Samsung Galaxy S23+ vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Galaxy S23+ boasts superior performance thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and faster charging. However, the Pixel 7 Pro shines with its exceptional camera software and clean Android experience. Ultimately, the S23+ is for power users, while the Pixel 7 Pro is for photography enthusiasts.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S23+ | Google Pixel 7 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (Dual SIM model only) | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - GE2AE |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - GE2AE |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A (up to 7CA), 5G | HSPA, LTE, 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 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GP4BC | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, February 01 | 2022, October 06 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, February 17 | Available. Released 2022, October 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 157.8 x 76.2 x 7.6 mm (6.21 x 3.00 x 0.30 in) | 162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9 mm (6.41 x 3.02 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM and eSIM or Dual SIM (2 Nano-SIMs and eSIM, dual stand-by) | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 196 g (6.91 oz) | 212 g (7.48 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~393 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~512 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.6 inches, 105.3 cm2 (~87.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.6 cm2 (~88.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (2x2.85 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.35 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) | Google Tensor G2 (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Mali-G710 MP7 |
| OS | Android 13, One UI 5.1 | Android 13, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 4.0 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm |
| 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 | 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/3.5, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.55", 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 126˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm, AF |
| Video | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 1080p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual video call, Auto-HDR, HDR10+ | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF | 10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | 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 | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, 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, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), 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 | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min (advertised) 15W wireless (Qi/PMA) 4.5W reverse wireless | 23W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 23W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 4700 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime | Obsidian, Snow, Hazel |
| Models | SM-S916B, SM-S916B/DS, SM-S916U, SM-S916U1, SM-S916W, SM-S916N, SM-S9160, SM-S916E, SM-S916E/DS | GP4BC, GE2AE, GFE4J |
| Price | $ 780.00 / C$ 1,399.99 / £ 919.08 / € 1,185.89 / ₹ 94,999 | € 248.84 / $ 204.00 / £ 259.99 / ₹ 36,999 |
| 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 | Endurance rating 83h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -26.5 LUFS (Good) | -24.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 1234077 (v9) GeekBench: 5073 (v5.1) GFXBench: 110fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 796369 (v9) GeekBench: 3187 (v5.1) GFXBench: 34fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S23+
- Superior Performance (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2)
- Faster Charging (45W)
- Excellent Battery Life
- Vibrant Display
- Software can feel cluttered
- Camera processing less natural than Pixel
Google Pixel 7 Pro
- Exceptional Camera Software
- Clean Android Experience
- Guaranteed Software Updates
- Bright Display
- Slower Performance (Tensor G2)
- Slower Charging (23W)
- Shorter Battery Life
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S23+ features a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with vibrant colors and excellent brightness. While both have 'Infinite' contrast ratio (a nominal term), the Pixel 7 Pro's measured 1090 nits peak brightness gives it an edge in outdoor visibility. The S23+’s adaptive refresh rate (120Hz) is smooth, and the Pixel 7 Pro’s is also excellent, but Samsung’s implementation is slightly more refined.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 7 Pro’s camera is renowned for its computational photography prowess. Google’s image processing consistently delivers stunning results, especially in challenging lighting conditions. The S23+ has a versatile camera system with excellent hardware, but the Pixel’s software often produces more natural-looking images. Both offer excellent video recording capabilities.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the S23+ is a clear winner in the performance department. It’s significantly faster and more efficient than the Google Tensor G2. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and better gaming performance on the S23+. The Pixel 7 Pro is still capable, but it can occasionally show signs of strain under heavy load.
Battery Life
The Galaxy S23+ has a significant advantage in battery life, boasting an endurance rating of 111 hours compared to the Pixel 7 Pro’s 83 hours. Coupled with its 45W fast charging, the S23+ offers a much more convenient charging experience than the Pixel 7 Pro’s 23W wired charging.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+? Users prioritizing raw performance, faster charging, and a vibrant display. Who should buy the Google Pixel 7 Pro? Photography lovers who value a clean Android experience, innovative camera features, and guaranteed software updates.