Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The S23 Ultra wins on raw power, display brightness, and battery longevity. The Pixel 7 Pro excels in computational photography and offers a cleaner Android experience. Ultimately, the choice depends on whether you prioritize performance and features or a more streamlined software and exceptional camera processing.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra | Google Pixel 7 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | 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 (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 | 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in) | 162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9 mm (6.41 x 3.02 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 234 g (8.25 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) Stylus (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~512 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~89.9% 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, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 | Android 13, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB 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 | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, 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 | 10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm |
| Triple | - | 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@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, HDR10+ | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, 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 | 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, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS | 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 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 23W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 23W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Phantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender, Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, Red, BMW M Edition | Obsidian, Snow, Hazel |
| Models | SM-S918B, SM-S918B/DS, SM-S918U, SM-S918U1, SM-S918W, SM-S918N, SM-S9180, SM-S918E, SM-S918E/DS | GP4BC, GE2AE, GFE4J |
| Price | € 549.90 / $ 454.99 / £ 433.00 | € 248.84 / $ 204.00 / £ 259.99 / ₹ 36,999 |
| 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 | Endurance rating 83h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) | -24.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 1241531 (v9) GeekBench: 4927 (v5.1) GFXBench: 67fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 796369 (v9) GeekBench: 3187 (v5.1) GFXBench: 34fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Exceptional performance
- Brighter and higher resolution display
- Superior battery life
- Versatile camera system with excellent zoom
- S Pen functionality
- Higher price
- Can feel bulky
- Software can be overwhelming for some
Google Pixel 7 Pro
- Excellent camera processing and image quality
- Clean and intuitive Android experience
- Seamless Google integration
- Competitive price
- Unique design
- Less powerful processor
- Shorter battery life
- Slower charging speeds
- Limited zoom capabilities compared to S23 Ultra
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display at 1274 nits compared to the Pixel 7 Pro's 1090 nits. Both have excellent contrast ratios (infinite nominal), but the S23 Ultra's brightness advantage makes it more visible in direct sunlight. The S23 Ultra also has a higher resolution, offering slightly sharper visuals. The Pixel 7 Pro's display is still excellent, but the S23 Ultra takes the crown here.
Camera Comparison
Both phones have exceptional camera systems, but they approach photography differently. The Pixel 7 Pro shines with its computational photography, producing consistently excellent images with realistic colors and impressive dynamic range. The S23 Ultra offers more versatility with its multiple lenses and greater zoom capabilities, allowing for more creative control. The S23 Ultra's raw camera hardware is superior, but the Pixel 7 Pro's software processing often yields more pleasing results for casual users.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the S23 Ultra provides a noticeable performance edge over the Google Tensor G2 in the Pixel 7 Pro. While the Pixel 7 Pro is perfectly capable for everyday tasks, the S23 Ultra handles demanding games and multitasking with greater ease. The S23 Ultra's chipset is simply more powerful and efficient.
Battery Life
The S23 Ultra dominates in battery life, offering an active use score of 13:24h and an endurance rating of 126h. The Pixel 7 Pro's endurance rating is 83h, a significant difference. The S23 Ultra's larger battery and more efficient chipset contribute to its exceptional battery performance.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra? Power users, photography enthusiasts who want maximum control, and those who value a large, bright display and long battery life. Who should buy the Google Pixel 7 Pro? Users who prioritize a clean Android experience, exceptional camera processing, and seamless Google integration, all at a slightly more accessible price point.