Following up on our comparison of the Pixel 9 and iPhone 15, the clear demand was for the Samsung Galaxy S24. So, here it is: a detailed comparison of the non-Pro Pixel 9 and the non-Ultra S24 to help you decide which compact Android flagship deserves your consideration.
Design and Build
The first thing you’ll notice is that the Samsung Galaxy S24 is smaller and lighter than the Pixel 9, primarily due to its slightly smaller display.
When it comes to construction, both phones are virtually identical: they both feature an aluminium frame and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection on the front and back, and both boast an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
Where they diverge is in aesthetics:
Pixel 9 has a camera bar design that the reviewer prefers, though its larger camera hump creates a slightly uneven profile. Crucially, it does not cause the phone to wobble when typing on a flat surface.
Galaxy S24 has a more uniform, “homogenized” look, consistent with the rest of the S24 lineup, but it does exhibit a slight wobble when placed on a table and used for typing.
Both phones feature stereo speakers, a USB Type-C Gen 3.2 port, a single SIM card tray, and support for eSIM. Design and build quality are so close that the winner is purely down to personal preference.
Display
The display size difference is marginal: the Galaxy S24 features a 6.2-inch display, while the Pixel 9 has a 6.3-inch display.
However, the S24 offers more usable screen real estate thanks to its noticeably slimmer bezels.
Both phones utilize excellent OLED panels that are extremely bright and crisp. Crucially, unlike the iPhone 15, both feature a 120 Hz refresh rate.
| Feature | Pixel 9 | Galaxy S24 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refresh Rate | Adaptive (60–120 Hz, drops to 30 Hz for AOD) | LTPO (24–120 Hz) | Galaxy S24 (for LTPO efficiency) |
| Color / Tuning | Slightly more accurate with better HDR tuning | Very good overall | Pixel 9 (by a minor margin) |
| Brightness | Technically brighter by metric | Almost equally bright in outdoor real-world use | Tie |
| Low-Light Flicker (PWM) | Abysmal (240 Hz) | Abysmal (492 Hz) | Neither |
The Galaxy S24 has a clear advantage with its LTPO panel, which allows for a variable refresh rate down to 24 Hz, potentially aiding battery efficiency.
The haptic feedback/vibration motor is better tuned on the Pixel 9. Additionally, the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner on the Pixel 9 was perceived as slightly faster at unlocking than the one on the S24.
Multimedia Experience: Both phones deliver a great stereo speaker experience for their size. The Pixel 9 is louder, while the Galaxy S24 is richer in sound quality. Both support LDAC Bluetooth audio codecs but not LHDC.
Performance
The Pixel 9 is powered by the Tensor G4, and the Galaxy S24 uses the Exynos 2400.
| Performance Aspect | Pixel 9 (Tensor G4) | Galaxy S24 (Exynos 2400) | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Throttling / Stability | 58% CPU stability | 72% CPU stability | S24 (throttles far less) |
| Benchmarking (AnTuTu, GeekBench) | Lower scores | Higher scores | S24 |
| Storage Speed | UFS 3.1 | UFS 4.0 (except 128 GB variant with UFS 3.1) | S24 |
| Gaming (BGMI) | Max 60 FPS (tested at 55–60 FPS) | Supports 90 FPS (tested at 80–90 FPS) | S24 |
| Gaming (Genshin Impact) | Average 37–40 FPS | Average 47 FPS | S24 |
| Heat Management | Runs cooler | Heats up more | Pixel 9 |
| Daily Use | Extremely fast and smooth | Extremely fast and smooth | Tie |
While the Samsung Galaxy S24 is the undisputed winner in raw performance, frame rates, and benchmark scores, the Pixel 9 offers the advantage of better thermal management and runs cooler under stress. Ultimately, for the average user, both are fast and smooth enough that the difference is negligible in day-to-day use.
Battery: Pixel’s Clear Victory
The Pixel 9’s performance tuning and larger battery give it a significant edge here.
- Pixel 9 Battery: 4,700 mAh. Consistently delivers 5.5 to 6 hours of screen-on time.
- Galaxy S24 Battery: Delivers a disappointing 4 to 4.5 hours of screen-on time at best.
| Charging Aspect | Pixel 9 | Galaxy S24 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wired Charging Speed | 27W | 25W | Pixel 9 (slightly faster) |
| Time to Full Charge | ~1 hour 20–30 minutes | ~1 hour 20–30 minutes | Tie |
| Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes | Tie |
Despite the S24’s LTPO panel (which should aid battery life), the Pixel 9 is the clear winner in overall battery performance and endurance.
Camera: Telephoto Tips the Scale to Samsung
The most immediate difference is hardware: the Galaxy S24 has a 3x telephoto camera, which is absent on the Pixel 9.
| Camera Aspect | Pixel 9 | Galaxy S24 | Commentary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Camera Details | Good, but textures are softer. | More details and sharper, finer textures. | S24 is better at resolving detail. |
| Color Reproduction | Slightly cooler. | Better overall colors but tends to be warmer. | S24 for vibrancy, Pixel for neutrality. |
| HDR | Better at pulling details from shadows. | Similar overall tuning. | Minor edge to the Pixel. |
| Skin Tones | Slightly reddish tint. | Extremely warm/yellowish tint. | Neither is perfect; S24 Ultra handles it better. |
| Against the Light | Better job overall with better contrast. | Low contrast. | Pixel 9 is preferred here. |
| Portrait Shots (3X) | Uses digital crop up to 3X. | Has a dedicated 3x telephoto lens with better detail. | S24 is superior, though white balance needs correction. |
| Ultrawide | Wider field of view, supports macro shots. | More detailed overall image quality. | S24 for detail, Pixel for width and macro. |
| Selfies (Day/Low Light) | Red tint, better colors in HDR selfies. | Yellow tint, more detail and better portrait detection. | Depends on preference—S24 for detail, Pixel for color. |
| Video (Primary) | Better video recording with the main lens. | Good but slightly behind Pixel. | Pixel 9 wins in video quality. |
| Video (Ultrawide) | Good, but slightly less effective. | Better video recording with the ultrawide lens. | S24 takes the lead here. |
| Features | Adaptive Zoom, better Panorama, Pixel Studio. | Expert RAW, Single Take, Dual Record. | S24 wins for extra camera features. |
Overall, the Galaxy S24’s 3x telephoto camera provides an immediate and undeniable hardware advantage, making it a more versatile camera system. However, the Pixel 9 delivers a better video experience on the primary camera and handles against-the-light shots better.
Software
Both the Pixel 9 and S24 ship with Android 14 and both offer a leading seven years of software updates.
- Pixel 9 runs Pixel Experience. It offers a smoother experience with better tuning of OS features like haptic feedback. It also features Pixel exclusives like Adme, Pixel Studio, new screenshot/weather apps, Magic Editor with Reimagine, and deep Google Gemini integration.
- Galaxy S24 runs One UI.8 It is significantly more feature-rich than Pixel Experience. Its key selling point is Galaxy AI, offering exclusive features like Live Translation, wallpaper generation, and voice transcription.9
The animations on both operating systems are snappy, making a difference hard to spot. The choice here is purely personal: Pixel Experience for its clean, well-tuned, and stock-like feel, or One UI for its abundance of features and proprietary AI. The reviewer personally prefers Pixel Experience.
Conclusion: Which Flagship to Choose?
There is no single winner; the best phone depends on your priorities:
Choose the Samsung Galaxy S24 if you prioritize:
- Raw Performance: Superior power, stability (less throttling), and higher frame rates in gaming.
- Battery Life: Significantly better screen-on time.
- Camera Versatility: A true 3x telephoto camera is a major hardware advantage.
- A Polished OS Experience: Better haptics and a cleaner, less cluttered software experience.
- Design/Weight: Slightly smaller and lighter chassis.
- Features: A vastly more feature-rich software experience with unique Galaxy AI tools.
Choose the Google Pixel 9 if you prioritize:
- Heat Management: Runs cooler than the S24 under heavy load.
- Video/Photo Consistency: Better primary camera video and superior contrast control against light.
The S24 excels with a better display (LTPO) and superior performance, while the Pixel 9 is a more complete device with much better battery life and a cleaner software feel. The biggest hurdle for the Pixel remains the need for Google to improve its Tensor chip performance, but it’s the most improved Pixel experience to date.
See Also Pixel 8 vs S24: Compact Flagships Battle for the Top Spot
FAQs (Pixel 9 vs Samsung S24)
Which phone has the better display, Pixel 9 or Galaxy S24?
The Galaxy S24 offers a slightly smaller 6.2-inch LTPO OLED display with slimmer bezels and better refresh rate control, while the Pixel 9’s 6.3-inch OLED is brighter on paper. Both look excellent, but the S24 has an efficiency advantage.
Which performs better in daily use?
The Galaxy S24, powered by the Exynos 2400, delivers higher benchmark scores and better stability. However, the Pixel 9’s Tensor G4 chip runs cooler and feels just as smooth in daily use.
Which phone has better battery life?
The Pixel 9 clearly wins in this area. It consistently delivers 5.5–6 hours of screen-on time compared to the S24’s 4–4.5 hours. Both charge at similar speeds.
Which camera setup is better?
The Galaxy S24 offers a more versatile system thanks to its 3x telephoto lens. However, the Pixel 9 performs better in video recording and against-the-light shots, offering a more natural HDR balance.
What about software updates and features?
Both run Android 14 and promise seven years of updates. The Pixel offers a clean, minimal experience with exclusive Google AI tools, while the S24’s One UI is feature-rich with Galaxy AI functions.
Which phone is better for gaming?
The Galaxy S24 supports higher frame rates and delivers stronger performance in demanding titles. The Pixel 9 handles heat better but caps out at 60 FPS in some games.
Which one should I buy?
If you value performance, display efficiency, and camera versatility go for the Galaxy S24. If you prefer better battery life, smoother software, and cooler operation the Pixel 9 is the smarter choice.
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