When comparing Samsung Galaxy S8 vs Google Pixel 2, the Slant community recommends Google Pixel 2 for most people. In the question“What are the best unlocked Android phones for multi spectrum compatibility?” Google Pixel 2 is ranked 2nd while Samsung Galaxy S8 is ranked 4th. The most important reason people chose Google Pixel 2 is:
Since it's a Google phone and since it runs stock Android, it's the first device to get an update once a new Android version hits.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Most colorful and bright display on the smartphone market
Its high resolution AMOLED screen has incredible colors, sharp details and great brightness levels. The screen is HDR certified and covers 255% of the sRGB gamut which outperforms the Google Pixel’s 191% coverage. In other words, the screen is the brightest, sharpest, and the most colourful screen a smartphone has to offer.
Pro The camera is able to produce some of the best pictures for a smartphone
The 12MP camera can produce some of the best smartphone-taken pictures. Not only does it give very consistent results, it has auto features that work fantastically as well. The included optical image stabilization helps substantially in low light conditions. The pro mode also lets you take manual control of the settings and save photos in RAW format so you can tweak them later on. Finally, the camera can shoot 4K video or slow-mo video up to 240fps at 720p.
Pro Screen is visible under direct sunlight
The screen can get extremely bright and be visible under bright, direct sunlight. In most cases, 25% of the maximum brightness will be enough.
Pro Can safely be used in extreme environments
The phone has an IP68 rating, meaning that it can be safely used in dusty environments and it can function underwater (up to 5 feet deep).
Pro Excellent design
This phone looks very futuristic and luxurious. It phone features a bezel-free curved screen that covers nearly the entire front screen. It also has a wider aspect ratio than any other mobile device. The front physical buttons have been replaced with virtual buttons with haptic feedback. The back of the phone is covered in a glass panel.
Pro Comfortable to use with one hand, in spite of the huge screen
Even though the S8 has a 5.8 inch screen, the lack of bezels makes it possible to have a very low body/screen size ratio. This makes it very comfortable to hold and use with just one hand.
Pro Performance on par with other flagships in the market
This phone uses the latest Snapdragon 835 chipset in combination with 4GB of RAM and an Adreno 540 GPU for the US version. Its processing power puts it in the same league with the rest of the premium phones.
Pro The software is always up to date
Since it's a Google phone and since it runs stock Android, it's the first device to get an update once a new Android version hits.
Pro The Android ecosystem is perfectly integrated with this phone
Google uses the Pixel line as a platform to show off their operating system instead of treating the software as a second-class citizen and it shows. The Android ecosystem, starting from Google Assistant is perfectly integrated with the hardware. By using the same technology as HTC which lets users squeeze the sides of their device, you can bring up the smart assistant at any point, even with a locked screen (of course, you have to unlock the phone to give the assistant any commands). This is a welcome change for people who disliked the "Ok Google" command.
Pro The screen displays colorful and bright pictures
The OLED display does not disappoint and is probably one of the best hardware-related features for this phone. The colours are warm and true to life. The blacks are also very inky and quite nice.
Pro Takes some of the best pictures on a smartphone
The camera on the Pixel 2 is one of the best cameras on the market. It takes amazing pictures both on low and well-lit conditions.
The camera software is where it truly shines though. It's able to automatically adjust the focus and lighting so you never end up with photos that are too lit or too dark. It also manages to find out where the edges of an object are and blur them accordingly.
Pro Some of the best audio coming out of a smartphone
The Pixel 2 is one of the last flagship phones not to go with a completely bezel-less design. Instead, the top and bottom bezels are home to two front-facing speakers that produce excellent audio (for a smartphone).
Pro Durable body without being too bulky
The Pixel 2 has a sturdy aluminium body that adds a lot of durability while still keeping the phone thin and comfortable to hold.
Cons
Con The battery lasts only half a day under intensive use
The phone’s 3000mAh battery capacity is smaller than other flagship phones. For casual use, it should able to last a day but anything that can use up a lot of power like games, videos and turning up the screen brightness will drain it quickly and might not even last a half a day.
Con It's easy to accidentally block the audio with your finger
The downward placed speaker can easily be blocked with your hand when using it in landscape mode.
Con Using a case is advised
The glass back panel scratches easily, so it’s better to use a case in order to avoid this. The lack of bezels also makes the screen prone to breaking in case it falls to the ground if there's no case to protect it.
Con The built-in Samsung smart assistant (Bixby) is rather useless
Samsung has implemented its own Google Now and Siri competitor, which they have called Bixby and have tried to make an important part of the new Galaxy S8. So much that they have added a dedicated Bixby button to the side of the phone. Unfortunately, Bixby fails to impress, the voice recognition is average at best and it can't support many third-party apps.
This shouldn't be a big deal for most people, but it's strange how Samsung had to place the fingerprint scanner in an awkward place because of space constraints and still found the space for a physical button that 90% of the people won't use.
Con Facial recognition fails more often than not
The facial recognition system (which is the default security system) fails on the first try most of the time. You have to position your face perfectly and the lighting conditions must be optimal for it to work.
Con Loaded with Samsung bloatware
While Samsung is slowly improving its TouchWiz user interface, they still load up the phone with unnecessary pre-installed apps that can’t be removed.
Con The fingerprint sensor is weirdly placed
The fingerprint sensor is placed right next to the camera lens, which it makes it hard to reach location and means you'll get the camera dirty with fingerprints often.
Con Not much of an upgrade from the first Pixel
The Pixel 2 is not much of an upgrade from the first Pixel; the hardware is almost the same and the new software updates will be available for the new model soon enough. Outside of a few gimmicks and the removal of the headphone jack it's virtually the same phone.
Con Battery life might not last a full day of heavy use
Tests show that this phone's battery lasts an average of seven hours of relatively heavy use (using mobile data, sending messages, browsing the web and watching videos).
Con Can't use wired headphones without a dongle
Since it doesn't have a headphone jack, you are forced to use bluetooth headphones or use a lightning-to-3.5mm jack adapter.