Samsung or Pixel? Which should you buy? With Google’s phones offering top-tier cameras for a fraction of the price, should you just save money?
Why you can trust Pocket-lint (Pocket-lint) – When Google launched the Pixel 6 lineup in 2021, there were many things unconventional about its launch. From the fact that it teased the phone publicly for months running up to the launch, to its weird-looking design. It drew people’s attention and became something of a surprise hit among tech enthusiasts. With that launch now being a few months behind us, Samsung’s latest flagship is on the market. The S22+ adds to a long-line of Galaxy smartphones that offer top tier performance, so how does it compare to the more affordable Pixel 6? And which should you buy? Read the comparison or watch our video below to find out. Design Galaxy: 157.4 x 75.8 x 7.6mm – 195 grams Pixel 6: 158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9mm – 207 grams Both: Glass front and back, aluminium frame Both: IP68 water and dust resistant We don’t know how many times something along the lines of “smartphones are all glass rectangles now, they’re all the same” has been said or written in recent years. And, broadly speaking, it’s true. But with the Pixel 6 and Samsung’s latest ‘Plus’ Galaxy model, we see two quite different approaches to the glass slab approach. And it doesn’t matter which side you look at them from either, they’re quite different. squirrel_widget_6561669 Saying that, the two phones are incredibly similar when it comes to size. They’re a similar height, width and thickness, although technically the Pixel 6 is ever so slightly taller, thicker and heavier than the Samsung S22+. It’s a testament to Samsung then that, despite this, it’s got a bigger screen. That’s saying something when you consider that this is the larger of the two non-Ultra S22 models; there’s an even smaller one. The bezels around the screen are much thinner than the Pixel and that black frame around the display is close to being uniform all the way around, and even matches the curves of the corners, hugging the inside of the frame closely. Pixel 6 has a chunkier, more right angled look. It’s striking when you put the two side-by-side. Where Pixel gets it right is in the shape of the phone. It might be big, but because the glass curves on the back – and the aluminium edge has a more pronounced rounding – it does feel more comfortable to hold. Samsung’s is very flat, giving more of an extreme edge between the glass and the frame. The other thing worth noting is Pixel’s camera hump. It’s unusual, but does mean you can place it down on its back without it wobbling. From a durability standpoint, the Samsung should be longer lasting and more resistant to impact. It has Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the front and on the back, with what it calls Armour Aluminium, which it says is more durable and scratch resistant than before. Pixel uses Gorilla Glass Victus on the front, and Gorilla Glass 6 on the back. So it’s still pretty sturdy itself, and both are water and dust resistant to the same IP68 rating. Displays Galaxy: 6.6-inches – AMOLED – 1080 x 2340 resolution – 393ppi Pixel 6: 6.4-inches – AMOLED – 1080 x 2400 resolution – 411ppi Galaxy: 120Hz adaptive refresh – HDR10+ support Pixel 6: 90Hz adaptive – HDR10+ support Both: In-display fingerprint sensor and punch-hole cameras Moving on to displays, and the Pixel 6’s screen – at least size wise – sits in between the S22 and the S22+. It’s 6.4-inches, where the S22+ is 6.6-inches, and the S22 is 6.1-inches diagonally. It’s not all that different when it comes to resolution. They both have fullHD+ resolution screens. And with Samsung being slightly larger, you get a tiny bit less pixel density, but you’d be hard pushed to see that difference. Overall, the two screens offer a great experience in terms of colour, brightness and contrast, but there are a couple of things that swing the display experience in the favour of Samsung.
