Realme GT5 vs Samsung Galaxy S23+: A Deep Dive into Performance and Value
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For users prioritizing raw speed, incredibly fast charging, and a lower price point, the Realme GT5 is the clear winner. However, the Samsung Galaxy S23+ offers a more balanced package with superior battery endurance, a more polished software experience, and a more refined camera system, making it the better choice for the average user.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Realme GT5 | Samsung Galaxy S23+ |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (Dual SIM model only) |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 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, 41, 77, 78 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-A (up to 7CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / 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 | 2023, August 28 | 2023, February 01 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, September 04 | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.1 x 75.4 x 8.9 mm (6.42 x 2.97 x 0.35 in) | 157.8 x 76.2 x 7.6 mm (6.21 x 3.00 x 0.30 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM and eSIM or Dual SIM (2 Nano-SIMs and eSIM, dual stand-by) |
| Weight | 205 g (7.23 oz) | 196 g (6.91 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 1240 x 2772 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~451 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~393 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.74 inches, 109.2 cm2 (~88.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.6 inches, 105.3 cm2 (~87.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 1400 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, Realme UI 4.0 | Android 13, One UI 5.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM |
| - | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 16mm, 112˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) | 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 1080p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | Dual video call, Auto-HDR, HDR10+ |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, 25mm (wide), 1/3.09", 1.0µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | No |
| 35mm jack | No | - |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L2+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, tri-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 | 150W wired, PD, 50% in 7 min | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min (advertised) 15W wireless (Qi/PMA) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | 5240 mAh | Li-Ion 4700 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Flowing Silver, Starry Oasis | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime |
| Models | RMX3820 | SM-S916B, SM-S916B/DS, SM-S916U, SM-S916U1, SM-S916W, SM-S916N, SM-S9160, SM-S916E, SM-S916E/DS |
| Price | About 380 EUR | $ 780.00 / C$ 1,399.99 / £ 919.08 / € 1,185.89 / ₹ 94,999 |
| SAR | - | 0.95 W/kg (head) 1.04 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.77 W/kg (head) 1.45 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 111h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 1234077 (v9) GeekBench: 5073 (v5.1) GFXBench: 110fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Realme GT5
- Blazing-fast 150W wired charging
- Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor
- Potentially more affordable price point
- Battery life may be shorter than the S23+
- Software experience may be less refined
Samsung Galaxy S23+
- Excellent battery life (111h endurance)
- Polished software experience with One UI
- Versatile camera system with strong image processing
- Slower 45W wired charging
- Higher price point
Display Comparison
While both devices utilize a 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the display differences are notable. The Galaxy S23+ boasts an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, suggesting a superior OLED panel with deeper blacks and more vibrant colors. While peak brightness isn't specified for the GT5, Samsung's displays are typically industry-leading in this regard. The S23+ likely benefits from LTPO technology for adaptive refresh rates, contributing to better power efficiency. Bezels are expected to be minimal on both, but Samsung's manufacturing process generally yields tighter tolerances.
Camera Comparison
The context data lacks detailed camera specifications for both devices. However, Samsung typically excels in image processing and offers a more versatile camera system. The S23+'s image processing algorithms are known for producing natural-looking photos with excellent dynamic range. The GT5, being a more value-focused device, may prioritize hardware over software refinement. Sensor size and lens apertures will be key differentiators, but without that data, it's difficult to make a definitive judgment. The inclusion of OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) on the S23+ is almost certain, contributing to sharper images and smoother video. The 2MP macro camera on many Realme devices is often a marketing feature with limited real-world utility.
Performance
Both phones are powered by the Qualcomm SM8550-AB/AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm), but the S23+ has a slightly higher peak CPU clock speed (3.36 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). This difference, while small, could translate to marginally faster single-core performance. Both utilize the same core configuration (1x Cortex-X3, 2x Cortex-A715, 2x Cortex-A710, 3x Cortex-A510). The GT5's thermal management will be crucial; aggressive cooling is needed to sustain peak performance. The S23+ benefits from Samsung's experience in thermal design, likely offering more consistent performance under sustained load. Both devices will likely feature LPDDR5x RAM, but the speed and configuration could vary, impacting multitasking performance.
Battery Life
The Galaxy S23+ boasts an endurance rating of 111 hours, indicating exceptional battery life. The Realme GT5's battery capacity is not specified, but its 150W wired charging is a significant advantage. The GT5 can reach 50% charge in just 7 minutes, while the S23+ takes 30 minutes to reach 65%. This difference is substantial for users who frequently need to top up their battery quickly. The S23+ also offers 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features absent from the GT5's specifications. The faster charging of the GT5 partially offsets a potentially smaller battery capacity.
Buying Guide
Buy the Realme GT5 if you need uncompromising performance for gaming and demanding tasks, and value the ability to fully recharge your phone in under an hour. You're willing to trade some software refinement and camera versatility for these benefits. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+ if you prefer a more balanced flagship experience with excellent battery life, a consistently reliable camera, and Samsung's feature-rich One UI software. You prioritize long-term usability and a premium feel over absolute peak performance.