Sony Xperia L2 vs. Samsung Galaxy S23+: A Tale of Two Androids
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user, the Samsung Galaxy S23+ is the clear winner. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, superior display, and advanced camera system offer a significantly better experience. However, the Xperia L2 remains a viable option for those prioritizing extreme battery life above all else and operating on a very tight budget.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Sony Xperia L2 | Samsung Galaxy S23+ |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM model only) | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (Dual SIM model only) |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - H3311, H4311, H4331 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 38 - H3311, H4311 | 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 Cat4 150/50 Mbps | HSPA, LTE-A (up to 7CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41 - H4331 | 1, 7, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2018, January. Released 2018, January | 2023, February 01 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), plastic back, plastic frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 150 x 78 x 9.8 mm (5.91 x 3.07 x 0.39 in) | 157.8 x 76.2 x 7.6 mm (6.21 x 3.00 x 0.30 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM and eSIM or Dual SIM (2 Nano-SIMs and eSIM, dual stand-by) |
| Weight | 178 g (6.28 oz) | 196 g (6.91 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 720 x 1280 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~267 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~393 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.5 inches, 83.4 cm2 (~71.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.6 inches, 105.3 cm2 (~87.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 | Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6737T (28 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-T720MP2 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 7.1.1 (Nougat) | Android 13, One UI 5.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | No |
| Internal | 32GB 3GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM |
| eMMC 5.0 | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.0, 1/3.1", AF | - |
| 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 | 1080p@30fps | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 1080p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | - | Dual video call, Auto-HDR, HDR10+ |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.4, 1/4.0" | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | - |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 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, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass | 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 (advertised) 15W wireless (Qi/PMA) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 3300 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 4700 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Gold, Pink | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime |
| Models | H4311, H3311, H4331, H3321 | SM-S916B, SM-S916B/DS, SM-S916U, SM-S916U1, SM-S916W, SM-S916N, SM-S9160, SM-S916E, SM-S916E/DS |
| Price | About 140 EUR | $ 780.00 / C$ 1,399.99 / £ 919.08 / € 1,185.89 / ₹ 94,999 |
| SAR | - | 0.95 W/kg (head) 1.04 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.77 W/kg (head) 1.45 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -92.0dB / Crosstalk -89.7dB | - |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 65h | Endurance rating 111h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: 1130:1 (nominal), 2.266 (sunlight) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 67dB / Noise 72dB / Ring 91dB | -26.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 45023 (v7) GeekBench: 1932 (v4.4) | AnTuTu: 1234077 (v9) GeekBench: 5073 (v5.1) GFXBench: 110fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Sony Xperia L2
- Exceptional battery life (65h endurance)
- Lower price point
- Simple and straightforward user experience
- Outdated processor and limited performance
- Inferior display quality
- Basic camera capabilities
Samsung Galaxy S23+
- Blazing-fast performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Stunning display with infinite contrast ratio
- Advanced camera system with OIS and superior image processing
- Higher price tag
- Battery life, while good, isn't as extreme as the L2
- More complex software features
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S23+ boasts an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, indicating a superior OLED panel capable of true blacks and vibrant colors. This contrasts sharply with the Xperia L2’s nominal 1130:1 contrast ratio, suggesting a less dynamic and potentially washed-out image. While the L2’s 2.266 contrast ratio in sunlight is respectable, it doesn’t compensate for the fundamental difference in panel technology. The S23+ likely utilizes LTPO technology for adaptive refresh rates, further enhancing efficiency and smoothness, a feature absent in the L2.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer photo and video capabilities, but the specifics are where the gap widens. Without detailed sensor information for the Xperia L2, it’s safe to assume it utilizes a smaller, less sophisticated sensor. The S23+ likely features a larger main sensor with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), resulting in better low-light performance and sharper images. The S23+'s image processing algorithms are also far more advanced, offering features like improved dynamic range and noise reduction. The L2’s camera is likely adequate for casual snapshots, but won’t compete with the S23+’s capabilities.
Performance
The chipset difference is monumental. The Xperia L2’s Mediatek MT6737T (28nm) is a quad-core processor designed for basic functionality. The Samsung Galaxy S23+’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm) is an octa-core powerhouse. The 4nm fabrication process of the Snapdragon offers significantly improved power efficiency and thermal performance compared to the L2’s 28nm node, meaning less throttling during demanding tasks. The S23+'s CPU configuration – Cortex-X3, A715, A710, and A510 cores – provides a substantial performance leap across all workloads, from app loading to gaming. The L2 will struggle with modern, resource-intensive applications.
Battery Life
The Xperia L2’s endurance rating of 65 hours is its standout feature. However, this longevity comes at the cost of performance and features. The Samsung Galaxy S23+ achieves an endurance rating of 111 hours, despite having a likely larger battery capacity to power its more demanding components. The S23+ also supports 45W wired charging with PD3.0, achieving 65% charge in 30 minutes, a significant advantage over the L2’s unknown charging speed. The S23+ also offers 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the L2.
Buying Guide
Buy the Sony Xperia L2 if you need a phone that can reliably last for days on a single charge and primarily use it for calls, texts, and light browsing. You're willing to sacrifice performance and camera quality for extended uptime. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+ if you demand a smooth, responsive experience for gaming, multitasking, and photography, and value a premium display and fast charging capabilities. You prioritize features and performance over absolute battery longevity.