Samsung Galaxy S23+ vs S23 Ultra: A Deep Dive into Samsung's Flagship Duo
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy S23+ strikes the optimal balance between performance, portability, and price. While the S23 Ultra boasts a superior camera system and larger display, the S23+'s more manageable size and slightly better battery efficiency in active use make it the more practical choice for everyday use.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S23+ | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| 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, 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 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G | HSPA, LTE (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, February 01 | 2023, February 01 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, February 17 | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 157.8 x 76.2 x 7.6 mm (6.21 x 3.00 x 0.30 in) | 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 196 g (6.91 oz) | 234 g (8.25 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) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~393 ppi density) | 1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.6 inches, 105.3 cm2 (~87.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) |
| - | 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 (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| - | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | Laser AF, LED flash, 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 |
| 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 | - |
| Video | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, HDR10+ | HDR, HDR10+ |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | 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, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| 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, 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 | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 4700 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime | Phantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender, Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, Red, BMW M Edition |
| Models | SM-S916B, SM-S916B/DS, SM-S916U, SM-S916U1, SM-S916W, SM-S916N, SM-S9160, SM-S916E, SM-S916E/DS | SM-S918B, SM-S918B/DS, SM-S918U, SM-S918U1, SM-S918W, SM-S918N, SM-S9180, SM-S918E, SM-S918E/DS |
| Price | € 399.00 / $ 277.97 / £ 424.00 / ₹ 64,999 | € 549.90 / $ 454.99 / £ 433.00 |
| SAR | 0.95 W/kg (head) 1.04 W/kg (body) | 1.12 W/kg (head) 0.92 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.77 W/kg (head) 1.45 W/kg (body) | 0.96 W/kg (head) 1.40 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 126h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 1241531 (v9) GeekBench: 4927 (v5.1) GFXBench: 67fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S23+
- More compact and pocketable design
- Slightly better active use battery life
- More affordable price point
- Less versatile camera system
- Smaller display size
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Superior camera system with 10x optical zoom
- Larger, brighter, and more immersive display
- Integrated S Pen for enhanced productivity
- Larger and heavier design
- Slightly lower active use battery life
- Higher price
Display Comparison
Both the S23+ and S23 Ultra feature dynamic AMOLED displays with a 120Hz refresh rate, but key differences exist. The S23 Ultra edges out the S23+ with a measured peak brightness of 1274 nits versus 1205 nits, offering slightly better visibility in direct sunlight. The Ultra’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio, while a marketing term, reflects its superior black levels. While both utilize LTPO for adaptive refresh rate, the larger screen real estate of the Ultra is a significant factor for media consumption and multitasking. The S23+’s smaller size makes it more comfortable for one-handed use.
Camera Comparison
The camera is where the S23 Ultra truly differentiates itself. While both phones share the same core image processing capabilities, the Ultra’s advanced camera system, including its larger main sensor and 10x optical zoom lens, provides significantly greater versatility. Both capture excellent photo and video, but the Ultra excels in low-light photography and long-range zoom scenarios. The S23+’s camera is still excellent, but lacks the specialized hardware of the Ultra. The 2MP macro camera on both devices is largely superfluous, offering minimal benefit over standard close-up shots with the main sensor.
Performance
Both devices are powered by the Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) chipset, featuring the same Octa-core CPU configuration. This means raw processing power is virtually identical. However, the S23 Ultra’s larger chassis provides more surface area for heat dissipation, potentially leading to slightly sustained performance during extended, demanding tasks. Both utilize LPDDR5x RAM, ensuring swift app loading and multitasking. The 4nm process node contributes to improved thermal efficiency compared to older generations, minimizing throttling regardless of the device.
Battery Life
Despite the S23 Ultra having a larger battery capacity (not specified in the data, but known to be larger), the S23+ demonstrates slightly better real-world battery life with an active use score of 13:51h compared to the Ultra’s 13:24h. This suggests the Ultra’s larger, brighter display and more demanding camera system consume more power. Both support 45W wired charging, achieving 65% charge in 30 minutes, and 15W wireless charging. The endurance ratings (111h for S23+, 126h for S23 Ultra) reflect standby performance, where the Ultra’s larger battery provides a clear advantage.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+ if you prioritize a more pocketable flagship experience, value excellent performance without the Ultra's premium price tag, and don't require the absolute best camera zoom capabilities. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra if you demand the largest, brightest display, the most versatile camera system with its 200MP sensor and 10x optical zoom, and the integrated S Pen for productivity and creative tasks.