Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate dominates in raw gaming performance and battery endurance. However, the S23 Ultra offers a more refined overall experience, superior camera versatility, and a more polished software ecosystem. It's a trade-off between specialized power and all-around excellence.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 48, 66 - International | 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, 18, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE (Up to 7CA), 5G | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - China | 1, 7, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, April 13 | 2023, February 01 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, May | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 173 x 77 x 10.3 mm (6.81 x 3.03 x 0.41 in) | 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 239 g (8.43 oz) | 234 g (8.25 oz) |
| Built-in motorized cooling air vent (AeroActive Portal) IP54 water resistant 2" OLED display (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) Stylus (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) | 1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 13, up to 2 major Android upgrades | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 512GB 16GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 4.0 NTFS support for external storage | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 200 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3", 0.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video |
| Single | - | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro) | - |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS, HDR10+ | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Panorama, HDR | HDR, HDR10+ |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, 29mm (wide), 1/3.2", 0.7µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers (2 amplifiers) | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 (side), DisplayPort 1.4; USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 100% in 42 min 10W reverse wired | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 6000 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Storm White | Phantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender, Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, Red, BMW M Edition |
| Models | - | SM-S918B, SM-S918B/DS, SM-S918U, SM-S918U1, SM-S918W, SM-S918N, SM-S9180, SM-S918E, SM-S918E/DS |
| Price | About 780 EUR | € 549.90 / $ 454.99 / £ 433.00 |
| SAR | - | 1.12 W/kg (head) 0.92 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.96 W/kg (head) 1.40 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 131h | Endurance rating 126h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -25.5 LUFS (Very good) | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 1325105 (v9) GeekBench: 5139 (v5.5), 5567 (v6) GFXBench: 107fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 1241531 (v9) GeekBench: 4927 (v5.1) GFXBench: 67fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
- Unmatched gaming performance
- Exceptional battery life
- Advanced cooling system
- Fast charging (65W)
- Dedicated gaming features (AirTriggers)
- Less refined design
- Camera not as versatile as S23 Ultra
- Software experience less polished than Samsung's
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Superior camera system
- Stunning display with high brightness
- Premium design and build quality
- Excellent software support
- Wireless charging and reverse wireless charging
- Slightly shorter battery life than ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
- Performance can throttle under prolonged heavy load
- Charging speed slower than ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
Display Comparison
Both phones boast exceptional displays. The S23 Ultra edges out the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate with a slightly higher peak brightness (1274 nits vs 1095 nits), resulting in better outdoor visibility. Both have 'Infinite' contrast ratios (nominal), indicating excellent blacks. The S23 Ultra's display is generally considered more color-accurate and visually appealing for everyday use, while the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate prioritizes responsiveness for gaming.
Camera Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra's camera system is significantly more versatile and generally superior. It features a 200MP main sensor, offering incredible detail and dynamic range. The S23 Ultra also excels in zoom capabilities with its dual telephoto lenses. The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate's camera is competent but lacks the same level of sophistication and features as the S23 Ultra. Video recording is strong on both, but the S23 Ultra offers more advanced features.
Performance
Both phones are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, but the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate's chipset (SM8550-AB) has a slightly higher prime core clock speed (3.2 GHz vs 3.36 GHz). While the difference is minimal, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate's advanced cooling system allows it to sustain peak performance for longer periods without throttling, making it the clear winner for extended gaming sessions. The S23 Ultra's performance is excellent, but it may throttle slightly under prolonged heavy load.
Battery Life
The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate shines in battery life, boasting an impressive endurance rating of 131 hours. While the S23 Ultra's endurance rating is still very good at 126 hours, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate offers noticeably longer usage times, especially for demanding tasks like gaming.
Buying Guide
The Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is ideal for hardcore mobile gamers who prioritize performance, cooling, and a dedicated gaming experience. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is perfect for users who want a premium all-rounder with a fantastic camera, stunning display, and long-term software support.