For years now, the margin between Samsung and Google has gotten slimmer with each new phone they release. Google, for example, is making its strongest case for the best camera phone with its Pixel 9 Pro XL. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is no slouch in this area either given how it tops our list of best Android phones.
In my Pixel 9 Pro XL review, I specifically mention how its upgraded ultrawide and selfie cameras are marked improvements over its predecessor. I also love how it features some of the best AI-assisted photo editing tools around, like Add Me and Reimagine, which certainly makes it a much more robust camera phone.
However, its triple camera arrangement with a 50MP main camera, 48MP ultrawide, and 48MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom will need to over deliver if it has any chance in winning this camera shootout.
Samsung’s continually been a strong performer in this area, and, as I’ve mentioned in my Galaxy S24 Ultra review, is no different armed with its triple cameras; a 200MP main shooter, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto with 3X optical zoom, and a 50MP telephoto with a 5X optical zoom. These pixel crunching numbers look impressive on paper, but it ultimately comes down to what they actually produce.
Previously, it was almost a deadlock in my Pixel 8 Pro vs. Galaxy S24 Ultra photo shootout. Even though Samsung narrowly came out on top, the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s new upgrades could be enough to pull Google ahead this time. Just like my other photo shootouts, I’m shooting the same exact scenes with the two flagships — then previewing their photos on a monitor to pixel peep their differences.
Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: daytime
Since I was close to the water, I snapped the first set of images in the gallery above overlooking some docked boats in the foreground with buildings in the background. This daytime scene looks almost identical until I start zooming, where I can make out the better exposure with the highlights and boats from the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s shot. The S24 Ultra’s snapshot looks just as good, but zooming definitely shows how it’s a smidge less with the definition.
Winner: Pixel 9 Pro XL
Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: dynamic range
More often than not in the snapshots I’ve taken, it’s a toss up when looking at their dynamic range performances. With the sun setting behind the trees, the Pixel 9 Pro XL neutralizes the brighter areas of the horizon to draw out the details in the clouds. In contrast, the S24 Ultra has a slightly brighter picture that better shows the difference in light and shadow throughout the shot. Due to this, I’m giving it to the S24 Ultra — but only by a smidge.
Winner: Galaxy S24 Ultra
Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: macro
This one’s a clear win for the Galaxy S24 Ultra, mainly because of how it produces the brighter images with better clarity. I thought I wasn’t getting close enough to my subjects with the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s dedicated macro mode, but even when I tried adjusting my distance, it still couldn’t match the S24 Ultra’s shots. Not only are they brighter in almost every instance, but they’re noticeably sharper and detailed.
Winner: Galaxy S24 Ultra
Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: color reproduction
Frankly, I’m always enticed by saturated colors, but the Galaxy S24 Ultra is way too aggressive with it in all the shots I captured. The deep blues and greens almost make it look like it’s been heavily edited, whereas the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s color reproduction paints a more realistic image of the scene.
Winner: Pixel 9 Pro XL
Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: selfie
There are several reasons why the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s selfie camera is better than the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Even though it has an advantage on paper with its absurd 42MP front-facing camera, its wider field of view makes it more suitable for group shots. You can see the difference in the first set of photos in the gallery above, but what’s more noticeable is how the S24 Ultra’s selfie camera over exposes the bright scene behind me.
Winner: Pixel 9 Pro XL
Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: ultrawide
Another clear area where the Pixel 9 Pro XL reigns supreme is in the ultrawide department. In addition to having the wider 123-degree field of view (versus S24 Ultra’s 120-degree one), the Pixel 9 Pro XL also casts the brighter picture each time — thanks in part to its wider f/1.7 aperture lens that better exposes the shadows through the building in the first set of images above.
Winner: Pixel 9 Pro XL
