Samsung Galaxy S23 vs iPhone 14 Pro: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The iPhone 14 Pro boasts a brighter display and arguably more refined software experience. However, the S23 offers faster charging and a slightly more versatile camera system. Ultimately, the choice depends on your preferred operating system and ecosystem – iOS or Android.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S23 | Apple iPhone 14 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 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, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2890, A2892 |
| 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, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2890, A2892 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 7, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2891 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, February 01 | 2022, September 07 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, February 17 | Available. Released 2022, September 16 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6 mm (5.76 x 2.79 x 0.30 in) | 147.5 x 71.5 x 7.9 mm (5.81 x 2.81 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) | · Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time; International)· eSIM + eSIM (8 or more, max 2 at a time; USA)· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 168 g (5.93 oz) | 206 g (7.27 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 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~425 ppi density) | 1179 x 2556 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.1 inches, 90.1 cm2 (~86.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.1 inches, 91.7 cm2 (~87.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) |
| 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) | Hexa-core (2x3.46 GHz Everest + 4x2.02 GHz Sawtooth) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) | Apple A16 Bionic (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 | iOS 16, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 - 128GB only UFS 4.0 | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", PDAF, OIS (unconfirmed) SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| 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 | 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), 1/3.5", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, HDR10+ | HDR |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| 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 | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| 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/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Face ID, 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 Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update |
| Type | Li-Ion 3900 mAh | Li-Ion 3200 mAh (12.38 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime | Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple |
| Models | SM-S911B, SM-S911B/DS, SM-S911U, SM-S911U1, SM-S911W, SM-S911N, SM-S9110, SM-S911E, SM-S911E/DS | A2890, A2650, A2889, A2892, iphone15,2 |
| Price | $ 237.95 / C$ 336.75 / £ 255.00 / € 322.41 / ₹ 49,990 | $ 395.67 / C$ 693.35 / £ 403.99 / € 492.99 |
| SAR | 0.95 W/kg (head) 0.88 W/kg (body) | 1.15 W/kg (head) 1.15 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.96 W/kg (head) 1.30 W/kg (body) | 0.98 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 101h | Endurance rating 86h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -27.0 LUFS (Good) | -26.2 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 1231075 (v9) GeekBench: 4950 (v5.1) GFXBench: 110fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 968412 (v9) GeekBench: 5346 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S23
- Longer battery life
- Faster charging
- More versatile camera zoom
- Android customization
- Excellent performance
- Display not as bright as iPhone
- Software updates can be slower than iOS
Apple iPhone 14 Pro
- Brighter display
- Excellent video recording
- Seamless iOS integration
- Strong resale value
- Long-term software support
- Slower charging
- Less customizable than Android
- MagSafe accessories can be expensive
Display Comparison
The iPhone 14 Pro takes the lead in display brightness, reaching a measured 1791 nits compared to the S23's 1198 nits. Both offer excellent contrast ratios (infinite nominal) and vibrant colors, but the iPhone's peak brightness provides better visibility in direct sunlight. Both have excellent resolution and refresh rates.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature exceptional camera systems. The iPhone 14 Pro excels in video recording and computational photography, producing consistently excellent results. The S23 offers more versatility with its zoom capabilities and potentially more vibrant colors. Low-light performance is excellent on both, but the iPhone's Cinematic mode adds a unique creative element.
Performance
Both phones deliver blazing-fast performance thanks to their respective chipsets. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the S23 is incredibly powerful, while the A16 Bionic in the iPhone 14 Pro remains a benchmark for mobile processing. Real-world performance differences are minimal for most users, with both handling demanding games and applications with ease. The S23's CPU configuration (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) offers a unique blend of speed and efficiency.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S23 demonstrates impressive battery endurance with an endurance rating of 101h, significantly outperforming the iPhone 14 Pro's 86h. While real-world usage varies, the S23 generally provides longer battery life. The S23 also supports faster 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging (Qi), while the iPhone 14 Pro is limited to 15W wired and wireless (MagSafe/Qi2).
Buying Guide
The Samsung Galaxy S23 is ideal for Android enthusiasts who value customization, open-source flexibility, and faster charging. The Apple iPhone 14 Pro is perfect for users deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem, prioritizing seamless integration, and appreciating iOS's user-friendliness and long-term software support.