Galaxy Unpacked has been ans gone, bringing with it the Samsung Galaxy S25. This means users looking for a new Android flagship to buy will have to consider whether the brand new Galaxy S25 or the already-available Google Pixel 9 is the better choice for them.
But how does the basic Galaxy S25 compare to one of the best phones of 2024, the Google Pixel 9? Here’s what we know so far, to give you an idea of which one deserves to be your next smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Google Pixel 9 specs
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Google Pixel 9 price
The Google Pixel 9 starts at $799, and rises to $899 if you want to double the internal storage from 128GB to 256GB. That might be worth doing, since the Pixel 9 doesn't support any sort of physical expandable storage. The Pixel 9 is on sale now, and regularly on sale, though, so you may be able to pick one up for a much lower price tag.
The phone is available to buy in four separate colors: Obsidian, Porcelain, Wintergreen, and Peony.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 starts at the same price point, with $799 also buying you a model with 128GB of storage. Pre-orders opened on January 22, ahead of a February 7 release date. Color options include Icyblue, Navy, Mint, Silver Shadow.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Google Pixel 9 design and display
The Samsung Galaxy S25 looks almost identical to its predecessor, albeit with a slightly tweaked design. Gone are the straight corners, and instead Samsung has opted for rounded corners that look similar to those found on iPhones or the Pixel 9.
Despite rumors to the contrary, the screen has remained more or less the same, with the same 6.2-inch display. This screen also features FHD+ resolution, and a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate.
The Google Pixel 9, meanwhile, is one of the most distinct-looking phones you can buy right now, with its raised camera visor on the back fast approaching iconic status.
The Pixel 9 also has a 6.3-inch panel, with 2,424 x 1,080 resolution. It also has an adaptive refresh rate, but while Samsung's offering can drop at low as 1Hz, the Pixel 9 bottoms out at 60Hz.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Google Pixel 9 performance
The Pixel 9 has the Google Tensor 4 chip and 12GB RAM. The Samsung Galaxy S25, meanwhile, features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip and the same 12GB RAM.
While we still don’t know how the Samsung Galaxy S25 will perform in our standard benchmarks, it’s a safe bet to say it’ll outperform the Pixel 9 regarding raw speed. Not only does even last year’s Qualcomm chipset handsomely beat the Tensor G4 both in Geekbench and graphical FPS tests, but the early benchmarks of the new Elite point to a chip that’s going to be incredibly fast.
Of course, there’s more to phone performance than just speed, and the Pixel 9 has one big advantage over the Samsung Galaxy S25: it’s made by Google. That means that the OS is made by the same company making the hardware, which in turn means it gets the latest version of Android faster than any other handset — quite a big advantage.
There’s also the small matter of artificial intelligence, and both Google and Samsung have gone big on this recently. It’s mainly a matter of personal preference — do you prefer Google Gemini or Samsung’s Galaxy AI? The latter is currently free (though Samsung says it may have paid elements at some point), while Gemini has a paid tier: Gemini Advanced. Unfortunately, only the Pixel 9 Pro benefits from a year’s free access — which is disappointing.
On the battery side, there haven't been any changes to the the Galaxy S25's 4,00 mAh cell or S25 Plus' 4,900 mAh cell. The Pixel 9 sits in between with its 4,700 mAh battery. Google offers charging at 27W with a cable or 15W wireless, while Samsung offers 25W wired and 15W wireless charging — thanks to adopting the Qi2 wireless standard.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Google Pixel 9 cameras
While both the Pixel and Galaxy S families have more expensive models known for their photography prowess, the entry-level models highlighted here are no slouch either.
Nonetheless, they do have cuts over their more premium models. In the case of the Pixel 9, that means there’s no telephoto lens. Instead, you get a dual camera array featuring a 50MP (f/1.68) primary lens and a 48MP (f/1.7) ultrawide sensor.
Overall, it does very well indeed, as Pixel handsets always do. Even the digital-only zoom does a solid job, though it can’t compete with a dedicated telephoto lens for long-distance photography.
This means that the Samsung Galaxy S25, on paper, has the edge. The camera specs aren’t that different from the S24, so users will get a 50MP (f/1.8) main sensor, supported by a 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide snapper and a 10MP (f/2.4) telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom.
The lack of change sounds disappointing, but two points to bear in mind. Firstly, the S24 still features on our list of the best camera phones (albeit as a value Samsung proposition below the even better value Pixel 8a). Secondly, basic topline camera specs can only take you so far, and it’s possible that Samsung will have a few tricks both in software and hardware to make it a solid upgrade in the photography department.
Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Google Pixel 9 outlook
All in all, it feels like the race between these two handsets is going to be very close indeed, and it may well end up coming down to personal preference. Does getting the latest version of Android earlier trump speedier performance? Do you prefer Google Gemini to Galaxy AI? Is Google’s excellent photo processing enough to make up for a lack of a telephoto lens?
All fair questions, but even though the Samsung Galaxy S25 has now been revealed in full, it doesn’t hurt to wait just a little longer for the reviews to come in and for pricing to be confirmed. This way you can make an informed choice over which phone to buy.
Plus, even though Samsung’s latest is only a modest upgrade from the Galaxy S24, you could always grab yourself a bargain when the price of last year’s model inevitably plummets.
