The recently launched Google Pixel XL is undoubtedly one of the most powerful Android smartphones in the world. On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge has been very successful commercially and is one of the best-equipped handsets in the industry. Today, let’s compare the Google Pixel XL with the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and find out which is better.
Just a day ago, Google replaced its Nexus-branded smartphones with the latest Pixel and Pixel XL. These are identical devices just with a different dimension, display, and battery. With a 5-inch screen, Google Pixel is the smaller one, while the Pixel XL boasts a 5.5-inch panel. It the larger one which we are pitting against the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge in today’s comparison. We have divided our assessment categorically so you will specifically know which smartphone excels in what aspects.
Let’s see how they compare on paper in terms of specs!
Build Quality
The Google Pixel XL sports a metal unibody build in comparison to the glass body of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. The former is made of space grade aluminum, while the latter is the Corning Gorilla Glass 4. At 7.7 mm, Samsung’s device is much thinner than the 8.6 mm maximum thickness of its competitor. The Galaxy S7 Edge features IP68 certification and has better water resistance than the IP53 rating of the Pixel XL significantly. The fingerprint sensor of the S7 Edge is integrated with the Home Button, whereas in the Pixel XL, it is at the back.
Winner – Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Display
Each of the smartphones sport a 5.5-inch AMOLED display with Quad HD (2560 x 1440) resolution. However, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge has a dual curved edge display while the Google Pixel XL comes with a 2.5D curved screen. Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protects both the panels.
Winner – Tie (depends on personal taste)
Performance
The newer Google Pixel XL sports the latest Snapdragon 821 chip in comparison to the Snapdragon 820 SoC of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. Even though both the chips are almost similar in raw processing power, the Snapdragon 821 has an edge in graphics rendering, VR support, and camera. The Exynos version of the S7 Edge is identical to Snapdragon 820 regarding performance.
The brand new Android 7.1 Nougat runs on the Pixel XL, whereas, the S7 Edge has got the older Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The Google’s smartphone runs a much cleaner version of Android in comparison to Samsung’s heavy customizations. This results in drastically better performance in the Pixel XL, and it is much snappier than the Galaxy S7 Edge. Additionally, the inbuilt Google Assistant of in the Pixel enhances its usability.
Winner – Google Pixel XL
Storage
Both Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and Google Pixel XL feature 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM. The former has 32 GB and 64 GB storage options, while the latter has 32 GB or 128 GB internal memory. The S7 Edge has a micro SD card, whereas, Google has deeply integrated cloud storage into the Pixel XL. The latter comes pre-bundled with unlimited cloud storage for photos and videos.
Winner – Tie (Depends on your preference between cloud and physical storage)
Camera
Each of the smartphones has 12 MP primary cameras which are actually quite different. The Samsung S7 Edge has a dual pixel shooter with large f/1.7 aperture size. On the other hand, the Pixel XL features the Sony IMX 378 with f/2.0 aperture. However, Google’s handset has a larger 1/2.3″ sensor size and 1.55 µm pixel size in comparison to the 1/2.5” and 1.4 µm of the Galaxy S7 Edge. This means that the Pixel XL has a wider field of view and the S7 Edge fares better in low light.
4K 2160p at 30 fps and slow motion 720p at 240 fps videos can be shot using both the handsets. The Pixel XL can additionally record slow motion 1080p footages at 120 fps. A 5 MP selfie camera sits on the front of the S7 Edge, whereas the Pixel XL has an 8 MP shooter.
Winner – Google Pixel XL (in a fragile margin)
Connectivity
Connectivity features are similar in each of the handsets. Both supports 4G LTE with VoLTE (Voice Over LTE), dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS, NFC, etc. The notable difference is that the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge has a conventional microUSB 2.0 port, while the Google Pixel XL has USB 3.0 Type-C port.
Winner – Google Pixel XL
Battery
The Pixel XL features a 3450 mAh battery while a 3600 mAh cell juices up the S7 Edge. However, in spite of lesser battery capacity, the former boasts better power back-up. Both the batteries are non-removable and compatible with Quick Charge.
Winner – Tie
Price
In India, the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (4GB/32 GB) starts from about Rs. 51,000 ($765 USD approx.) while the Google Pixel XL (4GB/32 GB) is set to debut at Rs. 67,000 ($1005 USD approx.).
Winner – Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (costs almost Rs. 16,000 lesser)
Conclusion
The newer Google Pixel XL is undoubtedly the superior device, but certainly not better enough to justify the price difference.
Read the article on the Blog: Google Pixel XL Vs Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge – Which is better?
More Tech Related Articles: TechSplurge - A blog on Android, iPhone, Windows and the Web.