We're expecting Samsung's next flagship phone series first thing in 2024, with the new potential default choice for many being the standard Samsung Galaxy S24 that's been rumored for the past few months. But how do those rumors stack up against what Google no doubt wishes buyers considered the default choice – the fresh-faced Pixel 8?
We've heard talk about the Galaxy S24 series for a while now – a hotly anticipated trio of new smartphones, thought to be comprised of the standard Galaxy S24 we're comparing here, the larger Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus and a fully-loaded Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. If all goes well, just as with the current Samsung Galaxy S23 series, all three expected devices will find their way towards the top of our best Samsung phones list. And if they're competitive enough, perhaps even top our wider list of the best phones outright.
Before the phones arrive, however, the numerous leaks that proceed them have allowed us to build up a fairly clear and coherent picture of what each entry is bringing to the table, allowing us to make some educated guesses surround how Samsung's next-gen mobile hardware will stack up against some of their competitors right now. And that's where – in this instance – the Google Pixel 8 comes in.
One of two new flagship phones the company launched in October, the Pixel 8 pairs the brand's signature AI-centric smarts with some long-overdue upgrades to the non-Pro line; a strategy that doesn't sound dissimilar from what we're expecting to see from the standard Galaxy S24, (if and) when it arrives, next year.
Samsung Galaxy S24 vs Google Pixel 8: Specs comparison
We've collated rumored or leaks specs (along with a couple of educated guesses) concerning what the standard Samsung Galaxy S24 is likely to serve up, compared to the concrete specs we know about the Google Pixel 8, which is already on the market.
Samsung Galaxy S24 vs Google Pixel 8: Price and availability
The Pixel 8 arrived alongside the Pixel 8 Pro and Google Pixel Watch 2 at the company's 'Made by Google' event on October 4, 2023, and went on sale just over a week later, on October 12.
Clocking in at $699 / £699 / AU$1,199 for the 128GB model, it starts at a higher asking price than its predecessor, with a more expensive 256GB options on offer as well, for $759 / £759 / AU$1,299.
As for the S24, while Samsung hasn't yet teased so much as a launch date, rumors suggest a January release next year, with January 17 being the expected launch date for the whole series. Separately, all three Galaxy S24 models are rumored to be going on pre-order the following day – on January 18, bringing things forward by about a month compared to the release of the current Galaxy S23 series, which arrived in mid-February 2023.
As far as pricing is concerned, there's been little chatter around the S24 series, however, one rumor does suggest that the new phone will cost about the same as its predecessor. This means the Galaxy S24 will likely start at $799.99 / £849 / AU$1,349 and rise to $859.99 / £899 / AU$1,449 for the 256GB storage variant; making the Samsung almost exactly $100 / £150 / AU$150 more expensive across both storage variants, compared to Google's Pixel 8.
Samsung Galaxy S24 vs Google Pixel 8: Design and display
Generationally speaking, while neither phone appears to reinvent the wheel, from what's out there, the Pixel 8 looks to have adopted more design changes compared to its predecessor, with more rounded forms – especially in the corners – being the most obvious visual alteration. The upgraded look (including a taller aspect ratio compared to the Pixel 7) actually means its silhouette is now not unlike that of the Galaxy S23's and presumably, the Galaxy S24's.
A polished glass back and a matte alumnium frame offer a nice contrast texturally, while the Pixel line's iconic camera bar juts out of the top third of the phone's back, playing host to the phone's dual rear camera sensor. Whether this is a good or clunky design fixture falls to your aesthetic preferences.
The Galaxy S24, meanwhile, is expected to bring refinement over reinvention, with smaller bezels in exchange for a fractionally larger screen; not to mention flatter sides as well. While retaining familiar facets to those found on the S23, the harder lines we're expecting – as demonstrated by the leaked Galaxy S24 render shown above – mean that it'll likely be closer in form to the recent iPhone 15, while the Pixel 8's more curvaceous design moves in the opposite direction.
Color-wise, while both phones are muted in their tones, you can expect more choice from the Samsung Galaxy S24's expected colors, with Onyx Black, Marble Grey, Cobalt Violet and Amber Yellow supposedly on the cards. Samsung will also likely offer addition finishes is come markets, exclusive to Samsung.com. By comparison, the Pixel 8 comes in what amounts to pale peach (called Rose), green/gray (Hazel) and dark gray (Obsidian), which makes for a pretty inoffensive but underwhelming assortment of hues.
As for the displays, the Pixel 8 has dropped 0.1 of an inch from its predecessor's panel to reach 6.2-inches, while a Galaxy S24 specs leak suggests that – along with those thinner bezels – the S24's screen will actually come up by 0.1-inches from the S23, to match the Pixel at 6.2-inches, as well.
With both the Galaxy S23 and the Pixel 8 both being regarded as great compact-yet-powerful phones right now, it stands to reason that the Galaxy S24 will be no different.
Where display technology is concerned, the Pixel 8 brought a long overdue upgrade to the refresh rate, finally pushing past the 90Hz limit of its predecessors; topping out at 120Hz. However, this isn't a dynamic trait, meaning you have to manually switch between 60Hz and smoother 120Hz viewing, depending on whether you want to extend battery life. Beyond refresh rate, the Full HD+ OLED panel also boasts impressive peak brightness of 2,000 nits and there's an always-on mode too.
Going by the Galaxy S23's display, all Samsung would really have to do to trump the Pixel 8's Actua panel is increase peak brightness past the S23's current 1,750-nit limit. If the company changed nothing else, then the S24 should also sport a panel with always-on functionality and Full HD+ resolution, outpacing the Pixel with a dynamic 48Hz to 120Hz refresh rate.
Samsung Galaxy S24 vs Google Pixel 8: Cameras
In testing, we commended the Pixel 8's cameras for their "consistency with regards to color, dynamic range and contrast," even going so far as to suggest that the phone packed "a more dependable set of cameras than on the likes of Samsung's Galaxy S23 handsets." That dependability being borne out of the company's existing expertise in image processing and the advancements in AI-supported photography features that we've seen added since the Pixel 6 series.
The phone leads with a wider-apertured 50MP primary sensor (compared to its predecessor), accompanied by a 12MP ultra-wide with autofocus (an upgrade pulled from the Pixel 7 Pro), while its enhanced digital 'Super Res Zoom' range peaks at 8x magnification; producing results that are genuinely pleasing to the eye and wholly usable.
The camera hardware on the S24 is rumored to be almost identical to the S23's, meaning a 50MP main sensor with a fractionally wider focal range but a narrower aperture – compared to the Pixel's 50MP snapper (24mm and ƒ/1.8 versus 25mm, ƒ/1.7).
If Samsung truly doesn't change a thing in the imaging department, the S24's 12MP ultra-wide will lack the autofocus of the Pixel's equivalent, but at the same time give that Super Res Zoom a run for its money with a dedicated third sensor, boasting a 10MP resolution and 3x optical telephoto zoom range. 10.5MP is the resolution reportedly on the front cameras of both phones, but the S24 might offer better depth of field, thanks to autofocus, to the Pixel 8's fixed-focus selfie snapper.
Google Pixel 8 camera samples
Samsung Galaxy S24 vs Google Pixel 8: Performance
Samsung's Galaxy S series is known for its raw power, usually being among the first series of phones each calendar year to adopt Qualcomm's latest flagship silicon. That's expected to be the case with the S24 series too, at least in some parts of the world.
Qualcomm's current top chip – the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 – is thought to power the Galaxy S24 series in markets like the US. However, not unlike the Galaxy S22 series, Samsung's own Exynos silicon – specifically the Exynos 2400, which was announced in October 2023 – will reportedly power the standard Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus in markets including Europe and the UK.
While both the Snapdragon and Exynos looks like powerful and comparable chips in their own right, in practice, previous generations of Galaxy have shown us that Samsung's chips consistently underperform against Qualcomm's. That said, even an Exynos 2400-powered S24 should handily outperform its predecessor, if this leaked Geekbench listing is anything to go by.
Where Samsung's Galaxy S phones are considered generalist powerhouses, Google's Tensor chips – which have powered the last three generations of Pixel – forgo outright clout for more specialist advantages in AI. The most obvious benefits afforded to the Pixel 8 by it Tensor G3 system-on-a-chip are the aforementioned 'Magic' branded photographic enhancements. But there are a number of audio and accessibility features that stand apart from the status quo – including what the Galaxy S phones currently offer – that are uniquely Pixel and attributed to its AI smarts.
If its gaming and performance that you favor, however, the Galaxy S24 will likely lead, with Samsung's software-based gaming enhancements and the expected power disparity it'll lord over the Pixel. In testing, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-powered Galaxy S23 already trumps the Pixel 8, in terms of single and multicore scores on Geekbench 6 (1954 vs 1507 and 5154 versus 3852, respectively). But the Pixel's AI prowess is evident in Geekbench ML scores against the S23, scoring 2052 to the Galaxy's 632.
Even so, rumors have also made mention of the Galaxy S24 being Samsung's first 'AI phone' so the playing field could be massively levelled once we put it to the test.
Samsung Galaxy S24 vs Google Pixel 8: Battery life
Neither Google or Samsung are known for pushing super-fast charging speeds on their phones, instead focusing on power optimization and minimizing long-term battery degradation to help make their devices better value long-term purchases.
In the case of the Galaxy S24, one report claims that Samsung might be pulling technology from the electric vehicle market to create a more energy-dense battery, offering 10% more capacity without needing to be any larger. As to whether this will be ready in time for the S24 remains a mystery.
Separately, there's been talk of the Galaxy S24 employing a larger 4,000mAh battery, to the S23's 3,900mAh power pack, while charging is expected to be the same with 25W wired, 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging on offer. Once again, it's assumed that the larger and more powerful Galaxy S24 Plus and Galaxy S24 Ultra will benefit from faster 45W wired charging speeds.
The Pixel 8 promises similar 27W wired charging speeds, as well as up to 18W wireless and support for reverse wireless charging too, with a 4,575mAh battery that delivered over six hours of screen-on time per charge in testing, reached 54% charge in 30 minutes and hit 100% charge after 1 hour 23 minutes. For comparison, the Galaxy S23 managed 10.5 hours of use per charge and also surpassed 50% charging in 30 minutes.
Samsung Galaxy S24 vs Google Pixel 8: Verdict
While judgement can't yet be passed until the Samsung Galaxy S24 actually makes its debut next year, based on what we know so far, there might be more in common between these two phones than any previous generation of Galaxy and Pixel.
While Google has moved the Pixel 8's design in the opposing direction to where the S24 looks to be headed, and raw performance still looks as though it lies with the Galaxy, AI is the big unifier here; already available in spades on the Pixel 8 and looking to be a major part of the Galaxy S24 experience when it arrives in January.
Battery performance is perhaps the hardest to predict, as we haven't seen a chipset and battery capacity pairing like the S24's expected configuration elsewhere on the market, to base estimations off. That said, with the S23's longevity as it is, there is the possibility of the S24 out-lasting the Pixel.
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