Pixel 9 vs Galaxy S24

Summary

The Google Pixel 9 and Galaxy S24, both priced around $800, offer a sleek design with flat sides reminiscent of iPhones. The Pixel 9 features a divisive camera bar, while the S24 boasts a minimalist look with protruding rings. Both phones have 120Hz AMOLED screens, with the Pixel 9 being brighter and the S24 excelling in low-light visibility. Performance-wise, the S24's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 outperforms the Pixel 9's Tensor G4. The S24 includes a telephoto camera for better portrait shots, and both offer excellent photo quality. Despite the Pixel 9's strong AI features and software updates, the S24 is recommended for its value and performance.

Takeaways

• 📱 Both Google Pixel 9 and Galaxy S24 are premium mid-range smartphones priced around $800.
• 🔍 The Pixel 9 features a distinctive flat pill-shaped camera bar, while the S24 opts for a minimalist design with three protruding rings.
• 📲 The Pixel 9 has a slightly larger 6.3-inch screen compared to the S24's 6.2-inch display; both are 120Hz AMOLED panels.
• 🌞 The Pixel 9's screen can achieve higher brightness levels, whereas the S24 excels at lower brightness settings, which is beneficial for night-time use.
• 🏎️ The Galaxy S24, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, outperforms the Pixel 9's Tensor G4 in terms of raw processing power.
• 💾 Google positions the Tensor G4 as a specialized chip for AI tasks rather than raw performance, which may be a concern given the Pixel 9's premium price.
• 📸 The S24 offers a 3-camera setup with ultra-wide, wide, and telephoto lenses, supporting up to 30x digital zoom, while the Pixel 9 caps at 8x super zoom.
• 🤖 Google's computational photography and AI features are strong selling points for the Pixel 9, despite potential performance concerns with the Tensor G4.
• 📸 Both phones deliver excellent camera performance, with the S24 providing sharper telephoto shots and the Pixel 9 offering warmer, more realistic details.
• 🌟 The reviewer recommends the Galaxy S24 for its value, but acknowledges the Pixel 9's appeal to those who prefer vanilla Android or are interested in Google's AI features.

Q & A

What is the price range of the Google Pixel 9 and the Galaxy S24?

Both the Google Pixel 9 and the Galaxy S24 are priced in the $800 area.

How do the designs of the Google Pixel 9 and the Galaxy S24 compare?

The Google Pixel 9 has a flat pill-shaped camera bar on the back, while the Galaxy S24 has a minimalist design with three protruding rings for the cameras.

Which phone has a brighter screen, the Pixel 9 or the Galaxy S24?

The Pixel 9's screen can get noticeably brighter than the Galaxy S24.

What is the advantage of the Galaxy S24's screen in terms of brightness?

The Galaxy S24 can get darker, falling below one nit on the minimum brightness, which is appreciated by users with sensitivity to light.

How do the performance capabilities of the Pixel 9 and the Galaxy S24 differ?

The Galaxy S24, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, outperforms the Pixel 9 with its Tensor G4 chip in terms of raw processing power.

What is Google's marketing strategy for the Tensor G4 chip in the Pixel 9?

Google markets the Tensor G4 chip as one with special NPU cores to enhance AI tasks rather than focusing on raw processing power.

What is the main concern regarding the Pixel 9's performance for its price?

The concern is that the Pixel 9's Tensor G4 chip may not provide enough performance headroom to justify its $800 price and support the phone over the promised 7 years of software updates.

How does the camera setup of the Galaxy S24 compare to that of the Pixel 9?

The Galaxy S24 comes with three cameras: ultra-wide, wide, and a telephoto 3x zoom camera, capable of up to 30x digital zoom, whereas the Pixel 9 offers up to 8x super zoom.

What is the difference in the camera performance between the Pixel 9 and the Galaxy S24?

Both phones take excellent photos, but the Galaxy S24's telephoto lens provides slightly sharper and more realistic portrait shots compared to the Pixel 9's digital zoom.

What are the unique selling points of the Pixel 9 that might attract some users?

The Pixel 9 offers exclusive AI features, the promise of 7 years of software updates, and the appeal of vanilla Android for some users.

Which phone would the reviewer recommend and why?

The reviewer would recommend the Galaxy S24 for its value, but acknowledges that the Pixel 9 might appeal to users who prefer its design, vanilla Android, or its AI features.