Honor Magic5 vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: A Deep Dive into Flagship Performance
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing all-day battery life and a consistently bright, vibrant display, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra emerges as the winner. While the Honor Magic5 offers faster charging, the S23 Ultra’s superior endurance and refined software experience provide a more polished overall package.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Honor Magic5 | 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 - China | 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 SA/NSA - China | 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 | 2023, February 27 | 2023, February 01 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, March 31 | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back or eco leather back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 161.4 x 75.5 x 7.8 mm (6.35 x 2.97 x 0.31 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 | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 191 g (6.74 oz) | 234 g (8.25 oz) |
| - | 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 2 |
| Resolution | 1224 x 2688 pixels (~439 ppi density) | 1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.73 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~90.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1600 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, MagicOS 7.1 | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| UFS | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Color spectrum sensor, 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/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Triple | 54 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.49", PDAF 32 MP, f/2.4, (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.0, 13mm, 122˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.5", AF | - |
| 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 | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 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 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, 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, 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 | 66W wired 5W reverse wired | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5100 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Glacier Blue, Green, Purple, Orange | Phantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender, Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, Red, BMW M Edition |
| Models | PGT-AN00, PGT-N09 | SM-S918B, SM-S918B/DS, SM-S918U, SM-S918U1, SM-S918W, SM-S918N, SM-S9180, SM-S918E, SM-S918E/DS |
| Price | About 900 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 Magic5
- Significantly faster 66W wired charging
- Potentially more affordable price point
- Modern and sleek design
- Battery life likely inferior to S23 Ultra
- Software experience may not be as polished
- Camera system lacks the proven track record of Samsung
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Exceptional battery life and endurance
- Brighter and more color-accurate display
- Refined software experience and long-term support
- Slower 45W wired charging
- Higher price tag
- Larger and heavier form factor
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1274 nits, compared to an unstated peak brightness for the Honor Magic5. This translates to superior visibility under direct sunlight. Both utilize dynamic refresh rate technology, likely LTPO, for power efficiency, but Samsung’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio suggests a more advanced panel with deeper blacks. While the Magic5’s display quality is likely excellent, Samsung’s established display leadership gives it a clear edge for media consumption and outdoor use.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature capable camera systems, but the S23 Ultra’s reputation for image processing and versatility is well-established. While both utilize the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s ISP, Samsung’s software algorithms and potentially larger sensor size (data not provided) likely contribute to superior image quality, particularly in low-light conditions. The Honor Magic5’s camera performance is likely very good, but lacks the extensive testing and refinement of the S23 Ultra’s system. We'll need to see detailed image comparisons to fully assess the differences.
Performance
Both devices are equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm), but the S23 Ultra utilizes the ‘AC’ variant, clocked slightly higher at 3.36 GHz versus the Magic5’s 3.2 GHz. While this difference is subtle, it could translate to marginally faster performance in sustained workloads. Both phones feature the same CPU core configuration (1x Cortex-X3, 2x Cortex-A715, 2x Cortex-A710, 3x Cortex-A510) and likely utilize LPDDR5x RAM. Thermal management will be crucial; the S23 Ultra’s larger chassis may provide better heat dissipation, potentially mitigating throttling during extended gaming sessions.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra demonstrates a clear advantage in battery endurance, achieving an impressive 13:24h of active use and a 126h endurance rating. The Honor Magic5’s battery capacity is not specified, but its 66W wired charging significantly outpaces the S23 Ultra’s 45W charging. The S23 Ultra can reach 65% charge in 30 minutes, while the Magic5 likely achieves a full charge in a similar timeframe. However, faster charging is less impactful if the battery drains quickly. The S23 Ultra’s larger battery and efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 provide a more sustainable power solution.
Buying Guide
Buy the Honor Magic5 if you prioritize incredibly fast 66W wired charging and are comfortable with a potentially less refined software experience. This phone is ideal for users who frequently top up their battery throughout the day. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra if you value exceptional battery life, a brighter and more color-accurate display, and a comprehensive camera system with a proven track record. It’s the better choice for power users and photography enthusiasts.