Google Pixel vs. Samsung Galaxy S8: Which is the better Android phone?

Well folks, the wait is over. Samsung has finally taken the wraps off of the long-awaited Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, two phones that are tipped to be the most powerful and stylish phones of 2017. As the powerhouses they are, however, they’re sure to go up against some competition — like, for example, the much-loved Google Pixel.

More: Everything we know about Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus pricing and availability

The Google Pixel may be a few months old now, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t hold its own. How do the two phones compare? We put their specs head to head to find out.

Specs

Google Pixel

Samsung Galaxy S8

Size
143.8 x 69.5 x 7.3mm (5.6 x 2.7 x 0.2-0.3-inches)
148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0mm (5.9 x 2.7 x 0.3-inches)
Weight
143g (5.0 oz)
155g (5.5oz)
Screen
5.0-inch AMOLED
5.8-inch AMOLED
Resolution
1,080 x 1,920 pixels (441 pixels per inch)
2,960 x 1,440 pixels (570ppi)
OS
Android 7.1 Nougat
Android 7.0 Nougat
Storage
32/128GB
64GB
MicroSD card slot
No
Yes
NFC support
Yes
Yes
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 821
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Samsung Exynos 9 Series 8895 (International)
RAM
4GB
4GB
Connectivity
GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE
GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE
Camera
12MP rear, 8MP front
12MP rear with OIS, 8MP front
Video
2,160p at 30fps
2,160p at 30fps
Bluetooth
Yes, version 4.2
Yes, version 5.0
Fingerprint sensor
Yes
Yes
Other sensors
Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer
Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, iris scanner
Water resistant
No
IP68
Battery
2,770mAh
3,000mAh
Ports
USB-C, headphone jack
USB-C, headphone jack
Marketplace
Google Play
Google Play
Color offerings
Very Silver, Quite Black, Really Blue
Black, silver, orchid grey, blue (international), gold (international)
Availability
Google Play, Verizon
April 21
Price
Starts at $650
Starts at $720
DT review
4 out of 5 stars
First take

In the specs department, there’s unsurprisingly a clear winner.

When the Google Pixel was released, it featured a top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, a chip that was the best choice available to Google at the time. Months later, Qualcomm’s out with a new, better chip: The Snapdragon 835. We don’t yet know exactly how much better the Snapdragon 835 performs compared to the Snapdragon 821, but early benchmark results indicate the new chip is a good 20 percent or more than its predecessor.

Processor performance isn’t the only thing to consider here — but it is perhaps most important. Both phones offer 4GB of RAM. but when it comes to internal storage the Google Pixel offers options of either 32GB or 128GB, while you only have a choice of 64GB on the Galaxy S8 sits in at 64GB. The base model of the Galaxy S8 offers more than the base model of the Pixel, but what’s more is the Galaxy S8 offers a MicroSD card slot, so you can expand on your storage by up to 256GB.

Considering the fact the Galaxy S8 has a much better processor, the better performing device is unsurprisingly the Samsung Galaxy S8.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S8