Head to head

Samsung Galaxy S24+ vs Google Pixel 8a

Samsung Galaxy S24+ leads 9 to 4 on the 13 rankable specs, but Google Pixel 8a costs $500 less.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Weight: Samsung Galaxy S24+ lists 197 g (6.95 oz) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); Google Pixel 8a lists 188 g (6.63 oz) (Google sheet, 2026-09-02).
Size: Samsung Galaxy S24+ lists 6.7 inches (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); Google Pixel 8a lists 6.1 inches (Google sheet, 2026-09-02).
Chipset: Samsung Galaxy S24+ lists Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); Google Pixel 8a lists Google Tensor G3 (Titan M2 security coprocessor) (Google sheet, 2026-09-02).
RAM: Samsung Galaxy S24+ lists 12 GB (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); Google Pixel 8a lists 8 GB LPDDR5x (Google sheet, 2026-09-02).
Max optical zoom: Samsung Galaxy S24+ lists 3x optical zoom (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); Google Pixel 8a lists None (2x lossless Super Res Zoom) (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: 9 to 4

Buy the Samsung Galaxy S24+.

Leads 9 of 13 rankable overall specs; Google Pixel 8a takes 4.
Size: 6.7 inches vs 6.1 inches
RAM: 12 GB vs 8 GB LPDDR5x
Google Pixel 8a is $500 cheaper. Pay the difference only if size matters to you.

9 Samsung Galaxy S24+13 rankable of 48 specsGoogle Pixel 8a 4

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

No stylusrow
No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24+ · NoTrips:Google Pixel 8a · No
No headphone jackrow
Wired headphones need a USB-C dongle.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24+ · NoTrips:Google Pixel 8a · No
No charger in the boxrow
Budget another $20 to $40 for a fast charger.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24+ · NoTrips:Google Pixel 8a · No
Not IP68row
Less dust and water protection than an IP68 rival.
Clear:Samsung Galaxy S24+ · IP68 (up to 1.5m for 30 mins)Trips:Google Pixel 8a · IP67 dust/water resistant
No microSD slotrow
Storage is fixed at what you buy.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24+ · NoTrips:Google Pixel 8a · No

At a glance

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

6 of 6 differ

Weight

Samsung

197 g (6.95 oz)

Google

188 g (6.63 oz)

Size

Samsung

6.7 inches

Google

6.1 inches

Chipset≠

Samsung

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm)

Google

Google Tensor G3 (Titan M2 security coprocessor)

RAM

Samsung

12 GB

Google

8 GB LPDDR5x

Max optical zoom

Samsung

3x optical zoom

Google

None (2x lossless Super Res Zoom)

Capacity

Samsung

4,900 mAh

Google

4,492 mAh

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

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.

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+$9999 wins

Google Pixel 8a$4994 wins

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

41 of 48 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Body

leads 1-0

Body specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24+, right column is Google Pixel 8a.
Dimensions	158.5 × 75.9 × 7.7 mm	152.1 × 72.7 × 8.9 mm
Weight	197 g (6.95 oz)	188 g (6.63 oz) (wins this row: lower)
Build	Armor Aluminum 2 frame with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 back	Matte composite back with aluminum frame
Water / dust rating	IP68 (up to 1.5m for 30 mins)	IP67 dust/water resistant
Colors	Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow	Bay, Aloe, Porcelain, Obsidian
Stylus	No	No

Display

leads 4-0

Display specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24+, right column is Google Pixel 8a.
Type	Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X	Actua OLED
Size	6.7 inches (wins this row: higher)	6.1 inches
Resolution	3120 × 1440 (QHD+) (wins this row: higher)	2400 × 1080 (FHD+)
Pixel density	513 ppi (wins this row: higher)	430 ppi
Refresh rate	120 Hz (1–120Hz LTPO)	120 Hz (Smooth Display 60–120Hz)
Peak brightness	2,600 nits peak (wins this row: higher)	2,000 nits peak / 1,400 nits HDR
HDR	HDR10+, HLG	HDR support (HDR10, HLG)
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2	Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Always-on display	Yes	Yes (Always-on with At a Glance)

Platform

5 differences

Platform specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24+, right column is Google Pixel 8a.
Operating system	Android 14 (One UI 6.1)	Android 14
Software support	7 generations of OS upgrades & 7 years security updates	7 years of OS, security, and Feature Drop updates
Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm)	Google Tensor G3 (Titan M2 security coprocessor)
CPU	8-core (1× Cortex-X4 + 5× Cortex-A720 + 2× Cortex-A520)	9-core (1× Cortex-X3 + 4× Cortex-A715 + 4× Cortex-A510)
GPU	Adreno 750	Immortalis-G715s MC10

Memory

leads 2-0

Memory specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24+, right column is Google Pixel 8a.
RAM	12 GB (wins this row: higher)	8 GB LPDDR5x
Storage	256 GB (wins this row: higher)	128 GB
Storage options	256 GB, 512 GB (UFS 4.0)	128 GB, 256 GB (UFS 3.1)
microSD	No	No

Rear camera

leads 2-1

Rear camera specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24+, right column is Google Pixel 8a.
Main	50 MP (f/1.8, 24mm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS)	64 MP Quad PD (f/1.89, 26mm, 1/1.73", OIS, Super Res Zoom up to 8x) (wins this row: higher)
Ultrawide	12 MP (f/2.2, 13mm, 120° FOV)	13 MP (f/2.2, 120° FOV) (wins this row: higher)
Telephoto	10 MP (f/2.4, 67mm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom)	None (Super Res Zoom 2x sensor crop / up to 8x digital)
Max optical zoom	3x optical zoom (wins this row: higher)	None (2x lossless Super Res Zoom)
Stabilization	OIS on main and 3x telephoto cameras	Optical + electronic image stabilization on main
Video	8K at 24/30 fps, 4K at 30/60/120 fps, HDR10+	4K at 30/60 fps, 1080p at 30/60 fps

Front camera

leads 1-0

Front camera specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24+, right column is Google Pixel 8a.
Selfie camera	12 MP (f/2.2, 26mm, Dual Pixel PDAF)	13 MP (f/2.2, 96.5° ultrawide FOV) (wins this row: higher)
Selfie video	4K at 30/60 fps	4K at 30 fps, 1080p at 30 fps

Battery & charging

leads 2-0

Battery & charging specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24+, right column is Google Pixel 8a.
Capacity	4,900 mAh (wins this row: higher)	4,492 mAh
Wired chargingNot on the official sheet	45W fast wired charging (up to 65% in 30 min) (wins this row: higher)	18W wired fast charging (USB-PD 3.0)
Wireless charging	15W Fast Wireless Charging 2.0	7.5W Qi wireless charging
Reverse wireless	4.5W Wireless PowerShare	No
Charger in box	No	No

Audio

1 differences

Audio specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24+, right column is Google Pixel 8a.
Speakers	Stereo speakers tuned by AKG	Stereo speakers
Headphone jack	No	No

Connectivity

4 differences

Connectivity specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24+, right column is Google Pixel 8a.
Cellular	5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave)	5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave on carrier variants)
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax tri-band)	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax tri-band)
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
NFC	Yes (Samsung Pay / Google Pay)	Yes (Google Wallet)
USB	USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (DisplayPort out)	USB-C 3.2 Gen 1
SIM	Nano-SIM + eSIM (Dual eSIM support)	Single Nano-SIM + eSIM

Features

2 differences

Features specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24+, right column is Google Pixel 8a.
Biometrics	Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor + 2D Face unlock	Under-display fingerprint sensor + Face Unlock
Extra controls	None	None
Standout features	Galaxy AI suite (Circle to Search, Live Translate, Note Assist), Samsung DeX desktop mode, UWB support	Google AI photography (Best Take, Magic Editor, Audio Magic Eraser), Call Screen, 7-year update guarantee

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+ source Google Pixel 8a source

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

Samsung Galaxy S24+

6.7-inch Galaxy S24+ with QHD+ 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, and 12GB RAM.

Sharp QHD+ 120Hz LTPO display
12GB RAM standard and 45W fast charging
7 years of Android OS and security updates

What you give up

Camera hardware is mostly unchanged from previous generation
No built-in S-Pen stylus like the Ultra

Full Samsung Galaxy S24+ specs →

Pick this one if

Google Pixel 8a

6.1-inch mid-range phone powered by Google Tensor G3, Actua 120Hz display, and 7 years of software support.

Exceptional photo quality for $499
7 full years of Android OS and security updates
Bright 120Hz Actua display with IP67 water resistance

What you give up

Thicker bezels than flagship phones
18W wired charging is slower than competitors

Full Google Pixel 8a specs →

Best for each use

Photos

Camera first: zoom reach, sensors, stabilisation and video

For photos, buy the Google Pixel 8a.

Leads 3 of 4 rankable photos specs; Samsung Galaxy S24+ takes 1.
Main: 64 MP Quad PD vs 50 MP
Ultrawide: 13 MP vs 12 MP
It is also $500 cheaper.

Battery & updates

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

For battery & updates, buy the Samsung Galaxy S24+.

Leads 2 of 2 rankable battery & updates specs.
Capacity: 4,900 mAh vs 4,492 mAh
Wired charging: 45W fast wired charging vs 18W wired fast charging
Google Pixel 8a is $500 cheaper. Pay the difference only if capacity matters to you.

Games & video

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

For games & video, buy the Samsung Galaxy S24+.

Leads 3 of 3 rankable games & video specs.
RAM: 12 GB vs 8 GB LPDDR5x
Size: 6.7 inches vs 6.1 inches
Google Pixel 8a is $500 cheaper. Pay the difference only if ram matters to you.

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+ spec sheet Google Pixel 8a spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: Samsung Galaxy S24+ ↗ · Google Pixel 8a ↗

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the Samsung Galaxy S24+ or the Google Pixel 8a?

Google Pixel 8a costs $500 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the Samsung Galaxy S24+ or Google Pixel 8a?

Both has this deal-breaker: no stylus. No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.

Which is better for photos, the Samsung Galaxy S24+ or the Google Pixel 8a?

For photos, buy the Google Pixel 8a. Leads 3 of 4 rankable photos specs; Samsung Galaxy S24+ takes 1. Main: 64 MP Quad PD vs 50 MP

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 48 specs tracked here, 35 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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