Head to head
Google Pixel 9 vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra leads 11 to 2 on the 13 rankable specs, but Google Pixel 9 costs $500 less.
Catalog as of September 1, 2026
Why, in numbers
Swap
Compare a different phone
Google Pixel 8a$499OnePlus 12$799iPhone 16$799Samsung Galaxy S24$799Samsung Galaxy S25$799iPhone 17$799ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra$899iPhone 16 Plus$899OnePlus 13$899iPhone 16 Pro$999Google Pixel 9 Pro$999Samsung Galaxy S24+$999Samsung Galaxy S25+$999iPhone 17 Pro$999iPhone Air$999Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6$1,099Google Pixel 9 Pro XL$1,099iPhone 16 Pro Max$1,199iPhone 17 Pro Max$1,199Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra$1,299Xiaomi 14 Ultra$1,399OnePlus Open$1,699Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold$1,799Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6$1,899Swap
Compare a different phone
Google Pixel 8a$499OnePlus 12$799iPhone 16$799Samsung Galaxy S24$799Samsung Galaxy S25$799iPhone 17$799ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra$899iPhone 16 Plus$899OnePlus 13$899iPhone 16 Pro$999Google Pixel 9 Pro$999Samsung Galaxy S24+$999Samsung Galaxy S25+$999iPhone 17 Pro$999iPhone Air$999Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6$1,099Google Pixel 9 Pro XL$1,099iPhone 16 Pro Max$1,199iPhone 17 Pro Max$1,199Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra$1,299Xiaomi 14 Ultra$1,399OnePlus Open$1,699Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold$1,799Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6$1,899Buying for
Your devices
Straight answer
Overall: 2 to 11
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
- Leads 11 of 13 rankable overall specs; Google Pixel 9 takes 2.
- Size: 6.9 inches vs 6.3 inches
- Max optical zoom: 5x optical zoom vs 2x optical quality crop
- Google Pixel 9 is $500 cheaper. Pay the difference only if size matters to you.
Deal-breakers
tick what would make you walk away
- Trips:Google Pixel 9 · NoClear:Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra · Yes (built-in S Pen with Bluetooth LE)
- Trips:Google Pixel 9 · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra · No
- Trips:Google Pixel 9 · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra · No
- Trips:Google Pixel 9 · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra · No
At a glance
The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.
Weight
198 g
Samsung
219 g (7.72 oz)
Size
6.3 inches
Samsung
6.9 inches
Chipset≠
Google Tensor G4 (4 nm)
Samsung
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm)
RAM≠
12 GB
Samsung
12 GB (16 GB option)
Max optical zoom
2x optical quality crop (8x digital)
Samsung
5x optical zoom (10x optical quality, 100x Space Zoom)
Capacity
4,700 mAh
Samsung
5,000 mAh
True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Google Pixel 9
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Pocket, Palm & Desk Usability Check
One-handed reachability, pocket weight, and table wobble when typing without a case.
One-Handed Palm Reach
6.3" display with 72.0mm width (comfortable one-hand hold)
Standard smartphone width
Desk Typing Table Wobble
Horizontal camera bar spans across back: zero desk wobble!
Corner camera bump causes minor wobble
Pocket Weight & Heft
198g (completely stable when typing on flat desks)
Standard phone weight
The 90-Day Owner Regret Check
Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.
Google: What to watch for
- Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Samsung: What to watch for
- Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Body
6 differences| Dimensions | 152.8 × 72.0 × 8.5 mm | 162.8 × 77.6 × 8.2 mm |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 198 g (wins this row: lower) | 219 g (7.72 oz) |
| Build | Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back, satin metal frame | Titanium frame with Gorilla Armor 2 front and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 back |
| Water / dust rating | IP68 (1.5 m / 30 min) | IP68 (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) |
| Colors | Obsidian, Porcelain, Wintergreen, Peony | Titanium Silverblue, Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Whitesilver |
| Stylus | No | Yes (built-in S Pen with Bluetooth LE) (wins this row: has it) |
Display
leads 3-1| Type | Actua OLED | Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 6.3 inches | 6.9 inches (wins this row: higher) |
| Resolution | 1080 × 2424 | 3120 × 1440 (QHD+) (wins this row: higher) |
| Pixel density | ~422 ppi | 505 ppi (wins this row: higher) |
| Refresh rate | 60–120 Hz Smooth Display | 120 Hz (1–120Hz LTPO) |
| Peak brightness | 2,700 nits peak / 1,800 nits HBM (wins this row: higher) | 2,600 nits peak |
| HDR | HDR10, HDR10+, Ultra HDR | HDR10+, HLG |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | Corning Gorilla Armor 2 (anti-reflective) |
| Always-on display | Yes | Yes |
Platform
5 differences| Operating system | Android 14 (upgradable) | Android 15 (One UI 7) |
|---|---|---|
| Software support | 7 years of OS, security, and Feature Drops | 7 generations of OS upgrades & 7 years security updates |
| Chipset | Google Tensor G4 (4 nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm) |
| CPU | 8-core (1× Cortex-X4 + 3× A720 + 4× A520) | 8-core Oryon CPU (2× 4.47 GHz Prime + 6× 3.53 GHz Performance) |
| GPU | Mali-G715 MC7 | Adreno 830 |
Memory
leads 1-0| RAM | 12 GB | 12 GB (16 GB option) |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | 128 GB UFS 3.1 | 256 GB (wins this row: higher) |
| Storage options | 128 GB / 256 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB (UFS 4.0) |
| microSD | No | No |
Rear camera
leads 3-0| Main | 50 MP Octa PD, f/1.68, 25 mm, 1/1.31", OIS | 200 MP (f/1.7, 24mm, 1/1.3", multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS) (wins this row: higher) |
|---|---|---|
| Ultrawide | 48 MP Quad PD with Macro Focus, f/1.7, 123° | 50 MP (f/1.9, 120° FOV, Dual Pixel PDAF, macro) (wins this row: higher) |
| Telephoto | None (Super Res Zoom up to 8x) | 50 MP 5x periscope (f/3.4, 115mm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS) + 50 MP 3x (f/2.4, 67mm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS) |
| Max optical zoom | 2x optical quality crop (8x digital) | 5x optical zoom (10x optical quality, 100x Space Zoom) (wins this row: higher) |
| Stabilization | OIS on main wide lens | OIS on main and both telephoto cameras |
| Video | 4K 24/30/60 fps, 10-bit HDR | 8K at 30 fps, 4K at 30/60/120 fps, HDR10+, 10-bit LOG video |
Front camera
leads 1-0| Selfie camera | 10.5 MP Dual PD with autofocus, f/2.2 | 12 MP (f/2.2, 26mm, Dual Pixel PDAF) (wins this row: higher) |
|---|---|---|
| Selfie video | 4K 60 fps | 4K at 30/60 fps |
Battery & charging
leads 2-0| Capacity | 4,700 mAh | 5,000 mAh (wins this row: higher) |
|---|---|---|
| Wired chargingNot on the official sheet | 27 W fast charging | 45W fast wired charging (up to 65% in 30 min) (wins this row: higher) |
| Wireless charging | 15 W wireless with Pixel Stand / Qi | 15W Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 |
| Reverse wireless | Yes (Battery Share) | 4.5W Wireless PowerShare |
| Charger in box | No | No |
Audio
1 differences| Speakers | Stereo speakers | Stereo speakers tuned by AKG |
|---|---|---|
| Headphone jack | No | No |
Connectivity
6 differences| Cellular | 5G (sub-6 + mmWave) | 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be tri-band) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes (Samsung Pay / Google Pay) |
| USB | USB-C 3.2 | USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (DisplayPort video out) |
| SIM | Single Nano-SIM + eSIM | Dual eSIM / Nano-SIM + eSIM |
Features
3 differences| Biometrics | Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint + Face Unlock | Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor + 2D Face unlock |
|---|---|---|
| Extra controls | Power and Volume keys | S Pen air gestures |
| Standout features | Gemini Live AI, Pixel Screenshots app, Add Me, Clear Calling | Built-in S Pen, Galaxy AI 2.0 (Now Brief, Live Translate, Sketch to Image), Anti-reflective Gorilla Armor 2, Samsung DeX |
Which one should you buy
Pick this one if
Google Pixel 9
Standard Pixel with 120Hz Actua OLED display, Tensor G4 processor, and 12GB of RAM.
- Smooth 120Hz Actua display with 2,700 nits peak brightness
- Generous 12GB RAM for snappy on-device Gemini AI
- Industry-leading 7 years of full software support
What you give up
- No telephoto zoom lens
- Slower charging compared to Chinese brand rivals
Pick this one if
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Flagship titanium smartphone with Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, built-in S Pen, 200MP quad camera with 50MP ultrawide and 50MP 5x telephoto, and Galaxy AI.
- Top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite 3nm custom Galaxy performance
- Upgraded 50MP ultra-wide and dual 50MP telephoto sensors with 200MP main
- Corning Gorilla Armor 2 anti-reflective display and built-in S Pen stylus
What you give up
- Premium $1,299 starting price
- Wired charging remains at 45W
Best for each use
Photos
For photos, buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Battery & updates
For battery & updates, buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Games & video
Tied on games & video. Google Pixel 9 is cheaper.
Done deciding?
Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.
Manufacturer pages: Google Pixel 9 ↗ · Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra ↗
Common questions
Which is cheaper, the Google Pixel 9 or the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra?
Google Pixel 9 costs $500 less at list price.
What is the biggest catch with the Google Pixel 9 or Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra?
Google Pixel 9 has this deal-breaker: no stylus. No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.
Which is better for photos, the Google Pixel 9 or the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra?
For photos, buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Leads 4 of 4 rankable photos specs. Max optical zoom: 5x optical zoom vs 2x optical quality crop
What cannot be compared from spec sheets?
Of the 48 specs tracked here, 35 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.