Camera shootout - Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra vs Google Pixel 4 XL - Android

We put Samsung and Google's camera claims to the test in this Galaxy S20 Ultra vs Pixel 4 XL comparison.

Google has for the last few years set the bar with respect to imaging quality on smartphones. Its Pixel phones have all been solid shooters and the Pixel 4 XL is no exception. Samsung also puts top-tier cameras in its phones. The new Galaxy S20 Ultra is a powerful addition to its roster. Naturally, a Galaxy S20 Ultra vs Pixel 4 XL comparison is order to see which is the superior smartphone shooter.

Galaxy S20 Ultra vs Pixel 4 XL: Specs

Let’s start with the hardware. Both phones have fairly complex systems on board, with multiple cameras working in coordination to produce photos.

The Galaxy S20 Ultra’s main shooter captures 108MP at f/1.8. Of note: it has a really large 1/1.33 sensor, which lets it capture a lot of light. This is what powers its nighttime features. Shots taken with this camera are binned down by a factor of nine (nona-binning) to 12MP each, but the full resolution is available with the press of a button. The telephoto camera snaps 48MP shots at f/3.5, the ultra-wide snaps 12MP shots at f/2.2, and the selfie camera snaps 40MP shots (binned to 10MP) at f/2.2. That’s a lot of sensors and lenses.

Google took a simpler approach with its Pixel 4 XL. Previous Pixel phones relied on a single lens for all the photography work. The 4 series is the first to jump to two cameras. The main imager has a 12.2MP sensor at f/1.7 while the 2x telephoto camera has 16MP sensor at f/2.4. The selfie camera has an 8.1MP sensor at f/2.0. There are no ultra-wide nor depth-of-field sensors on board.

Something worth noting is that the phones are powered by different processors. Where the S20 Ultra has the latest Snapdragon 865 from Qualcomm, the Pixel 4 XL has the 2019-era Snapdragon 855 under the hood. The 865 provides more pixel processing power thanks to its upgraded image signal processor and number-crunching CPU. Unfortunately, it’s hard to quantify exactly how this difference plays out in the real world.

Looking at these components it might be easy to think Samsung already has Google beat, but there’s oh so much more to photography than the raw silicon.

See: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra review | Google Pixel 4 XL review

Apps and features

Specs are what power the software features we use to fire off snapshots. How are the camera apps from Samsung and Google?

Both Samsung and Google have usable camera apps that make it easy to find and use features. A double-press of the power button launches the camera app of the S20 Ultra and Pixel 4 XL in a blink. This is always the fastest way to get to the camera.

Samsung has simplified its camera UI recently in One UI 2.0. The shutter button is located prominently, with camera modes and zoom tools nearby. I like that Samsung makes certain controls (flash, timer, aspect ratio, etc.) a breeze to adjust with a few quick taps. Shooting modes include photo, video, Single Take, pro, panorama, food, night, live focus (portrait), live focus video, pro video, super slow-mo, slow-mo, and hyperlapse.

The most significant mode is Single Take, which records up to 10 seconds of video and then automatically generates up to nine different photo/video file types for sharing.

Google’s camera app has always been among the most simple. The basic shooting tools are nearly identical to those of Samsung’s. The shutter button is simple to locate, and you can slide between the various modes with but a flick of the finger. With Google’s app, you have to tap an arrow to reach the secondary controls for the flash, timer, aspect ratio, and such. It’s one more step than is required on the S20. The Pixel 4 XL’s modes include photo, video, portrait, night sight, panorama, photo sphere, slow-mo, time-lapse, playground (AR), and Google Lens.

Night Sight is Google’s master stroke. It essentially allows the Pixel 4 XL to see in the dark. It’s quite something.

Generally speaking, the S20 Ultra offers more raw features than the Pixel 4 XL, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it takes better pictures.

Note: All the sample photos in our article have been resized for display purposes. Full-resolution samples are available here.

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Daylight

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra camera sample sunny bike Google Pixel 4 XL camera sample sunny bike

This is a tough shot: a white bike against a tan surface in direct sunlight. If you ask me, the Samsung shot has small areas that are blown out in the fenders, but it’s not otherwise overexposed. The Pixel did a slightly better job in terms of exposure and white balance.