The company has debuted an iterative update of one of the very best Android phones, refining what was already a winning formula with a streamlined design, a new processor, a larger battery, and a tougher body. Samsung Galaxy S23 Google Pixel 7 Size 146 by 70.9 by 7.6mm (5.76 by 2.79 by 0.30 inches) 155.6 by 73.2 by 8.7mm (6.13 by 2.88 by 0.34 inches) Weight 168 grams (5.93 ounces) 197 grams (6.9 ounces) Screen size 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 6.3-inch AMOLED Screen resolution 2340 x 1080 pixels (425 pixels per inch), 120Hz 2400 x 1080 pixels (416 pixels per inch), 90Hz Operating system Android 13 with One UI 5 Android 13 Storage 128GB, 256GB 128GB, 256GB MicroSD card slot No No Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy Google Tensor Gen 2 RAM 8 GB 8GB Camera Triple lens 50MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide, and 10MP telephoto rear, 12MP front Dual lens 50MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide rear, 10.8MP front Video 8K at up to 24 fps, 4K at up to 60 fps, 1080p at 240 fps 4K at up to 60 frames per second (fps), 1080p at 60 fps Bluetooth version Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 5.2 Ports USB-C USB-C Fingerprint sensor Yes, in-display Yes, in-display Water resistance IP68 IP68 Battery 3,900mAh 25W wired charging (no charger included in the box) 15W wireless charging Reverse wireless charging 4,355mAh 30W wired charging (no charger included in the box) 21W wireless charging Reverse wireless charging App marketplace Google Play Store, Galaxy Store Google Play Store Network support All major carriers Most major carriers Colors Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender Obsidian, Snow, Lemongrass Price Starting at $799 Starting at $599 Buy from Samsung, Amazon, Best Buy Google Review Galaxy S23 review Google Pixel 7 review
It’s got a 6.1-inch display, just like the iPhone, making it quite compact in the hand, and it’s made of premium materials like glass (more on that later) and aluminum.
It looks quite similar to the Pixel 6, keeping the distinctive camera bar at the rear and the same hole-punch design. That camera bar is rather striking, and Google’s choice of colors — especially the gorgeous Lemongrass — make all the Pixel 7 phones look simultaneously businesslike and playful.
It’s built primarily for AI tasks, and consequently, it falls behind competing Android phones in synthetic benchmarks. Google’s Tensor chips have shown a tendency toward overheating and battery drainage, and it’s a flaw that’s crossed generations.
The Galaxy S23, by comparison, stays cool throughout use and easily lasts a day (or more), depending on how much you use the thing. The S23’s 50-megapixel main shooter will take images that are close enough to Google’s that you won’t mind.
The Pixel runs a Google version of it with very strong Material You influences present in every aspect of the software, giving it an overall polished look and feel. Samsung’s One UI 5.1 also has Material You themes mixed with more Samsung-centric styling, but it’s also very functional and robust.
Google says it’s working on a version for Pixels and Chromebooks with Android 13, but the company has yet to roll that out or announce a timeline. Despite using its own chips, Google will only distribute three Android updates while matching Samsung on security. It even supports lock screen customization in a manner similar to iPhones, and there’s a wider selection of third-party accessories to extend your phone’s functionality. Google wins on software features for certain, but Samsung offers a more broadly complete package.
It offers a close-enough package to the S23 that the extra $200 in your pocket could buy you a tissue to wipe your tears away for that little bit where it falls short. A raft of cases and accessories means your phone can be further tailored to your tastes, while the thriving Samsung ecosystem ensures you don’t have to be jealous of your iPhone-toting friends.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Google Pixel 7: compact flagships compared
Comparing the prices of the Google Pixel 7 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 is straightforward, because they come in exactly the same storage and RAM configurations. The Google Pixel 7 has a bigger screen but a lower refresh rate (Image credit: Future / Alex Walker-Todd) The Google Pixel 7 is certainly the more distinctive looking of these two phones, with a large metal camera visor running the width of the rear, while the Samsung Galaxy S23 has a trio of lens in the top left corner, with no significant housing around them. However, both phones have a flat screen, a punch-hole camera in the top center of the display, an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, an aluminum frame, and a glass back. With the Samsung Galaxy S23 you get a 6.1-inch 1080 x 2340 AMOLED display, with 425 pixels per inch, a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and a peak brightness of 1,750 nits. However, in practice both phones take impressive pictures, helped by strong image processing and – particularly in the case of the Pixel 7 – useful tools and features, like Photo Unblur to sharpen up shots and Magic Eraser to remove unwanted objects or people in a scene.
We awarded both camera setups 4/5 in our reviews, but we’d be inclined to say that the Samsung Galaxy S23 is the better choice if you care about zoom shots, while the Pixel 7 might just have the edge if you don’t. We mentioned above that both the Samsung Galaxy S23 and the Google Pixel 7 have 8GB of RAM, so that aspect of performance is similar, but when it comes to the chipset there’s a clear winner when looking at raw power.
Instead, this uses a Tensor G2, which is exclusive to Pixel phones and prioritizes AI processes and machine learning over raw performance. But in most real-world use cases you’re unlikely to notice much difference, and its AI and machine learning skills help with things like image processing and speech-to-text. The first is update speed, and on that front the Pixel 7 wins – this being a Google phone, it will get new versions of Android on day one, whereas the Samsung Galaxy S23 will likely have to wait a little while longer. With the Samsung Galaxy S23 you’re getting a higher refresh rate than the Pixel 7 offers, along with a brighter screen, a more durable build that’s also slimmer and lighter, an extra camera lens allowing for telephoto shots, support for 8K video recording, a more powerful chipset, slightly faster wired charging, likely slightly better battery life, and the promise of more Android updates.
The Google Pixel 7 on the other hand can boast a much lower price, a slightly larger screen, arguably better camera software, a chipset that excels at AI and machine learning, a bigger battery (even if that doesn’t translate into better life), and faster Android updates. If you want something that feels a bit more like a flagship and particularly if you care about telephoto shots, then the Samsung Galaxy S23 is a safer bet.
Google Pixel 8 vs Samsung Galaxy S23: which is best?
The $699/£699 Pixel 8 is more interested in AI, makes a bigger design leap forward than its rival, and arguably does more with less on the photography front. Samsung settled on a consistent design for its smartphones this year, with the Galaxy S23 borrowing its individual camera lens elements from the pricer S23 Ultra. The glass and metal sandwich is available in Phantom Black, Green, Cream and Lavender colours – plus Graphite and Lime options if you buy directly from Samsung’s web store. The stainless steel rear camera shelf remains, with the two lenses (rather than three in the Pixel 8 Pro) in the same position besides the flash.
Both can manage 120Hz high refresh rates, but miss out on the 1-120Hz adaptive tech found in their bigger brothers. Google has gone for a 50MP main sensor with f/1.68 lens, optical image stabilisation, multi-directional PDAF and laser assistance.
Both handsets are pretty evenly matched in terms of hardware, but Google’s image processing goes an awful long way. It’s made on a 4nm process, which should make it more power efficient than last year’s chip, and has swapped to a 1+4+4 core layout that promises more oomph in apps and games. If early benchmark scores are to be believed, though, Samsung will retain its performance edge – despite being many months older.
That’s because it partnered with Qualcomm on a bespoke version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, which runs faster here than on any rival phone. In our Galaxy S23 review, we found that the Samsung held its battery well – but you don’t want a more powerful device to feature a smaller powerhouse. The Pixel officially supports 30W over USB-C, while the S23 maxes out at 25W, but the capacity difference mean both take a similar time the mains for a full charge.
Samsung’s flagship smartphone takes outstanding photos, is seriously powerful, and packs an impressive display. The Tensor G3 processor is meant to be more power efficient, but we’ll only know for sure if the previous generation’s battery and thermal issues have been resolved.
Minor hardware upgrades aside, the camera focus has very much been on AI assistance and new software shooting modes.
Connor has experience on most major platforms, though does hold a place in his heart for macOS, iOS/iPadOS, electric vehicles, and smartphone tech.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. Google Pixel 7
However, the more affordable and almost as capable entry-level models, such as Samsung’s $799 Galaxy S23 and Google’s $599 Pixel 7 are definitely worth considering. There are only so many changes and tweaks you can make to a rectangular slab of glass, and Samsung’s Galaxy S23 and Google’s Pixel 7 are no exception. The complete list includes green, Phantom Black, lavender, cream, graphite and lime — with the latter two being the Samsung-exclusive colors. The Pixel 7 is bigger, but I’ve found it to be just as usable with one hand, partly because of the camera bump that acts as a ledge that rests on top of my finger while holding the phone. Google, on the other hand, continues to take a slightly different — if not odd, at times — approach that grows on you. On paper, the Pixel 7 has a minimal advantage in overall resolution, but that’s due to the difference in display size. However, the street lights and the background scenery are brighter and more saturated on the S23, leading to a more immersive experience as you race through each track. The difference in refresh rate between the S23 and Pixel 7 means that common tasks like scrolling through Instagram, a website or long email are going to look buttery smooth on the S23. That doesn’t mean the same tasks on the Pixel 7 are going to stutter and look meaningfully worse — a 90Hz refresh rate is still very much a welcome feature — but the S23’s screen has an effortless feel to it when scrolling. As is the case with the overall resolution, the differences in refresh rate come down to nitpicking the finer details of the overall experience.
But where I think the S23’s display outshines — literally — the Pixel 7 is when it comes to overall brightness, color saturation and refresh rate. TL;DR: The Galaxy S23’s display edges out the Pixel 7’s on brightness (handy for outdoor use), speed and overall visual appeal.
But for all intents and purposes, the Pixel’s operating system is as close to stock Android as you’ll get on any Android-powered smartphone. It’s akin to black magic, and it’s limited to Google’s latest phones, including the Pixel 7. TL;DR: Samsung’s phones are known for having excess software apps and features, while Google’s Pixel line takes a more restrained approach. The Pixel is also the first crop of phones to receive major Android updates, serving as a playing ground of sorts for Google’s latest apps and features.
For years, Google’s Pixel phones were arguably considered to be the best smartphone cameras money could buy. Both phones are capable of capturing high-quality photos that you’d have no issues sharing across your social media accounts or privately in messages with family. True to form, pictures taken with the Galaxy S23 appear slightly oversaturated, while photos from the Pixel 7 look more true-to-life, but at times, have a dull-looking palette. One area where the S23 handily excels over the Pixel 7 is in its ability to zoom in on a subject at a long distance. The Tensor G2 is only Google’s second-generation processor that was designed in house, and when you put the two devices through the same benchmark app, the performance numbers aren’t even close.
The end result is a smooth user experience, and in the case of the Pixel, in spite of a measurably slower processor. TL;DR: On paper, the S23 kills the Pixel 7 when it comes to overall performance, but in everyday use, the differences aren’t noticeable. The gist of it comes down to this: If you want the latest Android features and services Google has to offer, along with strong battery life and a camera that’s sure to impress — not to mention a much lower price — the $599 Pixel 7 is an easy pick.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro: Which Android phone wins?
This Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro face-off takes a critical look at these two Android flagship phones. While the Galaxy S23 Ultra is the latest and greatest with a host of features, the Pixel 7 Pro should not be overlooked, thanks to its camera prowess and AI smarts — not to mention its much lower price. As strong as the Pixel 7 Pro is with mobile photography, Samsung upped its game this year with its cameras, as you can see in our Galaxy S23 Ultra review .
For this Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. Pixel 7 Pro face-off, we’ll break down all of the key similarities and differences between the two handsets. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy silicon helps the S23 Ultra outpace any Android phone and even challenge the iPhone’s performance crown. Curved screen can get in way Google Pixel 7 Pro $26.12 at AT&T Mobility $629 at Best Buy $649 at Amazon The Pixel 7 Pro benefits from Google’s computation photography to be a formidable camera phone, and the latest Tensor processor powers a number of impressive software features that benefit from machine learning. We wish the Pixel 7 Pro lasted longer on a charge, as it features below-average battery life. A large gap exists between the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Pixel 7 Pro when it comes to price. Even with double the capacity, that’s a very large difference in price, though some of that can be attributed to the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s larger feature set, extra cameras, and better specs.
The latest Pixel presents a more striking appearance than its predecessor with metal accents and more prominent camera lenses.
However, we’ve seen reports that some Pixel 7 Pro units have started to suffer from broken glass on the camera bar and parts of the phone falling apart, like the volume and power buttons. Swipe to scroll horizontally Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Google Pixel 7 Pro Starting price $1,199 $899 Android version Android 13 (One UI 5.1) Android 13 Display 6.8-inch Super AMOLED (3088 x 1440) 6.7-inch OLED (3120 x 1440) Refresh rate 1-120Hz 10-120Hz CPU Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy Tensor G2 RAM 8GB, 12GB 12GB Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB 128GB, 256GB, 512GB Rear cameras 200MP (f/1.7) main, 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 10MP (f/2.4) 3x telephoto, 10MP (f/4.9) 10x telephoto 50MP (f/1.9) main, 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 48MP (f/3.5) 5x telephoto Front camera 12MP (f/2.2) 10.8MP (f/2.2) Battery size 5,000 mAh 5,000 mAh Battery life (Hrs:Mins) 12:22 (Adaptive) / 13:09 (60Hz) 8:04 (Adaptive) / 7:55 (60Hz) Wired charging speed 45W 33W Size 6.4 x 3 x 0.4 inches (163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm) 6.4 x 3 x 0.4 inches (162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9 mm) Weight 8.3 ounces (234 g) 7.5 ounces (212 g) Colors Phantom Black, Cream, Lavender, Green Obsidian, Snow, Hazel
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is almost vibrant in its Vivid mode versus the Pixel 7 Pro’s Adaptive color setting. While the Galaxy S23 Ultra holds the advantage in the other areas in this face-off, the most important arena features the phones’ cameras.
Starting off with this picture of some bumper cars at an ice skating rink, we think the Pixel 7 Pro and Galaxy S23 Ultra line up almost perfectly. The Pixel 7 Pro’s picture looks dead and lifeless, which may in fact reflect the reality of the scene and environment itself.
However, based on this comparison, the Galaxy S23 Ultra wins with something that looks like it has true life in it, especially given the fact that it’s winter. In this scene of some liquor bottles, we noticed that the Galaxy S23 Ultra had too much of a warm, yellowish tinge in its final image.
The Pixel 7 Pro produced a cooler image that we think reflects reality better, but it suffers from soft focus. The subject is much clearer and in stronger focus in the Pixel 7 Pro’s picture, which also sports a much more artistic bokeh effect. Wrapping up with selfies, we opted for a nighttime comparison since we know that both the Pixel 7 Pro and Galaxy S23 Ultra can take good self-portraits. Google’s phone did not do a good job accounting for all of the harsh artificial light in combination with the evening. The Pixel 7 Pro had the better portrait, and both phones faced a draw in the bumper cars and night photo. Not only is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 a much more powerful chip, the special overclocked version for the Galaxy S23 series jumps even further ahead of Tensor G2.
But Tensor isn’t a high-performance processor, since Google primarily focuses on AI and machine learning for the Pixel line now, the results of which we’ll get to in a moment. Both the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Pixel 7 Pro have 5,000 mAh batteries, but the longevity of each creates yet another divide — one where Samsung comes out on top. To test a phone’s battery life, we task the fully charged device to endlessly reload web pages over a cellular connection until it runs out of power. We typically see a 10-hour average on most smartphones nowadays, with the handsets on our best phone battery life list well exceeding that.
This is where you can have Bixby, Samsung’s virtual assistant, answer your phone calls and read out your text responses. Then again, the Galaxy S23 Ultra brings the full power of the S Pen to bear against the Pixel 7 Pro.
This souped-up stylus can do a whole host of things, from document markup to photo editing and art. Google lost major points in the battery life category with its simply unacceptable result in our testing.
Even though we saw traces of Samsung’s old unwanted over-saturation, the final pictures in general came out brighter with stronger colors than the Pixel.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Google Pixel 7: compact flagships compared
Comparing the prices of the Google Pixel 7 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 is straightforward, because they come in exactly the same storage and RAM configurations. The Google Pixel 7 has a bigger screen but a lower refresh rate (Image credit: Future / Alex Walker-Todd) The Google Pixel 7 is certainly the more distinctive looking of these two phones, with a large metal camera visor running the width of the rear, while the Samsung Galaxy S23 has a trio of lens in the top left corner, with no significant housing around them.
However, both phones have a flat screen, a punch-hole camera in the top center of the display, an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, an aluminum frame, and a glass back.
With the Samsung Galaxy S23 you get a 6.1-inch 1080 x 2340 AMOLED display, with 425 pixels per inch, a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and a peak brightness of 1,750 nits. However, in practice both phones take impressive pictures, helped by strong image processing and – particularly in the case of the Pixel 7 – useful tools and features, like Photo Unblur to sharpen up shots and Magic Eraser to remove unwanted objects or people in a scene.
We awarded both camera setups 4/5 in our reviews, but we’d be inclined to say that the Samsung Galaxy S23 is the better choice if you care about zoom shots, while the Pixel 7 might just have the edge if you don’t. We mentioned above that both the Samsung Galaxy S23 and the Google Pixel 7 have 8GB of RAM, so that aspect of performance is similar, but when it comes to the chipset there’s a clear winner when looking at raw power.
Instead, this uses a Tensor G2, which is exclusive to Pixel phones and prioritizes AI processes and machine learning over raw performance.
But in most real-world use cases you’re unlikely to notice much difference, and its AI and machine learning skills help with things like image processing and speech-to-text. The first is update speed, and on that front the Pixel 7 wins – this being a Google phone, it will get new versions of Android on day one, whereas the Samsung Galaxy S23 will likely have to wait a little while longer. With the Samsung Galaxy S23 you’re getting a higher refresh rate than the Pixel 7 offers, along with a brighter screen, a more durable build that’s also slimmer and lighter, an extra camera lens allowing for telephoto shots, support for 8K video recording, a more powerful chipset, slightly faster wired charging, likely slightly better battery life, and the promise of more Android updates.
The Google Pixel 7 on the other hand can boast a much lower price, a slightly larger screen, arguably better camera software, a chipset that excels at AI and machine learning, a bigger battery (even if that doesn’t translate into better life), and faster Android updates. If you want something that feels a bit more like a flagship and particularly if you care about telephoto shots, then the Samsung Galaxy S23 is a safer bet.
Google Pixel 7 vs Samsung Galaxy S23: What is the difference?
has Mail Privacy Protection ✖ Google Pixel 7 ✖ Samsung Galaxy S23 Mail Privacy Protection is a feature built into the default email app that blocks senders from using “tracking pixels” to see when you’ve read an email. blocks cross-site tracking ✖ Google Pixel 7 ✖ Samsung Galaxy S23 This setting (in the default browser) allows you to block cross-site tracking cookies and data to help protect your privacy.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. Google Pixel 7: Compare the Specs of Both Android Phones
The phones and tablets were revealed earlier this month at the Samsung Unpacked event in San Francisco, and so far my colleague Lisa Eadicicco has reviewed the highest-end Galaxy S23 Ultra. For Google, though, this price difference might not matter in the US, where most people buy devices from wireless carriers that have traditionally offered enticing upgrade deals on new Galaxy phones and iPhones.
It’s worth noting that the Galaxy S23 has a dedicated telephoto camera for capturing faraway objects, which isn’t available on the more affordable Pixel 7.
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