Samsung Galaxy S7 vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra: A Decade of Innovation
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra utterly dominates the S7 across nearly every metric. Its superior processing power, vastly improved camera system, stunning display, and significantly longer battery life make it the clear winner for modern users. The S7 remains a nostalgic option for those seeking a simpler experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S7 (USA) | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - G930A, G930V | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41 - G930A | 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 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (3CA) Cat9 450/50 Mbps, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 2, 4, 5, 12, 13, 17, 25 - G930R | 1, 7, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2016, February. Released 2016, March | 2023, February 01 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), glass back (Gorilla Glass 4), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm (5.61 x 2.74 x 0.31 in) | 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 152 g (5.36 oz) | 234 g (8.25 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | 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 4 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 2560 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~576 ppi density) | 1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.1 inches, 71.7 cm2 (~72.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Quad-core (2x2.15 GHz Kryo & 2x1.6 GHz Kryo) | Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 (14 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 530 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), upgradable to Android 8.0 (Oreo), TouchWiz UI | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | No |
| Internal | 32GB 4GB 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/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS), 1080p@60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., OIS | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, HDR10+ |
| Single | 5 MP, f/1.7, 22mm (wide), 1/4.1", 1.34µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | - | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.2, A2DP, LE, aptX | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | microUSB 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| ANT+ S-Voice natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | 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 | 15W wired, QC2 Wireless | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 3000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black Onyx, Silver Titanium, Gold Platinum | Phantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender, Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, Red, BMW M Edition |
| Models | SM-G930A, SM-G930P, SM-G930V, SM-G930T, SM-G930R, SM-G930F, SM-G930U, SM-G930R4, SM-G930T1, SM-G930VL, SM-G930AZ, SM-G930R6, SM-G930R7 | SM-S918B, SM-S918B/DS, SM-S918U, SM-S918U1, SM-S918W, SM-S918N, SM-S9180, SM-S918E, SM-S918E/DS |
| Price | About 320 EUR | € 549.90 / $ 454.99 / £ 433.00 |
| SAR | 1.24 W/kg (head) 1.59 W/kg (body) | 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 |
| 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 S7 (USA)
- Compact size
- Nostalgic design
- Affordable price
- Outdated performance
- Limited camera capabilities
- Short battery life
- Low screen brightness
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Exceptional camera system
- Blazing-fast performance
- Stunning display
- Long battery life
- Versatile features (S Pen)
- High price
- Large size
- Can be overwhelming for some users
Display Comparison
The S23 Ultra boasts a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a peak brightness of 1274 nits and an infinite contrast ratio, offering unparalleled clarity and vivid colors. The S7's 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display, while still good for its time, pales in comparison in terms of size, brightness, and overall visual fidelity. The S23 Ultra's 120Hz refresh rate also provides a smoother scrolling experience.
Camera Comparison
The S23 Ultra's camera system is a game-changer, featuring a 200MP main sensor, multiple telephoto lenses, and advanced image processing. It excels in low-light conditions and offers incredible detail. The S7's 12MP camera was excellent for its time, but it simply can't compete with the S23 Ultra's versatility and image quality.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the S23 Ultra delivers a massive performance leap over the Snapdragon 820 in the S7. The S23 Ultra handles demanding games and multitasking with ease, while the S7 can show its age with occasional lag. The S23 Ultra's octa-core CPU is significantly faster and more efficient.
Battery Life
The S23 Ultra offers exceptional battery life, easily lasting a full day with active use and boasting an endurance rating of 126 hours. The S7's battery life is considerably shorter, requiring more frequent charging.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S7 (USA)? Primarily those seeking a budget-friendly, compact Android phone for basic tasks or as a secondary device. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra? Anyone wanting a top-tier smartphone experience with exceptional camera capabilities, performance, and a large, vibrant display.