If you're in the market for a top android phone the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Google Pixel 2 are probably on your list of consideration.
That's no surprise, the Galaxy S9 is a powerful and elegant machine that sits at the top of this class, it's also pricey, about 720 to 800 dollars depending on the carrier Meanwhile, the Pixel Two is a champ in itself, with a best in show camera, and a lower price tag that starts at $649.
So which one should you buy?
We've stacked these two power houses against one another to see which one comes out on top.
[MUSIC]
[MUSIC]
What's great about these phones are that both are water resistant, but I was never a huge fan of the Pixel 2's design.
Though I love its pocketable five inch size, its thick bezels and matte finish on an aluminum back feels dated and cheap.
It also doesn't have a headphone jack, whereas the Galaxy S9 does.
And it's a deal breaker for many.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy S9 has a sharper edge to edge probe screen.
It's glossing casing is sleek and elegant, even though I kind of hate how much it collects finger prints so easily.
Overall, I have to hand it to Galaxy S9 and it's polish looks for this round.
[MUSIC]
We've already dove deep into a camera comparison between these two phones, which I highly recommend you watch for even more info.
But if you want the TLDI, here's the lowdown.
The Galaxy X9 has a fantastic camera, and excels at taking noise free photos like when you're taking pictures of the sky or a low light night shot.
But the Pixel 2's camera is exceptional.
And is our pick for this category.
Its HDR plus enhanced feature lets you just click the shutter and take a great shot, even with tricky lighting.
Portrait mode on both the rear and front facing cameras are smoother and look better.
Lastly, we're super impressed with its video stabilization capability...
Which is one of the best, if not the best on any phone available.
[MUSIC]
Both phones run Android Oreo, but the Pixel 2 will receive updates from Google as soon as they're available.
The Pixel 2 also has the Google assistant digital voice assistant, while the Galaxy S9 has both assistant and Samsung's own Bixby voice Both Assistant and Bixby can do the basics fine, including setting reminders and checking the weather.
But Bixby can handle complex, multi-step commands, like posting your latest photo on Instagram with a dictated caption.
Assistant, on the other hand, taps into Google's vast search database and can look up queries through continued conversation It's also faster when looking up answer, whereas Bixby takes a beat or two longer.
Both platforms can also look up visual items, like identify landmarks or scan bar codes via Google Lens and Bixby Vision.
Also keep in mind the Galaxy S9 has iris scanning for security too.
I gotta say though that this round is a toss up.
Personally I prefer assistant because of its speed.
And I like the pixel two's more streamlined and refined user experience, but when it comes to quote unquote doing more the Galaxy S9 definitely has more options.
A quick look Qualcomm latest snapdragon eight forty-five chipset.
The Galaxy S9 is smooth and lightning quick, and it comfortably beat the Pixel 2 in our benchmark test.
But just because a Pixel 2 has last year's processor, it doesn't mean it's not zippy and responsive itself.
When it comes to day to day usage, I didn't discern any difference in speed between the two.
The Galaxy S9's battery is only a little bigger than the Pixel 2, yet its battery life is impressive.
In our lab tests for continuous video playback on airplane mode, the Galaxy S9 ran a lengthy 15 hours and 30 minutes.
The Pixel 2, meanwhile, lasted 13 hours and 28 minutes.
In addition, the Galaxy S9 has wireless charging, similar to previous Galaxy phones.
While this isn't exactly a make or break feature for me, it's one more convenience that the S9 has that the Pixel doesn't.
So while the Pixel 2 is as reliable a phone as any, the Galaxy S9 is faster and has a longer lasting battery to boot.
[MUSIC]
Because I love the ease of which I can take a great photo with little effort.
I personally lean towards the Pixel 2. I also like it's minimalistic interface, pocketable size and slightly lower price tag.
But what's objectively the better phone, I have to say is the Galaxy S9.
With its smooth looks, fast processor and long lasting battery, it edged out the Pixel 2 in more categories.
This all makes sense since it's the newer and more expensive phone.
Whatever phone you choose, you'll surely be satisfied with both.
Lastly, if you don't need a new phone right away, note that Google is expected to launch the Pixel 3 in October.
And the next big Samsung phone is assumed to be the Galaxy Note 9, which is due out for release in August.
[MUSIC]
