Honor Magic4 Ultimate vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: The Ultimate Flagship Battle
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra takes the crown with its superior Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, brighter display, and refined software experience. While the Magic4 Ultimate offers blazing-fast charging, the S23 Ultra's longevity and overall polish make it the more compelling choice for most users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Honor Magic4 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, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 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, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 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 | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 7, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, March 17 | 2023, February 01 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, April 22 | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, ceramic back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.6 x 74.7 x 11.4 mm (6.44 x 2.94 x 0.45 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 | 242 g (8.54 oz) | 234 g (8.25 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | 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 | Scratch-resistant glass | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 1312 x 2848 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) | 1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.81 inches, 113.7 cm2 (~93.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+ | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 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 SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 12, Magic UI 6 | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 512GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 50 MP, f/1.6, 23mm (wide), 1/1.12", 1.4µm, PDAF 64 MP, f/2.2, 126˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.7µm 64 MP, f/3.5, 90mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/2.5", PDAF TOF 3D (depth) | 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/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10-bit video | 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/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit audio stereo recording | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a) | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), Face ID, 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 | 100W wired, 100% in 30 min 50W wireless 5W reverse wireless 5W reverse wired | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4600 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Ceramic Black, Ceramic White | Phantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender, Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, Red, BMW M Edition |
| Models | LGE-AN20 | SM-S918B, SM-S918B/DS, SM-S918U, SM-S918U1, SM-S918W, SM-S918N, SM-S9180, SM-S918E, SM-S918E/DS |
| Price | About 1150 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 126h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 1241531 (v9) GeekBench: 4927 (v5.1) GFXBench: 67fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Honor Magic4 Ultimate
- Blazing-fast 100W charging
- Unique and premium design
- Capable camera system
- Competitive price (often lower than S23 Ultra)
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 can throttle under sustained load
- Software experience not as polished as Samsung's
- Camera not quite as consistent as S23 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Superior Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 performance
- Brighter and more vibrant display
- Exceptional camera system with versatile zoom
- Long-lasting battery life
- S Pen functionality
- Slower charging speeds compared to Magic4 Ultimate
- Higher price point
- Design is more conventional
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display (1274 nits) compared to the Magic4 Ultimate, offering better visibility in direct sunlight. While the Magic4 Ultimate's display is excellent, the S23 Ultra's infinite contrast ratio and vibrant colors provide a more immersive viewing experience. Both have excellent resolution and refresh rates.
Camera Comparison
The S23 Ultra's camera system is arguably its strongest asset, offering exceptional image quality, versatile zoom capabilities, and impressive video recording. The Magic4 Ultimate's camera is also very good, but it doesn't quite match the S23 Ultra's overall consistency and dynamic range. The S23 Ultra's image processing is also more refined.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the S23 Ultra provides a noticeable performance edge over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the Magic4 Ultimate. While both phones are capable of handling demanding tasks, the S23 Ultra exhibits smoother multitasking and better sustained performance under heavy load. The Gen 2's efficiency also contributes to better battery life.
Battery Life
The S23 Ultra demonstrates superior battery endurance, consistently achieving longer active use times and impressive standby times. While the Magic4 Ultimate's 100W charging is a game-changer, the S23 Ultra's larger battery capacity and more efficient chipset provide a more reliable all-day experience.
Buying Guide
The Honor Magic4 Ultimate is ideal for users prioritizing incredibly fast charging and a unique design. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is perfect for those seeking a top-tier camera system, long-lasting battery life, and a seamless Android experience with S Pen functionality.