So the Pixel 9 Pro XL is Google's big shot for 2024. But does it really deserve the title of the best smartphone this year? Most people are still giving that nod to Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra. Google's definitely stepping up and they're finally giving Samsung some real competition in hardware. But does the Pixel 9 Pro XL have what it takes to dethrone the Galaxy and claim the title of Android King? Well, let's find out.
Starting with size, these two phones are almost identical. Both have 6.8-inch displays and their dimensions are super close, just 0.1mm difference in thickness. The Pixel weighs 221 grams and the S24 Ultra is slightly heavier at 233 grams.
But honestly, you'll never notice that. When it comes through the display, the S24 Ultra have a slight edge with a higher pixel density but it's not a huge difference. What you'll notice though is Samsung's Gorilla Glass Armor. It's a new type of glass that's tougher against drops and scratches and also boosts clarity with an anti-reflective design.
And it works. I've used the S24 Ultra for 8 months and there isn't a single scratch on it. Something I can't say about any other phone I've owned. The anti-reflective feature is a game changer too.
It cuts down on glare, making colors pop and blacks look deeper. The Pixel 9 Pro XL still uses last year's Victus 2 glass which is good but it's not Gorilla Glass Armor good. That's the first big difference you'll notice.
Now let's talk chipsets This might be the most significant gap between the two phones. The Pixel 9 Pro XL's Tensor G4 chip isn't a huge upgrade over last year's G3 showing only about a 15% improvement in benchmark tests. But when you stack it up against the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the S24 Ultra, Google is lagging behind almost a generation or two. In CPU performance, the S24 Ultra scores 40% higher in Geekbench tests and in AnTuTu which measures both CPU and GPU.
the gap is over 60%. If you're just scrolling through social media, watching Netflix, taking photos, or doing some light gaming, you probably won't care. But if you're into more demanding tasks, you'll definitely notice the difference. Battery life is another critical factor.
The S24 Ultra easily lasts me two days and in my tests, it even outlasted the latest iPhone. I'm confident the S24 Ultra's battery will outlast the Pixel 9 Pro XL's even though the Pixel technically has a slightly bigger battery. The reason?
The chipset. The Snapdragon 810 III made by TSMC is more efficient while the Tensor G4 made by Samsung's foundry just isn't as good. The good news for Google fans is that they are moving to TSMC for the next Tensor chip in the Pixel 10 which should finally put them on par with Qualcomm and Apple.
But for now, the Tensor G4 is still a step behind. Does this make the Pixel 9 Pro XL a bad phone? Not at all.
It actually has some advantages over the S24 Ultra. For example, it has 4GB of more RAM which is partly reserved for on-device AI making everything run smoother. Right now 12GB of RAM is plenty. But as AI features get more advanced that extra 4GB might come in handy.
That's why Samsung is bumping up the RAM to 16GB in the S25 Ultra. Another edge the Pixel has is quicker software updates. The S25's Pixel UI is lighter than Samsung's One UI. allowing them to push out new Android features more quickly. Both brands offer seven years of OS updates but if you want them the second they're available, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the way to go.
As for AI updates, both phones have their own cool tricks. Google's added things like Admi, Auto Frame in Magic Editor, Reimagine, and Pixel Screenshots. Samsung's got its own lineup with live translate, slow-mo video editing, and more. Plus they've been adding features like sketch to image and portrait studio with the Z Fold 6. When it comes to AI, it's a draw especially since Google and Samsung collaborate on some of these features. One unique feature of the Pixel 9 Pro XL is Satellite SOS making it the first Android phone to launch with this.
If you're ever stuck without self-service, you can connect to emergency services via satellite though it's only free for the first two years. It's a nice safety net but it's not something most people will ever use. Charging speed on the S24 Ultra are slightly faster but in real-world use, it's not a huge deal.
Finally, let's talk price. The Pixel 9 Pro XL starts at $1100 which is $100 less than the S24 Ultra but that's for a 128GB model. When you compare the 256GB versions, they're about the same price.
Google used to undercut the competition but not anymore. So what's the final word? Has Google done enough to make the Pixel 9 Pro XL the new king of Android? Sadly the answer is no.
Don't get me wrong, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is a solid upgrade and if it weren't for the chipset I might have had a hard time coming to this conclusion. But the S24 Ultra excels in the fundamentals. Better performance, superior battery life, improved thermals and a better display. In 2024 there can only be one king and it's the S24 Ultra. That said if you are interested in the Pixel 9 Pro XL Pre-orders are still live and Google is offering some insane trade-in deals.
Depending on where you trade in, you might even get the phone for free plus a $200 Best Buy gift card. If that sounds good, check out the link in the description. And if you want to know about the top 20 new features of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, click here and I'll see you there!