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Samsung Galaxy S24
The Galaxy S24 mixes in Galaxy AI features for the first time in the series, but still brings great performance and great cameras in a relatively compact package for a great value.
Pros- Latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip
- 3X telephoto lens
- 7 years of software updates
Cons- No Pixel feature drops
- Divisive OneUI OS
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Google Pixel 8
The Google Pixel 8 brings lots of AI features and stellar cameras to the table. It also has the latest Tensor chip, allowing it to use many machine learning features.
Pros- New Android features first
- Offers Google's stellar camera software
- Stock Android
Cons- Shorter software upgrade cycle
- No zoom lens
Key Takeaways
- Samsung Galaxy S24 and Google Pixel 8 are both affordable flagship smartphones on the market.
- Pixel 8 is $100 cheaper than Galaxy S24, giving it an edge in terms of price.
- Both phones have similar specifications and features, but Galaxy S24 offers additional software updates and a telephoto lens, making it a slightly better choice.
Samsung is kicking 2024 off with some exciting announcements. The reveal of the Samsung Galaxy S24 has taken center stage recently. However, we can't forget about the Google Pixel 8, which still remains one of the best affordable flagship smartphones on the market and made its debut in October 2023.
Samsung Unpacked: Galaxy S24 and everything else announced
At Galaxy Unpacked, Samsung announced its next flagship phones for 2024, the S24 series. And AI is a big part of it.And while the newst "Pro" on the smartphone block, don't let the glitz and glamor of the Galaxy S24 Ultra steal your attention away from the base S24, as it looks to be a great phone. With that in mind, we're going to compare the S24 to the Pixel 8 to see which reasonably-priced flagship smartphone is worth your hard-earned money. While they both run Android, some major differences between the two devices might just steer you in one direction or the other.
Price and availability
The Pixel 8 launched on October 12, 2023, whereas the Samsung Galaxy S24 was announced on January 17, 2024, with pre-orders for the phone going live at the time of the announcement. It'll be widely available starting January 31, 2024.
Samsung Galaxy S24 deals: Best preorder discounts
From trade-in discounts to free storage upgrades, here are all the ways to save when you preorder the new Samsung Galaxy S24.Price is important when choosing a smartphone, especially the more affordable models. In the case of the Galaxy S24, Samsung starts the phone at $799, while Google sells the Pixel 8 for $100 cheaper at $699. Because we're looking at budget-friendly phones, the extra $100 in savings is a big deal that gives the Pixel 8 an edge.
Specifications
The specs of a phone are a critical part of the decision process, as the internals will determine how well the phone will handle the tasks you throw at it. It's tough to compare the Pixel 8 and the Galaxy S24 one-to-one because of the differences between the Snapdragon Gen 8 Gen 3 and Google Tensor G3 chip.
Google Pixel 8 review: Impressively smart and refined
Google's Pixel 8 is almost the complete Android package.From a raw computing power perspective, we expect the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 to score better than the Tensor G3, as the previous generation of Snapdragon chips already benchmarked higher. But Google's chip is incredibly well optimized for its phones, so the numbers are deceiving. In the end, both will handle modern apps without issue, but our performance enthusiasts might prefer the Galaxy's Snapdragon SoC over Google's Tensor G3.
Both phones come with 8GB of RAM and can be configured with either 128 or 256GB of internal storage, so there's no notable winner there.
Some other notable features that are shared across both phones include an IP68 water-resistance rating, Bluetooth 5.3, and Wi-Fi 6e connectivity. They both support 5G as well, so you shouldn't have any problem getting the fastest possible internet speeds with either phone.
Google Pixel 8 Samsung Galaxy S24 Brand Google Samsung SoC Google Tensor G3 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or Samsung Exynos 2400 Display 6.3-inch, Actua OLED, 2400 x 1080, 428ppi, 60-120Hz, up to 2000nits 6.2 inches, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2340 × 1080 (416ppi), 120Hz adpative refresh RAM 8GB 8GB Storage 128GB / 256GB 128GB/256GB Battery 4575mAh, 30W fast charging, 12-18W wireless 4,000mAh Ports USB-C USB-C Operating System Android 14 One UI 6.1 w/ Android 14 Front camera 10.5MP 12MP f/2.2 Rear camera 50MP wide + 12MP ultrawide 50MP f/1.8 main w/OIS, 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide (120°), 10MP f/2.4 3x telephoto Dimensions 150.5 x 70.8 x 8.9mm, 187g 147 × 70.6 × 7.6mm Colors Obsidian / Hazel / Rose Sapphire Blue, Sandstone Orange, Jade Green, Cobalt Violet, Onyx Black, Amber Yellow, Marble Gray Weight 187g 168g Charge speed 30W wired / 12W-18W wireless 25W wired, 15W wireless IP Rating IP68 IP68 Release date 2023-10-04 2024-01-31
Externally, there are some major differences between the phones. On the back, you'll find two completely different design philosophies regarding camera modules. Google uses its recognizable bar across the back of its phones, while Samsung opts for a more traditional design with each lens situated individually on the corner of the phone. This is going to come down to personal preference, as there's no right or wrong answer, but which one you like better could heavily influence your buying decision.
In terms of raw physical size, the phones are both on the smaller side compared to other flagships. The newly-announced Galaxy S24 is 147 × 70.6 × 7.6mm and 168g. The Pixel 8 is 150.5 x 70.8 x 8.9mm and 187g. If you're looking for the smallest possible phone that'll be easiest to carry around, then the Samsung Galaxy S24 is for you. Remember that the difference is just a few millimeters and grams, so unless you're holding them side-by-side, it's hard to spot the variance.
Samsung offers the S24 in Sapphire Blue, Sandstone Orange, Jade Green, Cobalt Violet, Onyx Black, Amber Yellow, and Marble Gray. Google offers the Pixel 8 in far fewer colors. You can choose between Obsidian (black), Hazel (gray), and Rose (pink). If you like funkier colors, the edge clearly goes to Samsung, which offers all kinds of bright shades that give the phone some originality. Of course, you're probably going to slap a case on whichever phone you choose, so the color might not be that big of a decision factor.
Software
Both phones run Android 14, but there are some major differences because the Pixel 8 runs stock Android, and the Galaxy S24 runs Samsung's heavily modified One UI 6.1. The biggest difference is the overall look and feel of the operating system, but it's not as big a difference as a Galaxy phone to an iPhone, for example.
Both handsets also have some exclusive features. Samsung is all-in on AI with features like an AI photo editing tool and real-time call translation. The Pixel 8 has features like Now Playing and Magic Editor, which make it stand out.
Samsung goes all in on AI with its Galaxy S24 lineup
Samsung's latest Ultra gave us a few surprises after all, including Galaxy AI and titanium housing.In the end, you can't go wrong with either phone's software, as they're both among the best on the market. Samsung gave itself an edge by promising seven years of both Android updates and security updates for its newest phones, which means you can keep running the same phone for a long time.
Display
The Samsung Galaxy S24 has a 6.2-inch 2340 × 1080 FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and a solid 419ppi pixel density. Based on early hands-on impressions, it looks to be a vibrant display, which isn't a surprise, since Samsung is known for making some of the best screens on the market.
The Google Pixel 8 features a 6.3-inch Actua OLED screen with a 2400 x 1080 FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. It has a 428ppi pixel, which is a marginal difference you'll have difficulty noticing.
Overall, both phones have very similar screens that will look great for whatever you want to do with them. Based on the specs, it's hard to even tell the displays apart because they're that similar.
Cameras
These are two phones known for their tremendous photo-taking abilities. Regardless of which phone you go with, you'll get incredible camera hardware and software that'll make the entire process of capturing pictures and videos smooth and fun.
Starting with the Galaxy S24, you get a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide shooter, and a 10MP telephoto lens with 3X zoom. Samsung showed off improvements to night photography, which is one area in which Google has always excelled.
The Google Pixel 8 has a 50MP main shooter and a 12MP ultra-wide. However, it lacks the telephoto the Samsung Galaxy S24 offers, so if you're concerned about zooming in on your subjects, the Pixel 8 loses that battle.
Both phones offer many AI and machine learning features for editing your photos, so it's hard to pick a winner. Overall, though, the extra lens the Samsung Galaxy S24 offers gives it a small edge, but both phones can take incredible photos.
Battery and charging
Both phones feature large batteries for their small size. The Pixel 8 has a 4,575mAh powerhouse, while the Galaxy S24 has a 4,000mAh battery. We haven't been able to test the battery life of the Galaxy S24 yet, but Samsung promises a full day of juice from the phone, and that's believable based on the size of the cell. However, with Google offering more than 500mAh extra, we have to give a slight edge to the Pixel 8.
Best compact smartphones: Cutting down on size and compromise
Stop stretching your fingers with that handful of a phone. We've got some recommendations for smaller devices with the power you need.The Pixel 8 wins narrowly for charging speeds, offering 30W wired charging and up to 18W wireless charging. The Samsung Galaxy S24 has 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging. Both are solid, but neither can hold a candle to OnePlus and other phones that come with crazy charging speeds.
Galaxy S24 vs Pixel 8: Which is right for you?
Overall, I have to give a slight edge to the Galaxy S24, but it's very small. Both phones are incredible and are among the best affordable flagships on the market. However, the extra software updates and additional telephoto lens do just enough to help Samsung win the battle.
Samsung Galaxy S24
The Galaxy S24 mixes in Galaxy AI features for the first time in the series, but still brings great performance and great cameras in a relatively compact package for a great value.
There's nothing wrong with choosing the Pixel 8 if you like stock Android and the Pixel feature drops Google brings to its phones first.
Google Pixel 8
The Pixel 8 offers all the Google features you could ever want, including new feature drops first. If you like the stock Android experience, the Pixel 8 is the better phone for you.