Google Pixel 2 vs Samsung Galaxy S9
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Google Pixel 2 and the Samsung Galaxy S9, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Google Pixel 2 | Samsung Galaxy S9 |
|---|
| Price | $70 | $159 |
| Our rating | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Battery | 2,700 mAh | 3,000 mAh |
| Wired charging | 18W | 15W |
| RAM (max) | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Storage (max) | 128 GB | 400 GB |
| Screen size | 5 in | 5.8 in |
| Main camera | 12.2 MP | 12 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 143 g | 163 g |
| Released | Oct 2017 | Mar 2018 |
Summary: Google Pixel 2 is ahead on our rating, wired charging, main camera, weight (lower is lighter). Samsung Galaxy S9 is ahead on battery, storage (max), screen size.
★ Which should you buy? Google Pixel 2 is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs.
Researched with AI assistance by infozme.com from manufacturer and retailer sources — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Google Pixel 2 | Samsung Galaxy S9 |
|---|
| Type | AMOLED | Super AMOLED, HDR10 |
| Size | 5.0 inches, 68.9 cm2 (~67.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.8 inches, 84.2 cm² (~83.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution | 1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~441 ppi density) | 1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~570 ppi density) |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Features | Always-on display | — |
Platform
| Google Pixel 2 | Samsung Galaxy S9 |
|---|
| OS | Android 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 11 | Android 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 10, One UI 2.5 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 (10 nm) | Exynos 9810 (10 nm) - EMEA or Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) - USA/LATAM, China |
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.35 GHz Kryo & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo) | Octa-core (4x2.7 GHz Mongoose M3 & 4x1.7 GHz Cortex-A55) - EMEA or Octa-core (4x2.8 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) - USA/LATAM, China |
| GPU | Adreno 540 | Mali-G72 MP18 - EMEA or Adreno 630 - USA/LATAM, China |
Memory
| Google Pixel 2 | Samsung Galaxy S9 |
|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only or dedicated slot - single SIM model, up to 400 GB |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM |
| Type | UFS 2.1 | — |
Main Camera
| Google Pixel 2 | Samsung Galaxy S9 |
|---|
| Single | 12.2 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Laser AF, OIS | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama, Night Sight | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Video | 4K@30fps (gyro-EIS), 1080p@30/60/120fps (gyro-EIS), 720p@240fps (gyro-EIS) | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS, OIS |
Selfie Camera
| Google Pixel 2 | Samsung Galaxy S9 |
|---|
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.4, 27mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.4µm | — |
| Features | HDR | Dual video call, Auto-HDR |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1440p@30fps |
| Dual | — | 8 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.22µm, AF; 2 MP (dedicated iris scanner camera) |
Battery
| Google Pixel 2 | Samsung Galaxy S9 |
|---|
| Type | Li-Ion 2700 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 3000 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | 18W wired, PD2.0 | 15W wired, QC2.0; Qi/PMA wireless charging |
| Wireless Charging | No | — |
Body
| Google Pixel 2 | Samsung Galaxy S9 |
|---|
| Dimensions | 145.7 x 69.7 x 7.8 mm (5.74 x 2.74 x 0.31 in) | 147.7 x 68.7 x 8.5 mm (5.81 x 2.70 x 0.33 in) |
| Weight | 143 g (5.04 oz) | 163 g (5.75 oz) |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| SIM | Nano-SIM and eSIM | Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| Water & Dust Resistance | IP67 certified (up to 1m for 30 min) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
Comms
| Google Pixel 2 | Samsung Galaxy S9 |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | — |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| Positioning | — | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
Launch
| Google Pixel 2 | Samsung Galaxy S9 |
|---|
| Announced | October 4, 2017 | February 25, 2018 |
| Status | Released 2017, October 19 | Available. Released March 16, 2018. |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Google Pixel 2 or Samsung Galaxy S9?
Samsung Galaxy S9 — 2,700 mAh for the Google Pixel 2 versus 3,000 mAh for the Samsung Galaxy S9.
Which is lighter, Google Pixel 2 or Samsung Galaxy S9?
Google Pixel 2 — 143 g for the Google Pixel 2 versus 163 g for the Samsung Galaxy S9.
Which is newer, Google Pixel 2 or Samsung Galaxy S9?
Samsung Galaxy S9 — Oct 2017 for the Google Pixel 2 versus Mar 2018 for the Samsung Galaxy S9.
Is the Google Pixel 2 or the Samsung Galaxy S9 rated higher?
We rate the Google Pixel 2 8/10 and the Samsung Galaxy S9 7/10.
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