Google Pixel XL vs Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Google Pixel XL and the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Google Pixel XL | Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus |
|---|
| Price | $95 | $99 |
| Our rating | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Battery | 3,450 mAh | 3,500 mAh |
| Wired charging | 18W | 15W |
| Storage (max) | 128 GB | 256 GB |
| Screen size | 5.5 in | 6.2 in |
| Main camera | 12.3 MP | 12 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 168 g | 173 g |
| Released | Oct 2016 | Apr 2017 |
Summary: Google Pixel XL is ahead on wired charging, main camera, weight (lower is lighter). Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus is ahead on battery, storage (max), screen size.
★ Which should you buy? Specs are close to an even split here, so Google Pixel XL is the better buy — the extra cost of the other one isn't matched by a clear spec advantage.
Reviewed by the infozme.com Editorial Team — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Google Pixel XL | Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus |
|---|
| Type | AMOLED | Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors |
| Size | 5.5 inches | 6.2 inches, 98.3 cm² (~84.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution | 1440 x 2560 pixels (~534 ppi density) | 1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~529 ppi density) |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Features | — | HDR10 compliant, Always-on display, 3D curved glass screen, Force Touch (home button only) |
Platform
| Google Pixel XL | Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus |
|---|
| OS | Android 7.1 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 10 | Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie), One UI |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 821 | — |
| CPU | Quad-core (2x2.15 GHz Kryo & 2x1.6 GHz Kryo) | — |
| GPU | Adreno 530 | — |
| Chipset (International) | — | Exynos 8895 Octa |
| Chipset (USA/China) | — | Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 |
| CPU (Exynos) | — | Octa-core (4x2.3 GHz M2 Mongoose & 4x1.7 GHz Cortex-A53) |
| CPU (Snapdragon) | — | Octa-core (4x2.35 GHz Kryo & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo) |
| GPU (Exynos) | — | Mali-G71 MP20 |
| GPU (Snapdragon) | — | Adreno 540 |
Memory
| Google Pixel XL | Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus |
|---|
| Internal | 32GB/128GB | — |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB |
| Card slot | No | — |
| Internal Storage | — | 64GB |
| Card Slot | — | microSDXC (dedicated slot up to 256GB) |
Main Camera
| Google Pixel XL | Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus |
|---|
| Single | 12.3 MP, f/2.0, 1/2.3", 1.55µm, PDAF, Laser AF | — |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@240fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR, dual-video rec. |
| Resolution | — | 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS |
Selfie Camera
| Google Pixel XL | Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus |
|---|
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.4, 1/3.2", 1.4µm | — |
| Features | HDR | Dual video call, Auto-HDR |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | — |
| Resolution | — | 8 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.22µm, AF |
Battery
| Google Pixel XL | Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus |
|---|
| Type | Li-Ion 3450 mAh, non-removable | Non-removable Li-Ion 3500 mAh |
| Charging | 18W wired, PD2.0 | Fast charging 15W (Quick Charge 2.0), Qi/PMA wireless charging |
Body
| Google Pixel XL | Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus |
|---|
| Dimensions | 154.7 x 75.7 x 8.5 mm | 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 mm |
| Weight | 168 g | 173 g |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), aluminum back, glass top back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| Water & Dust Resistance | — | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
Comms
| Google Pixel XL | Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 4.2, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS | — |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Radio | No | — |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0 | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| GPS | — | Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
Launch
| Google Pixel XL | Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus |
|---|
| Announced | 2016, October 04 | March 29, 2017 |
| Status | Released 2016, October 20 | Available. Released April 21, 2017 |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Google Pixel XL or Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus?
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus — 3,450 mAh for the Google Pixel XL versus 3,500 mAh for the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus.
Which is lighter, Google Pixel XL or Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus?
Google Pixel XL — 168 g for the Google Pixel XL versus 173 g for the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus.
Which is newer, Google Pixel XL or Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus?
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus — Oct 2016 for the Google Pixel XL versus Apr 2017 for the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus.
Is the Google Pixel XL or the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus rated higher?
We rate the Google Pixel XL 8/10 and the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus 8/10.
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