Newsletter
It’s time to compare two Android heavyweights, the Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. These are the two most powerful smartphones the two companies have to offer. They’re both quite large, and immensely powerful, but also quite different at the same time. They not only look different, but also feel different in the hand. Their internals are also not exactly similar, so this comparison should be fairly interesting.
We’ll first list their specifications, and will then move to compare them across a number of different categories. We’ll compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance. If you’re trying to decide whether to get one, or whether trading in one for the other is worth it… well, I hope this article will be of use.
Specs
Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, respectively
– Screen size:
6.7-inch Super Actua AMOLED display (120Hz LTPO, HDR10+, 2,400 nits)
6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (curved, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1,750 nits)
– Display resolution:
2992 x 1344
3088 x 1440
– SoC:
Google Tensor G3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
– RAM:
12GB (LPDDR5X)
8GB/12GB (LPDDR5X)
– Storage:
128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 3.1)
256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 4.0)
– Rear cameras:
50MP (f/1.68 aperture, 82-degree FoV, 1.2um pixel size), 48MP (ultrawide, f/1.95 aperture, 125.5-degree FoV, 0.8um pixel size), 48MP (telephoto, f/2.8 aperture, 0.7um pixel size, 5x optical zoom)
200MP (f/1.7, multi-directional PDAF, OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV), 10MP (telephoto, 70mm, f/2.4 aperture, 3x optical zoom), 10MP (periscope, 230mm, 10x optical zoom)
– Front cameras:
10.5MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.22um pixel size)
12MP (f/2.2 aperture)
– Battery:
5,050mAh
5,000mAh
– Charging:
27W wired, 18W wireless wireless, 5W reverse wired (charger not included)
45W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless (charger not included)
– Dimensions (unfolded):
162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8mm
163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9mm
– Weight:
213 grams
234 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) & Face Unlock
In-display fingerprint scanner (ultrasonic)
– OS:
Android 14
Android 13 with One UI
– Price:
$999+
$1,199+
– Buy:
Best Buy
Samsung
Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Design
Both smartphones are made out of metal and glass, but they do feel different in the hand. You’ll find aluminum as a build material for the frame on both devices. Gorilla Glass Victus 2 sits on the back of both phones. The Google Pixel 8 Pro does have considerably rounder edges, while the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s are quite sharp. The Pixel 8 Pro includes a flat display, with seemingly uniform bezels, and a centered display camera hole.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra, on the other hand, has a slightly curved display, with thin bezels around it. That phone also includes a centered display camera hole up top. The Pixel 8 Pro has slightly curved sides, all around. The Galaxy S23 Ultra, on the other hand, is flat at the top and bottom, while its left and right sides are curved quite considerably. The two phones also look entirely different from the back.
The Pixel 8 Pro features a camera visor on the back. That visor connects to the left and right sides of the phone, and is covered by metal. It makes the phone not wobble on the table while you use it. The Galaxy S23 Ultra has four cameras on the back, and each of those cameras is its own camera island. Each of them protrudes directly from the phone’s backside. And yes, this handset does wobble on the table.
Both smartphones do offer an IP68 certification for water and dust resistance. Both are quite large, and not easy to use with one hand. On top of that, they’re quite slippery too.
Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Display
The Pixel 8 Pro features a 6.7-inch 2992 x 1344 LTPO OLED display. This time around, the display is flat, and it’s an LTPO panel. It supports a 120Hz refresh rate, but it can tune that down to 1Hz. HDR10+ content is also supported here, while this panel can get truly bright at 2,400 nits of peak brightness. The display aspect ratio is 20:9, and the panel is protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra, on the flip side, features a 6.8-inch QHD+ (3088 x 1440) Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. That panel is slightly curved, and it does support a 120Hz refresh rate. This is also an LTPO panel, and the refresh rate goes down to 1Hz when needed. HDR10+ content is supported, while the display goes up to 1,750 nits of brightness at its peak. The display aspect ratio is 19.3:9, and the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects the panel.
Both of these displays are outstanding. They’re not only immensely bright, but are also quite vivid, and offer great viewing angles. The blacks are also deep, and the touch response is very good on both sides. The Pixel 8 Pro does have the edge in terms of brightness, which is something you’ll notice in direct sunlight. The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s panel is also very bright, though, not many people will have objections to it. You can go either way here, and you’ll be very happy with the display performance.
Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Performance
The Google Tensor G2 SoC fuels the Google Pixel 8 Pro. In addition to that, Google also included 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM here, and UFS 3.1 flash storage. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy fuels the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Samsung also included 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM here, and UFS 4.0 flash storage. Both of these phones are quite capable when it comes to performance-related hardware, but the Galaxy S23 Ultra does have the upper hand.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is not only more powerful than the Tensor G3, but it’s also more power efficient. The Tensor G3 does enable Google to offer various AI tricks in the software, though, which is something many of you will appreciate. The sheer power is on the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s side, and the UFS 4.0 flash storage also helps things.
In day-to-day usage, both smartphones are outstanding. Both of them offer great, smooth performance, regardless of what you’re doing. They can multitask like nobody’s business, and are also great for multimedia consumption, browsing, and so on. Many of you are probably wondering about games, though. Well, both can run basically any game on the market, but the Galaxy S23 Ultra will perform a bit better when it comes to the most demanding games, especially if you’re planning on enjoying longer gaming sessions. That chip runs cooler than the Tensor G3 in such situations.
Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Battery
A 5,050mAh battery sits inside the Pixel 8 Pro, while the Galaxy S23 Ultra includes a 5,000mAh unit. The Pixel 8 Pro does have a slightly larger battery pack, and a slightly smaller display, but it does not offer better battery life. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a more power efficient chip, so that probably has something to do with it. Is the difference that noticeable? Well, it was for us, that’s for sure.
The Pixel 8 Pro reached around 7 hours of screen-on-time. It jumped between 6 and 7.5, to be quite honest, but most of the time it was almost dead by the time it reached 7 hours of screen-on-time. The Galaxy S23 Ultra can comfortably go over the 8-hour mark, though. When needed, we were able to cross the 8.5-hour or 9-hour screen-on-time mark, without a problem. Samsung’s flagship does offer noticeably better battery life, but the Pixel 8 Pro is far from bad in that regard. In fact, its battery life is considered to be quite good, and it will be more than enough for almost anyone.
Google’s flagship supports 30W wired, 23W wireless, and 5W reverse wireless charging. The Galaxy S23 Ultra, on the flip side, supports 45W wired, 15W wireless, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. Neither phone charges particularly fast (compared to many competitors), to be quite honest, and neither includes a charger in the box.
Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Cameras
There are three cameras on the back of the Pixel 8 Pro, and four on the back of the Galaxy S23 Ultra. The Pixel 8 Pro includes a 50-megapixel main camera (f/1.7 aperture, 1.2um pixel size, OIS, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF), a 48-megapixel telephoto unit (f/2.8 aperture, OIS, 5x optical zoom), and a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera (f/2.0 aperture, 126-degree FoV, dual Pixel PDAF).
The Galaxy S23 Ultra, on the other hand, has a 200-megapixel main camera (f/1.7 aperture, OIS, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF), and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera (f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV, 1.4um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF) on the back. A 10-megapixel telephoto camera (f/2.4 aperture, OIS, 3x optical zoom) is also included, as is a 10-megapixel periscope telephoto unit (OIS, f/4.9 aperture, 10x optical zoom).
Now, the images these two phones provide are considerably different in comparison. Both smartphones are fantastic for photography, and videography, but quite different. The images Google’s phone provides offer a cooler tone, and less sharpening than what Samsung offers. Samsung does not go overboard with the sharpening, though. Samsung’s flagship also has considerably more saturated images. Google does a better job when it comes to skin tones, while Samsung’s photos will usually be ready for social media straight out of the camera.
In low light, they both do a great job. Both smartphones tend to brighten up the scene quite a bit, but you do get plenty of details as a result. The Galaxy S23 Ultra does have a slight advantage in terms of video recording, though, mainly due to its low light performance. Do note that at the point of this comparison, Google still didn’t release its Video Boost feature which should improve this aspect of the phone’s performance.
Audio
Both smartphones do include stereo speakers. Those speakers are really good on both ends, and Google really did boost the Pixel 8 Pro speakers compared to its predecessor. The sound is somewhat rich from both phones, and they’re both plenty loud too.
What you will not find on either phone is an audio jack. You can use their Type-C USB ports to connect your wired headphones, though. If wireless audio is your preference, you’ll be glad to know that both phones offer Bluetooth 5.3.