Galaxy S23 vs. iPhone 14: Does Samsung or Apple Have the Best Phone?
This story is part of Samsung Event, CNET’s collection of news, tips and advice around Samsung’s most popular products.
Last week at its Samsung Unpacked event in San Francisco, Samsung officially took the wraps off its new Galaxy S23 line, introducing the S23, S23 Plus and S23 Ultra. The new phones, the latest in Samsung’s popular Galaxy S line, have a host of feature and camera improvements, and on paper they seem poised to be among the top phones of the year. The 2023 era of flagship phones has begun.
Though the line is one of the first major tech launches of the year, the phone space is competitive. Apple and Google just refreshed their respective flagship lineups last fall, with Apple unveiling the Phone 14 and Google touting the Pixel 7. And new devices, including the OnePlus 11 5G, are right around the corner.
Samsung’s devices are often directly compared to Apple’s, so we’re going to take a look at how the base S23 and the base iPhone 14 stack up when it comes to specs.
James Martin/CNET
Samsung Galaxy S23 specs vs. Apple iPhone 14
| Galaxy S23 | iPhone 14 | |
|---|---|---|
| Display size, resolution, brightness | 6.1-inch AMOLED; FHD+ (1,080×2,340 pixels); 120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate; 1,750 nits | 6.1-inch OLED; 2,532×1,170 pixels; 1,200 nits |
| Pixel density | 425 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Dimensions (Inches) | 2.79 x 5.76 x 0.3 inches | 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches |
| Dimensions (Millimeters) | 70.9 x 146.3 x 7.6mm | 147 x 72 x 7.8mm |
| Weight (Ounces, Grams) | 5.93 oz.; 168.1g | 6.07 oz.; 172g |
| Mobile software | Android 13 | iOS 16 |
| Camera | 50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide), 10-megapixel (telephoto) | 12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide) |
| Front-facing camera | 12-megapixel | 12-megapixel |
| Video capture | 8K at 30 fps | 4K at 60 fps |
| Processor | Galaxy-optimized Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Apple A15 Bionic |
| RAM/Storage | 8GB RAM + 128GB 8GB RAM + 256GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Expandable storage | None | None |
| Battery/Charging speeds | 3,900 mAh (25W wired charging) | Undisclosed; Apple claims 20 hours of video playback (25W wired charging) |
| Fingerprint sensor | In-display | None (Face ID) |
| Connector | USB-C | Lightning |
| Headphone jack | None | None |
| Special features | 5G, 120Hz display, water-resistant (IP68), wireless PowerShare to charge other devices | 5G enabled; MagSafe; water-resistant (IP68); wireless charging; dual-SIM capabilities (e-SIM) |
| Price off-contract (USD) | $800 (8GB/128GB) | $799 (128GB), $899 (256GB), $1,099 (512GB) |
| Price (GBP) | £769 (8GB/128GB) | £849 (128GB) |
| Price (AUD) | AU$1,249 (8GB/128GB) | AU$1,399 (128GB) |
Watch this:
Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Lineup Is Here With Big Camera Upgrades
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