The Galaxy S25 has emerged as a serious challenger to the Pixel 9, offering superior performance and matched AI capabilities in a more compact form, while the Pixel 9 continues to excel in computational photography and video recording.
Choosing between Google’s Pixel 9 and Samsung’s Galaxy S25 feels like picking between two different philosophies of smartphone excellence.
Both phones cost the same $799, but they take distinctly different approaches to photography and artificial intelligence. After extensive testing and comparison, here’s what real users need to know about these flagship competitors.
Size Matters More Than You Think
The Galaxy S25 is downright tiny at 146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2 mm, especially when you factor in the rear cameras. Weighing just 162 grams compared to the Pixel 9’s hefty 198 grams, Samsung’s phone feels significantly lighter in daily use. If you’re on your phone for hours at a time, the S25 might cause a little less fatigue in your hands.
The difference becomes even more noticeable when you consider that the Galaxy S25 is 5.9 millimeters shorter, 1.5 millimeters narrower, and 1.3 millimeters thinner than the Google Pixel 9.
While the Pixel 9 sports a 6.3-inch display versus the S25’s 6.2-inch screen, reaching the top edge of the screen with your thumb while keeping the bottom of the phone supported with your little finger isn’t as much of a strain on Samsung’s device.
Camera Hardware: Different Strengths for Different Needs
The camera setups reveal each phone’s priorities. The Pixel 9 gets a dual camera array featuring a 50MP primary lens and a 48MP ultrawide sensor, while the Galaxy S25 includes a 50MP main sensor, supported by a 12MP ultrawide snapper and a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom.
This hardware difference translates into real-world advantages for each device. The Pixel 9’s larger 50MP main sensor and 48MP ultrawide with autofocus give it an edge in detail capture and close-up shots. However, the Galaxy S25’s dedicated telephoto lens means you’re getting true optical zoom rather than digital cropping.
The Camera Performance Reality Check
In practice, both phones deliver excellent photos, but with different characteristics. For the most part, we liked Pixel 9’s photos better – they are cleaner and less sharpened, all the while the level of details is similar. The Pixel’s computational photography shines in challenging lighting conditions, producing images that often look more natural and balanced.
The colour science used by each phone is distinctly different, with the Pixel erring towards a magenta tint, while the Galaxy sports more prominent yellow tones. This isn’t about right or wrong – it’s about preference. Some users prefer the Pixel’s warmer, more saturated look, while others gravitate toward Samsung’s cooler, more neutral tones.
When it comes to zoom photography, the Galaxy S25 takes the lead during the day. The 2x crop zoom photos taken with the S25 are a tad sharper and maybe even offer more detail. And to no one’s surprise, the 3x zoom pictures out of the S25 are better too due to the dedicated optical zoom camera, which the Pixel 9 lacks.
However, the tables turn in low-light conditions. What we didn’t expect is that the Pixel 9’s 3x crop zoom photos will take the lead after dark. Perhaps the bigger main sensor on the Pixel 9 beats the tiny telephoto snapper on the S25, even without an optical lens.
Video Recording: Pixel Takes the Crown
The videos out of the Pixel 9’s main camera are clearly superior to the S25’s. Pixel videos offer better exposure, dynamic range, sharpness, color reproduction, etc. This advantage stems from Google’s years of investment in computational video processing, which shows in the final output quality.
The Pixel 9 can even upscale videos to 8K resolution using AI, though this feature works better as a showcase of technological capability rather than something most users will regularly employ.
AI Features: The Great Convergence
Here’s where things get interesting. While Google has been focusing on AI smarts on its smartphones for longer, especially when it comes to the camera, Samsung has caught up, or at least borrowed what’s necessary, to make both phones quite similar in terms of AI-powered features.
The Galaxy S25’s One UI 7 brings a slew of extra features to Galaxy AI, but the biggest takeaway is that Google Gemini will be the default assistant and will power a lot of the phone’s generative AI features. This means Samsung users get access to the same underlying AI capabilities that Pixel users enjoy, plus Samsung’s own additions.
The Pixel 9 introduces several new AI features, including the “Add Me” feature for group photos, expanded options in the Magic Editor, and a new Panorama mode. These tools make photo editing more accessible and powerful for everyday users.
Samsung counters with features like Now Brief and cross-app actions, which help users manage their daily tasks more efficiently. The Galaxy S25 also includes Audio Eraser for video editing and Generative Edit in the Gallery app.
Performance Gap: Where Samsung Pulls Ahead
The Samsung Galaxy S25 is now the leader in AI processing — a title the Pixel 9 held not too long ago. This shift comes thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset, which delivers significantly better performance than the Pixel 9’s Tensor G4.
Samsung and Qualcomm worked together to make the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset, and it’s a breakthrough. Geekbench 6 tests show Samsung wins, and it’s not particularly close. This performance advantage means smoother multitasking, better gaming performance, and faster AI processing.
Battery Life and Charging
The Pixel 9 packs a larger 4,700mAh battery compared to the Galaxy S25’s 4,000mAh unit, which should translate to longer daily usage. However, real-world battery life depends on how efficiently each phone manages its power consumption.
Neither phone excels at fast charging, with both offering relatively modest charging speeds that feel dated in 2025. The Pixel 9 supports 27W wired charging while the Galaxy S25 manages 25W – neither will wow users coming from faster-charging competitors.
Software Support: A Tie That Matters
Both phones promise seven years of software updates, making them excellent long-term investments. The Pixel 9 gets Android updates directly from Google, often receiving new features first. The Galaxy S25 runs One UI 7 over Android, offering more customization options and Samsung-specific features.
Different Phones for Different Priorities
Given the more attractive price tag of the Galaxy S25, and the impressive results the phone scored in our tests (on par with the Pixel 9 or even stronger in some departments), Samsung’s flagship is shaping out to be a very good package altogether.
If you prioritize a compact, lightweight phone with excellent zoom capabilities and flagship performance, the Galaxy S25 makes a compelling case. Its superior processor ensures smooth operation for years to come, while the telephoto lens adds versatility for photography enthusiasts.
Choose the Pixel 9 if you value computational photography, video recording quality, and want the purest Android experience with guaranteed first access to new Google features. Its larger battery and superior main camera performance in challenging conditions make it ideal for photography-focused users.
Both phones represent the current pinnacle of Android smartphone technology, each with distinct advantages. The Galaxy S25 feels like the more refined, performance-focused option, while the Pixel 9 remains the computational photography king with unmatched video quality.
Your choice ultimately depends on whether you prioritize Samsung’s well-rounded excellence or Google’s AI-powered imaging magic.