Nokia 7.2 vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: A Clash of Titans

The smartphone landscape is vast, and choosing the right device can be overwhelming. Today, we pit the budget-friendly Nokia 7.2 against the powerhouse Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Can the Nokia offer a compelling alternative, or is the S23 Ultra in a league of its own?
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🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra unequivocally wins this comparison. While the Nokia 7.2 offers surprising battery life for its age, the S23 Ultra's superior performance, camera capabilities, display quality, and charging speeds make it the clear champion for most users.

PHONES
Phone Names Nokia 7.2 Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 - ROWHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41 - ROW1, 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 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (2CA) Cat6 300/50 Mbps or LTE Cat4 150/50 MbpsHSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTEGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 1, 3, 5, 8, 40, 41 - IN1, 7, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA
Launch
Announced2019, September 05. Released 2019, September 232023, February 01
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2023, February 17
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 3), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame
Dimensions159.9 x 75.2 x 8.3 mm (6.30 x 2.96 x 0.33 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)
Weight180 g (6.35 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
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 3Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Resolution1080 x 2280 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~400 ppi density)1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density)
Size6.3 inches, 99.1 cm2 (~82.4% screen-to-body ratio)6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeIPS LCD, HDR10Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak)
 -Always-on display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (4x2.2 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver)Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)
ChipsetQualcomm SDM660 Snapdragon 660 (14 nm)Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 512Adreno 740
OSAndroid 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 11, Android OneAndroid 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8
Memory
Card slotmicroSDXC (dedicated slot)No
Internal64GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM
 eMMC 5.1UFS 4.0
Main Camera
FeaturesZeiss optics, 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
Single-12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF
Triple48 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm Auxiliary lens-
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS)8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesZeiss optics, HDRHDR, HDR10+
Single20 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/3", 0.9µm12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video1080p@30fps4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack YesNo
35mm jackYesNo
Loudspeaker YesYes, with stereo speakers
 -32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG
Comms
Bluetooth5.0, A2DP, EDR, LE, aptX5.3, A2DP, LE
NFCYes (excl. India)Yes
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDSGPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS
RadioFM radioNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0, OTGUSB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (rear-mounted), 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
Charging10W wired45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 3500 mAh, non-removableLi-Ion 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsCyan Green, Charcoal, IcePhantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender, Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, Red, BMW M Edition
ModelsTA-1193, TA-1178, TA-1196, TA-1181SM-S918B, SM-S918B/DS, SM-S918U, SM-S918U1, SM-S918W, SM-S918N, SM-S9180, SM-S918E, SM-S918E/DS
PriceAbout 240 EUR€ 549.90 / $ 454.99 / £ 433.00
SAR1.15 W/kg (head)     0.90 W/kg (body)1.12 W/kg (head)     0.92 W/kg (body)
SAR EU0.99 W/kg (head)     1.44 W/kg (body)0.96 W/kg (head)     1.40 W/kg (body)
Tests
Audio quality Noise -93.0dB / Crosstalk -93.4dB-
Battery life Endurance rating 69h Endurance rating 126h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: 1342:1 (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -29.6 LUFS (Average) -25.6 LUFS (Very good)
Performance AnTuTu: 139495 (v7), 164484 (v8) GeekBench: 5440 (v4.4), 1398 (v5.1) GFXBench: 8.1fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 1241531 (v9) GeekBench: 4927 (v5.1) GFXBench: 67fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Nokia 7.2

  • Excellent battery life
  • Clean Android experience
  • Affordable price

  • Outdated chipset
  • Mediocre camera
  • Slow charging

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

  • Exceptional performance
  • Stunning display
  • Versatile camera system
  • Fast charging
  • Premium design

  • High price
  • Large size

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter and more vibrant display with a peak brightness of 1274 nits compared to the Nokia 7.2's 585 nits. The S23 Ultra's 'Infinite' contrast ratio is also far superior to the Nokia's 1342:1. The S23 Ultra's Dynamic AMOLED 2X technology provides richer colors and deeper blacks.

Camera Comparison

The S23 Ultra's camera system is a major upgrade. It features a versatile array of lenses, including a high-resolution main sensor and impressive zoom capabilities. The Nokia 7.2's camera is adequate for basic photography, but it can't compete with the S23 Ultra's image quality, low-light performance, and video recording capabilities.

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the S23 Ultra delivers blistering performance, easily outperforming the Snapdragon 660 in the Nokia 7.2. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and a more responsive user experience on the S23 Ultra. The S23 Ultra's CPU architecture is also significantly more advanced.

Battery Life

While the Nokia 7.2 has a remarkable endurance rating of 69h, the S23 Ultra's active use score of 13:24h and endurance rating of 126h are still impressive, especially considering its more powerful hardware. The S23 Ultra also offers significantly faster charging speeds (45W wired, 15W wireless) and reverse wireless charging.

Buying Guide

The Nokia 7.2 is a good option for budget-conscious users who prioritize long battery life and a clean Android experience. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is ideal for power users, photographers, and anyone who wants the best possible smartphone experience, regardless of price.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Nokia 7.2 still worth buying in 2024?
The Nokia 7.2 can be a decent budget option if you prioritize battery life and a clean Android experience, but its outdated hardware limits its capabilities. Consider newer budget phones for better performance.
❓ What are the key differences between the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and other flagship phones?
The S23 Ultra stands out with its exceptional camera system, powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, bright and vibrant display, and S Pen stylus integration.