Google, who made the Android operating system that is used by a majority of phone companies these days, has now launched a new set of Android smartphones designed and developed by themselves, namely Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL. These smartphones have the latest Android OS update (Nougat) as well as the in-built and upgraded Google Assistant.
These smartphones were praised by the users and garnered lots of positive reviews. But when it comes to competing with the big boys of the smartphone industry, namely Samsung, can the new Google smartphones come up with a challenge? Let us find out!
Here I am comparing the latest smartphone of Google, i.e., Google Pixel XL, launched in October 2016 with Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, that was launched in March 2016.
Processor:
Google Pixel XL is powered by Quad-core Kyro processor with Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chipset and supported by Adreno 530 GPU with 4GB RAM. Samsung does not lag behind in this case as it is powered by Quad-core Kyro processor & Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 or Octa-core processor & Exynos 8890 Octa chipsets depending on the region of purchase, and supported by Adreno 530 GPU with 4GB RAM. Both devices are very fast and go neck to neck in terms of performance.
Operating System:
The Google Pixel XL comes with Android Nougat 7.1, the latest android update. This has brought a lot of new features on the Pixel device along with upgraded Google Assistant and Pixel Launcher. Some of the latest features of Android 7.1 includes the doze mode feature, multi window support along with drag and drop feature from one window to another, enhanced encryption system and many more. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge currently has Android Marshmallow update with TouchWiz interface. But it will receive the Nougat update very soon. Till then, Google Pixel XL will be much more faster and smoother compared to Galaxy S7 Edge.
Size, Display & Body:
When comparing the size and dimensions of Google Pixel XL measuring 154.7 x 75.7 x 8.5mm and weighing 168gm, and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge measuring 150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7mm and weighing 157gm, Pixel XL is slightly more heavier and larger than Galaxy S7 Edge. Both devices have built in fingerprint sensors. While Pixel XL has a physical button at the back of the phone (it also acts as the main home button as the mobile doesn’t have any home button in front), Galaxy S7 Edge places the fingerprint sensor in the front within the main home button.
Both Google Pixel XL and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge have similar features when it comes to display. Both comes with a 5.5 inch touchscreen with a resolution of 1440×2560 pixels and 534 ppi pixel density. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4. The only difference is that Google Pixel XL has AMOLED touchscreen while Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge comes with Super AMOLED touchscreen with TouchWiz UI for better viewing and more power saving. A positive aspect of Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge when compared with Pixel XL is that, S7 Edge has got a IP68 rating for water and dust resistance compared to IP53 rating for Pixel XL.
The materials used in both Pixel XL and Galaxy S7 Edge may be similar, but the look and feel of both the devices are completely different. Pixel XL is a lot more rectangular in shape with curved edges and a metal body finish. It has a glass window on the upper portion of the rear end. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge has a curvy design that is more eye catching and attractive, along with metal and glass finish. One thing I would like to add here is that, though Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is way ahead when compared to Google Pixel XL in terms of looks and style, when it comes to watching movies or videos, Google Pixel XL scores more points. This is because the curved glass of Galaxy S7 Edge distorts the videos in the upper and lower edges which hampers in viewing videos properly. The Google Pixel XL on the other hand has a flat screen that helps in watching videos smoothly.
Camera:
Google Pixel XL features a 12.3 MP rear camera with f/2.0 aperture, phase detection laser autofocus and dual LED flash. The front camera is of 8 MP. Unlike most smartphones, Pixel XL does not have a front flash. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge features a 12 MP rear camera with f/1.7 aperture, phase detection autofocus and LED flash. The front camera is of 5 MP. As per the features are concerned, the camera app of Samsung offers lot more controls than its Google counterpart which is more simplistic. When it comes to checking the performance of the two cameras, it is a tie between the two. While Pixel XL takes better pictures in some cases, Galaxy S7 Edge is better in other situations.
Memory:
When it comes to finding which device is better in terms of memory capacity, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge wins hands down over Google Pixel XL. Both devices have in-built memory variants of 32 GB and 128 GB, but the main disadvantage of Pixel XL is that it does not have any external memory slot, whereas external memory in Galaxy S7 Edge can be extended upto 256 GB (single SIM mobile phones have a dedicated MicroSD card slot, whereas in dual SIM mobiles, SIM 2 slot is used to place the MicroSD card). Both these devices comes with 4 GB Ram, therefore you can expect these devices to perform smoothly without any hiccups.
Battery Life:
Google Pixel XL as well as Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, both have non-removable Li-Ion batteries with a capacity of 3450 mAh and 3600 mAh. Both these devices usually last throughout the day and you can enjoy listening to music, watching videos and playing games without charging the phone anytime during the day. Both devices have quick charging capabilities, though Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge beats Pixel XL in this regard as S7 Edge charges much more faster compared to Pixel XL.
Overall Verdict:
After comparing these two devices, I must say that it is tough to decide which one is better than the other. Both devices have quite similar features, though Google Pixel XL has the best operating system and all the latest updates as well as better picture quality when using the camera, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge with stylish design, improved water and dust resistant feature, more external memory space and faster battery charging, gives the Google phone a tough fight. The price of Google Pixel XL is also a bit on the higher side at around $749 when compared with the price of Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge which is approx $517. Therefore after going through the specs and features, I would say Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge has a slight advantage over Google Pixel XL. What do you think of both these amazing devices? Whether you will sell your phone and opt for Pixel XL or you will go for Galaxy S7 Edge, do share your views and ideas.
Guest article written by: Arpita Bose is a technology blogger who shares a lot of information about technology and mobile phone related news.
Thanks for the post. I am about to upgrade my Galaxy S6 and considering the different options.
Thanks for your comment Stephen. If you want a new Samsung phone, you can go for either Galaxy S7 Edge or Galaxy S8. Or else you can shift to Google Pixel XL which is also a great smartphone. Choose well!!
The Google Pixel hit the racks toward the end of last year, so it’s still too soon for genuine breaks about a spin-off of one of our most loved telephones of 2016. One of the greatest gossip so far rotates around one of our most asked for Pixel 2 elements, and it appears the forthcoming lead will survive a dunk in the shower.