Intro

We will be addressing all aspects including the looks/design as well as performance and software, with both aspects being quite different between these two phones despite the fact that you are rocking an Android device no matter which one you go for. The pricing also plays a big role here, as there’s a good chance the Pixel 8 launch price will remain $100 less than the S24’s.

Design and Size

Block vs pebble

The most recognizable feature on a phone, its cameras, is probably the place where the difference in aesthetics will continue to be most visible between the Android duo, with the Galaxy S24 sticking to the “floating” cameras vs the Pixel 8‘s camera bar.

As for the size difference, Samsung’s vanilla flagship has been one of the best compact phones on the market for a few years now, and the company will most likely continue this trend. The dimensions have not changed almost at all with the last generations, and we don’t expect anything different this year either. In other words, expect the S24 to be noticeably smaller when placed next to the Pixel 8.

The Pixel 8 comes with glass back and front panels, an aluminum frame, and an IP68 water and dust resistance certification, and the Galaxy S24 is expected to have the same characteristics.

Display Differences

There is practically no difference between the display on the Pixel 8 and the one that the Galaxy S24 is said to come with. Both are capable of a high 120Hz refresh rate, they are 6.2-inch OLEDs, and can get super bright. The Pixel 8 has already built a reputation for having one of the most exemplary displays this year, and we fully expect the next vanilla Galaxy flagship from Samsung to match that success.

Performance and Software

Higher performance vs longer support

As for RAM, the Pixel 8‘s base model comes with 6GB, while the Galaxy S24 is said to have 8GB no matter which storage option you go for.

Despite the difference in horsepower these two phones will probably have, we still think that the overall user experience will be quite similar between the two, which is to say smooth and pleasant. It is only when doing more GPU-taxing tasks such as playing graphically intensive games where we might see a noticeable difference in performance.

Another area where Samsung would be expected to win is with the software support, as in previous years it was even better than what Google offered for its own phones. However, things have changed, and Google made waves this year by promising 7 years of software updates and security patches for the Pixel 8. There is no word yet whether Samsung would try to match that, but as it stands right now the South Korean tech giant promises 4 years of OS updates and 5 years of security patches for its high-end phones. 

Camera

Futuristic software features vs dedicated hardware

The Pixel 8 comes with an outstanding main camera, as is tradition with Pixel phones. That being said, the Galaxy S24 will likely be no slouch either, and like it’s been for years now, it will have one extra dedicated telephoto camera, unlike the Pixel (or the iPhone for that matter). The third camera on the Samsung’s back has always been a major benefit for the vanilla Galaxy flagships.

One thing that’s for sure, though, is that the zooming capability will be superior on the S24 thanks to its dedicated 3X telephoto camera.

Google introduced something called Video Boost this year, which elevates videos by sending them into the company’s cloud infrastructure where it works its AI magic to transform the footage. There have been reports hinting that Samsung will also be focusing on software with the S24 next year, so we will have to wait and see if something similar pops up.

Also, the Video Boost feature on the Pixel 8 is not available yet (coming in December), so we don’t know for sure how well it will perform either.

Audio Quality and Haptics

Haptics on both phones should feel mostly the same in terms of strength and accuracy, although the Pixel 8 might turn out to have a stronger vibration motor, as this year’s generation felt a bit different on that front.

Battery Life and Charging

Pixel might have longer battery life

The Pixel 8 comes with an allegedly larger battery at 4,575 mAh and it showcased great battery life when we put it through our tests. In general, the Pixel sips less battery than the Galaxy, and this trend might remain with the Galaxy S24, but it is important to mention that for that somewhat lower battery life you do get a higher level of performance, so things kind of balance out. The Galaxy S24 is said to come with a 4,000 mAh battery.

Charging-wise, if Samsung doesn’t finally step up its game, the two phones will take about the same amount of time to charge, no matter whether you go for wired or wireless charging. Both also support reverse-wireless charging, which means you can use either to charge something like your Bluetooth earbuds or your smartwatch.

Specs Comparison

From what we have learned about the upcoming Galaxy S24 so far, specs-wise it won’t be too different from the Pixel 8. The only real difference between the two is that the Pixel lacks a third (telephoto) camera on the back, and it comes with a different processor which, mind you, will probably be less powerful than the ones on the S24.

Summary

The thing is, though, Google is the one that makes things exciting nowadays, maybe because the company entered the smartphone game (at least when it comes to its Pixel phones) quite a bit later. The Pixel 8 comes with witty new features that might seem like gimmicks at first but are actually useful in a users’s everyday life.

The Galaxy S24 will without a doubt be a great phone that covers everything you can expect from a Samsung flagship: awesome display, great camera performance, speed… At this point, however, it feels like the company needs to do something more, something creative to make itself stand out, as Google has, for all intends and purposes, almost caught up spec-wise, on top of having more character in its phones.