Samsung Galaxy S26 vs Google Pixel 10: We’ve tested both and it’s a close call

Price: Pixel Beats Samsung – But Read the Fine Print

Left to right: Galaxy S26 Ultra, S26+ and Galaxy S26 (Credit: Eric Zeman)

There are a total of six phones between these two ranges Pixel 10a. The S26 starts at $899.99, the S26+ starts at $1,099.99, and the S26 Ultra starts at $1,299.99. All three have at least 256GB of storage; higher capacities cost more.

Meanwhile, the Pixel 10 starts at $799, the Pixel 10 Pro starts at $999, and the Pixel 10 Pro XL starts at $1,119. Note that the Pixel 10 and 10 Pro base models only come with 128GB of storage. Their 256GB variants are $100 more, bringing their prices more in line with the Galaxy S26 and S26+.

Left to right: Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 (Credit: Eric Zeman)

The S26 Ultra with 1TB of storage is priced at $1,799.99. The 1TB Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is $1,549. The Pixel 10 series is cheaper than the Galaxy S26 series, marking its first victory.

Winner: Pixel 10

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Design: Two different looks, one familiar formula

Samsung and Google make it easy to identify their phones from the back because from the front they all look like rounded rectangular plates.

Left to right: Galaxy S26 Ultra, S26+, Galaxy S26 (Credit: Eric Zeman)

The Galaxy S26 measures 5.89 x 2.82 x 0.28 inches (HWD) and weighs 5.89 ounces; The 6.7-inch Galaxy S26+ measures 6.24 x 2.98 x 0.29 inches and weighs 6.70 ounces; and the Galaxy S26 Ultra measures 6.44 x 3.07 x 0.31 inches and weighs 7.55 ounces.

The Pixel 10 is 6.02 x 2.83 x 0.34 inches and 7.20 ounces. The 10 Pro has the same dimensions as the 10, but weighs 7.30 ounces. The 10 Pro XL is a big phone at 6.41 x 3.02 x 0.33 inches and 8.18 ounces. When it comes to thin and light, Samsung’s lineup is slimmer and its phones weigh less than their Pixel counterparts.

Left to right: Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 (Credit: Eric Zeman)

All these phones are rated IP68 it has dust and water resistance and aluminum frames. Samsung covers its S26 and S26+ screens with Corning Gorilla Glass Armor, and the S26 Ultra with Gorilla Armor 2. Google uses Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on all Pixel 10s.

Each Samsung S26 has three cameras on the back in a vertical pill-shaped riser, while the S26 Ultra adds two circular sensors to the right. The Pixel series features Google’s Camera Bar, an elongated camera bump that runs horizontally across the rear panel.

As for the colors, the Galaxy S26 comes in Black, Cobalt Purple, Sky Blue or Silver Shade and White with Rose Gold options. The Pixel 10 comes in Frost (light blue), Indigo (dark blue), Lemongrass (light green) or Obsidian (black). The Pro models come in Jade (light green), Moonstone (gray), Obsidian (black) or Porcelain (white).

Style is subjective, so decide what pleases your eyes.

Winner: Tie

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Screens: Glossy Panels and a Really New Trick

Left to right: Galaxy S26 Ultra, S26+, Galaxy S26 (Credit: Eric Zeman)

See the table for all the details, but note that the Pixel 10 series has a higher maximum brightness (3300 nits) and the S26 Ultra has the largest screen (6.9 inches). No matter which device you choose, you’ll get crisp details and smooth animations. The Pixel 10 is the only device here that doesn’t support a 1-120Hz refresh rate.

Left to right: Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 (Credit: Eric Zeman)

Samsung has a new feature called Galaxy S26 Ultra Privacy Screenit can narrow the viewing angle to prevent people from reading over your shoulder or even next to you. Privacy Screen technology can also hide the screen based on apps and/or parts of the screen, such as notifications. This is a real innovation that gives the S26 Ultra a win, even if it sometimes hinders it in everyday life.

Winner: Galaxy S26

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Performance: Speed ​​Is Just a Share of the Table

Each Galaxy S26 model is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, a customized chip not found in the competition. All models offer at least 12GB of RAM, but the 1TB S26 Ultra comes with 16GB.

The Pixel 10 series uses Google’s homegrown Tensor G5 processor, which is specially designed for artificial intelligence applications. I found the Pixel 10’s performance far superior to the Pixel 9 series. Additionally, the Pixel 10 comes with 12GB of RAM, while the two Pro models have 16GB.

In the test, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 simply dominates the Tensor 5G. Not even close. You can see the results in the table below:

Winner: Galaxy S26

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Cameras: Top-notch Photography and Video

Galaxy S26 camera modules (Credit: Eric Zeman)

The Galaxy S26 and S26+ use the same hardware as their predecessors. It has a 50MP primary shooter, a 12MP ultra-wide camera and a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. The S26 Ultra has a 200MP main camera, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, a 50MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom, and a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. All Galaxy S26 devices use the same 12MP front-facing camera.

Pixel 10 series camera modules (Credit: Eric Zeman)

The Pixel 10 has a 48MP main camera, a 13MP ultra-wide sensor and a 10.8MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. For front cameras, the Pixel 10 has a 10.5MP selfie camera, while the Pros have a 42MP one.

For video recording, all Galaxy S26 phones shoot up to 8K resolution at 30 frames per second (fps), while the Pixel 10 series shoots up to 4K at 60 frames per second. Pixel 10 Pro models are capable of producing 8K video at 30 frames per second by processing uploaded frames.

Galaxy S and Pixel phones are among the best in the world at taking photos and videos, and that goes for the S26 and Pixel 10 devices. If you want slightly higher saturation and more pixel-rich results, the Galaxy S series wins. On the other hand, the Pixel 10 phones offer more accurate color (especially darker skin tones), better processing, and more after-the-fact editing tools.

Winner: Tie

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Battery and Charging: Faster Speeds Are Expensive

Pixel 10 Pro XL on Pixelsnap charger (Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

Every phone here charges at least 25W wired and 15W wireless. Wired and wireless charging rates increase as phone prices increase. See the table below for battery specifications. Every Pixel 10 supports it Google PixelSnap magnetic charging technology, none of the S26 phones have built-in magnets.

In our battery tests, the Galaxy S26 wins with an average of 15 hours and 10 minutes of battery life. Meanwhile, the Pixel 10 ran for 12 hours and 40 minutes, the 10 Pro for 12 hours and 40 minutes, and the 10 Pro XL for 12 hours and 35 minutes.

Winner: Galaxy S26

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Software: With artificial intelligence everywhere, philosophy is essential

Both sets of phones are working Android 16Samsung adds the One UI layer on top of it. Both offer a wealth of AI tools, including fast-based image editing, voice transcription and summarization. Samsung and Google are software partners, and the S26 has an advanced version of Circle to Search, which identifies multiple items from a single image. Both companies support their phones with seven years of OS updates and seven years of privacy updates.

Image editing based on Google alerts (Credit: Google/PCMag)

It’s a matter of personal preference. If you value productivity, you might prefer Samsung’s advanced multitasking feature, or you might think Magic Cue, Google’s active assistant that lets you know before you need it, is better for your needs. If you want the fastest updates, the Pixel series gets every new Android feature before any other Android phone.

Magic Cue (Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

On the non-AI front, the Galaxy S26 supports DeX, which lets you connect the phone to a monitor and keyboard for a desktop-like experience. Desktop mode is coming to Android as a whole, but it’s not an official feature of the Pixel 10.

Winner: Tie

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Extras: Stylus, SIM strategy and 5G nuances

There are a few other things that don’t fit easily into one section, but are worth considering.

Galaxy S26 Ultra with S Pen (Credit: Eric Zeman)

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the only device here to support the in-stylus S Pen. S26 phones still support physical SIM cards and e.gbut the Pixel 10 is eSIM only (in North America). for 5Gall three Pixels, as well as the S26+ and S26 Ultra, support sub-6GHz and mmWave. The S26 only supports sub-6GHz 5G. The S26 is also the only one of these phones that doesn’t support ultra-broadband and Wi-Fi 7.

Winner: Tie

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Verdict: It’s Power Users vs. Purists

There’s a lot to consider here. Each device family has its pros and cons. More confusingly, individual options in the Pixel 10 lineup and the Galaxy S26 family compete against each other.

• If you like to multitask or want your phone to work like a full computer, the Galaxy S26 is the way to go.

• Get every new Android feature, including AI, on your Pixel as soon as possible.

• If you like magnetic charging, the Pixel 10 series has it. You will need a case for the S26 series for the same function.

• If you’re into fun new technology, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the only phone with a built-in Privacy Screen.

Which do you like? Be sure to let us know in the comments.