Only the differences are shown. 1 spec stays the same.
+8you gain
−0you give up
Pixel came out in October 2016. Galaxy S26 came out in March 2026, over 9 years later.
Note on Pixel: Google stated "Pixel ... starting at $649"; it did not state a Pixel XL price.
Camera
None → 3x optical zoom
3 Rear cameras, 50 MP, 12 MP front, Ultra wide +1 more
Screen
5 in → 6.3 in screen
Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Battery
2770 mAh → 4300 mAh
Charging & connections
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2x2 MIMO, dual-band (2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz) → Wi-Fi 7
USB Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1, Wired up to 25W, Wireless up to 15W
Chip & storage
32 GB, 128 GB → 256 GB, 512 GB
Samsung's pages differ, RAM 12 GB
Price check
Galaxy S26 launched at $899.99
All 24 differences
Updates1 change
Software updates
No longer updated›Security updates until February 2033, 7 Android upgrades
Google and Samsung each publish a guaranteed support period, counted in their own way. They are shown as they are, without a gain or a loss.
What does this mean?
Both makers promise updates, counted in their own way. Google promises Android and security updates until a month it works out from when a Pixel first went on sale on the US Google Store. Samsung promises security updates until a month and a number of Android upgrades: for recent models Samsung's own page gives the month, and for older promises the site works it out from the years Samsung announced, saying so under the row.
The two promises are not counted the same way, so both are shown as they are, without a gain or a loss.
Matters most if: You plan to keep the phone for many years, or you are buying one used.
Price1 change
Price check
Galaxy S26 — launched at $899.99
What your Pixel sells for
- Google Store Trade-In
- Sold listings on eBay
eBay may ask you to sign in to see sold prices.
Links open in a new tab. Prices are set by each seller and change daily.
Starting price
$649›$899.99+$250.99
Battery1 gain · 1 unconfirmed
Battery life (each maker's figure)
Not confirmed›Up to 30 hours of video playback
What does this mean?
Each maker's own battery test. Google's figure is an estimate for a typical Pixel user's mix of calls, mobile data, standby and other use; Samsung's is hours of video playback on recent phones.
The tests are different, so the site shows both without picking a winner.
Matters most if: You often run out of battery before the end of the day.
Battery capacity
2770 mAh›4300 mAh
What does this mean?
mAh (milliamp-hours) measures how much charge a battery holds, like the size of a fuel tank.
Both makers list a capacity. A bigger number alone does not mean longer battery life.
Camera6 gains
Rear cameras
1›3
What does this mean?
How many cameras are on the back. Each one has a different lens: standard, wide, or zoomed-in.
More cameras means more ways to frame a shot without walking closer or further away: fit a whole room in with the wide lens, or get a close shot of something far away with the zoom lens.
Main camera
12.3 MP›50 MP
What does this mean?
MP stands for megapixels. One megapixel is one million tiny dots. A 12 MP photo is made of 12 million dots, a 48 MP photo of 48 million dots.
On a phone screen, a 12 MP and a 48 MP photo look almost the same. The difference shows when you zoom in, crop part of the photo, or print it large: more dots means detail holds up longer. More megapixels also lets the phone zoom 2x by cropping without losing quality.
Matters most if: You crop photos, print them, or zoom in on details later.
Ultra wide camera
GainWhat does this mean?
A second lens that sees a much wider area than the main camera.
You can fit a whole room, a tall building or a big group into one photo without stepping back. On many models it is also used for macro (very close-up) photos.
Matters most if: You take photos indoors, of landscapes, or of groups.
Telephoto camera
GainWhat does this mean?
A zoom lens: a separate camera that sees things far away as if you were closer.
Zooming with a real zoom lens keeps the photo sharp. Without one, the phone has to cut out part of the image, so it gets blurrier the more you zoom. It also makes portrait photos look more flattering, because you can stand further back.
Matters most if: You photograph kids' sports, concerts, pets or wildlife from a distance.
Optical zoom
None›3x optical zoom
Only optical zoom is compared. Google's Super Res Zoom and Pro Zoom and Samsung's Space Zoom use processing, not a lens.
What does this mean?
How much the zoom lens (telephoto camera) magnifies with glass, so the photo stays sharp. Where a phone has two zoom lenses, the longer one is compared.
Only lenses are compared. Google's Super Res Zoom and Pro Zoom and Samsung's Space Zoom use processing, not a separate lens, so they are not counted.
Matters most if: You photograph kids' sports, concerts, pets or wildlife from a distance.
Front camera
8 MP›12 MP
Screen2 changes
Screen size
5 in›6.3 in
Screen type (each maker's name)
AMOLED›Dynamic AMOLED 2XDifferent
What does this mean?
Each maker's own words for the screen: Google's names such as Actua and Super Actua, and Samsung's such as Dynamic AMOLED 2X.
A name alone does not tell you which screen is brighter or sharper, so the row is marked "Different" without a winner.
Design & buttons2 changes · 1 unconfirmed
Unlock
Fingerprint Unlock (on the back)›FingerprintDifferent
Weight
143 g›167 g
Water and dust resistance
Not confirmed›IP68
Charging & connections1 gain · 3 changes · 1 unconfirmed
Cable transfer speed
USB 3.1›USB Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1Different
Galaxy S26: from Samsung's page for the Europe version, as its page for the US version does not give it.
Wired charging
Fast charging: up to 7 hours of use from only 15 minutes of charging (included USB Type-C 18W charger)›Up to 25WDifferent
What does this mean?
How fast the phone charges with a cable, in each maker's own words.
Google states how much of the battery fills in a set time with a given charger; Samsung names a charging speed in watts. The two are not the same measure, so the row shows both side by side as "Different".
Wireless charging
None›Up to 15WDifferent
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2x2 MIMO, dual-band (2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz)›Wi-Fi 7
Ultra Wideband
Not confirmed›Yes
Port
USB-C (same on both)
Galaxy S26: from Samsung's page for the Europe version, as its page for the US version does not give it.
Safety1 change
Satellite messaging or SOS
No›Satellite messaging through a carrierDifferent
Each maker's own service, in its own words. Samsung's satellite messaging depends on the carrier and the country. Samsung's page
Chip & storage3 changes
Chip
Qualcomm Snapdragon 821›Samsung's pages differDifferent
Galaxy S26: values for the US version. Samsung sells it in other versions too, where the chip and other details can differ; see its Galaxy page.
RAM
4 GB›12 GBDifferent
What does this mean?
RAM is the phone's working memory for the apps you have open right now, measured in GB (gigabytes). It is separate from storage.
Google and Samsung both list RAM; the site shows each maker's figure.
Storage options
32 GB, 128 GB›256 GB, 512 GB
What's new
RSS feedAdded Samsung Galaxy S, iPhone vs Galaxy and Pixel vs Galaxy
Galaxy S phones from the first Galaxy S (2010) to the Galaxy S26 series, checked against Samsung's own pages only, with a page for each model and a switch for models Samsung sold in separate versions, such as with an Exynos or a Snapdragon chip. iPhone vs Galaxy and Pixel vs Galaxy pages compare only what both makers publish, in each maker's own words, and you can pick a Galaxy on the iPhone and Pixel tabs.
Added prices by storage and configuration
Spec pages now list the launch price of each storage option, Mac configuration or Apple Watch case, and today's price on the maker's own store for models still sold, from Apple's and Google's own pages only. Comparisons call the old price row the starting price and add the price of the same configuration on both models: the same storage on iPhone, iPad and Pixel, the same memory and storage on Mac, and the same case on Apple Watch. iPhone pages also show Apple's wired fast-charging figure.
Added Google Pixel and iPhone vs Pixel comparisons
Pixel phones checked against Google's Pixel phone hardware tech specs page, with a page for each model and a switch for models Google sells in separate versions for the US, Japan and the rest of the world. iPhone vs Pixel pages compare only what both makers publish, in each maker's own words, and you can pick a phone from the other maker on the iPhone and Pixel tabs.