Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8 both create excellent photographs, although the Pixel is slightly crisper, and the Galaxy has better HDR performance, with more detail in darker regions.
That incredible HDR capability is evident while taking images at night or in low-light circumstances. In this scenario, the S24 captured significantly more detail in both the shadows and the highlights. Furthermore, the Pixel 8’s main camera is less sharp in this instance.
DESIGN AND DISPLAY
Google sticks to its tried-and-true distinctive design that debuted with the Pixel 6, with minor modifications like as reduced bezels and more circular corners with the Pixel 8. For the first time in a while, Samsung has decided to make a more obvious modification to the shape of its entry-level flagship, offering the Galaxy S24 flat sides and a display akin to the iPhone 15.
Aside from the flat vs round corners, the back panels of the S24 and Pixel 8 are distinguishable. The former includes three cameras with protruding lenses, and the latter features the famous Pixel metal bar with two cameras inside. Furthermore, the Galaxy’s rear is matte, as opposed to the Pixel 8’s shiny surface, which attracts fingerprints like a magnet.
In terms of size, Samsung’s vanilla flagship has been one of the best tiny phones on the market for several years, and since the S24’s proportions are unaltered from its predecessor, that assertion remains true. When compared to the Pixel 8, the S24 is shorter and thinner, although having an almost identical width. Check out our dedicated Galaxy S24 size comparison article to see how it compares in size to other popular phones.
In terms of protection, the Galaxy S24 features Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back, while the Pixel 8 has the older Gorilla Glass. This should not be a deal breaker, as the latest version of Victus is just slightly more scratch and crack-resistant. Both phones have IP68 water and dust protection, which is the highest level available for flagships right now.
The Pixel comes in only three colors: hazel, obsidian, and rose. In comparison, Samsung is more generous with color choices for its flagship series, with the Galaxy S24 available in Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow, Marble Gray, and Onyx Black.
Google upped its game in terms of displays when it launched the Pixel 8, but Samsung maintains its position as the phone manufacturer at the forefront of display technology by introducing an even brighter and more power-efficient one on the Galaxy S 24.
While it is difficult to state that the Pixel 8’s display is weak in any way, it has a maximum brightness of 2000 nits, but the Galaxy S24’s reaches 2600 nits. It’s worth noting that we frequently find these values to be a bit of a stretch during our tests (sometimes even more than a bit), but they do appear to correlate with real-life variances in overall brightness levels.
Aside from that, both phones have 6.2-inch screens and a display refresh rate of 120Hz. The devil is in the details, though, since the Galaxy S24’s display can dip as low as 1Hz, whilst the Pixel 8’s cannot go below 60Hz. With the ability to dip as low as 1Hz, the S24 should save more battery life and hence be more power efficient.
HOW’S THE PERFORMANCE?
The Galaxy S24 is powered by this year’s Exynos 2400, whilst the Pixel 8 runs on the nearly a year-old Tensor G3 SoC. Furthermore, Google Pixels have never been very competitive in raw performance and have consistently trailed the competition in benchmarks.
This comparison is not an exception. In both multi- and single-core scenarios, the Tensor G3 falls short of the Exynos 2400 under pure CPU stress. The newer Exynos 2400 is 35% quicker in multi-core scenarios and 23% faster in single-core tests.
The Galaxy S24 is the clear winner here due to its superior tune. The Pixel 8 sounds thin when compared to the S24, which has better bass and a broader overall sound. On the other side, the Pixel 8 has cleaner vocals, so listening to podcasts and viewing movies through the speakers may be preferable on Google’s phone.
GET THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S24 ULTRA FOR:
- A flatter design with thinner bezels.
- The battery has a longer life.
- The speakers are slightly louder and nicer.
- The dedicated 3x telephoto camera.
- The fastest chipset.
- The One UI is feature-rich.
GET THE GOOGLE PIXEL 8 FOR:
- The improved main camera.
- The pricing is substantially lower.
- The pure Android experience.
