Lenovo Legion Duel vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Flagship Performance
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra emerges as the superior choice. Its balanced feature set, exceptional camera system, and longer software support outweigh the Legion Duel’s gaming-centric advantages. However, hardcore mobile gamers prioritizing performance and unique features will find the Legion Duel compelling.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Lenovo Legion Duel | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 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, 42 - International | 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, 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 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (4CA) Cat15 800/210 Mbps, 5G 2.5 Gbps DL | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 7, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, July 22. Released 2020, October 15 | 2023, February 01 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 169.2 x 78.5 x 9.9 mm (6.66 x 3.09 x 0.39 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 | 239 g (8.43 oz) | 234 g (8.25 oz) |
| Water-repellent coating | 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 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~388 ppi density) | 1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.65 inches, 108.6 cm2 (~81.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 144Hz, HDR10+ | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.09 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 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 | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7 nm+) | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 10, Legion OS/ ZUI12 | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 64 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF 16 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 16mm (ultrawide) | - |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, panorama, HDR | 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/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30fps gyro-EIS | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR | HDR, HDR10+ |
| Single | Motorized pop-up 20 MP, f/2.2, 25mm (wide), 1/3.1", 0.9µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@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 |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 (side), USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), 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, 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 | 65W wired, (128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM models) 90W wired, 50% in 10 min, 100% in 30 min (512GB 16GB RAM model) | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Vengeance Red, Blazing 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 510 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) |
Lenovo Legion Duel
- Dedicated gaming hardware (shoulder triggers)
- Faster wired charging (up to 90W)
- Aggressive cooling system for sustained performance
- Older chipset (Snapdragon 865+)
- Less versatile camera system
- Potentially shorter software support
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
- Exceptional camera system
- Longer battery life and efficient power management
- Slower wired charging (45W)
- No dedicated gaming triggers
- Higher price point
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1274 nits, compared to an unspecified peak brightness for the Legion Duel. While the Legion Duel’s refresh rate is likely high, the S23 Ultra’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with its infinite contrast ratio and potential for LTPO 120Hz adaptive refresh rate offers superior visual fidelity and power efficiency. The S23 Ultra’s display is geared towards content consumption and outdoor visibility, while the Legion Duel’s display is likely optimized for gaming responsiveness.
Camera Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra’s camera system is a clear winner. While both devices offer photo and video capabilities, the S23 Ultra’s advanced image processing, larger sensors, and versatile lens array (including a 200MP main sensor – not specified for the Legion Duel) provide superior image quality and flexibility. The Legion Duel, while potentially offering decent gaming-focused camera features, cannot compete with the S23 Ultra’s all-around photographic prowess. The Legion Duel’s camera is likely geared towards quick snapshots and streaming, while the S23 Ultra is a professional-grade mobile photography tool.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, fabricated on a 4nm process, represents a substantial leap in performance and efficiency over the Snapdragon 865+ (7nm+) in the Legion Duel. The S23 Ultra’s CPU, featuring the Cortex-X3 prime core clocked at 3.36 GHz, delivers faster single-core performance, crucial for responsiveness. The newer architecture also translates to improved multi-core performance and significantly better GPU capabilities. While the Legion Duel’s cooling system is likely robust, the S23 Ultra’s more efficient chipset will experience less thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra demonstrates impressive battery endurance, achieving 13:24 hours of active use and a 126-hour endurance rating. While the Legion Duel offers faster wired charging – 65W/90W versus the S23 Ultra’s 45W – the S23 Ultra’s larger battery capacity and more efficient chipset contribute to longer real-world usage. The Legion Duel’s 30-minute full charge (512GB model) is appealing, but the S23 Ultra’s 65% charge in 30 minutes is still respectable, and its wireless charging capabilities (15W Qi and 4.5W reverse wireless) offer added convenience.
Buying Guide
Buy the Lenovo Legion Duel if you absolutely need dedicated gaming hardware like shoulder triggers, prioritize sustained gaming performance over all else, and are comfortable with a less refined software experience. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra if you value a premium all-around experience, a class-leading camera system, long-term software support, and a more polished user interface.