Samsung
Galaxy S25 Ultra
Snapdragon 8 Elite · 6.9″ · 200 MP
93
/ 100
From $1,299
VS
Galaxy S25 Ultra wins by 3
Google
Pixel 9 Pro XL
Tensor G4 · 6.8″ LTPO · Gemini-first
90
/ 100
From $1,099
Verdex verdict
Galaxy S25 Ultra takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Verdex score, Galaxy S25 Ultra lands at 93 and Pixel 9 Pro XL at 90. That puts Galaxy S25 Ultra ahead by 3 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Galaxy S25 Ultra if…
- ✓Huge anti-reflective 6.9″ display
- ✓200 MP sensor with 5× tele
- ✓S-Pen productivity
Pick Pixel 9 Pro XL if…
- ✓Best computational photography
- ✓Clean Android with 7-yr updates
- ✓On-device Gemini
Score breakdown
Galaxy S25 Ultra
93 cpu 96
gpu 97
camera 94
battery 89
display 96
design 92
Pixel 9 Pro XL
90 cpu 86
gpu 80
camera 96
battery 88
display 94
design 91
Specs side-by-side
Spec
Galaxy S25 Ultra
Pixel 9 Pro XL
Display
6.9″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 3120×1440
6.8″ LTPO OLED, 120Hz, 2992×1344
Chipset
Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
Google Tensor G4 (4 nm)
RAM
12 GB
16 GB
Storage
256 / 512 GB / 1 TB
128 / 256 / 512 GB / 1 TB
Rear camera
200 MP + 50 MP 5× + 10 MP 3× + 50 MP UW
50 MP + 48 MP 5× tele + 48 MP UW
Front camera
12 MP
42 MP
Battery
5000 mAh
5060 mAh
Charging
45W wired, 15W wireless
37W wired, 23W wireless
OS
Android 15, One UI 7
Android 14, 7-yr updates
Weight
218 g
221 g
IP rating
IP68
IP68
Galaxy S25 Ultra
Pros
- +Huge anti-reflective 6.9″ display
- +200 MP sensor with 5× tele
- +S-Pen productivity
Cons
- −Pricey storage tiers
- −AI features still maturing
- −Heavier in hand
Pixel 9 Pro XL
Pros
- +Best computational photography
- +Clean Android with 7-yr updates
- +On-device Gemini
Cons
- −Tensor G4 behind in raw GPU
- −Heats under sustained load
- −Slower charging
FAQ: Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Pixel 9 Pro XL
Which is better, Galaxy S25 Ultra or Pixel 9 Pro XL? +
Galaxy S25 Ultra scores 93 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 3. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Galaxy S25 Ultra worth the price? +
At $1,299, Galaxy S25 Ultra delivers a Verdex score of 93 — strongest in gpu.
Is Pixel 9 Pro XL worth the price? +
At $1,099, Pixel 9 Pro XL delivers a Verdex score of 90 — strongest in camera.
Does Galaxy S25 Ultra or Pixel 9 Pro XL last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.