real pioneer
The Galaxy S23 may be small, but it sure is mighty. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s latest flagship chip, a gorgeous 120Hz refresh rate OLED display, and a triple camera setup.
to
- compact design
- Triple rear camera setup
- Bigger battery with USB-C
- Screen with 120Hz adaptive refresh rate
against
- It is limited to 128 GB or 256 GB of storage
- It completely lacks eSIM support
A little boring
Apple saved all the fun upgrades for the Pro models, leaving minor updates for the iPhone 14. It’s still reliable, but it might be time for Apple to rethink its model.
to
- compact design
- Configurable with up to 512GB storage
- Software updates
- Seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem
against
- Used last year’s processor
- Only real dual cameras are offered
- eSIM only (in the US)
When it comes to finding the best smartphone, the two primary choices in the US come from either Samsung or Apple. The flagship experience has really diminished in recent years, with only OnePlus or Google offering an alternative. It’s certainly a far cry from its “first good” days, but both Samsung and Apple have continued to dominate sales, pushing basically everyone else out of the way.
This brings us to the Galaxy S23 versus the iPhone 14, the company’s two flagship smartphones. But as we’ll go over, there aren’t many similarities and you might be surprised by our recommendation.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. iPhone 14: Build and Design
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Samsung appears to be pulling a bit out of Apple’s playbook with the entire Galaxy S23 lineup. The company chose to make the design more consistent across the three devices, which saw the removal of the unique camera protector that was present on the Galaxy S22 and S22+.
With the Galaxy S23 vs. the iPhone 14, both Apple and Samsung are using the tried-and-true “glass-glass” design on their latest devices. Apple decided to stick with the same design that was introduced with the iPhone 12, and now it’s the third iPhone to do so.
On the other hand, Samsung hasn’t changed much when it comes to the design of the Galaxy S23. You’ll enjoy a flat screen and slightly curved edges that give you a more comfortable feel in the hand.
If you’re worried about durability, you can take those worries away, no matter which phone you choose. Both feature an IP68 water and dust resistance rating. Samsung relies on Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back, while the iPhone uses a Ceramic Shield display.
It’s no secret that Samsung and Apple are easily at the top when it comes to build quality when it comes to the best phones. This trend only continues with the Galaxy S23 and iPhone 14.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. iPhone 14: Performance, Battery, and Software
In some ways, Qualcomm continues to chase Apple when it comes to power and performance of the best Android phones. Samsung’s Galaxy S23 is powered by a unique version of Qualcomm’s latest chip, dubbed Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy.
This turns out to be one of the biggest strong points of the Galaxy S23, as Qualcomm and Samsung seem to have managed to significantly improve performance and battery life over the Galaxy S22. With the iPhone 14, Apple took a surprisingly different route, with the A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13 powering both the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus.
| category | Samsung Galaxy S23 | Apple iPhone 14 |
|---|---|---|
| an offer | 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (1080 x 2340), 120Hz refresh rate (48-120Hz), up to 1750 nits | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display (1170 x 2532), 60Hz, up to 1200 nits |
| Slices | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Apple A15 Bionic |
| storage | 128 GB, 256 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB |
| memory | 8 GB | 6 GB |
| back camera 1 | 50MP wide angle, f1.8, 85° | 12 MP wide angle, f1.5, 1/1.7″, 1.9µm |
| back camera 2 | 12MP ultrawide, f2.2, 120º wide | 12MP ultrawide, f2.4, 13mm, 120° |
| back camera 3 | 10 MP Telephoto (3x), f2.4, 36° | ❌ |
| selfie camera | 12 MP, f2.2, 80° | 12 MP, f/1.9 |
| The battery is charging | 3900 mAh, 25 watts wired, 15 watts wireless | 3279 mAh, Power Deliver 2.0, 15W wireless (MagSafe), 7.5W wireless (Qi) |
| Connection | 5G (sub-6, mmWave), Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6E | 5G (sub-6, mmWave), Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6 |
| protection | IP68, Victus Gorilla Glass 2 | IP68, ceramic shield |
| Dimensions | 70.86 x 146.3 x 7.62mm, 168.1g | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8mm, 172g |
| Colors | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender | Blue, Violet, Yellow, Midnight, Starlight, (PRODUCT) RED |
The truth, at least for the iPhone, is that despite using an older processor, performance doesn’t really suffer when it comes to the “basics”. But where Samsung is ahead in more intensive missions is the Galaxy S23 consistently outperforming the iPhone 14 in various benchmarks.
It looks like Qualcomm has finally caught up to Apple in some ways, even if you were to compare the Galaxy S23 Ultra to the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Perhaps most importantly, with the Galaxy S23, you get same The main processor is like Ultra. It really feels like there’s been some kind of change in the mobile space, considering how long Apple has been ahead compared to Android SoCs.
Battery life is pretty comparable across the board, but the Galaxy S23 uses a slightly larger 3,900mAh cell. Samsung offers faster 25W wired charging, as well as up to 15W wireless charging.
The iPhone 14 uses a smaller 3,279mAh battery, but iOS is arguably still more optimized, keeping both devices easily powered through a full day. Wired charging speeds on the iPhone are comically and likably awful, but you can invest in the MagSafe ecosystem to ditch the cables and enjoy charging speeds of up to 15W.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. iPhone 14: The cameras
One of the most important aspects of comparing any smartphone is how well the camera system performs. Samsung gains the advantage right away, thanks to its triple 10MP telephoto lens. This joins the 50MP wide-angle primary lens and a 12MP ultra-wide camera with 120-degree optical vision.
While Apple has finally upgraded its main camera for the iPhone 14, it’s still “only” 12MP, slightly larger than the previous iteration. And the secondary camera is the same ultra-wide lens that was used in the iPhone 13 Pro. Again, it’s the story of parts recycling in the Apple camp.
This does not mean that you will not be satisfied with the photos taken by the iPhone, but it is quite clear that the Galaxy S23 is the most versatile device. However, there’s a reason why even the iPhone 14 can match the Galaxy S23, and it’s all about speed.
Samsung may give you more control over camera settings, even improvements to the camera assistant. But if you are trying to take pictures of moving subjects, there is a very good chance that the iPhone 14 will be the best choice.
Regardless of the situation, both phones will still take great photos in most scenarios. It’s just that the iPhone will be faster and the Galaxy S23 more flexible.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs iPhone 14: Which Should You Buy?
There’s one aspect of the Galaxy S23 vs. the iPhone 14 that we haven’t touched on yet, and that’s the price. That’s simply because both phones start at the same $799, not counting any potential discounts or carrier deals. But when you make the final decision, Samsung’s use of the same processor as the Galaxy S23 Ultra may sway your opinion.
It should be noted that the Galaxy S23 is available with either 128GB or 256GB storage. While the iPhone 14 can be configured with up to 512GB of storage, which can pay dividends if you intend to own your phone for years.
While the iPhone 14 is probably the “safe pick,” the Galaxy S23 is simply the more interesting device of the two. It’s also more versatile with an improved chipset, 120Hz refresh rate, and a more versatile camera system. But no matter which of these devices you choose, you won’t be disappointed.
Small yet powerful
If you want a flagship smartphone, but don’t want a huge screen, the Galaxy S23 is practically perfect.
basics
The iPhone 14 doesn’t do anything amazing, and it’s powered by last year’s chipset. It’s only good for having a reliable experience.