Huawei P50E vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: A Clash of Titans

The smartphone landscape is fiercely competitive, and today we're pitting two compelling contenders against each other: the Huawei P50E and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. One offers a stylish design and capable performance, while the other boasts flagship specs and a premium experience. Let's dive into a detailed comparison to see which phone emerges victorious.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the clear winner, offering superior performance, a vastly better camera system, a brighter display, and longer software support. While the P50E provides decent value, the S23 Ultra's premium features and power justify its higher price tag for most users.

PHONES
Phone Names Huawei P50E Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 411, 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
SpeedHSPA, LTEHSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTEGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1x 1, 7, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA
Launch
Announced2022, March 172023, February 01
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, March 24Available. Released 2023, February 17
Body
Build-Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame
Dimensions156.5 x 73.8 x 7.9 mm (6.16 x 2.91 x 0.31 in)163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)
Weight181 g (6.38 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-Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Resolution1224 x 2700 pixels (~456 ppi density)1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density)
Size6.5 inches, 102.5 cm2 (~88.8% screen-to-body ratio)6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, 1B colors, 90HzDynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak)
 -Always-on display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (4x2.4 GHz Kryo 670 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 670)Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)
ChipsetQualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 4G (6 nm)Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 642LAdreno 740
OSHarmonyOS 2.0Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8
Memory
Card slotNano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)No
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM
 -UFS 4.0
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica optics, dual-LED flash, panorama, HDRLaser 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
Single13 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide)12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF
Triple50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/3.4, 125mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 16mm (ultrawide)-
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps; gyro-EIS8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesPanorama, HDRHDR, HDR10+
Single13 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide)12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 -32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE5.3, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGUSB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (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
Charging66W wired45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4100 mAhLi-Ion 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsGalaxy Blue, Cocoa Tea Gold, Snow White, Obsidian BlackPhantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender, Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, Red, BMW M Edition
ModelsABR-AL60SM-S918B, SM-S918B/DS, SM-S918U, SM-S918U1, SM-S918W, SM-S918N, SM-S9180, SM-S918E, SM-S918E/DS
PriceAbout 580 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 P50E

  • Stylish design
  • Decent performance for the price
  • 66W fast charging

  • Less powerful chipset
  • Limited software support
  • Weaker camera
  • No wireless charging

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

  • Flagship performance
  • Exceptional camera system
  • Bright and vibrant display
  • Long battery life
  • Wireless charging
  • Excellent software support

  • High price
  • Large and heavy design

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra's display is a significant advantage. Its 1274 nits peak brightness and infinite contrast ratio provide stunning visuals, even in direct sunlight. The P50E's display is adequate but lacks the vibrancy and brightness of the S23 Ultra. The S23 Ultra also features a dynamic refresh rate for smoother scrolling and animations.

Camera Comparison

Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts a versatile and powerful camera system, capable of capturing stunning photos and videos in various conditions. The P50E's camera is decent, but lacks the detail, dynamic range, and low-light performance of the S23 Ultra. The S23 Ultra's zoom capabilities are also far superior.

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the S23 Ultra obliterates the Snapdragon 778G 4G in the P50E. The S23 Ultra offers significantly faster processing speeds, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance. The P50E is capable for everyday tasks, but struggles with demanding applications.

Battery Life

The S23 Ultra demonstrates exceptional battery life, consistently achieving over 13 hours of active use and an endurance rating of 126 hours. The P50E's battery life is respectable, but falls short of the S23 Ultra's longevity. The S23 Ultra also offers faster charging speeds and wireless charging capabilities.

Buying Guide

Who should buy the Huawei P50E? Users seeking a stylish phone with decent performance at a more affordable price point, particularly those less concerned about cutting-edge features or long-term software updates. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra? Power users, photography enthusiasts, and anyone wanting the best possible Android experience with top-tier specs and a long software support lifecycle.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Huawei P50E receive software updates?
Huawei's software support has been limited due to geopolitical factors. Updates are less frequent and may not include the latest Android versions.
❓ Is the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra worth the price?
For users prioritizing performance, camera quality, and long-term software support, the S23 Ultra is a worthwhile investment. However, it's a premium device with a premium price tag.