Galaxy S24 Ultra: January 31, 2024
Pixel 8 Pro: October 4, 2023
SPECS TABLE
| Galaxy S24 Ultra | Pixel 8 Pro | |
| Price | $1,299 / £1,249 | $999 / £979 |
| Display | 6.8-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED | 6.7-inch LTPO OLED screen. |
| Refresh rate | 1 – 120Hz adaptive | 1 – 120Hz adaptive |
| Rear cameras | 200MP main (f/1.7), 50MP periscope telephoto 5x optical zoom (f/3.4), 10MP 3x telephoto (f/2.4), 12MP 120˚ ultrawide (f/2.2) | 50MP main wide (f/1.7), 48MP telephoto (f/2.8), 48MP ultrawide (f/2.0). |
| Front camera | 12MP (f/2.2) | 10.5MP (f/2.2) |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Google Tensor G3 |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh | 5,050 mAh |
| Charging | 45W wired/15W wireless/4.5W reverse wireless | 30W wired/23W wireless/reversed wireless |
| Water/dust resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
| Size | 162.3 x 79 x 8.6 mm (6.39 x 3.11 x 0.34 in) | 162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8 mm (6.40 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) |
| Weight | 232 grams (8.22 ounces) | 213g (7.51 ounces) |
| Colours | Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Violet, Titanium Yellow, Titanium Blue, Titanium Green, Titanium Orange | Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay, Mint |
In this comparison, we are putting two impressive Android devices against each other. Both of the devices in this comparison are top photography devices and they offer top-of-the-range specifications that will get your head turning. The first device in this comparison is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which launched last month, and it’s going up against the photography genius’s Pixel 8 Pro, which launched last year.
Unlike other Android devices, the Pixel 8 Pro uses a processor that can only be found on devices from Google. The entry from Samsung in this comparison uses an Android flagship processor that can be found on other devices, but in pure Samsung tradition, it delivers when it comes to performance. Let’s now put these two devices side by side and compare various facets of their build to find out which is the better pick for your needs.
Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Pixel 8 Pro: Price
Galaxy S24 Ultra: All storage variants available retail starts at $1299
Pixel 8 Pro: All storage variants available retail start at $999
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Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Pixel 8 Pro: Design and colours
Galaxy S24 Ultra:
The new Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra comes with a ton of design upgrades from its predecessor. These updates place it inches ahead of the competition in this comparison. For its design, this new device comes with Gorilla Glass Armor on the front and Gorilla Glass on the back as well as titanium frame which is a new feature. This device weighs 232g and its dimensions are 162.3 x 79 x 8.6 mm (6.39 x 3.11 x 0.34 in).
A standard feature on ths Samsung S Ultra entries is the S Pen which is great for productivity. This flagship device comes with a ton of colour options which are very impressive. The colours available are Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Violet, Titanium Yellow, Titanium Blue, Titanium Green, Titanium Orange.
Pixel 8 Pro:
In comparison to its predecessor the new Pixel 8 Pro brings a ton of obvious and rather subtle design changes. Overall this is a very beautiful device to look at and also use as it fits perfectly into the user’s hand. A major design and functionality change that this device features is the new sensor that sits on its rear camera cutout.
Weighing less than the Galaxy S24 Ultra, this device will be the best pick for most users who don’t like carrying heavy devices about. The glossy finish around this device’s sides as well as its rear camera cutout compliment the device’s colour option. Speaking of color option, the Pixel 8 Pro comes in Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay, and Mint color options, with the Mint option launching a few weeks ago.
Major differences:
- The Galaxy S24 is heavier than the Pixel 8 Pro.
- The Galaxy S24 Ultra comes with a Titanium build quality which isn’t available on the Pixel 8 Pro.
- The Pixel 8 Pro comes with a more curvy design at its edges.
Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Pixel 8 Pro: Display
Galaxy S24 Ultra:
When it comes to design, the new S24 Ultra is at the top of its game when it comes to its display. This new device features a 6.8-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X panel which supports a 120Hz refresh rate. The display supports HDR10+ and maxes out at a display brightness of 2600 nits.
For protection, this device comes with the Corning Gorilla Glass Armor, which protects it from damage in case of a scratch or a drop. Users will also benefit from the new Always-On display that this device comes with. Samsung also uses the new anti-reflective screen coating, which makes this device very usable even in bright light.
Pixel 8 Pro:
When it comes to display, the Pixel 8 Pro shows why it really is a flagship device by featuring rather impressive display technology. The display on this device supports HDR10+, 2400 nits brightness, and a 120 Hz refresh rate. However, it falls short of the Galaxy S24 Ultra by featuring an LTPO OLED screen display, which isn’t as impressive as that of the competition in this article.
Users benefit from the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2’s protection that this device provides them with in case of drops or impact to the screen’s display. The display on this device also features a higher screen-to-body ratio in close comparison with that on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, making it seem slightly smaller than it’s meant to be. Google really outdid itself on the display that this flagship device offers users, most of which will benefit from the flat-screen display.
Major differences:
- S24 Ultra features a special anti-glare coating not found on the Pixel 8 Pro.
- Pixel 8 Pro features a slightly better screen-to-body ratio.
Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Pixel 8 Pro: Cameras
Galaxy S24 Ultra:
The camera setup on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra features 200MP, 50MP, 10MP, and 12MP sensors. Some of the features it packs include a multi-directional PDAF sensor, an AI picture enhancement feature, and an enhanced AI object-aware engine. Up front, it features a 12 MP sensor that supports up to 4K video recording.
The rear camera on this device supports 8K video recording at 30fps. The entire camera system brings a ton of AI features and abilities that users can benefit from. These AI features and abilities help step up the photography experience that this device comes with.
Pixel 8 Pro:
Photography is one of the strongest parts of Google Pixel devices and one of the main reasons why some buyers pick their product above the competition. This device is not even six months old, and it’s already excelling in most flagship camera tests, even outperforming the competition. Google uses a triple rear camera setup on this device, housing a 50MP and two 48MP sensors as well as a temperature sensor for checking the user’s body temperature.
Up front is a 10.5 MP selfie lens, and both front and rear cameras offer only 4K video recording, which is behind the competition. But one area in which Google Pixel devices are far ahead of the competition is the area of image processing, thanks to the Tensor G3 processor in this device. This device also packs a truckload of AI photography features, making it the top of its game when placed side by side with other flagship devices.
Major differences:
- S24 Ultra features a higher resolution main camera.
- S24 Ultra features an extra camera.
- Pixel 8 Pro features a temperature sensor.
- S24 Ultra supports 8K video recording.
Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Pixel 8 Pro: Performance
Galaxy S24 Ultra:
This new device comes with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor as well as the Adreno 750 GPU chip. It features a ton of performance improvements in comparison with its predecessor.
Users can get this new device in the following storage configurations: 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM.
The storage on this device is not expandable, as it offers more than enough storage for most users. Speaking of its performance, a benchmark review will be great to actually see how well this device holds up against the competition. For Geekbench 6 this device secured a single-core score of 2297 and a multi-core score of 7142. As for its AnTuTu score, this performance behemoth secures a score of 1,780,568.
Pixel 8 Pro:
On this device, Google uses its new Tensor G3 processor which brings an improvement in performance in comparison with its predecessor. Joining this processor is up 12GB worth of RAM and up to 1TB worth of storage which is more than enough for power users. For its GPU power, this processor draws on an Immortalis-G715s MC10 chip as well as a nona-core CPU setup.
There are a ton of AI features that this processor that enhances on device usage of AI features. For its benchmark scores, this device comes with a score of 963,013 on the AnTuTu benchmark which puts it behind the Galaxy S24 Ultra. On Geekbench this device boasts of a single core score of 1,727 and a multi-core score of 3,433.
Major upgrades & differences:
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 on the S24.
- S24 Ultra offers more power.
- Pixel 8 Pro offers more AI featues.
Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Pixel 8 Pro: Software
Galaxy S24 Ultra:
This new flagship smartphone from Samsung launches with Android 14 out of the box. Following this is Samsung One UI 6.1 software which brings some features that are exclusive to the S24 Ultra. Amazingly this smartphone will be able to boast of seven years of OS update on this device.
Pixel 8 Pro:
When it comes to software the Google Pixel 8 Pro takes a lot of praise for its smooth and immersive Android experience. This device runs on stock Android 14 for Pixels which brings a clean experience for users regardless of their needs. Google gives this device seven years OS upgrade and users will be among the first to get each update once its available.
Major differences:
- Better stock Android experience on the Pixel 8 Pro.
- Faster updates on the Pixel 8 Pro.
Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Pixel 8 Pro: Battery life and charging
Galaxy S24 Ultra:
Samsung has a 5000mAh battery capacity on this new device which is enough for daily usage on a single charge. On a single charge, this device can last for hours of heavy usage as proven by various tests. For its wired charging Samsung equips this device with 45W fast charging to get the device from 0-65% in 30 minutes. For those that use wireless charging, they get 15W as standard and 4.5W reversed wireless charge.
Pixel 8 Pro:
The battery capacity on the Pixel 8 Pro is 5050mAh which is slightly more than the Galaxy S24 Ultra. For charging, this device relies on 30W fast charging, 23W wireless, as well as reverse charging. With the charging speed of this device, users will be able to get their device to 50% in just 30 minutes.
Major differences:
- Faster wired charging on the S24 Ultra.
Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Pixel 8 Pro: Final Verdict
Both devices in this comparison are top flagship entries that mean business. If you are going for performance, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the way to go as it packs a more powerful processor. In terms of display performance, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is still the better choice as Samsung outdid itself on the display of this new device as it is way better than the competition.
In terms of photography, both devices are very impressive but most will tilt towards the Pixel 8 Pro as it features better image processing abilities. The Pixel 8 Pro is also a better choice when it comes to the device’s software capabilities as it offers a more immersive Android experience. For those that are going for the more affordable option then the Pixel 8 Pro is the way to go as it retails less than the S24 Ultra.
