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Since smartphone tech has slowed down a bit and we don't see massive evolutions year over year, nowadays it's a reasonable strategy to buy slightly older flagship models, instead of the newest (and most expensive) ones. This is why it's perfectly reasonable that you may be looking at buying either the Galaxy S22 or the Pixel 6 in 2023.
Google's Pixel 6 line came out in late 2021 and redefined the Google phone, with a new design — that's here to stay — and Google's own processor at the core of them. The base Pixel 6 was considered great value for money back then and the sentiment remains. Even the Pixel 7 after it launched with the low, low price tag of $600, and we expect the same of the Pixel 8. And all of those launches keep pushing the Pixel 6's price down — now commonly found for $400.
Samsung's Galaxy S22 has also been replaced by a Galaxy S23, which means that — more often than not — if you spot one in a store, it will be discounted, too. But it has a bit more bells and whistles than the Pixel, and it sports Samsung's elaborate One UI software.
OK, but which one was the better phone? Which one has the better camera and more dependable battery life? Better performance? Well, strap in and let's go — here's everything you should no about the Galaxy S22 vs Pixel 6:
If you don't have a suitable trade-in, we suggest going to Amazon, where you can get the 256GB Galaxy S22 at its standard price. The model in Phantom Black is the most affordable of all.
The Google Pixel 6 can be yours with discount at Amazon
The Pixel 6's MSRP was $599 on release. The good news is that you don't have to cough up that much money now, especially if you take advantage of Amazon's awesome 40% discount on the 128GB Pixel 6 in Stormy Black.
Pixel 6 at Best Buy: get with a wireless pad today
The Pixel 6 is now discounted at Walmart. This is the unlocked version. The phone isn't offered at a discounted price right now, but it comes with a wireless pad.
Google made a 180-turn with the design of the Pixel 6, and so far people like what they see. The company entered the glass sandwich era and the Pixel 6 features a flat front and a glass back with tapered edges around the back.
The most interesting element in the design is the Camera Bar - a strip across the back, housing the main camera system. On the front, the screen is surrounded by uniform bezels (although a bit on the thicker side) with a hole-punch selfie camera in the center.
The design of the Galaxy S22 is more of an evolution than a revolution, compared to its predecessor. The S22 refines the design of the S21 with uniform bezels around the screen and the same triple camera bump placed on the back.
The Galaxy S22 is one of the smallest flagships in recent years, measuring only 146 x 70.6 x 7.6mm. The Pixel 6, on the other hand, is substantially larger at 158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9 mm. It also has thicker bezels and a more square design overall.
Samsung Galaxy S22 vs Google Pixel 6: Display
6.1-inch Super AMOLED LTPO 10-120Hz vs 6.4-inch OLED 90Hz
Google upgraded the display technology in the new Pixel 6 series but only for the Pro model. The LTPO variable refresh rate tech is missing on the vanilla Pixel 6. It sports a 6.4-inch OLED panel with 2400x1080 resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate.
The display on the Samsung Galaxy S22 is a smaller, 6.1-inch Super AMOLED panel with a variable refresh rate between 10 and 120Hz. The resolution is 2340 x 1080 pixels, with 19.5 aspect ratio, and 422 PPI density. Due to the smaller size and pretty much the same resolution, the display of the Galaxy S22 has more pixels on a square inch, meaning it's a tad crisper.
Samsung also bumped up the brightness of all the models across the S22 range, and the Galaxy S22 now can output up to 1,500 nits of peak brightness. Now, Google doesn't share peak brightness numbers for the Pixel 6, and we measured around 800 nits during our tests, so it looks like the Galaxy S22 wins this round.
The way companies measure peak brightness is a bit subjective and it doesn't necessarily translate to real life figures. In our test the Galaxy S22 was able to output around 750 nits, which is on par with the Pixel 6, so it's a tie in this category.
Samsung Galaxy S22 vs Google Pixel 6: Hardware and performance
Exynos 2200 (Snapdragon 8 Gen 1) vs Google Tensor
Here’s where things get really interesting. The new Tensor chip inside the Pixel 6 is still a big unknown. We’ve done some tests and, of course, there are synthetic benchmarks all over the net but we still don’t know how this chip fares in the long run.
The Galaxy S22 comes in two flavors - equipped with the next Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset or the Exynos 2200. The latter sports a GPU made by AMD with the RDNA2 architecture and ray-tracing support baked in.
Judging by the graph, the new Galaxy S22 series outperforms the Pixel 6, at least on the test benches. The memory configuration of the Pixel 6 is 8/128GB, and the Galaxy S22 matches these numbers. There’s no microSD card slot on the Pixel, and the soon-to-be-forgotten expansion slot is missing in the Galaxy S22 as well.
Samsung Galaxy S22 vs Google Pixel 6: Camera
The Pixel 6 has two main cameras on the back - a 50MP wide lens, and a 12MP ultra-wide. No macro snappers, monochrome nonsense, or other gimmicky contraptions. And these two cameras produce great images. You can take a quick look at the galleries below.
The Galaxy S22 now has a 50 MP sensor for the main camera, a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultra-wide camera.
Camera samples from the Galaxy S22 are done, and you can take a look below. It seems that the Galaxy S22 has a more flexible camera system and edges the Pixel 6 in that department.
Samsung Galaxy S22 vs Google Pixel 6: Battery
Google bumped up the battery capacity of the Pixel 6 compared to its predecessor and it shows in the benchmarks. What’s interesting is that the new Tensor chip doesn’t handle gaming too efficiently. Other than that, the Pixel 6 and its 4,614mAh cell are doing great in the longevity department.
The Galaxy S22, on the other hand, comes equipped with a 3,700mAh battery. That’s a downgrade, compared to the 4,000mAh battery of the Galaxy S21, and it may be due to the compact size of the Galaxy S22.
The Galaxy S22 supports 25W fast charging, and Samsung is playing it safe with the vanilla model (the Ultra can charge with up to 45W). The Pixel 6, on the other hand can suck juice with up to 30W of power, so maybe there's an advantage for the Pixel here.
Samsung Galaxy S22 vs Google Pixel 6: Price
$799 for the Galaxy S22 vs $599 for the Pixel 6
The price of the Galaxy S22 is the same as the price at launch of its predecessor - $799 for the 8/128GB base model. It's not a bad price, considering it's a new generation with upgraded components and updated features. The problem is that Pixel 6 undercuts that by quite some margin.
The 512GB Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra can be had for just $299.99
With $1000 off for an S21 Ultra trade-in and a free 512GB storage upgrade, the S22 Ultra can be had for up to $1100 off.
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The Samsung Galaxy S22+ is now $800 off
Grab a free 256GB storage upgrade to add to the enhanced $700 trade-in credit.
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The 256GB Samsung Galaxy S22 can be had for a $100 instead of $849
The Galaxy S22's storage upgrade to 256GB is now free, plus you can get up to $700 off with a trade-in.
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Save $825 on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra
The 128GB Tab S8 Ultra enjoys $675 enhanced trade-in credit, plus free Galaxy Buds Pro earphones with a purchase.
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The price of the Google Pixel 6 is absolutely amazing, and one of the strongest points of last year’s Google flagship. With a $200 lower price, the Pixel wins this category hands down. Of course, you can always find a trade-in deal to soften the blow, so this category is more flexible than the other ones. Samsung Galaxy S22 deals are already starting to pop-up, so pay attention to those.
Google Pixel 6: get it now for 33% less at Amazon
Snatch the Pixel 6 with a sweet discount at Amazon and enjoy! The phone comes with 128GB of storage in the color Stormy Black, but other colors and storage options are available as well.
Pre-paid Google Pixel 6: get it from Best Buy and save $100!
The Pixel 6 is currently being sold at Best Buy. The device is locked to T-Mobile and comes with a carrier plan. Get it and save $300 in the process. The device costs $12.49/mo and is paid for in 24 installments.
The Pixel 6 and the Galaxy S22 are pretty close in some areas, and not so close in others. It seems that Samsung got the edge with the screen but then again, the Pixel is substantially cheaper. The Galaxy S22 might be faster but on the other hand, the new Google Tensor chip is all about AI and clever little tricks.
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However, the Galaxy S22 wins out with extra features in the camera department (namely - telephoto for portraits), and a more robust ecosystem of devices around it. Samsung's tablets and laptops, the SmartTags, and Galaxy Buds. The Pixel does have Pixel Buds, but Google relies more on the general Android compatibility in other areas, instead of building its own experiences (for the time being).
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Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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