Tecno Phantom X2 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S23+: Which Flagship Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy S23+ emerges as the more well-rounded choice. While the Tecno Phantom X2 Pro offers compelling performance and fast charging, Samsung’s superior software experience, refined camera system, and broader ecosystem support justify the price premium.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Tecno Phantom X2 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S23+ |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (Dual SIM model only) |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66 | 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, 3, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 71, 77, 78, 79 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-A (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 | 2022, December 07 | 2023, February 01 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, January 17 | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame, plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 164.6 x 72.7 x 9 mm (6.48 x 2.86 x 0.35 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 and eSIM or Dual SIM (2 Nano-SIMs and eSIM, dual stand-by) |
| Weight | 201 g (7.09 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 Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~387 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~393 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~93.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.6 inches, 105.3 cm2 (~87.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 120Hz, 500 nits | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.05 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 12, HIOS 12 | Android 13, One UI 5.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm | - |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.3", 1.2µm, PDAF 50 MP, f/1.5, 65mm (telephoto), 1/2.7", 0.64µm, PDAF, 2.5x optical zoom, retractable lens 13 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide), 1/1.3", 1.12µm, AF | 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 | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 1080p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash | Dual video call, Auto-HDR, HDR10+ |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | - |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio, recording | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, 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 (under display, optical), 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, 54% in 20 min, 100% in 60 min | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min (advertised) 15W wireless (Qi/PMA) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | 5160 mAh | Li-Ion 4700 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Stardust Gray, Mars Orange | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime |
| Models | AD9 | SM-S916B, SM-S916B/DS, SM-S916U, SM-S916U1, SM-S916W, SM-S916N, SM-S9160, SM-S916E, SM-S916E/DS |
| Price | ₹ 49,999 | $ 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 109h | Endurance rating 111h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -29.3 LUFS (Average) | -26.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 961576 (v9) GeekBench: 3984 (v5.1) GFXBench: 71fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 1234077 (v9) GeekBench: 5073 (v5.1) GFXBench: 110fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Tecno Phantom X2 Pro
- Potentially higher raw processing power due to Dimensity 9000
- Faster wired charging speed (60 minutes to full)
- More aggressive price point
- Less refined software experience
- Uncertain camera performance without detailed specs
- Lower peak display brightness
Samsung Galaxy S23+
- Superior software experience and long-term support
- Excellent and consistent camera performance
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging capabilities
- Higher price tag
- Slightly slower initial wired charging speed
- Potentially less raw CPU power than the Tecno
Display Comparison
Both the Tecno Phantom X2 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S23+ feature displays with an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. However, the Tecno’s measured peak brightness of 505 nits falls short of what we’d expect from a flagship in 2023, potentially impacting outdoor visibility. Samsung typically excels in display technology, and while specific nit values aren’t provided, their displays generally offer higher peak brightness and superior color accuracy. The absence of LTPO information for the Tecno suggests it may lack the adaptive refresh rate capabilities found in many Samsung flagships, potentially impacting battery life during variable content viewing.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are listed as having Photo/Video capabilities, but detailed sensor information is missing for the Tecno Phantom X2 Pro. Samsung’s image processing is renowned for its natural color reproduction and dynamic range. Without specific details on the Tecno’s camera hardware, it’s difficult to make a direct comparison. However, Samsung’s flagship cameras typically feature larger sensors and more advanced optical image stabilization (OIS) systems, resulting in better low-light performance and sharper images. The absence of any mention of a telephoto lens on the Tecno suggests it may lack the versatility offered by the S23+’s zoom capabilities.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets: the Tecno Phantom X2 Pro utilizes the Mediatek Dimensity 9000 (4nm), while the Samsung Galaxy S23+ boasts the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm). The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s Cortex-X3 core, clocked at 3.36 GHz, represents a significant architectural upgrade over the Dimensity 9000’s Cortex-X2 (3.05 GHz), promising improved single-core performance. The Snapdragon also benefits from optimized GPU architecture, likely translating to better sustained gaming performance and thermal efficiency. While both are 4nm chips, Qualcomm’s manufacturing process and optimizations generally lead to superior power efficiency, mitigating throttling during extended heavy workloads. The S23+'s LPDDR5x RAM further contributes to faster data transfer speeds.
Battery Life
The endurance ratings are remarkably close: 109 hours for the Tecno Phantom X2 Pro and 111 hours for the Samsung Galaxy S23+. This suggests similar real-world battery life despite potentially different battery capacities (not specified). However, charging speeds differ. The Tecno boasts 45W wired charging, reaching 54% in 20 minutes and 100% in 60 minutes. The S23+ also supports 45W wired charging (advertised 65% in 30 minutes), but also adds 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, offering greater convenience and flexibility. The slightly faster initial charge on the Tecno is offset by Samsung’s wireless charging options.
Buying Guide
Buy the Tecno Phantom X2 Pro if you prioritize raw processing power for demanding tasks and gaming, and are comfortable with a less polished software experience. It’s ideal for users who want flagship-level performance without the flagship price tag. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+ if you value a seamless user experience, a consistently excellent camera, long-term software support, and a more refined overall package. It’s the better choice for users who prioritize reliability and a premium feel.