Google Pixel 9 Pro series vs Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: Which is right for you?

When looking for a new phone, the best Android phones are always worth considering, especially so the top Samsung Galaxy models and greatest Google Pixels. But when it comes to flagships like the Pixel 9 Pro series, which includes the Pro and Pro XL, or the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which should you buy?

We're here to help with the ultimate Pixel 9 Pro series vs Galaxy S24 Ultra comparison.

Price, availability, and specs

The S24 Ultra is still quite expensive

You can get a Pixel 9 Pro for $999 or a Pro XL for $1099 at your retailer of choice. If you want more storage, definitely expect to spend some extra cash. You also get to choose from four different colorways: Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, and Rose Quartz on both the Pro and Pro XL.

The S24 Ultra is also available at your retailer of choice. The base 256GB model will cost you a princely $1300, and that goes up depending on how much storage you want, capping out at $1660 for the 1TB version. You do get a good variety of six different colorways to choose from, though.

• 	Google Pixel 9 Pro	Google Pixel 9 Pro XL	Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
  SoC	Google Tensor G4	Google Tensor G4	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
  Display	6.3-inch Super Actua display, OLED, 2856x1280, 1-120Hz, up to 2000 nits (HDR) and 3000 nits peak brightness, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2	6.8-inch Super Actua display, OLED, 2992x1344, 1-120Hz, up to 2000 nits (HDR) and 3000 nits peak brightness, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2	6.8-inch Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz refresh rate, 501 PPI, 2,600 nits peak brightness
  RAM	16GB	16GB	12GB
  Storage	Up to 1TB	Up to 1TB	256GB, 512GB, 1TB
  Micro SD card support	No	No	No
  Rear camera	50MP f/1.68 main (wide) camera + 48MP f/1.7 ultrawide, 123-degree FOV + 48MP telephoto, f/2.8, 5x optical zoom	50MP f/1.68 main (wide) camera + 48MP f/1.7 ultrawide, 123-degree FOV + 48MP telephoto, f/2.8, 5x optical zoom	200MP main (f/1.7), 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 10MP telephoto (f/2.4), 50MP periscope telephoto (f/3.4)
  Front camera	42MP Dual PD, f/2.2, 103-degree FOV	42MP Dual PD, f/2.2, 103-degree FOV	12MP wide (f/2.2)
  Battery	4,700mAh	5,060mAh	5,000mAh
  Charge speed	45W wired, 21W Fast wireless charging	45W wired, 23W Fast wireless charging	45W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless
  Connectivity	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, 5G (mmWave + sub-6GHz)	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, 5G (mmWave + sub-6GHz)	5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6E/7, Bluetooth 5.3
  Dimensions	6.0x2.8x0.3 inches (152.8x72.0x8.5mm)	6.4x3.0x0.3 inches (162.8x76.6x8.5mm)	6.39x3.11x0.34 inches (162.3x79x8.6mm)
  Weight	7 ounces (199 grams)	7.8 ounces (221 grams)	8.22 ounces
  IP Rating	IP68	IP68	IP68
  Colors	Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, Rose Quartz	Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, Rose Quartz	Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Violet, Titanium Yellow
  Operating System	Android 14	Android 14	Android 14, One UI 6.1
  Price	$999	$1,099	Starting at $1,299

Design and display

Two attractive smartphones

Big picture, both the S24 Ultra and Pixel 9 Pro series are sleek phones. However, the S24 Ultra features a more industrial look with harder, more angular corners that can make it not the comfiest phone to hold, especially compared to the softer, more rounded design of the Pixel 9 Pro line.

The Pro XL is a match for the size of the S24 Ultra, while the Pro is slightly smaller. Though, both the Pro and Pro XL are lighter than the S24 Ultra, which comes in at 8.22 ounces compared to the Pro's 7 ounces and Pro XL's 7.8 ounces. The differences here aren't too stark, but they are noticeable.

With display, the S24 Ultra sports a 6.8-inch 120Hz AMOLED panel with a 3120x1440 resolution, whereas the Pro has a 6.3-inch 120Hz OLED panel with a 2424x1080 resolution and the Pro XL has a 6.8-inch 120Hz OLED panel with a 2992x1344 resolution. The S24 Ultra has the edge in terms of resolution, but the Pro XL has a higher peak brightness. Overall, thanks to the flexibility of the multiple sizes of the Pixel, it just barely edges ahead of the Galaxy.

Altogether, with a more comfortable in-hand feel, a lighter construction, and the versatility of being able to choose between sizes of phone, the Pixel 9 Pro series is the winner in design and display, if not necessarily by a wide margin over Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Winner: Google Pixel 9 Pro series

Hardware and performance

Tensor vs Snapdragon

There are some key differences to keep in mind when it comes to hardware.

For one, the Pixel 9 Pro series has 16GB of RAM, while the S24 Ultra has 12GB. In regards to the processor, the Pixel 9 Pro series has Google's Tensor G4 chip, which is an improvement over the last-gen G3 chip, but in benchmarks, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 on the S24 Ultra still pulls ahead of the Tensor.

In most cases, though, the difference between the chips here may not be noticeable, like the increase to 16GB of RAM on the Pixel. Nonetheless, if you want the most powerful chip, go for the S24 Ultra, and if you need the most RAM, go for the Pixel 9 Pro series.

Both Google and Samsung are leaning heavily into AI, so you can expect a bevy of AI tech on both smartphones. Outside of all that, it's worth keeping in mind how the camera setups on these phones differ. Although, we haven't yet had a chance to get our hands on the Pixel 9 Pro.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Camera

Two great setups

With the S24 Ultra, in our review we were impressed by its camera performance, saying "the S24 Ultra’s main camera has no noticeable shortcomings" compared to offerings from Apple, Google, and OnePlus at the time. The periscope zoom lens on the S24 Ultra was a highlight for us, and the overall system performed very well, if not up to the standards of the very best Chinese flagship phones out there. That said, we were similarly impressed by the camera setup on the Pixel 8 Pro.

The Pixel 9 Pro, however, has an upgraded ultrawide camera with improved phase detection autofocus and a wider f/1.7 aperture, and it also has a significantly better 42MP selfie camera as compared to the 10.5MP selfie camera on the Pixel 8 Pro. Plus, the Pixel 9 Pro is bringing some new camera features to the table, too, like 8K video support. In general, the last-gen Pixel 8 Pro was a strong competitor with the S24 Ultra in camera quality, so we'd wager the Pixel 9 Pro will perform as well if not better than the S24 Ultra.

Altogether, both these phones are pretty promising, but Google will likely have better image processing, while Samsung has the better hardware with its telephoto cameras.

Winner: Tie

Battery life

Not much to complain about

We haven't reviewed the Pixel 9 Pro just yet, so stay tuned for that, but there are some takeaways.

In our S24 Ultra review, we didn't have trouble getting through 14-hour days without needing to charge. On the other hand, we had a similar experience with the Pixel 8 Pro. The Pixel 9 Pro series, though, is set to pack in a more efficient chip as well as a bigger battery on the Pro XL.

Nonetheless, whichever phone you go with likely won't give you trouble with battery life. Depending on our time with the Pixel 9 Pro, particularly the XL, it may even see better overall battery life than the S24 Ultra, but right now, that remains to be seen.

Winner: Tie

Overall winner: Google Pixel 9 Pro series

All told, thanks to a comfortable design, light construction, the versatility of multiple models, lots of RAM, and what's shaping up to be a solid camera array and impressive battery life, the Google Pixel 9 Pro series is our top choice, but there are reasons to prefer the S24 Ultra.

Samsung's S24 Ultra has the beefier processor, so if that's a primary concern, it could be well worth it. Plus, you may not be bothered by its more angular design or slightly lower RAM capacity. If you've got the money to spend on one, the S24 Ultra is still a top-tier phone.