Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely vs Google Pixel 9 Professional XL

Google’s Pixel 9 Professional XL is a couple of months outdated now and has to stand a brand spanking new Galaxy Extremely. In the meantime, Samsung’s newest S Pen-wielding flagship has misplaced a few of its S Pen functions and does not deliver primary generational enhancements. Is that this fight between Android juggernauts all going to return right down to subjective choice, or are numbers additionally going to have a say in it? We’re going to attempt to in finding out if there are any actual winners between those two.

Desk of Contents:

For starters, you’ll be able to evaluate your complete specifications sheets or without delay proceed with our editor’s evaluation within the following textual content.

Dimension comparability

Samsung did some advantageous tuning with the scale this 12 months, and the S25 Extremely is a little bit narrower and a little bit thinner than final 12 months’s style. The Pixel additionally misplaced a couple of tenths of a millimeter from its thickness in comparison to the outdated one, however stays fairly thicker than the Galaxy, however it is nonetheless narrower via a complete millimeter. Each are similarly tall.

What the uncooked numbers do not let you know, however the photos may (and we will check out to provide an explanation for simply now), is that the Galaxy is tangibly blockier and can have a tendency to be that little bit extra at risk of consume out a hollow to your denims given sufficient time. Sure, the brand new Extremely does deal with neatly, however the Pixel’s extra fluid shapes really feel extra herbal and natural.

The Galaxy makes use of more recent and doubtlessly harder fabrics in its construct. Either one of its panels are manufactured from Gorilla Armor 2, whilst the Pixel makes use of Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and the Extremely’s body is manufactured from titanium, subsequent to the Pixel’s aluminum rails.

There may be each probability that the Samsung will live to tell the tale one of the crucial drops that can deliver an finish to the Pixel’s existence. Each telephones are IP68-rated for mud and water resistance and must be advantageous for immersion as much as 1.5m for so long as half-hour.

Colour choices at the two telephones don’t seem to be precisely flashy, with all forms of inoffensive and subdued hues to be had on each. The Pixel’s polished body is probably the most aptitude you’ll be able to get out of both handset, and there is additionally a little bit extra persona and persona to the Google telephone’s digicam meeting, subsequent to the decidedly extra utilitarian Galaxy cluster of circles.

Show comparability

The Galaxy’s modest show dimension building up to six.9 inches this 12 months offers it a couple of additional sq. cm of benefit over the Pixel 9 Professional in comparison to the already marginally greater S24 Extremely. It is not a distinction that you’ll be able to simply really feel, and each telephones will provide you with quite a lot of display screen property.

Each are high-res OLED panels with 120Hz most refresh price, so you’ll be able to be taking part in sharp texts, vibrant colours, and clean scrolling. What you will not be getting on both one is Dolby Imaginative and prescient strengthen – it is HDR10+, as a substitute. Additionally, each telephones are advertised to have 8-bit panels, which is so 2016.

There may be one kind of primary distinction despite the fact that. The Pixel’s show proved so much brighter in our checking out – via nearly 1,000nits in adaptive mode (2,365 vs 1,417nits) and over 500nits in guide operation (1,333 vs 784nits). It is not that the Galaxy is strapped for nits, it is simply that the Pixel has much more of them.

Battery existence

Pixels do not generally make it to the highest of our battery existence charts, whilst the newest Galaxy Extremely does not deliver anything else with regards to capability upgrades. That mentioned, the S25 Extremely continues to be higher than the 9 Professional XL in 3 of our 4 checks – and via a large margin, too. The Pixel’s sole comfort comes from its 1-hour benefit in internet surfing and social community scrolling. Total, we would say the Galaxy must be the easier choice for lengthy days clear of an influence supply.

Charging pace

Neither of those is especially fast to fee within the grand scheme of items, however between them the variations don’t seem to be too giant, or no less than no longer too significant. Certain, the Galaxy gets to 100% some 20 mins quicker than the Pixel, however within the extra necessary first thirty mins, the Galaxy’s 72% don’t seem to be a complete lot greater than the Pixel’s 67%. Nonetheless, despite the fact that, the Galaxy does win this.

Each telephones strengthen wi-fi charging, despite the fact that there are variations. The Galaxy is Qi 2.1 compliant, so you’ll be able to get circumstances for it with magnets and use the ones for coil alignment, plus upcoming in-car chargers would possibly strengthen computerized alignment for the S25 Extremely. Then again, the Pixel’s rated for as much as 23W with the Pixel Stand (which drops to 12W with third-party answers), whilst the Galaxy maxes out at 15W irrespective of peripherals. Each strengthen opposite wi-fi charging.

Speaker check

Excellent stereo audio system are the norm on this magnificence, and either one of those telephones tick that field. That mentioned, whilst each have earned ‘Very Excellent’ rankings for loudness in our checking out, the Galaxy is that one bit louder and, extra importantly, higher sounding in apply. The Extremely has extra presence within the low finish and in most cases sounds greater and a little bit nicer.

Efficiency

The Galaxy S25 Extremely is powered via the newest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset – in a ‘for Galaxy’ spec, so it must be that one additional tiny bit higher than the others. The Pixel 9 Professional XL, in the meantime, depends on a Google-designed Tensor G4 chip -Tensors have a tendency to be lagging at the back of in benchmarks first of all, and this one is like a era (and a part) at the back of the Elite, so you’ll be able to be expecting considerably other uncooked energy effects from the 2 telephones.

The most recent Pixel Execs include 16GB of RAM, which is a large number of RAM and must be serving to them with the entire on-device AI that is kind of the principle reason why to pick out a Pixel over the rest. The Galaxy may be giant on AI however makes do with simply 12GB of RAM, out of doors of an elusive 16GB/1TB model that is best to be had in China for now.

At the flipside, the Pixel’s 128GB base garage is borderline insulting, whilst the Galaxy begins at 256GB (which is not too beneficiant both, however it is alright).

Benchmark efficiency

As anticipated, benchmark rankings at the Pixel are underwhelming – the Galaxy outperforms it greater than two-fold in multi-core CPU efficiency, and greater than 2.5x in graphics benchmarks. Each telephones really feel fluid and snappy in operation, after all, but when you’ll be able to be doing a little critical number-crunching (for no matter reason why), possibly the Galaxy is the easier choice.

Each telephones include a promise for 7 years of instrument strengthen (each primary OS releases and safety updates). We would not be expecting those gadgets to offer significant efficiency such a lot of years down the road, however even though your plans for both telephone don’t seem to be just about as long-term, the Pixel is definitely much more likely to be getting the ones new OS variations sooner than the Galaxy.

Digital camera comparability

The 2 telephones take quite other approaches to their digicam techniques, the Pixel depending on computational pictures to hide the space between its major digicam and its 5x telephoto, whilst the Galaxy has a devoted 3x digicam for the ones in-between photo-ops.

There are extra variations, too, after all. Whilst the principle cameras use the similar dimension sensors, the Galaxy’s 200MP could be giving it positive benefits over the Pixel’s 50MP unit. Each handsets have kind of the similar ultrawides, and the Pixel’s 5x telephoto digicam makes use of about the similar dimension sensor because the Galaxy’s 5x unit. The Pixel’s zoom digicam is not too focused on focusing shut despite the fact that – the Galaxy does higher in that house (25cm vs. 75cm is rather the adaptation).

Symbol high quality

Major digicam footage from the 2 telephones are extra equivalent than they’re other. In all probability the obvious distinction is that the Pixel has a tendency to be extra competitive in its spotlight restoration, however that is not essentially a foul factor (or a excellent one both). It is exhausting to mention that one is awesome right here.

Sunlight picture samples, 1x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

At 2x zoom, the Galaxy fares a little bit higher in some scenes, however we are having a look at ties on different events – it isn’t universally higher, regardless of the MP depend.

Sunlight picture samples, 2x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

You’ll be expecting the Galaxy to be massively awesome at 3x, however actually the 9 Professional XL holds up rather well. It sounds as if, the Extremely’s aggregate of a small-ish sensor and 10MP to 12MP upscaling is not that a lot better than the Pixel computing its method to 3x.

Sunlight picture samples, 3x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

Neither this type of is our favourite 5x zoom digicam, however the Galaxy’s unit seems to be outperforming the Pixel’s telephoto with relative consistency. It is not dramatically higher typically, just a bit bit, but it surely does win for closeups – the Pixel can not actually do the ones.

Sunlight picture samples, 5x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

The Galaxy has a little bit of an edge at 10x, despite the fact that at this zoom stage you will have extra modest expectancies first of all.

Sunlight picture samples, 10x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

There is a reasonably extra pronounced distinction between the ultrawides, stemming from the truth that the Pixel’s lens is noticeably wider – to a gorgeous excessive level. Element is set the similar between the 2, and the logo specifics in colour rendition and dynamic vary stay.

Sunlight picture samples: Galaxy S25 Extremely (0.6x) • Pixel 9 Professional XL (0.5x)

The Galaxy’s reasonably unusual 12MP 26mm selfie digicam is not part dangerous, however the Pixel, alternatively, is kind of distinctive and almost certainly our select between the 2 if selfies are necessary. its 42MP sensor is paired with an surprisingly broad lens (17mm similar) for including extra context to your photographs or just extra other folks.

Selfie samples: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

At midnight, the Galaxy’s major digicam does conservative processing and leaves quite a lot of noise along its element. The Pixel does the other and smooths issues out extra, for higher or worse. We do generally tend to want the Pixel’s manner of lifting the shadows subsequent to the reasonably gloomy darkish spaces at the Galaxy, despite the fact that the Google telephone has a little bit of unfavourable tendency to bleach hotter lighting fixtures.

Low-light picture samples, 1x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

The Galaxy snatches quite of a victory at 2x the place it manages to stay sharper than the Pixel (the primary scene is a little bit of an outlier from the Galaxy, we are not precisely certain what came about there).

Low-light picture samples, 2x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

At 3x at nighttime, the Pixel is trailing the Galaxy in sharpness and definition, however we would say it is doing higher than anticipated.

Low-light picture samples, 3x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

At 5x, the Galaxy gives much better element definition. The Pixel’s brighter shadows glance nicer from afar, however it is as soon as once more no longer stellar with its remedy of heat mild assets.

Low-light picture samples, 5x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

Neither telephone gets you really excellent 10x zoom effects, if you are after pixel-peeping. At have compatibility to display screen magnification, each are satisfactory, with possibly the Galaxy scoring issues for colour constancy.

Low-light picture samples, 10x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

The ultrawides deal with darkness in a different way, with the Pixel’s take being quite unnatural with its tonal building – we will be able to’t say we hate the brilliant exposures, despite the fact that they are no longer precisely very ‘photographic’. The Galaxy is particularly extra real looking in its colours and dynamic vary. Element is similar in absolute phrases, however arguably extra naturally rendered at the Samsung.

Low-light picture samples: Galaxy S25 Extremely (0.6x) • Pixel 9 Professional XL (0.5x)

Video high quality

Underneath we now have a couple of framegrabs from the movies taken via the 2 telephones at each and every focal duration so it is more straightforward to match to each other.

The 2 telephones are appearing rather other ends up in video recording, the Pixel’s overly contrasty output being a little bit excessive. Element is similar between the ultrawides and the principle cameras at 1x, however the Galaxy takes an important lead at 2x (major digicam vs. major digicam), which turns into the entire extra obvious at 3x (devoted digicam vs. major digicam).

Sunlight video samples: Galaxy S25 Extremely (0.6x) • Pixel 9 Professional XL (0.5x)

Sunlight video samples, 1x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

Sunlight video samples, 2x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

Sunlight video samples, 3x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

At 5x and 10x zoom, the Galaxy additionally has the higher hand.

Sunlight video samples, 5x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

Sunlight video samples, 10x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

At midnight, the Galaxy’s video out is carefully higher. There may be quite of a parity between the ultrawides, however as opposed to that the S25 Extremely is the easier choice, in particular for anything else past 1x zoom.

Low-light video samples: Galaxy S25 Extremely (0.6x) • Pixel 9 Professional XL (0.5x)

Low-light video samples, 1x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

Low-light video samples, 2x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

Low-light video samples, 3x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

Low-light video samples, 5x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

Low-light video samples, 10x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • Pixel 9 Professional XL

Verdict

The Galaxy S25 Extremely might not be an enormous improve in comparison to its predecessor, however the Extremely lineup is so completely succesful and feature-packed that it may well simply eclipse a Pixel even with out a lot innovation.

Certainly, the Pixel 9 Professional XL is suffering to stay alongside of the Samsung with regards to computing energy – the space is beautiful staggering. The Google telephone isn’t totally aggressive within the digicam division both with in particular dangerous lapses in telephoto close-focusing and video high quality. The ultrawide selfies are quite of a comfort, if a small/area of interest one.

The Galaxy is, after all, an glaring selection in case you have any use for a stylus. Additionally it is constructed harder, if the selling is to be believed. And whilst no longer an industry-leading cameraphone, it is in most cases higher than the Pixel at what the Pixel was once the most efficient at.

One ultimate attention that would rather well be the deciding issue is value – the Pixel is a number of months outdated now and may also be had for some 30% not up to the Galaxy. Perhaps the S25 Extremely is price that top rate for you, and possibly the Pixel is excellent sufficient for the cash.