With the Galaxy S9 from Samsung having been released, now is the ideal time to make a Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus vs Google Pixel 2 XL comparison. The Pixel 2 XL is one of the major existing smartphones that the Galaxy S9 Plus will particularly compete with, so it is interesting to see how the two mobiles stack up against one another.
Size
Size is obviously a critical component of the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus vs Google Pixel 2 XL battle, and both manufacturers have been conscious of this when designing their smartphones. It must be noted that the Google Pixel 2 XL is somewhat slimmer than the Galaxy S9 Plus, but it is also very slightly larger overall as well. Not a huge amount to choose between the two, and which approach appeals more will very much depend on personal preference.
Weight
There is something of a disparity between the weight of these two devices, with the Google Pixel 2 XL being some 14g lighter than his Samsung competitor. At 175g versus 189g, this means that the Galaxy S9 Plus is just under 10 percent heavier. This isn’t particularly noticeable, but it must be considered a feather in the cap of the Google release.
Display
The trend in the smartphone industry is for ever larger displays, and this obviously impacts quite significantly on the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus vs Google Pixel 2 XL comparison. The Galaxy S9 Plus features the marginally larger screen, being 6.2-inches compared to the 6-inches of the Google Pixel 2 XL. Although this is barely perceptible, it is nevertheless a slight advantage for the Samsung model.
Resolution
Resolution is also a central aspect of the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus vs Google Pixel 2 XL war, and there is extremely little to choose between the two devices here. Although the Galaxy S9 Plus is capable of displaying 80 more pixels in a vertical direction, the 538 ppi density of the Google Pixel 2 XL is superior. While the Galaxy S9 screen is probably considered the best in the smartphone category currently, the Google Pixel 2 XL does give it a decent run for its money.
Processor
Firstly, it is important to note in this area that there are different processor included in the Galaxy S9 Plus depending on geographical location. For convenience here we compare the model that appears in the United States, which is built on an octa-core processor, featuring two quad-core processors clocked at 2.7 GHz and 1.7 GHz respectively.
It is actually intriguing to compare this with the Google Pixel 2 XL, as this is also an octa-core unit, but one featuring significantly different clock speeds. Again, the Google Pixel 2 XL is based on the two bundles of four-cores, but the first of the two bundles is instantly slower than the Galaxy S9 Plus.
The Pixel 2 XL is clocked at 2.35 GHz GHz and 1.9 GHz respectively, meaning that the Galaxy S9 Plus probably has something of an edge in this department. Nonetheless, it is important to note that the less powerful cores in the Google Pixel 2 XL are faster, meaning that simple background tasks may run more swiftly.
Memory
Samsung is clearly the winner with its device here, having armed the Galaxy S9 Plus with 6GB of RAM memory. This is 50 percent more than the mere 4GB included in the Google Pixel 2 XL.
Storage
There are also more storage options for Galaxy S9 users, along with a premium version of the smartphone that offers more storage than its Google Pixel 2 XL equivalent. Storage in the Google smartphone reaches a maximum of 128GB, whereas there is a 256GB version of the Galaxy S9 Plus.
Camera
The photographic capabilities of mobile devices continue to improve, and thus this aspect of the two smartphones is central to the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus vs Google Pixel 2 XL comparison. So, firstly, here is a comparison of the specifications of the two units.
Galaxy S9 Plus – Dual: 12 MP (f/1.5-2.4, 26mm, 1/2.55″, 1.4 µm, Dual Pixel PDAF) + 12MP (f/2.4, 52mm, 1/3.6″, 1 µm, AF), OIS, phase detection autofocus, 2x optical zoom, LED flash
Google Pixel 2 XL – 12.2 MP (f/1.8, 27mm, 1/2.6″, 1.4 µm, Dual Pixel PDAF), OIS, phase detection & laser autofocus, dual-LED flash
It is quite damning, actually, that even the premium version of the Google Pixel 2 series features just a single-lens unit, even though the photographic capabilities of this range has been praised in the past. Clearly the Galaxy S9 delivers better photographic capabilities, and this is something that Google must address with the Google Pixel 3 series.
Battery
With the Galaxy S9 Plus featuring a non-removable Li-Ion 3500 mAh battery, and the Google Pixel 2 XL being powered by a non-removable Li-Ion 3520 mAh cell, there is obviously extremely little difference between the two devices. But it should be stated that the Google Pixel 2 XL is nonetheless marginally superior.
Price
Pricing is obviously an important consideration in the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus vs Google Pixel 2 XL battle, and so it is interesting that the Google device is priced more competitively. Of course, the Google Pixel 2 XL has been available for a while, so the $729 price tag shouldn’t be a huge surprise. the Samsung device will retail at an entry-level price tag of $849, handing the advantage to Google and its Pixel 2 XL in this department. Both are still more affordable than the iPhone X, though..
Conclusion
When making the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus vs Google Pixel 2 XL comparison, it is perhaps not surprising that the Samsung device comes out on top in most departments. The Google Pixel 2 is a good effort, but it is yet to stand up to one of the flagship smartphones on the market. Even though the Pixel 2 XL retails at around $120 less than itrs rival currently, the Galaxy S9 Plus still represents the better mobile and better value for money purchase.
