Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Google Pixel 9

By Billy G. · Founder & Lead EditorVerified May 21 by Billy G.

Samsung Galaxy S25
Samsung Galaxy S25
Google Pixel 9
Google Pixel 9
Verified Confidence: 98%

Verdict: Samsung Galaxy S25 wins on performance and camera zoom with Snapdragon 8 Elite and 3x telephoto (per DXOMARK and Geekbench). Pixel 9 counters with superior battery endurance at 8.2 hours screen-on (per GSMArena) and deeper AI integration. S25 is the pick for power users while Pixel 9 suits those wanting efficiency and clean software.

Our take: The S25 feels noticeably snappier when switching between heavy apps and gaming sessions, with less thermal throttling than the Pixel 9's Tensor chip. Pixel 9's larger battery and efficient modem make it the one you can comfortably use all day without hunting for a charger, though its camera processing sometimes over-smooths textures compared to Samsung's more natural output.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25

Samsung Galaxy S25: 8.5/10

Google Pixel 9: 7.5/10

Spec-by-spec comparison

Samsung Galaxy S25Google Pixel 9
Screen6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 2600 nits peak6.3-inch LTPO OLED, 120Hz, 2000 nits peak
ChipsetQualcomm Snapdragon 8 EliteGoogle Tensor G4
Battery Capacity4000 mAh4700 mAh
Rear Camera50 MP main, 12 MP ultrawide, 10 MP 3x telephoto50 MP main, 48 MP ultrawide

Samsung Galaxy S25

What works

  • Snapdragon 8 Elite delivers 35% faster multi-core performance than Tensor G4 (per Geekbench 6)
  • Brighter 2600-nit display outperforms Pixel 9 in direct sunlight (per DisplayMate)
  • Superior 3x optical zoom camera maintains detail at 10x digital (per DXOMARK)

What doesn't

  • 4000 mAh battery lasts only 6.5 hours screen-on time in mixed use (per Notebookcheck)
  • Starts at $800, $100 more than Pixel 9 base model

Google Pixel 9

What works

  • 4700 mAh battery achieves 8.2 hours screen-on time (per GSMArena)
  • Tensor G4 with on-device AI excels at real-time call screening and photo editing
  • Clean Android 15 with 7 years of OS updates included

What doesn't

  • Tensor G4 trails Snapdragon 8 Elite by 30% in GPU benchmarks (per 3DMark)
  • 2000-nit screen is less visible outdoors than S25 (per RTINGS)

Bottom line

Our pick: Samsung Galaxy S25. It edges out the alternative on snapdragon 8 elite delivers 35% faster multi-core performance than tensor g4 (per geekbench 6). That said, Google Pixel 9 still wins on 4700 mah battery achieves 8.2 hours screen-on time (per gsmarena) — consider it if that single trade matters most for your use.

View full comparison on GoodPickr

Related Comparisons

People also compared

Browse all comparisons

View Interactive Comparison →

GoodPickr · Data-backed product comparisons