Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Which is the better buy in 2025?

Google's Pixel 10 Pro XL and Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra are among the best Android phones money can buy in 2025. The former was recently introduced as the Mountain View-based search giant's latest flagship, with significant improvements that give the iPhone 16 Pro and Galaxy S25 a run for their money. While both devices cost well over $1,000, they promise a premium flagship experience and a boatload of AI features to differentiate themselves from cheaper alternatives.

However, the highest-end models are designed for a different category of users. You're looking at heavy multitaskers and enthusiasts opting for these devices mostly. Most of the niche audience already have their mind made up, and a brief look at the specs and performance capabilities isn't enough to change their mind. However, for the remainder of the market, which one wins the cut in terms of what they have to offer? Let's find out.

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The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra are the best-in-class Android phones today

The S25 Ultra is a high-end phone designed for a premium experience (Image via Samsung)

The Pixel 10 Pro XL brings Google's new Tensor G5 chip, manufactured by TSMC instead of Samsung. This is a bold move in a market riddled by supply chain shortages. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S25 Ultra packs Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor, which has been specially tuned to work well with Samsung.

Let's look at the detailed specs before delving into performance.

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Specs comparison

The Pixel 10 Pro XL comes with a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display that hits an impressive 3,300 nits peak brightness. That's significantly higher than Samsung's 2,600 nits display. Google also standardized on 16GB of RAM across all storage configurations, beating the S25's 12 GB capacity.

The Samsung, on the other hand, bundles a larger 6.9-inch display and a more premium build with a titanium body. It also has a stronger Gorilla Glass Armor 2 protection for the display, while Google sticks with Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

Moreover, Samsung also wins in terms of camera specs: Samsung bundles a high-end 200 MP main sensor, a 50 MP ultrawide, and a dual-telephoto setup with 3x and 5x optical zoom. Google's design is simpler, with a 50 MP, 48 MP ultrawide, and 48 MP 5x telephoto. On paper, Samsung wins. In practice, it's more complicated.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL also takes the lead in terms of battery capacity: 5,200 mAh vs. 5,000 on the S25 Ultra. However, the S Pen remains Samsung's advantage.

Here's a detailed look at the specs:

Specification	Google Pixel 10 Pro XL	Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Display	6.8" LTPO OLED, 2,992×1,344px	6.9" Dynamic LTPO AMOLED, 3,120×1,440px
Refresh Rate	1-120Hz adaptive	1-120Hz adaptive
Peak Brightness	3,300 nits	2,600 nits
Processor	Google Tensor G5 (3nm TSMC)	Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
RAM	16GB LPDDR5X	12GB LPDDR5X (16GB in select markets)
Storage	256GB/512GB/1TB UFS 4.0	256GB/512GB/1TB UFS 4.0
Main Camera	50MP f/1.7	200MP f/1.7
Ultra-wide	48MP f/1.7	50MP f/1.9
Telephoto	48MP f/2.8 (5x optical)	10MP f/2.4 (3x) + 50MP f/3.4 (5x)
Front Camera	42MP f/2.2	12MP f/2.2
Battery	5,200mAh	5,000mAh
Wired Charging	45W	45W
Wireless Charging	25W Qi2 (built-in magnetic)	15W Qi (requires case for Qi2)
Build Materials	Recycled aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2	Grade 5 Titanium frame, Gorilla Glass Armor 2
Weight	221g	218g
Water Resistance	IP68	IP68
S Pen	❌	✅ (integrated)
Operating System	Android 16	Android 15 + One UI 7
Update Promise	7 years	7 years
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, 5G	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, 5G, UWB
Launch Price (256GB)	$1,199	$1,299
Geekbench 6 Score	2,296 / 6,203 (single/multi)	3,031 / 9,829 (single/multi)
Available Colors	Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, Rose Quartz	Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium WhiteBlue, Titanium JetBlack

While both phones are pricey, the S25 Ultra demands a staggering $1,299 for the base model. Google, on the other hand, is offering the Pixel 10 Pro XL from $1,199, with exciting pre-order bonuses reducing the price even further.

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Performance comparison

The Pixel 10 Pro benchmark controversy has the Android market shaken up (Image via Google)

Samsung's Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy absolutely destroys Google's Tensor G5 in every performance benchmark. While the new CPU has improved significantly over the Pixel 9 Pro, the S25 Ultra takes a 32% lead in single-core Geekbench scores (3,031 vs 2,296) and a massive 58% lead in multi-core (9,829 vs 6,203).

AnTuTu 10 scores are even worse, giving S25 Ultra a 300% lead in the overall test. However, these numbers have already been challenged by experts, and we could be looking at a different story once the Pixel hits shelves.

For now, this is how the benchmarks are expected to stack for the devices:

Benchmark Test	Google Pixel 10 Pro XL	Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra	Performance Gap
Geekbench 6 Single-Core	2,296 points	3,031 points	Samsung +32% faster
Geekbench 6 Multi-Core	6,203 points	9,829 points	Samsung +58% faster
AnTuTu 10 Overall	~700,000 points	2,758,993 points	Samsung ~300% faster
AnTuTu 10 CPU	~300,000 points	644,406 points	Samsung +115% faster
AnTuTu 10 GPU	~180,000 points	1,265,832 points	Samsung +600% faster

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For now, the Galaxy S25 Ultra comes out as the more powerful phone. If your workload involves gaming, video editing, or heavy multitasking, the more capable chip will deliver a smoother performance at a more premium price.

However, the Pixel 10 Pro XL has its strengths: strong AI feature integration, clean stock Android, and better image processing (which can beat the Samsung at times). For now, it's best to wait for the Pixel to hit shelves before pulling the trigger.