Pixel 10 Pro vs Galaxy S25: Expected differences

August is fast approaching, and along with the summer heat, we’re going to get a new Pixel family—the Pixel 10 series (actually, we have a leaked schedule pointing toward August 13 as the official unveiling date for the Pixel 10 series). Google struck a chord with the previous generation and will look to capitalize on the momentum with the next-gen Pixels.The Pixel 10 Pro is now the compact and powerful offering in the portfolio, after Google switched things around with the introduction of the Pixel 9 Pro XL last year. The new Pro model will fight for the compact Android crown, and its main rival will be the Galaxy S25.

Today we’re going to pit these two against each other with all the preliminary information we have about the Pixel 10 Pro.

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It seems that Google won’t be making any sudden movements with the Pixel 10 Pro when it comes to design choices. According to the latest leaked renders, the phone is very similar to its predecessor, with the same flat front, back, and sides, and also the same camera bump on the back.The Galaxy S25 is a known variable in this equation; it sports the conventional Galaxy S series design of the past couple of generations, and it’s quite similar to what Pixel introduced last year. The S25 is a tad more compact, though, due to the ever-so-slightly smaller screen and the thinner design.

*rumored

When it comes to building blocks, the same glass and metal sandwich is present on both devices. There were some rumors of a titanium frame for the Pixel 10 Pro, but most of the credible sources point toward the same aluminum used on the previous model.

The Galaxy S25 uses Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for protection, and we expect similar material on the Pixel 10 Pro, probably Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2, which offers slightly better scratch and shatter resistance.

Color-wise, the Galaxy S25 is available in a bunch of hues (some of which are Samsung exclusives), and the Pixel 10 Pro is expected to be a bit more conservative in that regard, matching the hues of the previous generation.

*rumored

The Galaxy S25, on the other hand, comes with an ever-so-slightly smaller 6.2-inch Super AMOLED screen, and it also has a lower resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. This puts the pixel density at around 416 PPI, and the advertised peak brightness is 2600 nits (compared to the 3000 nits expected on the Pixel 10 Pro).

This will require some lab testing, and we will add a proper display test results once we get the Pixel 10 Pro, but the early signs tell us that the Google phone will potentially have a slight advantage in this department—both in display brightness and also in detail and sharpness.

The Pixel 10 Pro is expected to get the next-generation Tensor G5 processor. Google’s in-house-developed silicon will come with some performance gains compared to the last generation, but we don’t expect the chip to be able to challenge the Snapdragon 8 Elite when it comes to raw power.

The Galaxy S25 managed around 3000 and 9000 points in the Geekbench single- and multi-core tests, which is a normal result for a Snapdragon 8 Elite phone. 

*rumored

The Galaxy S25 was updated to OneUI 8 recently and this UI comes on top of Android 15. The Pixel 10 Pro will most likely launch running Android 16 out of the box, as Google’s next OS is expected to reach final release status on June 3. The S25 will eventually get it as well, but there might be a delay.

It’s a flexible and powerful system, so there’s no real need for an upgrade, but Google might tweak the algorithms and offer more AI magic on top of that.

The Galaxy S25 comes with a similar triple camera setup, but on paper the ultrawide and telephoto cameras seem inferior to what the Pixel 10 Pro will most likely bring. The main camera is very similar, though, sporting a 50MP sensor under an f/1.8 aperture lens. 

*rumored

The Google Pixel 10 Pro is expected to sport a 4,700mAh battery, which is pretty good considering the size of the phone. In contrast, the Galaxy S25 comes equipped with a 4,000 mAh cell, which is a bit on the lower side nowadays.

Capacity doesn’t always tell the full story, though. Last year, the Pixel 9 Pro suffered low efficiency, probably due to Tensor G4 issues, and ranked #66 overall, having the same 4,700 mAh battery that’s expected on the Pixel 10 Pro. The Galaxy S25 scored 7h 6m overall in the same test, which ranks it #60 among all phones tested in the past 2 years. 

Now, the Tensor G5 will be built on a different node and by a different manufacturer, so there are potential efficiency gains to be had. On paper, the Pixel 10 Pro should outperform the S25, but we have to wait and test this ourselves.

The charging speeds are pretty low on the Galaxy S25 with 25W wired charging support and 15W wireless. Other manufacturers now offer three-digit charging speeds (Motorola comes to mind), but we don’t expect Google to be one of them with the Pixel 10 Pro.

There are rumors about a slight upgrade from 30 to 45W wired charging, but for all intents and purposes, and given the battery of the Pixel 10 Pro is expected to be bigger, these two will probably have close charging times.

Which one is better, then? The Galaxy S25 or the Pixel 10 Pro? Even at this preliminary stage, it seems that the Google flagship offers a better package. It comes with a bigger and brighter screen, more RAM, a better camera setup, a bigger battery, and potentially faster charging.

Now, all this comes at a price, as the Pixel 10 Pro is expected to launch at $999 for the 16/128GB version. The Galaxy S25, on the other hand, is $200 cheaper, comes with a faster processor, and even though the camera system might not win the pixel race (pun intended), it’s a decent and flexible setup nonetheless.

We need more information, and we will get it once the Pixel 10 Pro lands on our test bench. Stay tuned for benchmarks and camera comparisons soon, as well as a final verdict on the fight for the compact Android flagship crown.