Samsung Galaxy S23+ vs. Sony Xperia 1 VII: A Flagship Face-Off
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing all-day battery and a polished software experience, the Sony Xperia 1 VII emerges as the winner. Its significantly longer battery life (43:30h endurance vs 111h) and superior chipset (Snapdragon 8 Elite) provide a noticeable advantage, despite a slightly slower charging speed.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S23+ | Sony Xperia 1 VII |
| 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, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Europe |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, February 01 | 2025, May 13 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, February 17 | Available. Released 2025, June 04 |
| 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), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 157.8 x 76.2 x 7.6 mm (6.21 x 3.00 x 0.30 in) | 162 x 74 x 8.2 mm (6.38 x 2.91 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 196 g (6.91 oz) | 197 g (6.95 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, Mohs level 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~393 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~396 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.6 inches, 105.3 cm2 (~87.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 103.7 cm2 (~86.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) | LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| 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 (2x4.32 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6x3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Adreno 830 |
| OS | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 | Android 15, up to 4 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking |
| 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/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.35", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 85mm (telephoto), f/3.5, 170mm (telephoto), 1/3.5", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3.5x-7.1x continuous optical zoom, OIS, 4cm macro @ 120mm, no AF 48 MP, f/2.0, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF |
| Video | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS | 4K@24/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| 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/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.22µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE | 6.0, A2DP, LE Audio, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG, video output |
| 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/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 4700 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime | Moss Green, Orchid Purple, Slate Black |
| Models | SM-S916B, SM-S916B/DS, SM-S916U, SM-S916U1, SM-S916W, SM-S916N, SM-S9160, SM-S916E, SM-S916E/DS | XQ-FS54, XQFS54EUKCG.GC, XQFS54EUKCV.GC, XQFS54EUKCB.GC, PDX256 |
| Price | € 399.00 / $ 277.97 / £ 424.00 / ₹ 64,999 | € 1,338.99 / $ 1,394.99 / £ 1,149.94 |
| SAR | 0.95 W/kg (head) 1.04 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.77 W/kg (head) 1.45 W/kg (body) | - |
| EU LABEL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery | - | 43:30h endurance, 1400 cycles |
| Energy | - | Class B |
| Free fall | - | Class B (181 falls) |
| Repairability | - | Class D |
Samsung Galaxy S23+
- Faster wired charging (45W)
- More established software ecosystem
- Wider availability of accessories
- Significantly shorter battery life
- Less powerful chipset
- Lower peak display brightness
Sony Xperia 1 VII
- Exceptional battery life (43:30h endurance)
- More powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset
- Brighter display (1475 nits)
- Slower wired charging (30W)
- Less mainstream software experience
- Potentially higher price
Display Comparison
The Sony Xperia 1 VII boasts a brighter display, reaching 1475 nits compared to the Galaxy S23+'s 1205 nits, offering improved visibility in direct sunlight. While both feature 120Hz refresh rates, the Xperia 1 VII’s panel likely benefits from the newer chipset’s display processing capabilities. The Xperia 1 VII’s display is geared towards content creators and consumers, while the S23+ offers a vibrant, but slightly less intense, viewing experience.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems, but details beyond 'Photo/Video' are missing. Assuming Sony’s historical focus, the Xperia 1 VII likely prioritizes natural color reproduction and manual control, appealing to photography enthusiasts. The S23+ typically delivers vibrant, shareable images with strong computational photography. Without sensor size or aperture data, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner, but Sony’s expertise in image sensor technology suggests a potential advantage in low-light performance. The Xperia 1 VII’s video capabilities are likely to be a key differentiator, given Sony’s professional video equipment heritage.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets: the Galaxy S23+ utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm), while the Xperia 1 VII features the Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm) with Oryon V2 Phoenix cores. This 3nm process gives the 8 Elite a significant edge in power efficiency and sustained performance. The Oryon CPU architecture (2x4.32 GHz + 6x3.53 GHz) is designed for higher single-core and multi-core performance than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s (1x3.36 GHz + 2x2.8 GHz + 2x2.8 GHz + 3x2.0 GHz), translating to faster app loading and smoother multitasking. The Xperia 1 VII is the clear winner for demanding users and gamers.
Battery Life
The Xperia 1 VII dominates in battery endurance with a remarkable 43:30h rating and an active use score of 15:32h, significantly outperforming the S23+'s 13:51h active use and 111h endurance. While the S23+ charges faster at 45W (65% in 30 min) compared to the Xperia 1 VII’s 30W (50% in 30 min), the Xperia 1 VII’s superior battery capacity and efficiency negate this advantage. The Xperia 1 VII also boasts 1400 charge cycles, suggesting a longer lifespan.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+ if you need a consistently reliable, compact flagship with a mature software ecosystem and readily available accessories. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 VII if you prioritize exceptional battery life, cutting-edge performance with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, and a more focused multimedia experience, even if it means a less mainstream software approach.