Samsung Galaxy S24 vs Google Pixel 8: A Comparison for UK Consumers

The two handsets have similar hardware and dimensions, making it difficult for some users to make a choice. Let’s dive in.

To get started, you can compare the full spec sheets or continue directly with our editor’s assessment in the text below.

Size comparison

Aside from the noticeable design differences, the two devices are quite similar in size. The Pixel 8 is slightly taller and a bit thicker but retains the same screen diagonal as the Galaxy S24.

As a result, the Galaxy S24 feels a bit smaller in the hand, but not necessarily more comfortable to handle. The flat edges and sharp corners are trendy, but some may find it more uncomfortable to hold compared to the Pixel 8. The latter has a curved side frame and oval sides for a more comfortable grip.

As always, design is largely subjective. The Galaxy S24’s look is more trendy, and the Pixel 8’s camera bump may not be everyone’s cup of tea. On the other hand, the unconventional design of the Pixel 8 is more recognizable.

In terms of materials and build, the two devices are almost identical – Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for the Galaxy and Gorilla Glass Victus for the Pixel 8. Both devices are IP68 certified against water and dust.

Display comparison

The two phones offer the same 6.2-inch screen size, 1080p+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and can crank up to 1,400 nits according to our tests, which is more than enough for comfortable outdoor use.

However, the Galaxy S24 has a technological advantage as it uses an LTPO OLED panel, providing more granular refresh rate control and potential power savings.

The S24’s frontal design is also somewhat prettier with thinner bezels, allowing for a larger screen-to-body ratio.

Another point to note is that the Galaxy S24 likely has an excellent fingerprint reader. We tend to prefer the ultrasonic fingerprint reader for its better reliability and resistance to ambient light and dirty fingerprints compared to optical. The Pixel 8’s fingerprint scanner is also somewhat slower than the competition.

Battery life

Just by looking at the spec sheet, one might assume that the Pixel 8 has longer battery life as it packs a bigger cell – 4,575 mAh versus the S24’s 4,000 mAh unit. However, our tests show that the Galaxy S24 has the upper hand.

The S24 has a longer active usage count with slightly better call runtimes and video playback. However, web browsing and gaming scores are quite similar.

At the end of the day, the Galaxy S24 offers a more efficient hardware + software combination. It’s unclear which factor contributes the most, but the newer Exynos 2400 and the LTPO OLED likely play a significant role.

Charging speed

Both the Galaxy S24 and the Pixel 8 are slow when it comes to charging. The S24 supports up to 25W with Power Delivery 3.0 standard, while the Pixel 8 can do 27W with PD 3.0. However, both phones take about 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete a full charge cycle.

Wireless charging is available for both devices – 15W for the S24 and 18W for the Pixel 8.

Speakers test

According to our speaker test, the two competitors offer similar loudness, with the Galaxy S24 being a bit louder. Both speaker setups are rated “Very Good.”

The Galaxy S24 wins in the speaker test thanks to better tuning. The Pixel 8, on the other hand, has cleaner vocals, making it a better choice for listening to podcasts and watching movies on the speakers.

Performance

While the Galaxy S24 is powered by this year’s Exynos 2400, the Pixel 8 runs on an almost year-old Tensor G3 SoC. Google Pixels have historically lagged behind in raw performance and benchmarks compared to the competition, and this comparison is no exception.

In various CPU loads, the Exynos 2400 outperforms the Tensor G3 in both multi- and single-core scenarios by a significant margin. In combined workloads, which factor in GPU performance, the S24 is substantially faster.

Samsung
Galaxy S24

AnTuTu 10
1,696,727

Geek Bank 6
2,177 single core

Geek Bank 6
6,747 multi-core

Google
Pixel 8

AnTuTu 10
1,158,631

Geek Bank 6
1,668 single core

Geek Bank 6
4,404 multi-core

A more than 30% difference in these tests indicates significantly better performance, with the Exynos 2400 also excelling in AI-related tasks and games where ray tracing is available, making it superior to the Tensor G3 in real-world scenarios as well.

Camera comparison

The Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8 feature different main camera sensors, with the Pixel 8 having the larger sensor. Despite hardware differences, processing plays a crucial role in photo quality.

Samsung’s processing delivers vibrant colors and aggressive HDR processing, while the Pixel 8 focuses on accurate color reproduction and maintains cleaner images in various scenarios.

Video quality is also similar, with slight differences in color temperature and detail level.

Verdict

Software preferences aside, the Galaxy S24 offers more for its price. While the Pixel 8 is more budget-friendly, the S24 excels in key areas such as screen quality, chipset power, build strength, camera versatility, speakers, fingerprint reader, and battery life.

If you are in the US and budget-conscious, the Pixel 8 might be a better choice due to the price difference. In Europe, you must decide if the price gap justifies the better hardware and performance of the Galaxy S24.