Head to head

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL leads 8 to 4 on the 12 rankable specs and costs $200 less, which makes it the straightforward pick.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Weight: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra lists 232 g (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); Google Pixel 9 Pro XL lists 221 g (7.8 oz) (Google sheet, 2026-09-02).
Chipset: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra lists Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); Google Pixel 9 Pro XL lists Google Tensor G4 (4 nm) + Titan M2 security coprocessor (Google sheet, 2026-09-02).
RAM: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra lists 12 GB (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); Google Pixel 9 Pro XL lists 16GB (Google sheet, 2026-09-02).
Max optical zoom: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra lists 5x optical (10x lossless / 100x digital) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); Google Pixel 9 Pro XL lists 5x optical (up to 30x Super Res Zoom, 20x Video Boost) (Google sheet, 2026-09-02).
Capacity: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra lists 5,000 mAh (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); Google Pixel 9 Pro XL lists 5,060 mAh (Google sheet, 2026-09-02).

Manufacturer list price, not a live offer. Confirm current pricing before you buy.

Buying for

Every rankable spec counts once. Pick a lens to score only what matters for your phone.

Your devices

Select your ecosystem to flag non-functional features or platform lock-in.

Straight answer

Overall: 4 to 8

Buy the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.

Leads 8 of 12 rankable overall specs; Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra takes 4.
Weight: 221 g vs 232 g
RAM: 16GB vs 12 GB
It is also $200 cheaper.

Check first: the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has no stylus. Tick them under deal-breakers if that rules it out.

4 Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra12 rankable of 48 specsGoogle Pixel 9 Pro XL 8

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

No stylusrow
No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.
Clear:Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra · S Pen (integrated, IP68)Trips:Google Pixel 9 Pro XL · No
No headphone jackrow
Wired headphones need a USB-C dongle.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra · NoTrips:Google Pixel 9 Pro XL · No
No charger in the boxrow
Budget another $20 to $40 for a fast charger.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra · NoTrips:Google Pixel 9 Pro XL · No
No microSD slotrow
Storage is fixed at what you buy.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra · NoTrips:Google Pixel 9 Pro XL · No

At a glance

The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.

5 of 6 differ

Weight

Samsung

232 g

Google

221 g (7.8 oz)

Sizesame

Samsung

6.8 inches

Google

6.8 inches

Chipset≠

Samsung

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm)

Google

Google Tensor G4 (4 nm) + Titan M2 security coprocessor

RAM

Samsung

12 GB

Google

16GB

Max optical zoom≠

Samsung

5x optical (10x lossless / 100x digital)

Google

5x optical (up to 30x Super Res Zoom, 20x Video Boost)

Capacity

Samsung

5,000 mAh

Google

5,060 mAh

True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Upfront price + 3 years of consumables, fees & essential add-ons

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Upfront list price$1,299

Essential add-ons (45W Super Fast Charging 2.0 brick (no charger in box))+$35

3-Year Estimated Total$1,334

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

Upfront list price$1,099

3-Year Estimated Total$1,099

Pocket, Palm & Desk Usability Check

One-handed reachability, pocket weight, and table wobble when typing without a case.

Ergonomic & Spatial Check

One-Handed Palm Reach

Widths under 72mm allow thumb access to opposite screen edges without shifting grip.

Samsung

6.8" display with 79.0mm wide squared edges (stretches palms)

Google

Standard smartphone width

Desk Typing Table Wobble

Horizontal visor cameras sit flat on desks without annoying rocking while typing.

Samsung

Individual camera lens rings cause corner wobble on flat tables

Google

Corner camera bump causes minor wobble

Pocket Weight & Heft

Samsung

232g (substantial titanium brick)

Google

Standard phone weight

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.

Post-Purchase Truths

Samsung: What to watch for

Ergonomics
Sharp 90-degree squared corners dig aggressively into palms.
One-handed typing causes the pointed lower corner to dig into your palm tissue unless cushioned by a rounded silicone case.
Hardware Quirk
Anti-reflective Gorilla Armor glass smudges easily with skin oils.
While outdoor glare reduction is class-leading, finger oils create noticeable rainbow sheen smudges in bright sunlight.

Google: What to watch for

Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Packaging contains only a Type-C cable; high-speed wall charging bricks must be purchased separately if you do not already own one.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra$1,2994 wins

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL$1,0998 wins

Body Display Platform Memory Rear camera Front camera Battery & charging Audio Connectivity Features

38 of 48 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Body

leads 1-0

Body specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Dimensions	162.3 × 79.0 × 8.6 mm	162.8 × 76.6 × 8.5 mm
Weight	232 g	221 g (7.8 oz) (wins this row: lower)
Build	Gorilla Armor front and back, titanium frame	Aerospace aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back
Water / dust rating	IP68 (1.5 m / 30 min)	IP68 water and dust resistance
Colors	Titanium Black, Gray, Violet, Yellow (plus exclusives)	Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, Rose Quartz
Stylus	S Pen (integrated, IP68)	No

Display

leads 2-1

Display specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Type	Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, flat	Super Actua LTPO OLED
Size	6.8 inches	6.8 inches
Resolution	1440 × 3120 (QHD+)	2992 × 1344 (wins this row: higher)
Pixel density	~505 ppi (wins this row: higher)	486 ppi
Refresh rate	1–120 Hz LTPO	120 Hz (1–120Hz Smooth Display)
Peak brightness	2,600 nits peak	3,000 nits peak (2,000 nits HDR) (wins this row: higher)
HDR	HDR10+	HDR10+, Ultra HDR
Protection	Corning Gorilla Armor, anti-reflective	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Always-on display	Yes	Yes

Platform

5 differences

Platform specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Operating system	Android 14, One UI 6.1 (upgradable)	Android 14 (with Gemini Nano)
Software support	7 major OS versions + 7 years security	7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Feature Drops
Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm)	Google Tensor G4 (4 nm) + Titan M2 security coprocessor
CPU	8-core (1× Cortex-X4 + 5× A720 + 2× A520)	8-core (1× 3.1 GHz Cortex-X4 + 3× Cortex-A720 + 4× Cortex-A520)
GPU	Adreno 750	Mali-G715 MC7

Memory

3 differences

Memory specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
RAM	12 GB	16GB (wins this row: higher)
Storage	256 GB UFS 4.0 (wins this row: higher)	128 GB
Storage options	256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB	128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB
microSD	No	No

Rear camera

leads 2-1

Rear camera specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Main	200 MP, f/1.7, 24 mm, 1/1.3", OIS, multi-direction PDAF (wins this row: higher)	50 MP Octa PD, f/1.68, 1/1.31" sensor, OIS
Ultrawide	12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120°	48 MP Quad PD, f/1.7, 123° FOV, Macro Focus (wins this row: higher)
Telephoto	10 MP 3x + 50 MP 5x periscope (both OIS)	48 MP Quad PD, f/2.8, 5x optical zoom, OIS (wins this row: higher)
Max optical zoom	5x optical (10x lossless / 100x digital)	5x optical (up to 30x Super Res Zoom, 20x Video Boost)
Stabilization	OIS on main and both telephotos	Dual OIS on wide and telephoto lenses
Video	8K 30 fps, 4K 120 fps, HDR10+	4K 24/30/60 fps, 8K 30 fps (via Video Boost cloud processing)

Front camera

leads 1-0

Front camera specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Selfie camera	12 MP, f/2.2, punch-hole	42 MP Dual PD, f/2.2, 103° ultrawide, autofocus (wins this row: higher)
Selfie video	4K 60 fps	4K 60 fps

Battery & charging

4 differences

Battery & charging specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Capacity	5,000 mAh	5,060 mAh (wins this row: higher)
Wired chargingNot on the official sheet	45 W (charger sold separately) (wins this row: higher)	37 W wired fast charging
Wireless charging	15 W Qi / Fast Wireless	Fast wireless charging up to 23 W (Pixel Stand), Qi certified
Reverse wireless	4.5 W Wireless PowerShare	Battery Share (reverse wireless)
Charger in box	No	No

Audio

1 differences

Audio specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Speakers	Stereo tuned by AKG	Stereo speakers, 3 microphones with spatial audio recording
Headphone jack	No	No

Connectivity

2 differences

Connectivity specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Cellular	5G (sub-6 + mmWave, region-dependent)	5G (sub-6 + mmWave, region-dependent)
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 7	Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
NFC	Yes (Samsung Pay / Google Wallet)	Yes (Google Wallet)
USB	USB-C 3.2	USB-C 3.2
SIM	Dual nano-SIM + eSIM (region-dependent)	Dual SIM (Single Nano-SIM and eSIM)

Features

3 differences

Features specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Biometrics	Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint + face unlock	Ultrasonic under-display fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock
Extra controls	S Pen button, programmable side key	Gemini Live activation, Power button shortcut
Standout features	S Pen, Samsung DeX, Galaxy AI, Vision Booster	Gemini Live, Add Me, Pixel Studio, Call Screen, Magic Editor, Thermometer sensor, Satellite SOS

Most rows are from the official spec sheet. Marked rows are other published figures or our summary, not lab tests we ran.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra source Google Pixel 9 Pro XL source

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Android flagship with S Pen, 200MP camera, 6.8-inch QHD+ AMOLED, and seven years of OS updates.

S Pen built in
200MP main + 5x periscope telephoto
7 years of OS and security updates

What you give up

Larger and heavier than iPhone 16 Pro
No charger in the box
Flat 6.8-inch body is harder one-handed

Full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specs →

Pick this one if

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

Google's 6.8-inch flagship with Tensor G4, Super Actua 3,000-nit display, 5x telephoto, and Gemini Live AI.

Bright 6.8-inch Super Actua LTPO display reaching 3,000 nits
Class-leading camera pipeline with 5x optical zoom and 8K Video Boost
7 years of OS, security updates, and Pixel Feature Drops

What you give up

Tensor G4 gaming graphics benchmarks trail Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
No charger adapter in the box

Full Google Pixel 9 Pro XL specs →

Best for each use

Photos

Camera first: zoom reach, sensors, stabilisation and video

For photos, buy the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.

Leads 3 of 4 rankable photos specs; Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra takes 1.
Ultrawide: 48 MP Quad PD, f/1.7, 123° FOV, Macro Focus vs 12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120°
Telephoto: 48 MP Quad PD, f/2.8, 5x optical zoom, OIS vs 10 MP 3x + 50 MP 5x periscope
It is also $200 cheaper.

Battery & updates

All-day battery, fast top-ups and years of software support

Tied on battery & updates. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is cheaper.

The 2 rankable battery & updates specs split 1 to 1.
Saves $200 at list price.

Games & video

Games and streaming: chip, refresh rate, brightness, speakers

For games & video, buy the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.

Leads 2 of 2 rankable games & video specs.
RAM: 16GB vs 12 GB
Peak brightness: 3,000 nits peak vs 2,600 nits peak
It is also $200 cheaper.

Every answer above is scored from published figures. A lens uses only the rows that matter for that use, including marked rows that are not on the official sheet. Switch lenses interactively in the panel above.

Done deciding?

Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra spec sheet Google Pixel 9 Pro XL spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra ↗ · Google Pixel 9 Pro XL ↗

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL?

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL costs $200 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or Google Pixel 9 Pro XL?

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has this deal-breaker: no stylus. No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.

Which is better for photos, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL?

For photos, buy the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. Leads 3 of 4 rankable photos specs; Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra takes 1. Ultrawide: 48 MP Quad PD, f/1.7, 123° FOV, Macro Focus vs 12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120°

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 48 specs tracked here, 36 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.

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