iPhone 13 vs Samsung Galaxy S23: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Galaxy S23 edges out the iPhone 13 with its brighter display, more modern chipset, and faster charging. However, the iPhone 13 remains a compelling choice thanks to its polished iOS ecosystem and excellent camera performance, especially for those already invested in the Apple ecosystem. It's a close call!
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Apple iPhone 13 | Samsung Galaxy S23 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2633, A2634, A2635 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 Sub6/mmWave - A2633 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2634, A2635 | 1, 7, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, September 14 | 2023, February 01 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, September 24 | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.7 mm (5.78 x 2.81 x 0.30 in) | 146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6 mm (5.76 x 2.79 x 0.30 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 174 g (6.14 oz) | 168 g (5.93 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Ceramic Shield glass | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 1170 x 2532 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~425 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.1 inches, 90.2 cm2 (~86.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.1 inches, 90.1 cm2 (~86.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard) | Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) | Adreno 740 |
| OS | iOS 15, upgradable to iOS 26.1 | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM |
| NVMe | UFS 3.1 - 128GB only UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.9", 1.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm | - |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Triple | - | 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec. | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, HDR10+ |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | Lightning, USB 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 3240 mAh (12.41 Wh) | Li-Ion 3900 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, Red, Green | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime |
| Models | A2633, A2482, A2631, A2634, A2635, iphone14,5 | SM-S911B, SM-S911B/DS, SM-S911U, SM-S911U1, SM-S911W, SM-S911N, SM-S9110, SM-S911E, SM-S911E/DS |
| Price | € 304.00 / $ 249.97 / £ 248.00 | $ 237.95 / C$ 336.75 / £ 255.00 / € 322.41 / ₹ 49,990 |
| SAR | 1.18 W/kg (head) 1.19 W/kg (body) | 0.95 W/kg (head) 0.88 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) | 0.96 W/kg (head) 1.30 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 89h | Endurance rating 101h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -25.5 LUFS (Very good) | -27.0 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 775519 (v9) GeekBench: 4645 (v5.1) GFXBench: 59fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 1231075 (v9) GeekBench: 4950 (v5.1) GFXBench: 110fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Apple iPhone 13
- Excellent video recording
- Smooth iOS experience
- Strong resale value
- Compact design
- Slower charging
- Less versatile camera
- Limited customization options
- Older chipset
Samsung Galaxy S23
- Brighter display
- Faster performance
- Versatile camera system
- Faster charging
- Reverse wireless charging
- Samsung's One UI can be overwhelming
- Potential for software bloat
- Less polished ecosystem compared to iOS
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S23 boasts a significantly brighter display at 1198 nits compared to the iPhone 13's 802 nits. Both offer excellent contrast ratios (infinite nominal), but the S23's higher brightness makes it more visible in direct sunlight. Color accuracy is excellent on both, though Samsung's display tends to be more saturated by default.
Camera Comparison
Both phones have excellent camera systems. The iPhone 13 excels in video recording and offers a more consistent image processing style. The Galaxy S23 provides more versatility with its multiple lenses and advanced features like Space Zoom. Low-light performance is improved on the S23. Ultimately, camera preference is subjective.
Performance
The Galaxy S23's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a clear performance winner. It offers noticeably faster processing speeds and improved efficiency compared to the iPhone 13's A15 Bionic. While the A15 is still incredibly capable, the S23 handles demanding tasks and gaming with greater ease. Both phones offer smooth and responsive user experiences.
Battery Life
The Galaxy S23 demonstrates slightly better endurance, with an endurance rating of 101h compared to the iPhone 13's 89h. The S23 also supports 25W wired charging, significantly faster than the iPhone 13's 15W wired charging. Both offer 15W wireless charging (with caveats for the iPhone 13 regarding iOS updates).
Buying Guide
The Apple iPhone 13 is ideal for users deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem, prioritizing ease of use, and appreciating a refined design. The Samsung Galaxy S23 is perfect for Android enthusiasts who want top-tier performance, a vibrant display, and versatile camera capabilities.