Tecno Phantom V Fold vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: The Ultimate Foldable Face-Off
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra remains the stronger overall choice, offering superior performance, a brighter display, and a more refined camera system. However, the Tecno Phantom V Fold presents a compelling alternative for those seeking a foldable experience on a tighter budget, prioritizing battery life and a larger unfolded screen.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Tecno Phantom V Fold | 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 | LTE | 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 | SA/NSA | 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, 7, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, February 28 | 2023, February 01 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, April 12 | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front folded (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 159.4 x 140.4 x 6.9 mmFolded: 159.4 x 72 x 14.2-14.5 mm | 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 | 299 g (10.55 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 |
| Resolution | 2000 x 2296 pixels (~388 ppi density) | 1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density) |
| Size | 7.85 inches, 196.9 cm2 (~88.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Foldable LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 1100 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) |
| Cover display: LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 1100 nits (peak), Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 6.42 inches, 1080 x 2550 pixels, 431 PPI | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.20 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.85 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 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 | Mediatek Dimensity 9000+ (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G710 MC10 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 13, HiOS 13 Fold | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, 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 | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/2.8", 1.12µm Cover camera: 32 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.3", 1.2µm, PDAF 50 MP, f/2.0, (telephoto), 1/2.8", 0.64µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.12µm, PDAF | - |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | - | HDR, HDR10+ |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/2.8", 1.12µm Cover camera: 32 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@60fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | FM radio, recording | No |
| USB | USB Type-C, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, 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, 40% in 15 min, 100% in 55 min | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White | Phantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender, Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, Red, BMW M Edition |
| Models | AD10 | SM-S918B, SM-S918B/DS, SM-S918U, SM-S918U1, SM-S918W, SM-S918N, SM-S9180, SM-S918E, SM-S918E/DS |
| Price | About 1030 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 92h | Endurance rating 126h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -24.3 LUFS (Very good) | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 999348 (v9) GeekBench: 3963 (v5.1), 3748 (v6) GFXBench: 45fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 1241531 (v9) GeekBench: 4927 (v5.1) GFXBench: 67fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Tecno Phantom V Fold
- Exceptional battery life (92h endurance)
- Large foldable display for immersive viewing
- Potentially more affordable than the S23 Ultra
- Fast charging (45W)
- Lower display brightness (492 nits)
- Less powerful chipset than the S23 Ultra
- Camera performance not as refined as the S23 Ultra
- Software experience may not be as polished
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Superior performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Brighter and more vibrant display (1274 nits)
- Exceptional camera system with versatile lenses
- Refined software experience
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Higher price point
- Battery life slightly less impressive than the Phantom V Fold
- Large size may not be ideal for everyone
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra's display is significantly brighter, peaking at 1274 nits compared to the Phantom V Fold's 492 nits. While both boast 'infinite' contrast ratios (a nominal term), the S23 Ultra's superior brightness makes it more visible in direct sunlight. The Phantom V Fold's larger unfolded screen offers more real estate for multitasking, but the S23 Ultra's smaller, more manageable external display is arguably more practical for everyday use.
Camera Comparison
Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra consistently delivers exceptional camera performance, with its versatile lens array and advanced image processing. While the Phantom V Fold's camera is capable, it doesn't match the S23 Ultra's overall quality, dynamic range, and low-light performance. 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 Dimensity 9000+ in the Phantom V Fold. While both chips are powerful, the S23 Ultra handles demanding tasks and games with greater ease and efficiency. The S23 Ultra's optimized software further enhances its performance.
Battery Life
The Tecno Phantom V Fold shines in battery life, boasting an impressive endurance rating of 92h. The S23 Ultra, while still offering good battery life (126h endurance rating, 13:24 active use), doesn't quite reach the same level. The S23 Ultra's faster charging speeds (45W wired, 15W wireless) partially compensate for this difference.
Buying Guide
The Tecno Phantom V Fold is ideal for users prioritizing a large, foldable display for media consumption and multitasking, and those seeking exceptional battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is best suited for power users who demand top-tier performance, a versatile camera system, and the reliability of a well-established brand.