The Pixel 6 Pro beats Galaxy S21 Ultra in one surprising way

Deciding which phone to buy can be a dizzying affair.

Sifting through varying degrees of camera prowess, performance, software features, durability, design, ports, displays, and ecosystems, all with $1,000 (or more) on the line can feel less like a life upgrade and more like really expensive homework.

Luckily, we’ve tried a lot of phones and, as usual, have formulated a lot of opinions, so we’re here to help you make an expedited choice based on the phone-buying parameters that matter most.

Hardware

Pixel 6 Pro

• As we covered in our Pixel 6 Pro review, Google’s Tensor chip marks a big upgrade for Pixel phones and empowers machine-learning capabilities without wasting battery
• The Titan M security chip brings more hardware layers of security than any other chip in a smartphone according to Google
• The OLED display is bright, but isn’t quite as bright as competitors

Galaxy S21 Ultra

• Like we mentioned in our Galaxy S21 review, the Snapdragon 888 chip makes for faster 5G, AI-processing, and more bandwidth for multi-camera capture
• The S21 Ultra is compatible with Samsung’s S Pen (sold separately), so if using a stylus is your thing, you’re in luck
• A chonky 6.8 inches of real estate and dynamic / battery-efficient 120Hz refresh rate give the Galaxy S21 Ultra one of the best displays in a phone, period

Winner: Galaxy S21 Ultra

Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra is just powerful, plain and simple. Google is making leaps with its Tensor chip, but for now, if you’re looking for a phone that can handle memory-intensive tasks like gaming, this contest be an easy choice.

Camera

Pixel 6 Pro

• Computational photography bolstered by Google’s Tensor chip makes the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro capable of bringing the best out of your photos
• Exclusive camera features like Action Pan and Long Exposure make Pixel pictures more dynamic than ever
• A big camera bar might not make or break your decision, but for opponents of the camera bulge, it’s a considering factor
• Rear: 50-megapixel wide (downsized to 12-megapixel photos), 48-megapixel telephoto, 12-megapixel ultrawide
• Front: 11.1 MP ultrawide selfie

Galaxy S21 Ultra

• Space Zoom and software stabilization give users an otherworldly 100x zoom capability
• Megapixels, emphasis on the mega thanks to a rear-facing 108-megapixel sensor
• A contour cut camera notch
• Rear: 108-megapixel wide, two 10-megapixel telephotos, 12-megapixel ultrawide,
• Front: 40-megapixel selfie

Winner: Galaxy S21 Ultra

As two of the top flagship Android phones, the Pixel 6 Pro and Galaxy S21 Ultra are nearly neck-and-neck when it comes to picture prowess, however, software isn’t enough to pull the Pixel 6 Pro to the top of the pile here.

Software

Pixel 6 Pro

• Android 12, and design perks like Material You, comes standard on the Pixel 6 Pro
• Pre-loaded apps like Google Photos, Google Pay, and Android Auto
• Magic Eraser uses Google’s ML to remove unwanted objects from a photo

Galaxy S21 Ultra

• The S21 Ultra Uses One UI 3.1 which is essentially a Samsung skin on top of Android 11
• A Director’s View, or vlogger mode, lets you use the front and the back cameras simultaneously

Winner: Pixel 6 Pro

One UI 3.1 works just fine as an operating system, but the perks of the Pixel’s use of Android 12 (Material You and all its customizable goodness) over Android 11 give Google the point for software here.

Battery

Pixel 6 Pro

• While the Pixel 6 Pro has about the same size battery (5,003 mAh) as the Galaxy S21 Ultra, Android may take a second to optimize your usage patterns, so expect some lag before peak battery performance

Galaxy S21 Ultra

• Also equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery, the Galaxy S21 Ultra one excels out of the box, lasting a 1.5 to 2 days on a full charge

Winner: Galaxy S21 Ultra

Both phones may technically have the same size battery, but in our experience, the Galaxy S21 Ultra tends to outlast the Pixel 6 Pro even with the use of a technically brighter display.

Price

*All prices are compared using MSRP, but may differ with trade-in values.

Galaxy S21 Ultra

• Via Samsung, a Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G with the maximum 512GB of storage MSRP’s for $779.99

Pixel 6 Pro

• A Pixel 6 Pro with 128GB of storage is currently $899

Verdict

The Pixel 6 Pro is inarguably Google’s best phone yet, but despite all of its flashy computational photography, upgraded camera module, and the inclusion of Android 12, Samsung, and its fully-loaded Galaxy S21 Ultra, edges out the Pixel 6 in just about every major category — not to mention the fact you can theoretically buy a Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G right now for as low as $600 with an eligible trade-in. Sorry Google Stans, Samsung’s Galaxy line is still the Android phone to beat.