Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Verdict
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL scores higher in 1 of 6 sections (connectivity & features), while the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads in performance and battery; they are even on camera, display and design & durability.
The biggest difference is performance: 72 vs 100 points.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is the newer model, announced 18 months after the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Choose the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL for connectivity & features; choose the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra for performance and battery.
- Pixel 9 Pro XL leads in 4 fields
- Galaxy S26 Ultra leads in 9 fields
- 29 ties
42 scored fields compared
Score by section
| Section scores | Pixel 9 Pro XL | Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||
| Performance | 72 | 100 |
| Camera | 97 | 96 |
| Battery | 76 | 84 |
| Display | 96 | 95 |
| Design & durability | 81 | 83 |
| Connectivity & features | 84 | 81 |
Full specifications
Performance
- Chipset performance index
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 62/100
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 100/100(Better)
- Chipset
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Google Tensor G4
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- RAM (max)
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 16 GB
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 16 GB
- Storage (max)
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 1 TB
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 1 TB
- Process node
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 4 nm
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 3 nm
Camera
- Main camera resolution
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 50 MP
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 200 MP(Better)
- Main sensor size
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 1/1.31″
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 1/1.3″(Better)
- Optical stabilization (OIS)
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- Ultra-wide camera
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- Telephoto camera
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- Periscope lens
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- Optical zoom
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 5×
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 5×
- Video recording
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 8K
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 8K
- Front camera
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 42 MP(Better)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 12 MP
- Front camera 4K video
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
Battery
- Battery capacity
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 5060 mAh(Better)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 5000 mAh
- Battery endurance (EU label)
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 49:30 h
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 55:00 h(Better)
- EU label cycles
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 1000
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 1200
- Wired charging
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 37 W
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 60 W(Better)
- Wireless charging
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 23 W
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 25 W(Better)
- Reverse charging
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- Reverse charging type
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Wireless
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Wireless
Display
- Screen size
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 6.8″
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 6.9″
- Panel type
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: LTPO OLED
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: LTPO OLED
- Refresh rate
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 120 Hz
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 120 Hz
- Pixel density
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 486 ppi
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 500 ppi
- Peak brightness
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 3000 nits(Better)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 2600 nits
- Resolution
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 1344x2992
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 1440x3120
- Screen protection
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Corning Gorilla Armor 2
Design & durability
- Weight
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 221 g
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 214 g(Better)
- Thickness
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 8.5 mm
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 7.9 mm(Better)
- Dust & water resistance
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: IP68
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: IP68
- Back material
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Glass
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Glass
- Frame material
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Aluminum
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Aluminum
- EU repairability class
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: C
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: C
- EU drop resistance class
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: A
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: A
- EU energy class
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: B
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: A
Connectivity & features
- 5G
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- Wi-Fi
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Wi-Fi 7
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Wi-Fi 7
- Bluetooth
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 5.3
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 6.0(Better)
- USB speed
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: USB 3.x
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: USB 3.x
- USB port
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: USB-C 3.2
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: USB-C 3.2
- DisplayPort output
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: No
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- NFC
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- eSIM
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- Ultra-wideband (UWB)
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- Satellite connectivity
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Yes(Better)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: No
- Stereo speakers
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Yes
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Yes
- 3.5 mm headphone jack
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: No
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: No
- Fingerprint reader
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Under display (ultrasonic)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Under display (ultrasonic)
- 3D face unlock
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: No
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: No
- Infrared blaster
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: No
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: No
- FM radio
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: No
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: No
- microSD slot
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: No
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: No
- Card slot
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: No
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: No
General
- Operating system
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: Android 14
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Android 16
- OS updates (major versions)
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 7
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 7
- Launch price
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: $ 449.00
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: $ 898.99
- Year
- Pixel 9 Pro XL: 2024
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 2026
Show raw spec textHide raw spec text
Original text from the source spec sheet, for reference.
| — | Pixel 9 Pro XL | Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Network | ||
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 CDMA 800 / 1900 & TD-SCDMA |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71 - GGX8B 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71, 75 - GZC4K | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71 - USA unlocked |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - GGX8B 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GZC4K | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA unlocked |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE (CA), 5G |
| Launch | ||
| Announced | 2024, August 13 | 2026, February 25 |
| Status | Available. Released 2024, August 22 | Available. Released 2026, March 06 |
| Body | ||
| Dimensions | 162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm (6.41 x 3.02 x 0.33 in) | 163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9 mm (6.44 x 3.07 x 0.31 in) |
| Weight | 221 g (7.80 oz) | 214 g (7.55 oz) |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame | Glass front (Corning Gorilla Armor 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM IP68 dust tight and water resistant (immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min) | · Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) - INT · Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) - USA · Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM - CN IP68 dust tight and water resistant (immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus Armor Aluminum 2 |
| Display | ||
| Type | LTPO OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2000 nits (HBM), 3000 nits (peak) | Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 109.7 cm2 (~88.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.9 inches, 115.9 cm2 (~90.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution | 1344 x 2992 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~486 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~500 ppi density) |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | Corning Gorilla Armor 2 DX anti-reflective coating Privacy Display |
| Platform | ||
| OS | Android 14, upgradable to Android 17, up to 7 major OS updates | Android 16, upgradable to Android 17, One UI 9, up to 7 major OS updates |
| Chipset | Google Tensor G4 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8850-1-AD Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3 nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.1 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x2.6 GHz Cortex-A720 & 4x1.92 GHz Cortex-A520) | Octa-core (2x4.74 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix L + 6x3.62 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix M) |
| GPU | Mali-G715 MC7 | Adreno 840 (1.3GHz) |
| Memory | ||
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 16GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM UFS 3.1 | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM UFS 4.X |
| Main Camera | ||
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/2.8, 113mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.55", dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/1.7, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", dual pixel PDAF, | – |
| Features | Multi-zone Laser AF, LED flash, Pixel Shift, Ultra-HDR, panorama, Best Take, Zoom Enhance | Laser AF, Best Face, Horizon Lock, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Video | 8K@30fps (via cloud-based upscaling), 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@24/30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Quad | – | 200 MP, f/1.4, 23mm (wide), 1/1.3", 0.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 67mm (telephoto), 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.9, 111mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.52", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/1.9, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.5", 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video |
| Selfie camera | ||
| Single | 42 MP, f/2.2, 17mm (ultrawide), PDAF | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR, HDR10+ |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No High-bitrate audio support |
| Comms | ||
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 6.0, A2DP, LE |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2 | USB Type-C 3.2, DisplayPort 1.2, OTG |
| Features | ||
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, thermometer (skin temperature) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support Satellite SOS service | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support |
| Battery | ||
| Type | Li-Ion 5060 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 37W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 70% in 30 min 23W wireless (w/ Pixel Stand) 12W wireless (w/ Qi compatible charger) Reverse wireless Bypass charging | 60W wired, PD3.0, 75% in 30 min 25W wireless (Qi2.2) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Misc | ||
| Colors | Porcelain, Rose Quartz, Hazel, Obsidian | Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White, Silver Shadow, Pink Gold |
| Models | GGX8B, GZC4K, GQ57S | SM-S948B, SM-S948B/DS, SM-S948U, SM-S948U1, SM-S948W, SM-S948N, SM-S9480, SM-S948E, SM-S948E/DS |
| SAR EU | 0.99 W/kg (head) 1.40 W/kg (body) | 1.28 W/kg (head) 1.35 W/kg (body) |
| Price | $ 449.00 / € 540.90 / £ 399.99 | $ 898.99 / € 979.00 / £ 802.99 / ₹ 139,999 |
| SAR | – | 1.09 W/kg (head) 1.19 W/kg (body) |
| EU LABEL | ||
| Energy | Class B | Class A |
| Battery | 49:30h endurance, 1000 cycles | 55:00h endurance, 1200 cycles |
| Free fall | Class A (270 falls) | Class A (270 falls) |
| Repairability | Class C | Class C |