Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
50.8Performance37.2
65.3Display56.3
71Camera72
59.3Battery46.4
94.7Features78.7
14 spec wins — Google Pixel 9 Pro XL3 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
InnoReviews verdict
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL wins this phone face-off, 63.8 to 53.9, pulling ahead mainly in features (+16) and performance (+14). Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
- Stronger performance score: 51 vs 37
- Stronger display score: 65 vs 56
- Stronger battery score: 59 vs 46
- Stronger features score: 95 vs 79
- 380% higher telephoto: 48 MP vs 10 MP
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
- 116% higher Main camera: 108 MP vs 50 MP
- 100% higher Optical zoom: 10 x vs 5 x
Display
| Spec | Google Pixel 9 Pro XL | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.8 ″ | 6.8 ″ |
| Panel type | LTPO OLED | LTPO AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1344x2992 | 3200x1440 |
| Pixel density | 486 ppi | 515 ppi+6% |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 3,000 nits+100% | 1,500 nits |
| Screen-to-body | 89 % | — |
| AnTuTu 10 (CPU) | — | 263,424Top 88% |
| AnTuTu 10 (GPU) | — | 126,989Top 82% |
| AnTuTu 10 (Memory) | — | 165,563Top 72% |
| AnTuTu 10 (UX) | — | 227,841Top 82% |
Performance
| Spec | Google Pixel 9 Pro XL | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Google Tensor G4 | Samsung Exynos 2100 |
| AnTuTu 10 | 1,180,000+51%Top 37% | 783,817Top 65% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 1,980+38%Top 34% | 1,430Top 52% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 4,750+34%Top 38% | 3,550Top 56% |
| RAM (max) | 16 GB+33% | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 128/256/512GB/1TB | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB |
| Storage type | UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 |
Camera
| Spec | Google Pixel 9 Pro XL | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 50 MP | 108 MP+116% |
| Main aperture | f/1.68 | f/1.8 |
| Ultra-wide | 48 MP+300% | 12 MP |
| Telephoto | 48 MP+380% | 10 MP |
| Optical zoom | 5 x | 10 x+100% |
| Max video | 4K@60fps | 8K@24fps |
| Front camera | 42 MP+5% | 40 MP |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | Google Pixel 9 Pro XL | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 5,060 mAh+1% | 5,000 mAh |
| Wired charging | 37 W+48% | 25 W |
| Wireless charging | 23 W+53% | 15 W |
| Active use endurance | 11 h | — |
Design
| Spec | Google Pixel 9 Pro XL | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 221 g+3% | 228 g |
| Thickness | 8.5 mm+4% | 8.9 mm |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Frame material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Google Pixel 9 Pro XL | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB-C 3.2 | USB-C 3.2 |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
Software
| Spec | Google Pixel 9 Pro XL | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | Android 14 | Android 11 (One UI 3.1) |
| OS update pledge | 7 years+75% | 4 years |
Audio
| Spec | Google Pixel 9 Pro XL | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
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