Tecno Phantom X2 vs Samsung Galaxy S23+: Can a Dimensity 9000 Beat Snapdragon 8 Gen 2?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing raw performance and a polished software experience, the Samsung Galaxy S23+ remains the superior choice. However, the Tecno Phantom X2 delivers impressive value, offering comparable battery life and a strong chipset for significantly less money, making it ideal for budget-conscious power users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Tecno Phantom X2 | 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 09 | 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 8.9 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 | 203 g (7.16 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 | 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 8GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM |
| - | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, (wide) | - |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.7, (wide), PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide), 1/1.3", 1.12µm, AF 2 MP | 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) | 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, Moonlight Silver | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime |
| Models | AD8 | SM-S916B, SM-S916B/DS, SM-S916U, SM-S916U1, SM-S916W, SM-S916N, SM-S9160, SM-S916E, SM-S916E/DS |
| Price | About 460 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 110h | Endurance rating 111h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -26.8 LUFS (Good) | -26.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 973623 (v9) GeekBench: 4027 (v5.1) GFXBench: 71fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 1234077 (v9) GeekBench: 5073 (v5.1) GFXBench: 110fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Tecno Phantom X2
- Significantly lower price point
- Powerful Dimensity 9000 chipset
- Competitive battery life
- Less refined software experience
- Potentially lower peak display brightness
- Lacks wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy S23+
- Superior performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Polished software and long-term support
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Higher price tag
- Similar battery life to the Phantom X2
- Can get warm under sustained load
Display Comparison
Both the Tecno Phantom X2 and Samsung Galaxy S23+ boast 'Infinite' contrast ratios, typical of modern OLED panels. However, the Tecno Phantom X2’s measured peak brightness of 710 nits falls short of what we’d expect from a flagship contender, potentially impacting outdoor visibility. While Samsung doesn’t publish peak brightness for the S23+, their displays generally exceed 1000 nits. Both likely employ similar PWM dimming technologies, but without specific data on the Phantom X2’s PWM frequency, it’s difficult to assess potential flicker-related eye strain. The S23+ benefits from Samsung’s well-regarded display calibration and color accuracy.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer photo and video capabilities, but detailed sensor information for the Tecno Phantom X2 is lacking. The Samsung Galaxy S23+ is expected to have a more sophisticated camera system with advanced image processing algorithms and optical image stabilization (OIS). Without knowing the main sensor size and aperture of the Phantom X2, it’s difficult to assess its low-light performance. Samsung’s reputation for consistent image quality and versatile camera features gives it an edge. The presence of a 2MP macro camera on the Phantom X2 is likely a marketing gimmick, offering limited practical benefit compared to a well-tuned primary sensor.
Performance
The core of this comparison lies in the chipsets. The Samsung Galaxy S23+ utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm), featuring a Cortex-X3 prime core clocked at 3.36 GHz. This architecture offers a performance advantage over the Tecno Phantom X2’s MediaTek Dimensity 9000 (4nm) and its Cortex-X2 core at 3.05 GHz. While both are 4nm chips, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s architectural improvements and optimized GPU translate to better sustained performance and thermal efficiency, reducing throttling during extended gaming sessions. The S23+ also benefits from faster LPDDR5x RAM, further enhancing responsiveness. The Dimensity 9000 is no slouch, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 holds a clear lead.
Battery Life
Both phones achieve an impressive endurance rating of around 110-111 hours, suggesting similar real-world battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S23+ advertises 65% charge in 30 minutes with its 45W wired charging, while the Tecno Phantom X2 reaches 54% in 20 minutes and 100% in 60 minutes. While the S23+ offers 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, the Phantom X2 lacks wireless charging altogether. The slightly faster initial charging speed of the Phantom X2 is offset by the S23+'s wireless capabilities and potentially more efficient power management.
Buying Guide
Buy the Tecno Phantom X2 if you need a powerful phone for demanding tasks like gaming and video editing, but want to avoid the premium price tag of flagship devices. It’s perfect for users who prioritize value and don’t mind potentially sacrificing some software polish. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+ if you prefer a refined, seamless user experience, a more established camera system, and the long-term software support that Samsung provides. It’s the better choice for those who value brand reputation and a premium feel.