The new Samsung Galaxy S23 is already here. And with them The battle for the top level of 2023 begins. As it is already a tradition in Xataka, we will face them directly against their opponents. This is what the newly introduced Samsung phones look like when compared to the latest models from Apple, Xiaomi or Google.

If you are looking for a new mobile phone, pay close attention to these new Galaxy S23, S23 Plus and S23 Ultra. They are undoubtedly the most advanced devices of the moment, incorporating some almost never seen components. As we always say, features aren’t everything, but we hope this technical comparison helps us get an idea of ​​what the high-end range is like right now and what each brand has to offer.

It’s still early and many mobile device manufacturers haven’t shown their cards. Samsung, as usual, is pointing to its launch gun internationally with the Galaxy S23 family. To face them, we have selected the latest high-end models from the main brands. Authentic flagships will try to persuade the most demanding users.

• Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
• xiaomi 13 pro
• OnePlus 11
• I live X90 Pro+
• Google Pixel 7 Pro

Design stabilized (goodbye to curves)

There was no revolution in design. Three models of the Samsung Galaxy S23 follow the line marked last year. Samsung has a design that works and continues to rely on it. The only thing that happens is that many competing smartphones also look alike.

Some brands make their screens more curved and others flatter, but basically most flagships look similar from the front. No exceptions here. This year we noticed that the screen is less curved It’s almost like 2.5D glass on the S23 Ultra. On the S23 and S23+ side, the panel is completely flat. It’s a decision we’ve also seen on the Google Pixel 7 Pro, which has transitioned from curved panels to flat panels. This was already a trend and Samsung confirms it.

There are few high-end phones left that are no longer waterproof with IP68 certification. Samsung has been offering this for a long time and the rest as well. It’s on the rear that we can distinguish it on an aesthetic level, and here Samsung is once again betting on the triple rear camera combination with the colors we’ve seen before and the remarkable punch-holes placed in a vertical position.

Screen sizes for every taste

The Samsung Galaxy S23 offers arguably the best AMOLED display in a phone. We have a panel up to 6.8 inches with QuadHD + resolution, adaptive refresh from 1 to 120 Hz and protected by the new Gorilla Glass Victus 2, something new since competitors remain in the first generation of protective glass from Corning.

This year the brightness level of the base models has been improved and even the standard S23 is about approx. 1,750 nits of brightness on the screen. Above OnePlus 11. Still, according to the brands’ statements, Samsung stays below 2,000 nits with the iPhone 14 Pro Max or 1,900 nits with the Xiaomi 13 Pro.

However, if there’s one battle that will definitively determine the majority of users, it’s size. Samsung offers options. We have compact phones like the S23 and 6.1 inches, or extreme phones like the S23 Ultra, which is 6.8 inches and weighs 233 grams. The S23 Plus is somewhere in the middle at 6.6 inches, which is slightly more compact compared to its rivals. Almost all flagships are available at 6.7 inches.

Uncontrolled force is useless

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 has been chosen by Samsung to be the heart of its flagship. Exynos’ time has passed and decides to buy a processor that is also found in most modern Android devices, such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro or Vivo X90 Pro+. Predictably, this SoC will be the system chosen by the majority of the high end.

Samsung prides itself on optimizing and accompanying the processor to deliver the best possible performance. Up to 2.7 times larger steam room compared to the previous generation. This cooling is where Samsung hopes to take full advantage of the Qualcomm chip.

On battery level, the S23s are very much on par with their rivals. None exceed 5,000 mAh. The base model stays at 3,900 mAh, while the S23+ reaches 4,700 mAh. Fast charging where Samsung stays conservativeit stays at 45W. Compared to 120W of Xiaomi 13 Pro or 80W of Vivo X90 Pro+.

give me more megapixels

50 megapixel sensors are the order of the day, but this year Samsung has decided to take an important step. Not the first mobile with a 200-megapixel sensorthis corresponds to the Motorola Moto Edge 30 Ultra, but confirms that the flagships decided to increase the number of megapixels.

As Samsung explains, this sensor lets you focus faster and record in 8K at 30fps. 200 megapixels are not always used because, for example, RAW photography is limited to 50 megapixels. Since it already owns the Google Pixel 7 Pro, the S23 comes with improved nighttime astrophotography and noise reduction algorithms.

In the photography department it is common to find large sensors accompanied by several wide-angle and telephoto lenses. Although it is the type of processing in the end that makes the difference on a day-to-day basis. In technical comparison you will be able to see the difference between one and the other, but here we recommend waiting for the initial analysis to see how much of a photographic improvement it represents.

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