Samsung Galaxy S9+ or Pixel 2 XL?

[speedtrap63]

I am using a S7E with Exynos. I do wish to have faster software updates, but at the same time I really like Samsung's hardware: screen, design, 3.5mm jack, wireless charging, etc.

I do notice S7E to stutter a bit after 1.5 years... didn't bother me much but definitely will enjoy lag free experience more. Redundant apps don't bother me. S9+ will have more than enough flash memory plus an SD extension

The only hardware Pixel 2 XL has on S9+ is probably the dual speaker.

Decisions decisions

Don't forget the Pixel camera is outstanding!

That said from your list of likes above sounds like you've made your decision. I don't think you can make a bad choice, but it seems like the S9+ might be best for you.

 

[aha]

I do like Samsung's hardware better.... but getting latest OS upgrade as soon as it comes out for a few year is such a pro for going with Pixel... Pixel 3 backed by HTC developers could be the best of both worlds.

 

[sixty_four]

Battery Degradation and Power Loss – Battery Education

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4526891/

https://www.powerstream.com/internal-resistance.htm

Basically, it's a known fact that aging components increase the impedance on the internals of a battery. Increased impedance/resistance leads to inefficient energy flow.

I just skimmed these articles but all three seemed to provide information about expected service life of Li-On batteries. Nothing surprising or new here...

What I was wondering about was whether or not a degraded battery affected SoC performance...which is what you contend. I didn't know this was a thing and didn't see anything about this particular issue in any of the links your provided, unless I missed something.

My experience is that battery condition does not affect a phone's performance. This is based on a whopping sample size of 2. My Nexus 6P was a lag-fest even after a battery replacement. My S3 was perennially slow towards the end of its useful lifespan and that was with 2 new batteries (I miss user-replaceable batteries).

 

[Mike Dee]

I am using a S7E with Exynos. I do wish to have faster software updates, but at the same time I really like Samsung's hardware: screen, design, 3.5mm jack, wireless charging, etc.

I do notice S7E to stutter a bit after 1.5 years... didn't bother me much but definitely will enjoy lag free experience more. Redundant apps don't bother me. S9+ will have more than enough flash memory plus an SD extension

The only hardware Pixel 2 XL has on S9+ is probably the dual speaker.

Decisions decisions

The Pixel 2 has a dedicated SOC for the camera

 

[sixty_four]

The Pixel 2 has a dedicated SOC for the camera

I thought the Visual Core was technically a co-processor that the actual SoC could hand off HDR post-processing tasks to and that the camera itself is still running on the Snapdragon 835

 

[Ca_lvn]

https://youtu.be/J83sZrz9XTc

 

[Mike Dee]

I thought the Visual Core was technically a co-processor that the actual SoC could hand off HDR post-processing tasks to and that the camera itself is still running on the Snapdragon 835

That's still qualifies for the camera

 

[Nubwy]

No. We know the S9 will be using the next gen Snapdragons and Exynos. That is fact.

......

Aside from the fact that from a performance standpoint the S9 is better than the Pixel 2 (The Exynos at least. The SD 845 is already better than the SD 835 in the Pixel and the Exynos 9's benchmarks have it at 2x faster than the SD 845 for single core), most of the other items for consideration are software.

There's a good article on AC that breaks down why benchmarks are getting less and less important each year. It's a given that most new flagships will be technically superior than the previous model. But when it comes to practical usage, the S9 and S8 models will be just as fast and fluid to use as the last three models of iPhone. Phones are fast, and the specs generally don't matter to most people when we talk about SoCs.

 

[applejosh]

I have had the SG7, SG8+, and Note8. Now have a Pixel 2 (smaller size), and I’m impressed with how well the Pixel works. Coupled with the extreme lag of updates by Samsung, and I won’t get another one any time soon. I like the Samsung hardware to be honest, but it is less snappy than Pixel and security updates (and especially major updates) are always lagging.

 

[Gdraft#WN]

The only issue with going Pixel.... Is that you won't be very excited when the "next new phone" comes out.

I have a Pixel XL, got it day 2.

It runs SO SMOOTHLY, I never considered a Pixel2 XL and don't think I will be considering a Pixel3 XL.

I have never had, never seen, a phone that runs this smooth for this amount of time. Sure a new phone runs great for 6 months. Then the lag starts, then you factory reset, then a few months later the lag comes back.

The Pixel simply does not have lag.... Ever.

In the entire time I have had this phone I have only turned it off a handful of times, and then it was when the wife was wanting my attention, not because the phone needed it.

Depends on what you want in a phone. But if you want it to work as good on day xxx as it did on day 1... PIXEL

 

[dmb219]

I have a P2XL, on my 3rd one d/t display issues. The one I have now is good. I like the updates and stock Android but I'm gonna try the S9+. I'm going to keep the phone I like. I'm thinking I'll like the display on the Samsung. Rooting/modding used to be an issue for me but the firmware on phones has become so complex it's hard to improve on the stock config.

 

[aha]

Still on the fence... reluctant to get S9+. Pixel 2 XL's screen is a bit turn-off though... weird, usually I pull trigger pretty fast. Maybe the phones nowadays are just this good... even my S7E isn't that bad after almost 2 years.

 

[aha]

The other day my phone got so greasy with finger prints, I just went to washroom and used the soap to wash it clean, without thinking too much about it

 

[ScottsoNJ]

I would probably keep a Pixel or 2XL if they offered more features. But like everyone says. You really buy a Pixel for updates and being more fluid. Me personally would rather have wireless charging,ip68,sd expansion and Samsung Pay. If the next Pixel has ip 68 and wireless charging I would seriously think about getting and keeping one. I guess time will tell