Head to head

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL leads 11 to 1 on the 12 rankable specs, but Samsung Galaxy S24 costs $300 less.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Weight: Samsung Galaxy S24 lists 167 g (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); Google Pixel 9 Pro XL lists 221 g (7.8 oz) (Google sheet, 2026-09-02).
Size: Samsung Galaxy S24 lists 6.2 inches (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); Google Pixel 9 Pro XL lists 6.8 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 9 Pro XL lists Google Tensor G4 (4 nm) + Titan M2 security coprocessor (Google sheet, 2026-09-02).
RAM: Samsung Galaxy S24 lists 8 GB (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); Google Pixel 9 Pro XL lists 16GB (Google sheet, 2026-09-02).
Max optical zoom: Samsung Galaxy S24 lists 3x optical (30x digital Space Zoom) (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).

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: 1 to 11

Buy the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.

Leads 11 of 12 rankable overall specs; Samsung Galaxy S24 takes 1.
Size: 6.8 inches vs 6.2 inches
RAM: 16GB vs 8 GB
Samsung Galaxy S24 is $300 cheaper. Pay the difference only if size matters to you.

1 Samsung Galaxy S2412 rankable of 48 specsGoogle Pixel 9 Pro XL 11

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 9 Pro XL · No
No headphone jackrow
Wired headphones need a USB-C dongle.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 · 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 · NoTrips:Google Pixel 9 Pro XL · No
No microSD slotrow
Storage is fixed at what you buy.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 · NoTrips:Google Pixel 9 Pro XL · No

At a glance

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

6 of 6 differ

Weight

Samsung

167 g

Google

221 g (7.8 oz)

Size

Samsung

6.2 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

8 GB

Google

16GB

Max optical zoom

Samsung

3x optical (30x digital Space Zoom)

Google

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

Capacity

Samsung

4,000 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

Upfront list price$799

Essential add-ons (25W USB-C charging brick (no charger in box))+$25

3-Year Estimated Total$824

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

Upfront list price$1,099

3-Year Estimated Total$1,099

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$7991 win

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL$1,09911 wins

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

40 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 9 Pro XL.
Dimensions	147.0 × 70.6 × 7.6 mm	162.8 × 76.6 × 8.5 mm
Weight	167 g (wins this row: lower)	221 g (7.8 oz)
Build	Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front/back, Armor Aluminum 2 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	Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow	Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, Rose Quartz
Stylus	No	No

Display

leads 4-0

Display specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Type	Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X	Super Actua LTPO OLED
Size	6.2 inches	6.8 inches (wins this row: higher)
Resolution	1080 × 2340 (FHD+)	2992 × 1344 (wins this row: higher)
Pixel density	~416 ppi	486 ppi (wins this row: higher)
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 Glass Victus 2	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Always-on display	Yes	Yes

Platform

5 differences

Platform specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Operating system	Android 14, One UI 6.1	Android 14 (with Gemini Nano)
Software support	7 major OS updates + 7 years security patches	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

leads 1-0

Memory specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
RAM	8 GB	16GB (wins this row: higher)
Storage	128 GB UFS 3.1	128 GB
Storage options	128 GB / 256 GB	128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB
microSD	No	No

Rear camera

leads 3-0

Rear camera specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Main	50 MP, f/1.8, 24 mm, 1/1.56", Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS	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, f/2.4, 67 mm, 3x optical zoom, PDAF, OIS	48 MP Quad PD, f/2.8, 5x optical zoom, OIS (wins this row: higher)
Max optical zoom	3x optical (30x digital Space Zoom)	5x optical (up to 30x Super Res Zoom, 20x Video Boost) (wins this row: higher)
Stabilization	OIS on main and telephoto lenses	Dual OIS on wide and telephoto lenses
Video	8K 30 fps, 4K 60 fps, 1080p 240 fps	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, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Selfie camera	12 MP, f/2.2, 26 mm, Dual Pixel PDAF	42 MP Dual PD, f/2.2, 103° ultrawide, autofocus (wins this row: higher)
Selfie video	4K 60 fps	4K 60 fps

Battery & charging

leads 2-0

Battery & charging specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Capacity	4,000 mAh	5,060 mAh (wins this row: higher)
Wired chargingNot on the official sheet	25 W fast wired (50% in 30 min)	37 W wired fast charging (wins this row: higher)
Wireless charging	15 W 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, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Speakers	Stereo speakers tuned by AKG	Stereo speakers, 3 microphones with spatial audio recording
Headphone jack	No	No

Connectivity

5 differences

Connectivity specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Cellular	5G (sub-6 + mmWave)	5G (sub-6 + mmWave, region-dependent)
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6E	Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
NFC	Yes	Yes (Google Wallet)
USB	USB-C 3.2 Gen 1	USB-C 3.2
SIM	Dual nano-SIM + eSIM	Dual SIM (Single Nano-SIM and eSIM)

Features

3 differences

Features specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24, right column is Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Biometrics	Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint + Face unlock	Ultrasonic under-display fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock
Extra controls	Power and Volume keys	Gemini Live activation, Power button shortcut
Standout features	Circle to Search, Live Translate, Note Assist, Samsung DeX	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 source Google Pixel 9 Pro XL source

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

Samsung Galaxy S24

Compact Android powerhouse with 6.2-inch 120Hz LTPO display, 3x telephoto, and Galaxy AI suite.

Extremely lightweight and compact 167g pocket-friendly design
Dedicated 3x optical telephoto camera on a base model
Bright 2,600 nit 1-120Hz LTPO display

What you give up

Charging capped at 25W wired
Base model starts with 128GB UFS 3.1 storage

Full Samsung Galaxy S24 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 4 of 4 rankable photos specs.
Max optical zoom: 5x optical vs 3x optical
Ultrawide: 48 MP Quad PD, f/1.7, 123° FOV, Macro Focus vs 12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120°
Samsung Galaxy S24 is $300 cheaper. Pay the difference only if max optical zoom matters to you.

Battery & updates

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

For battery & updates, buy the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.

Leads 2 of 2 rankable battery & updates specs.
Capacity: 5,060 mAh vs 4,000 mAh
Wired charging: 37 W wired fast charging vs 25 W fast wired
Samsung Galaxy S24 is $300 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 Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.

Leads 3 of 3 rankable games & video specs.
RAM: 16GB vs 8 GB
Size: 6.8 inches vs 6.2 inches
Samsung Galaxy S24 is $300 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 9 Pro XL spec sheet

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

Common questions

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

Samsung Galaxy S24 costs $300 less at list price.

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

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 9 Pro XL?

For photos, buy the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. Leads 4 of 4 rankable photos specs. Max optical zoom: 5x optical vs 3x optical

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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