You told us: The choice between Pixel 6 and Galaxy S21 isn't even close

The Samsung Galaxy S21 series is arguably the king of the Android world, selling plenty of units compared to other Android flagships and bringing a variety of features to the table. But Google also has major ambitions for its brand-new Pixel 6 range, with the company seemingly going all-in on the flagship segment.

We compared the Galaxy S21 range to the Pixel 6 phones last week, but also wanted to know which device family you’d choose. So here’s how you voted in this Android Authority poll.

Which one would you buy?

Results

The poll accrued almost 1,100 votes after going live on October 22, and the final result wasn’t close at all. Roughly 72% of respondents said they’d choose the Pixel 6 series over the Galaxy S21 family.

We didn’t get a ton of comments on this article, but one reader said Samsung’s tendency to load “competing” default apps on their phones drove them away. They also said Google’s camera software and call screening functionality was a reason to opt for the Pixel range.

It’s also worth noting that the Pixel 6 series has a lower starting price than the Galaxy S21, retailing for $600 compared to $800 for the S21. But both have similarly lengthy commitments to updates, although Google edges Samsung out for security patches.

More reading: The best Android phones worth buying right now

Meanwhile, only ~22% of polled readers felt that the Galaxy S21 series was the way to go instead. Two comments supported the Samsung phones, citing the company’s device ecosystem and software respectively.

The company does indeed have a pretty good ecosystem of its own, ranging from smartwatches and tablets to TVs and various services. Samsung’s device software also has a ton of features, so we can understand why some readers would gravitate to their phones.

Finally, just about 5.5% of readers said they wouldn’t choose either phone series. After all, between OnePlus, OPPO, Xiaomi, vivo, and Sony, there are plenty of other high-quality flagships out there.

Comments

• slackwar3: Selling my S21 Ultra and going for the 6 Pro. The Samsung experience was a first for me after years of Pixels and can’t wait to go back to Google. Competing apps for defaults is annoying as is the 2 app stores. I switched to the S21 for the screen since the 4XL was pretty bad. Going back to Google for the camera mostly and the better call screening etc…’
• James B: I went with a Samsung. Because if you want anything close to Apple’s ecosystem of devices. The next runner up is Samsung. Still waiting for a Pixel watch.
• DBS: They’re both pretty awful at covering BASIC features, but the S21’s software is still years ahead of Google’s. I’d say buy neither. But if you really have to pick one, the Galaxy is by far the best choice.

Thanks for voting in our poll! And who knows, your opinions might change when our Pixel 6 series reviews go live this week. So stay tuned for that.