Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Extra-slim or extra-large?

Extra-slim or extra-large?

Samsung just launched its latest Galaxy phone, the brand new S25 Edge.

In doing so, the brand has deviated from its usual strategy, wherein we normally see a trio of flagships at the start of the year and foldables in the summer. This new model joins Samsung’s flagship bar-phones as a significantly slimmer option for those who want class-leading specs without such a bulky chassis.

Despite its slim design and lightweight body, it’s still a large phone, with a screen size similar to the Pixel 9 Pro XL, and it also starts at the same price. For these reasons, you might be trying to decide which one is right for you, or if you already own the Pixel 9 Pro XL, you might be considering an upgrade.

If so, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll explore how the two phones compare in every department, so you can pick the right one for your needs. However, it’s worth noting that while we’ve reviewed the Pixel 9 Pro XL, we’ve only gone hands-on with the Galaxy S25 Edge so far.

Design & Display

As mentioned in the introduction, a key selling point of the Galaxy S25 Edge is its slim and lightweight design. It weighs only 163g and measures just 5.9mm thick. The Pixel 9 Pro XL, on the other hand, isn’t designed with slimness in mind. It’s much thicker, measuring 8.9mm, and it’s noticeably heavier at 221g.

Thickness and weight aside, both phones look fairly similar from the front. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is larger, but it’s only about 3mm taller, and less than 1mm wider. Both have fully flat screens and centrally placed punch-hole selfie cameras.

Where the Galaxy S25 Edge pulls ahead, though, is with its slim bezels. They’re slimmer than the Pixel 9 Pro XL bezels on all sides, and the camera cutout is smaller, too. This means, despite having smaller dimensions, the difference in screen size is smaller than you’d expect – the Pixel is just 0.1 inches bigger.

Both phones boast 120Hz OLED panels with adaptive refresh rates and HDR10+ support, but the Galaxy S25 Edge has a higher resolution. It has a 1440 x 3120 display, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL is only 1344 x 2992.

That said, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is slightly brighter. It has a peak brightness of 3000 nits, while the S25 Edge maxes out at 2600 nits. Realistically, though, both are more than bright enough to be used comfortably outdoors. 

In terms of construction, both phones have glass backs and metal frames, but the S25 Edge uses titanium in its frame, which should make it more durable. It also has the newer Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 coating on its screen, which should be more scratch-resistant than the Gorilla Glass Victus coating on the Pixel.

Both models are IP68 certified, which means they’re dust-tight and can withstand dunks in fresh water for up to 30 minutes.

Performance

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, one of the fastest chips on the market today. Meanwhile, the Pixel 9 Pro XL uses Google’s own Tensor G4 SoC.

The Tensor G4 is no slouch, but in terms of raw power, it can’t hold a candle to the Snapdragon 8 Elite. If you like to play graphically intensive mobile games like Genshin Impact, or if you do demanding tasks like video editing on your phone, the Galaxy S25 Edge should have a clear advantage.

What may pose more of a challenge is cooling. Until we’ve tested it for ourselves, we’ll need to wait and see how well the slim chassis of the S25 Edge can keep the temperatures in check. 

The S25 Edge is available in two varieties. You can choose between 256GB or 512GB of storage, and both models have 12GB of RAM. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has the same storage options, but it adds two more in addition. It starts with just 128GB and goes all the way up to 1TB. All versions come with 16GB of RAM, which is more than the S25 Edge can offer.

Cameras

One of the biggest differences between these phones is the camera setup. The S25 Edge only has two cameras on the back: a 200Mp main sensor and a 12Mp ultrawide. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a 50Mp main, a 48Mp ultrawide and a 48Mp 5x telephoto.

So, if you like to zoom in, you’ll likely get the best results with the Pixel. The 200Mp sensor should help with digital zoom somewhat, but in our experience, it’s hard to beat a dedicated telephoto lens.

Of course, another thing that makes a huge difference to your photos is image processing. Samsung and Google have very different approaches. Recent Samsung flagships opt for a more natural style, whereas Pixel images tend to look a bit more vibrant and poppy. They’re both excellent in their own right, but you’ll likely prefer one over the other.

Around the front, the S25 Edge has a 12Mp selfie snapper with autofocus capabilities. Meanwhile, the Pixel opts for a higher resolution 42Mp sensor, and it also has autofocus. On paper, the Pixel selfie camera sounds superior, but Samsung is known for its excellent selfies, and in reality, it’s hard to call a clear winner.

Other differences

Both of these phones are packed with AI features, and since Samsung works so closely with Google, there’s plenty of overlap. If you’re looking for variety, though, Samsung is the way to go. The brand has added plenty of its own features on top of those powered by Google, so there’s more to explore in Samsung’s operating system.

That’s true elsewhere in One UI 7, too. It’s one of the most feature-packed Android builds available, and it includes unique features like Samsung Dex, where you can turn your phone into a full-fledged desktop replacement by connecting it to an external screen.

Comparatively, Pixel UI is much simpler, but for some users, that could be a good thing. It looks great and it performs well, two of the most important things for any operating system.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Pixel 9 Pro XL has a much larger battery, with a 5060 mAh cell, compared to just 3900 mAh on the S25 Edge. In theory, it’ll last a lot longer, but we won’t know for sure until we put it to the test.

The Pixel 9 Pro also charges quicker, at up to 37W as opposed to 25W on the Galaxy S25 Edge. It’s also faster when it comes to Qi wireless charging – 23W instead of 15W.

Pricing

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge and Google Pixel 9 Pro both start at £1,099 in the UK. At that price, Samsung gives you 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, while Google gives you 128GB of storage and 16GB of RAM.

The S25 Edge is also available with 512GB of storage for £1,199, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL can be configured with up to 1TB, but that’ll cost you a whopping £1549. It’s worth noting, though, that the Pixel 9 Pro XL has been on the market for a while, and as such, you can often find it discounted – it’ll be a while before we see any discounts on the S25 Edge.

Verdict

We already know that the Pixel 9 Pro XL is a great phone, and the same is likely to be true of the Galaxy S25 Edge. As always, the right one for you will depend on your personal needs.

The S25 Edge is all about the slim and light design, which is something the Pixel 9 Pro XL can’t match. It’s also much faster. So if you’re a gamer and you want something pocketable, it’s likely the way to go.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

Rating of this product is 4 out of 5
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Price When Reviewed: From £1,099
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However, the Pixel 9 Pro XL has plenty of advantages of its own. It has an extra camera, a much bigger battery and wireless charging support. You can also sometimes find it on sale, now that it has been out for a while, so it could offer better value.