Huawei nova 9 SE 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: The Ultimate Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the clear winner, offering superior performance, a vastly better camera system, and a stunning display. However, the Huawei nova 9 SE 5G provides excellent value for budget-conscious buyers seeking a stylish and capable 5G phone.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Huawei nova 9 SE 5G | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | LTE | 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 | 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 / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1x | 1, 7, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, April 20 | 2023, February 01 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, April 23 | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 164.6 x 75.6 x 7.9 mm (6.48 x 2.98 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 + 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 | 1080 x 2388 pixels (~387 ppi density) | 1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.78 inches, 111.4 cm2 (~89.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD, 120Hz | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 660 Gold & 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 660 Silver) | Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G (6 nm) - unconfirmed | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 11, EMUI 12, no Google Play Services | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| - | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 108 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.52", 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 112˚ (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | 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 | 16 MP, f/2.2, 22mm (wide) | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | - | HDR, HDR10+ |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.2, 22mm (wide) | 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 | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Unspecified | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | 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, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Virtual proximity sensing | 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, 100% in 35 min | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Midnight Black, Pearl White, Crystal Blue | 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 370 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) |
Huawei nova 9 SE 5G
- Fast 66W Charging
- Stylish Design
- Affordable Price
- 5G Connectivity
- Lower Performance
- Less Capable Camera
- Unconfirmed Chipset Details
- Less Premium Build
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Exceptional Performance (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2)
- Outstanding Camera System
- Stunning Display
- Long Battery Life
- Premium Build Quality
- High Price
- Slower Charging (45W)
- Large Size & Weight
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts a truly exceptional display. Its 1274 nits peak brightness and infinite contrast ratio provide vibrant colors, deep blacks, and excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. The nova 9 SE 5G's display is decent but lacks the same level of brilliance and color accuracy. The S23 Ultra's adaptive refresh rate (1-120Hz) also contributes to a smoother user experience.
Camera Comparison
The S23 Ultra's camera system is a major selling point. Its versatile lens setup, advanced image processing, and impressive zoom capabilities deliver stunning photos and videos in various conditions. The nova 9 SE 5G's camera is capable, but its image quality and features are noticeably inferior to the S23 Ultra.
Performance
Here, the S23 Ultra dominates. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset is significantly faster and more efficient than the Snapdragon 695 5G in the nova 9 SE 5G. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and better gaming performance on the S23 Ultra. The nova 9 SE 5G is adequate for everyday tasks but will struggle with demanding games or applications.
Battery Life
While the nova 9 SE 5G's 66W charging is impressively fast, the S23 Ultra offers excellent battery life with an active use score of 13:24h and an endurance rating of 126h. The S23 Ultra's efficient chipset and larger battery capacity contribute to its longevity.
Buying Guide
The Huawei nova 9 SE 5G is ideal for students, young professionals, or anyone seeking a stylish and affordable 5G smartphone with fast charging. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is for power users, photography enthusiasts, and those who demand the absolute best in performance, camera quality, and features, regardless of price.