Compare phones
| Global Score | |
| 78.9 | 81.9 |
| Basic Information | |
| Samsung | |
| Android 11, 10, 9.0 Pie | -- |
| 2019-05-07 | 2017-08-11 |
| 6.30 x 3.00 x 0.32 inches | 5.99 x 2.95 x 0.39 inches |
| 5.89 ounces | 7.34 ounces |
| Black, Purple and White | Gold and Gray |
| Plastic | -- |
| Scratch-Resistant Glass | Scratch-Resistant Glass |
| $ 167.00 | $ 245.00 |
| Display / Screen | |
| 6 inches | 5.8 inches |
| 2160 x 1080 pixels | 2960 x 1440 pixels |
| OLED | Super AMOLED |
| 402 pixels per inch | 568 pixels per inch |
| No touch screen | No touch screen |
| 8 | 8.9 |
| Performance | |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 SDM670 chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 MSM8998 chipset |
| Kryo 360, 64-bit, 10 nm (Octa-Core 2000 MHz) processor | Kryo 280, 64-bit, 10 nm (Octa-Core 2350 MHz) processor |
| 4 GB RAM | 4 GB RAM |
| Adreno 615 GPU | Adreno 540 GPU |
| 9.09 | 9.27 |
| Storage | |
| 64 GB internal memory | 64 GB internal memory |
| No SD card slot | microSDXC (up to 256 GB) external memory slot |
| 7.7 | 10.78 |
| Camera | |
| 12.20 MP + 8.00 MP | 12.00 MP + 8.00 MP |
| f/1.80 aperture | f/1.70 aperture |
| 28.00mm focal length | 26.00mm focal length |
| 0.39 inches (1/2.55") sensor | 0.39 inches (1/2.55") sensor |
| 3840 x 2160 (30 fps) (4K) video resolution | 3840 x 2160 (30 fps) (4K) video resolution |
| 1280 x 720 (240 fps) (HD) slow motion video | 1280 x 720 (240 fps) (HD) slow motion video |
| 9.79 | 9.79 |
| Networks | |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi |
| Mobile Hotspot | Mobile Hotspot |
| LTE-A (4G), LTE (4G), HSPA+ (4G), HSDPA and HSUPA | LTE-A (4G), LTE (4G), HSPA+ (4G) and HSDPA |
| Nano SIM | Nano SIM |
| 6.7 | 6.6 |
| Battery Life | |
| 3700mAh Battery | 4000mAh Li - Ion Battery |
| Non-Removable Battery | Non-Removable Battery |
| -- | Wireless Charging |
| 5.68 | 5.92 |
| Other Features | |
| Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 5.1, EDR |
| GPS | GPS |
| NFC | NFC |
| Fingerprint ID Scanner | Fingerprint ID Scanner |
| Accelerometer, Barometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Light Sensor and Proximity Sensor | Accelerometer, Barometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Light Sensor and Proximity Sensor |
Comparison review
The Samsung Galaxy S8 Active has a general score of 81.9, which is a bit better than Google Pixel 3a XL's 78.9 score. Even being the best cellphone in this review, the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active is an older, somewhat thicker and somewhat heavier cellphone than Google Pixel 3a XL. The Galaxy S8 Active has a little better hardware performance than Google Pixel 3a XL. They have a Octa-Core processor and the same RAM amount.
The Galaxy S8 Active has a brighter display than Google Pixel 3a XL, because although it has a little smaller display, it also counts with more pixels per inch in the display and a higher 1440 x 2960 pixels resolution. The Galaxy S8 Active features a very superior memory for applications and games than Google Pixel 3a XL, and although they both have exactly the same internal storage, the Galaxy S8 Active also has a SD memory slot that holds up to 256 GB.
Samsung Galaxy S8 Active features just a bit longer battery duration than Google Pixel 3a XL, because it has 4000mAh of battery capacity instead of 3700mAh. The Google Pixel 3a XL and the Galaxy S8 Active have extremely similar cameras, because although the Galaxy S8 Active has a back camera with a worse resolution and a worse (4K) video quality, and they both have a same size camera sensor, it also counts with a bigger diafragm aperture to capture better low light images and videos.
Although Samsung Galaxy S8 Active is a better device, it costs a lot more money than Google Pixel 3a XL, and it doesn't have such a good quality/price relation as Google Pixel 3a XL. If you prefer to save a few dollars, you can get Google Pixel 3a XL, and give up a couple features, but you will get the most out of your savings.
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