Google Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Google has a compelling new, large-format flagship smartphone. In this article, we’ll compare it to the very best Samsung has to offer. In other words, this is a Google Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra comparison. These two phones are considerably different, not only in terms of design, but what lies under the hood as well. That should only contribute to the fun of comparing them, however.

We will first list the specs of both smartphones, as we usually do when it comes to comparisons. Following that, we’ll compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio output. Before we start, do note that we’re still in the process of reviewing the Pixel 10 Pro XL at the time of writing this article. You’ll be able to get far more information in dedicated reviews of these two phones.

Specs

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

	Google Pixel 10 Pro XL	Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Dimensions	162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5mm	162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2 mm
Weight	232 grams	218 grams
Display	6.8-inch Super Actual LTPO OLED display	6.9-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X
Refresh rate	Smooth Display (1-120Hz)	1-120Hz (adaptive)
Resolution	2992 x 1344	3120 x 1440
Chipset	Google Tensor G5	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
RAM	16GB (LPDDR5X)	12GB (LPDDR5X)
Storage	256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 4.0)	256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 4.0)
Main camera	50MP (f/1.68 aperture, 1/1.3-inch sensor size, 82-degree FoV)	200MP (wide, f/1.7 aperture, 1/1.3-inch sensor size, OIS, multi-directional PDAF)
Ultra-wide camera	48MP (f/1.7 aperture, 1/2.55-inch sensor size, 123-degree FoV)	50MP (f/1.9 aperture, 120-degree FoV, dual pixel PDAF)
Telephoto camera	N/A	10MP (f/2.4 aperture, 1/3.52-inch sensor size, 1.12um pixel size, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom)
Periscope telephoto camera	48MP (f/2.8 aperture, 1/2.55-inch sensor size, 5x optical zoom, 22-degree FoV)	50MP (f/3.4 aperture, 1/2.52-inch sensor size, 0.7um pixel size, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom)
Selfie camera	42MP (f/2.2 aperture, 103-degree FoV)	12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1/3.2-inch sensor size, 1.12um pixel size)
Battery size	5,200mAh	5,000mAh
Charging	30W wired, 25W Qi2 wireless (charger not included)	45W wired, 15W wireless (Qi2 Ready), 4.5W reverse wireless (charger not included)
Colors	Moonstone, Jade, Porcelain, Obsidian	Titanium Silver Blue, Titanium Black, Titanium White Silver, Titanium Gray, Titanium Jade Green, Titanium Jet Black, Titanium Pink Gold

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Design

The moment you lay your eyes on these two phones, you’ll see how different they are. The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL has a more rounded body, with a larger display camera hole. That camera hole does sit centered at the top of the display, as it does on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra does have thinner bezels all around, even though the bezels are uniform on both smartphones.

You’ll find a flat frame on both phones, while the front and back sides of these two phones are also flat. Both of them have physical keys only on the right-hand side. The thing is, their positioning is different. The Pixel 10 Pro XL has a power/lock key above the volume up and down buttons. It’s the other way around for the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The Galaxy S25 Ultra also comes with the S Pen stylus, which is docked in the bottom-right corner of the phone.

If we flip them around, you’ll see two considerably different camera setups. The Pixel 10 Pro XL has a camera bar, which is horziontal, and placed at the top of the backplate. There are three cameras in there. The Galaxy S25 Ultra has five cutouts on the top-left corner of its back, four of which are reserved for cameras. Both setups do protrude on the back, the Pixel 10 Pro XL’s a bit more, though.

The two phones are absolutely identical in terms of height, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra is a bit wider and thinner in comparison. Samsung’s phone is also ligther by 14 grams. Both of them are made out of metal and glass. The frame on the Pixel 10 Pro XL is made out of aluminum, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra uses titanium. Both phones are also IP68 certified.

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Display

The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL features a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display which is flat. It has a resolution of 2992 x 1344 pixels, and an adaptive refresh rate (1-120Hz). HDR10+ content is supported here, while the peak brightness this display can reach is 3,300 nits, in theory. The screen-to-body ratio is at around 88%, while the display aspect ratio is 20:9. This panel is protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, on the other hand, has a 6.9-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display. That panel has an adaptive refresh rate (1-120Hz) and supports HDR10+ content. The peak brightness is 2,600 nits. The screen-to-body ratio is at around 92%, while the display aspect ratio is 19.5:9. What about the resolution? Well, it’s 3120 x 1440 pixels. Corning’s Gorilla Armor 2 protection sits on top of this panel.

Both of these displays are very good, actually. They’re not only very vivid and bright, but they’re very sharp as well. The blacks are deep on both phones, while the touch response is also quite good. The Pixel 10 Pro XL’s panel does offer 480Hz PWM dimming, not to the level of some competitors from China, but still. At least it trumps the Galaxy S25 Ultra in that regard. The Galaxy S25 Ultra, on the other hand, has a non-reflective display, which does a great job when it comes to fighting glare.

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Performance

The Google Tensor G5 is a 3nm processor from the company, and it’s the first Tensor chip made by TSMC. It fuels the Pixel 10 Pro XL, and it’s paired with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 flash storage here. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy SoC. That’s also a 3nm chip, an overclocked version of the standard model. It is paired with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 flash storage. Neither phone supports storage expansion, by the way.

Both of these phones are well-equipped, but the Galaxy S25 Ultra does kind of have the edge, at least in terms of sheer power. Yes, it comes with less RAM, but it has a much more powerful processor. The Snapdragon 8 Elite wipes the floor with the Tensor G5 in benchmarks, both CPU and GPU. The thing is, the Pixel 10 Pro XL is a smart chip, which is great for AI, and made specifically for Pixel phones. Even its predecessor did a fantastic job, so we won’t really give much credit to benchmarks here. We do have high hopes for this processor.

Chances are that the Tensor G5 will run the Pixel 10 Pro XL just as well as the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy runs the Galaxy S25 Ultra, on a daily basis. Considering the much more powerful CPU and GPU performance of the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, however, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is a beast for games. That phone will likely have a major advantage in the gaming department. As mentioned at the beginning of the article, we’re still reviewing the Pixel 10 Pro XL, and are not ready to share our final thoughts yet.

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Battery

The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL has a 5,200mAh battery on the inside. The Galaxy S25 Ultra, on the other hand, comes with a 5,000mAh unit. Neither phone has a specifically large battery pack, at least not compared to the competitors from China. Neither one of these two phones uses a silicon-carbon battery, which is why. Still, these two battery packs are not small, and as the two phones prove, they’re more than enough to offer great battery life.

We’re still in the middle of testing the Pixel 10 Pro XL, but the battery life is really good thus far. The Galaxy S25 Ultra, on the other hand, offers outstanding battery life. It managed to provide us with truly high screen-on time levels. It offers great battery life, and even if you’re a demanding power user, you’ll be happy with what this phone has to offer.

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Cameras

What about the cameras? The Pixel 10 Pro XL has three on the back. It includes a 50-megapixel main camera (1/1.31-inch sensor size), a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera (1/2.55-inch sensor size, 123-degree FoV), and a 48-megapixel periscope telephoto camera (1/2.55-inch sensor size, 5x optical zoom).

The Galaxy S25 Ultra, on the other hand, comes with four cameras on the back. The phone features a 200-megapixel main camera (1/1.3-inch sensor size), a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera (1/2.5-inch sensor size), and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera (1/3.52-inch sensor size, 3x optical zoom). The fourth camera on the back is a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto unit (1/2.52-inch sensor size, 5x optical zoom).

While the Galaxy S25 Ultra does offer really solid camera performance, we preferred even the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s camera performance in comparison. Those contrasty shots that the phone provides look great, not to mention the consistency. We’re seeing something similar from the Pixel 10 Pro XL thus far, though we’re still testing. Let’s just say that the telephoto camera on the Galaxy S25 Ultra is not worthy of a flagship, while the rest of them are solid. Both phones do a good job in low light, especially if you’re using their main cameras. In fact, chances are you’ll be happy with the performance regardless of what phone you choose.

Audio

There are stereo speakers included on both of these smartphones. The Galaxy S25 Ultra has rather compelling speakers, with good loudness and sound quality. The Pixel 10 Pro XL is on the same level, that’s for sure.

Neither phone ships with an audio jack, unfortunately. You can always utilize their Type-C ports, however, and hook up your wired headphones. Alternatively, the Pixel 10 Pro XL supports Bluetooth 6.0, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra supports Bluetooth 5.4.