Pixel 10 vs Galaxy S25: Google’s sleeper upgrade could steal the spotlight from Samsung
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Intro
The second half of 2025 is shaping up to be a compelling one for Android fans. On one end, we already have the Galaxy S25—Samsung’s lightest and most compact flagship in years. On the other, the Pixel 10 is still waiting in the wings, but it promises a meaningful anniversary upgrade, debuting Google’s first fully custom Tensor G5 chip.
Both phones target the same $800 flagship category, share similar screen sizes, and cater to users who want a premium experience in a smaller form factor. However, they approach that goal from very different angles: Samsung emphasizes raw power and polish, while Google leans into AI smarts, longer software support, and potentially more versatile cameras this year.
In this preliminary comparison, we’ll break down how the Pixel 10 is expected to stack up against the Galaxy S25 in terms of design, display quality, performance, cameras, battery life, and software. Is Google’s upcoming phone going to outshine Samsung’s already-launched S25—or will Samsung hold its lead?
In this preliminary comparison, we’ll break down how the Pixel 10 is expected to stack up against the Galaxy S25 in terms of design, display quality, performance, cameras, battery life, and software. Is Google’s upcoming phone going to outshine Samsung’s already-launched S25—or will Samsung hold its lead?
Pixel 10 vs Galaxy S25 expected differences:
| Pixel 10 * | Galaxy S25 |
|---|---|
| New but still slower Tensor G5 chip | Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| Larger 6.3” display | 6.2” display and more compact body |
| Higher brightness levels | Still very bright but not as much |
| Triple camera setup (first time on base Pixel) | Same triple camera as S24, AI-powered improvements |
| Rumored 4K 60fps HDR | 10-bit HDR at 4K 60fps |
| Android 16 + a smarter AI assistant | One UI 7 + Galaxy AI |
| 27–30W wired charging | 25W wired charging |
| 7 years of updates | 7 years of updates |
| $799 | $799 |
Table of Contents:
Design and Size
The S25 continues to be the compact flagship king
The Galaxy S25 is still one of the lightest and smallest flagships you can buy, coming in at 146.9 x 70.5 x 7.25 mm and just 162g. Its thin frame and clean design make it especially appealing for compact phone lovers.
The Pixel 10, in contrast, is getting slightly thicker and heavier than last year’s Pixel 9 — now measuring around 152.8 x 72.0 x 8.6 mm and 204g. While still not huge, it’s starting to blur the line between base and “Pro” dimensions. The added heft is reportedly due to a larger 4,970 mAh battery and possibly Qi2 magnets for magnetic charging accessories.
Official teaser image of the upcoming Pixel 10. | Image credit — Google
Both devices are built using premium materials: aluminum frames and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back. They also carry IP68 water and dust resistance ratings. In terms of design language, the Pixel 10 will likely keep its signature horizontal camera bar, while the Galaxy S25 sticks with Samsung's vertically stacked camera lenses.
Color options are more expressive on the Pixel (if past trends hold), while Samsung’s muted palette includes Icy Blue, Mint, and Silver Shadow.
Display Differences
The Pixel 10 and Galaxy S25 both offer compact OLED panels with 120Hz refresh rates, but there are a few notable differences. The Pixel is expected to keep the same 6.3-inch panel as the Pixel 9, with a slightly taller 20:9 aspect ratio and potentially even higher peak brightness than last year’s 2,700-nit record.
The Galaxy S25 features a 6.2-inch AMOLED screen with a 1080 x 2340 resolution and a measured peak brightness of around 2,394 nits in our lab tests. That’s excellent, but still shy of what the Pixel 10 may offer.
Biometrics are another shared strength. Both phones use ultrasonic fingerprint sensors under the display and offer face recognition as a secondary unlock method. Google’s sensor is said to be 50% faster than its older optical implementation, but the Pixel 10 is rumored to get an even better one than that!
Biometrics are another shared strength. Both phones use ultrasonic fingerprint sensors under the display and offer face recognition as a secondary unlock method. Google’s sensor is said to be 50% faster than its older optical implementation, but the Pixel 10 is rumored to get an even better one than that!
Performance and Software
Google's first fully custom-built chip still won't rival the S25
The Galaxy S25 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which delivers a big leap in performance, especially for GPU-intensive tasks. Our benchmarks showed nearly 50% gains over the Galaxy S24, and Samsung is using this same chip across all regions.
In contrast, the Pixel 10 will debut the Tensor G5—Google’s first fully custom chip built on TSMC’s second-gen 3nm process. While expectations are high, early reports suggest the performance gains may be more moderate, with Google focusing on efficiency and AI acceleration rather than raw horsepower.
Of course, AI is once again at the front and center. Google is said to be launching Pixel Sense, which will be a new smart assistant that will be exclusive to Pixel phones.
In contrast, the Pixel 10 will debut the Tensor G5—Google’s first fully custom chip built on TSMC’s second-gen 3nm process. While expectations are high, early reports suggest the performance gains may be more moderate, with Google focusing on efficiency and AI acceleration rather than raw horsepower.
In terms of memory, the Pixel 10 is expected to come with 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM, while the Galaxy S25 matches that spec, eliminating one of last year’s key differentiators. Storage will likely remain more limited on the Pixel (topping out at 256 GB), whereas Samsung also offers a 512 GB variant.
Of course, AI is once again at the front and center. Google is said to be launching Pixel Sense, which will be a new smart assistant that will be exclusive to Pixel phones.
Pixel Sense is designed to operate entirely on-device, pulling from services like Gmail, Calendar, and Maps to make proactive suggestions and personalized actions. It’s positioned as a next-gen replacement for Google Assistant—potentially offering deeper integration than even Galaxy AI or any other phone AI can muster right now.
Samsung’s Galaxy AI, meanwhile, leans heavily on Gemini integration and offers a solid mix of cross-app smarts, with features like Circle to Search, Live Translate, and new voice-based controls.
Samsung’s Galaxy AI, meanwhile, leans heavily on Gemini integration and offers a solid mix of cross-app smarts, with features like Circle to Search, Live Translate, and new voice-based controls.
As for software, the Pixel 10 will likely launch with Android 16 and get seven years of software updates—a huge plus for long-term value. The Galaxy S25 ships with Android 15 and One UI 7, with four years of OS updates and five years of security patches.
Camera
Zooming in on new priorities
Samsung's base flagship used to be one of the few (if not the only one) to feature a triple camera system with a dedicated telephoto camera. This year, Google is expected to match that versitily with the Pixel 10.
While we still don't know how much zoom it will have, the Pixel 10 is highly likely to get a telephoto camera of its own (maybe the same one as on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold), alongside the ultra-wide and the wide (main) ones. However, to make room for this new snapper, Google is reportedly using smaller sensors compared to the Pixel 9.
The S25 has the same camera system as its predecessor, so there are no changes to the hardware. That said, Samsung has added software improvements like Log video, Audio Eraser, and better low-light processing.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the camera specs:
Here’s a quick breakdown of the camera specs:
| Camera | Pixel 10 * | Galaxy S25 |
|---|---|---|
| Main | 50 MP Samsung GN8 (smaller sensor) | 50 MP (same as S24) |
| Ultra-wide | 13 MP Sony IMX712 | 12 MP |
| Telephoto | 11 MP Samsung 3J1 | 10 MP 3x optical zoom |
| Selfie | Likely 10.5 MP (unchanged) | 12 MP |
*Rumored
Battery Life and Charging
Bigger battery meets smarter, magnetically aligned charging
This year, the Pixel 10 is expected to receive a sizable 4,970 mAh battery—up from the Pixel 9's 4,700 mAh cell and significantly larger than the Galaxy S25’s 4,000 mAh battery.
In our internal testing, the S25 managed an impressive 7h 6m of screen-on time, compared to the Pixel 9’s 6h 48m. But with this larger battery and a (supposedly) more efficient Tensor G5 chip on the Pixel 10, Google might finally catch up—or even pull ahead—in battery endurance.
Where things get even more interesting is in wireless charging. The Galaxy S25 still offers 25W wired and 15W wireless speeds, without magnetic alignment or Qi2 support.
Where things get even more interesting is in wireless charging. The Galaxy S25 still offers 25W wired and 15W wireless speeds, without magnetic alignment or Qi2 support.
The Pixel 10, however, is rumored to introduce full support for Qi2 magnetic wireless charging, potentially making it Google’s first phone with magnets built into the phone itself rather than relying on case accessories. Qi2 allows for more efficient 25W wireless charging thanks to precise magnetic alignment, akin to Apple’s MagSafe.
Google is also said to be preparing a new Pixelsnap accessory ecosystem, including a magnetic charger, ring stand, and stand charger. Combine that with the Pixel 10’s increased thickness and weight, and it strongly suggests magnets are now onboard for native Qi2 support—no special case needed.
For wired charging, the Pixel is expected to support up to 30W via USB-C. While Samsung keeps things conservative with 25W charging, the Pixel may top off faster and more efficiently, both wired and wireless.
Google is also said to be preparing a new Pixelsnap accessory ecosystem, including a magnetic charger, ring stand, and stand charger. Combine that with the Pixel 10’s increased thickness and weight, and it strongly suggests magnets are now onboard for native Qi2 support—no special case needed.
For wired charging, the Pixel is expected to support up to 30W via USB-C. While Samsung keeps things conservative with 25W charging, the Pixel may top off faster and more efficiently, both wired and wireless.
Specs Comparison
Here's a quick overview of the Pixel 10 vs Galaxy S25 expected specs:
| Pixel 10 * | Galaxy S25 |
|---|---|
| Size, weight ~152.8 x 72 x 8.6 mm ~204 g | Size, weight 146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2 mm 162 g |
| Screen 6.3" OLED 120Hz | Screen 6.2" OLED 120Hz |
| Processor Google Tensor G5 3nm | Processor Snapdragon 8 Elite 3nm |
| Versions: 12/128GB 12/256GB - LPDDR5X | Versions: 12/128GB 12/256GB 12/512GB LPDDR5X |
| Cameras: 50 MP main 13 MP ultra 11 MP telephoto 10.5 MP front | Cameras: 50 MP main 12 MP ultra 10 MP 3X zoom 12 MP front |
| Battery: 4,700 mAh | Battery: 4,000 mAh |
| Charging: USB-C 29W wired 25W wireless | Charging: USB-C 25W wired 15W wireless |
*Rumored
Summary
The Galaxy S25 is a refined, lightweight flagship that prioritizes raw performance and a clean design. It's already available, offers great battery life despite its small size, and comes with one of the fastest mobile chipsets to date.
With the Pixel 10, Google is seemingly doubling down on the AI smarts instead of increasing the performance. The Tensor G5 and Pixel Sense assistant might be bring about the first phone to finally deliver on the promises of life-altering AI that all phone manufacturers have been making.
Of course, we also cannot forget to mention the new telephoto camera on the Pixel 10, and we can't wait to compare its camera system to the S25's once it comes out!
Ultimately, if you need a phone right now and want compact performance with a proven track record, the Galaxy S25 is a strong option. But if you can wait just a little longer, the Pixel 10 might offer some exciting new features and a camera setup that could match that of the S25.
If Google manages to make the most of its new chip in the form of convenient and innovative features, it just might not matter that it is not as powerful.
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