Sony Xperia Pro-I vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the clear winner for most users, offering a superior display, faster performance, longer battery life, and a more versatile feature set. However, the Xperia Pro-I remains a compelling choice for serious photographers seeking its unique external monitor connectivity and dedicated camera controls.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Sony Xperia Pro-I | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 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, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 | 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, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 1, 7, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, October 26 | 2023, February 01 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, December 02 | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 166 x 72 x 8.9 mm (6.54 x 2.83 x 0.35 in) | 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 211 g (7.44 oz) | 234 g (8.25 oz) |
| IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Built-in strap-hole | 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 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) | 1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~82.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) |
| Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 512GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.X | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, 12-bit RAW, HDR, eye tracking | 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 | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/2.0-4.0, 24mm (wide), 1.0"-type, 2.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS (315 PDAF points, 90% frame coverage) 12 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.9", PDAF, 2x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", dual pixel PDAF 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) | - |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, 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 | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG, DisplayPort | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Native Sony Alpha camera support | 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 | 30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Frosted Black | Phantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender, Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, Red, BMW M Edition |
| Models | XQ-BE62, XQBE62-B, XQ-BE62-B, XQ-BE62/B, XQ-BE42, XQ-BE42-B, XQ-BE42/B, XQ-BE72, XQ-BE52 | SM-S918B, SM-S918B/DS, SM-S918U, SM-S918U1, SM-S918W, SM-S918N, SM-S9180, SM-S918E, SM-S918E/DS |
| Price | About 930 EUR | € 549.90 / $ 454.99 / £ 433.00 |
| SAR | - | 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 87h | Endurance rating 126h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -28.6 LUFS (Average) | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 725839 (v9) GeekBench: 3540 (v5.1) GFXBench: 51fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 1241531 (v9) GeekBench: 4927 (v5.1) GFXBench: 67fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Sony Xperia Pro-I
- 1-inch sensor for exceptional image quality
- External monitor connectivity for professional workflows
- Dedicated camera controls and features
- High-quality build
- Older Snapdragon 888 chipset
- Shorter battery life
- Higher price point
- Less versatile camera system compared to S23 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Brighter and more vibrant display
- Faster Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
- Longer battery life
- Versatile camera system with excellent zoom
- S Pen functionality
- Software can feel bloated
- Design is less distinctive
- Pricey
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display (1274 nits vs 644 nits) and an infinite contrast ratio, delivering a more vibrant and immersive viewing experience. The Xperia Pro-I's display is still good, but lacks the sheer brilliance and dynamic range of the S23 Ultra. The S23 Ultra's adaptive refresh rate (1-120Hz) also contributes to smoother scrolling and improved power efficiency.
Camera Comparison
Both phones have excellent camera systems, but cater to different needs. The Xperia Pro-I's 1-inch sensor and dedicated camera features appeal to professionals, while the S23 Ultra offers more versatility with its multiple lenses and advanced computational photography. The S23 Ultra's zoom capabilities are also significantly better.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the S23 Ultra provides a noticeable performance edge over the Snapdragon 888 in the Xperia Pro-I. While the Pro-I is still capable, the S23 Ultra handles demanding tasks and games with greater ease and efficiency. The newer chipset also benefits from improved power efficiency.
Battery Life
The Galaxy S23 Ultra dominates in battery life, offering a significantly longer active use score (13:24h) and a higher endurance rating (126h) compared to the Xperia Pro-I (87h). The S23 Ultra's faster charging speeds (45W wired, 15W wireless) further enhance its battery advantage.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Sony Xperia Pro-I? Professional photographers and videographers who value external monitor connectivity, manual controls, and a dedicated camera experience. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra? Users seeking a top-tier all-rounder with a stunning display, powerful performance, excellent battery life, and a versatile camera system for everyday use.