Blackview A85 vs Samsung Galaxy S23: Can a Budget Phone Compete?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S23 utterly dominates the Blackview A85 in almost every category. Its superior chipset, display, camera, and charging capabilities make it the clear winner for users prioritizing performance and features. However, the A85 offers a compelling option for those on a tight budget.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Blackview A85 | Samsung Galaxy S23 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 40 | 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, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 7, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, November 22 | 2023, February 01 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, November 25 | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 164.3 x 76.1 x 8.7 mm (6.47 x 3.00 x 0.34 in) | 146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6 mm (5.76 x 2.79 x 0.30 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 193 g (6.81 oz) | 168 g (5.93 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 720 x 1612 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~272 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~425 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 101.5 cm2 (~81.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.1 inches, 90.1 cm2 (~86.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD, 90Hz | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x1.6 GHz Cortex-A75 & 6x1.6 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Unisoc T606 (12 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G57 MP1 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 12, Doke OS 3.0 | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | UFS 3.1 - 128GB only UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 50 MP, (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, PDAF 8 MP, 120˚ (ultrawide) | - |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm | 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 | 1080p@30fps | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | - | HDR, HDR10+ |
| Single | 8 MP, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | Yes | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | Yes | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | Yes, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Yes | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, proximity | 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) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | 4480 mAh | Li-Ion 3900 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Blue, Sky | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime |
| Models | - | SM-S911B, SM-S911B/DS, SM-S911U, SM-S911U1, SM-S911W, SM-S911N, SM-S9110, SM-S911E, SM-S911E/DS |
| Price | About 160 EUR | $ 237.95 / C$ 336.75 / £ 255.00 / € 322.41 / ₹ 49,990 |
| SAR | - | 0.95 W/kg (head) 0.88 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.96 W/kg (head) 1.30 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 101h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -27.0 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 1231075 (v9) GeekBench: 4950 (v5.1) GFXBench: 110fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Blackview A85
- Extremely Affordable
- Decent Battery Life (potentially)
- Functional for Basic Tasks
- Weak Performance
- Low-Quality Display
- Basic Camera
- Slow Charging
Samsung Galaxy S23
- Exceptional Performance
- Stunning Display
- Excellent Camera
- Fast Charging (Wired & Wireless)
- Premium Build Quality
- High Price
- Can be fragile
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S23 boasts a significantly brighter and more vibrant display with an infinite contrast ratio, offering exceptional viewing angles and color accuracy. The A85's display is adequate for basic use but lacks the premium quality and brightness of the S23. The S23's display is a clear winner.
Camera Comparison
The Galaxy S23's camera system is far superior, offering exceptional image quality, advanced features, and impressive video recording capabilities. The A85's camera is functional but lacks the detail, dynamic range, and low-light performance of the S23. The S23 is the clear camera champion.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Galaxy S23 provides a massive performance advantage over the Unisoc T606 in the A85. Expect buttery-smooth multitasking, demanding gaming, and lightning-fast app loading on the S23, while the A85 may struggle with more intensive tasks. The S23's chipset is in a different league.
Battery Life
While the A85 might have a larger battery capacity, the Galaxy S23's optimized power management and efficient chipset result in comparable or even better battery life, achieving an endurance rating of 101 hours. The S23 also offers faster charging and wireless charging capabilities.
Buying Guide
The Blackview A85 is ideal for users seeking a basic smartphone for calls, texts, and light social media use, prioritizing affordability above all else. The Samsung Galaxy S23 is perfect for power users, photographers, and anyone who demands top-tier performance, a stunning display, and a premium experience.