Realme X2 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S23: A Clash of Titans

The Realme X2 Pro, a flagship from 2019, still holds up surprisingly well. Now, it faces off against the modern powerhouse, the Samsung Galaxy S23. This comparison dives deep into their specs, performance, and features to help you decide which phone deserves your money.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S23 is the clear winner overall, boasting a newer chipset, superior display brightness, and a more refined camera system. However, the Realme X2 Pro offers incredible value for its age, especially if you prioritize battery life and raw processing power on a budget.

PHONES
Phone Names Realme X2 Pro Samsung Galaxy S23
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - ChinaHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China1, 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 / EVDO / LTEGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - EMEA1, 7, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA
Launch
Announced2019, October 15. Released 2019, October2023, February 01
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2023, February 17
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame
Dimensions161 x 75.7 x 8.7 mm (6.34 x 2.98 x 0.34 in)146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6 mm (5.76 x 2.79 x 0.30 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)
Weight199 g (7.02 oz)168 g (5.93 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 5Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Resolution1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~402 ppi density)1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~425 ppi density)
Size6.5 inches, 103.5 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio)6.1 inches, 90.1 cm2 (~86.8% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeSuper AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (peak)Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak)
 -Always-on display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 485)Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855+ (7 nm)Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 640 (700 MHz)Adreno 740
OSAndroid 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 11, Realme UI 2.0Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM
 64GB UFS 2.1, 128/256GB UFS 3.0UFS 3.1 - 128GB only UFS 4.0
Main Camera
FeaturesDual-LED flash, HDR, panoramaLED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Quad64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.5, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.2, 16mm (ultrawide) Auxiliary lens-
Single-12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF
Triple-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
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@960fps, gyro-EIS8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR, HDR10+
Single16 MP, f/2.0, 25mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack YesNo
35mm jackYesNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with Dolby Atmos stereo speakers (2 dedicated amplifiers)Yes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit/192kHz audio (incl. speakers)32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG
Comms
Bluetooth5.0, A2DP, LE5.3, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEOGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0USB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/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 (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)
Battery
Charging50W wired, 100% in 35 min25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
Type4000 mAh, non-removableLi-Ion 3900 mAh
Misc
ColorsLunar White, Neptune Blue, Red Master Edition, Gray Master EditionPhantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime
ModelsRMX1931SM-S911B, SM-S911B/DS, SM-S911U, SM-S911U1, SM-S911W, SM-S911N, SM-S9110, SM-S911E, SM-S911E/DS
PriceAbout 440 EUR$ 237.95 / C$ 336.75 / £ 255.00 / € 322.41 / ₹ 49,990
SAR-0.95 W/kg (head)     0.88 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-0.96 W/kg (head)     1.30 W/kg (body)
Tests
Audio quality Noise -91.3dB / Crosstalk -92.5dB-
Battery life Endurance rating 94h Endurance rating 101h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker Voice 82dB / Noise 75dB / Ring 91dB -27.0 LUFS (Good)
Performance AnTuTu: 396827 (v7), 467653 (v8) GeekBench: 10373 (v4.4) GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 1231075 (v9) GeekBench: 4950 (v5.1) GFXBench: 110fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Realme X2 Pro

  • Excellent battery life
  • Powerful Snapdragon 855+ chipset
  • Fast charging (50W)
  • Good value for money (used)
  • Decent camera

  • Older design
  • Less refined camera
  • No official software updates
  • Lower display brightness
  • Less durable

Samsung Galaxy S23

  • Top-tier performance (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2)
  • Stunning display (1198 nits)
  • Versatile and excellent camera
  • Modern design
  • Regular software updates
  • Wireless charging

  • Higher price
  • Slower wired charging (25W)
  • No expandable storage

Display Comparison

The Galaxy S23's display is a significant upgrade. Its 1198 nits peak brightness blows the X2 Pro's 'infinite' contrast ratio (likely a marketing term) out of the water, offering far better visibility in sunlight. While both have excellent color accuracy, the S23's dynamic AMOLED 2X panel provides a more vibrant and immersive experience. The X2 Pro's display is still good, but noticeably less impressive.

Camera Comparison

Samsung's Galaxy S23 camera system is more versatile and consistently produces better results. It excels in various lighting conditions and offers advanced features like improved night mode and enhanced video stabilization. The X2 Pro's camera is decent, but lacks the refinement and features of the S23.

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Galaxy S23 is a generational leap over the Snapdragon 855+. The S23 handles demanding games and multitasking with ease, while the X2 Pro, though still capable, will show its age with more intensive tasks. The S23's 4nm process also contributes to better power efficiency.

Battery Life

Both phones boast impressive endurance ratings. The X2 Pro's 94h endurance rating is remarkable for its age. The Galaxy S23 also delivers excellent battery life, with an active use score of 11:27h and a 101h endurance rating. The S23's faster charging (25W wired vs 50W) is a slight advantage, though the X2 Pro charges even faster (35 mins vs 30 mins for 50%).

Buying Guide

The Realme X2 Pro is ideal for budget-conscious users who want a powerful phone with excellent battery life and don't need the latest camera technology. The Samsung Galaxy S23 is perfect for those who demand top-tier performance, a stunning display, a versatile camera, and the latest features.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Realme X2 Pro still worth buying in 2024?
If you're on a tight budget and prioritize battery life and raw power, the X2 Pro can still be a decent option, especially if you find a good deal on a used model. However, be aware of its age and lack of software updates.
❓ Which phone has better long-term software support?
The Samsung Galaxy S23 will receive significantly longer software and security updates compared to the Realme X2 Pro, which has likely reached its end-of-life.