With the launch of the Galaxy S23, the smartphone market is heating up as the latest Samsung flagship is going head-to-head with Apple’s iPhone 14. The Galaxy S23 boasts a new design and a more powerful processor, but is it enough to beat the iPhone 14? This article explores the features, specifications, and other aspects of these smartphones, providing you with the information to determine the one that best suits your needs and preferences.
Table of contents:
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs iPhone 14: Specs comparison
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy S23 | iPhone 14 |
| Display | 6.1-inch, AMOLED, 120Hz (LTPO), Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | 6.1-inch, Super Retina XDR OLED, 60Hz, Ceramic Shield glass |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy | Apple A15 Bionic Chip |
| RAM | 8GB | 6GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Battery | 3,900 mAh | 3,279 mAh (not official) |
| Charging | 25W wired, 15W wireless | 20W wired, 15W MagSafe wireless |
| Camera | 50MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto, 12MP front | 12MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide, 12MP front |
| Connectivity | 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Colors | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender | Midnight, Purple, Starlight, Blue, Red |
| IP rating | IP68 water and dust resistance | IP68 water and dust resistance |
| Price | Starting at $799 | Starting at $799 |
Design
When it comes to design, both the iPhone 14 and Samsung Galaxy S23 are iterative upgrades over their predecessors. Gone away is the Galaxy S22’s “Contour Cut” design as the Samsung Galaxy S23 features a revamped rear design with three distinct rings for each camera sensor that protrudes from the device’s body.
Other than that, the overall design of the Samsung Galaxy S23 remains familiar. It boasts a premium feel with a glass-sandwich construction and an Armor Aluminum frame. Both the front display and the back are protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2, ensuring durability. The placement of buttons and ports remains unchanged, with the power and volume buttons located on the right side of the frame and a USB-C port at the bottom.
The iPhone 14 also features a similar design to its predecessor, the iPhone 13. This means you get an aluminum metal frame, a flat front display, and a diagonal arrangement of rear cameras. The iPhone’s display is protected by Ceramic Shield, which is tougher and more scratch-resistant than standard glass.
One of the key design differences between the two phones is in the front. While the iPhone 14 retains the notch design, housing several sensors and the front camera like previous models, the Samsung Galaxy S23 boasts a central punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera.
Display
Shifting our focus to the front, the Samsung Galaxy S23 boasts a stunning 6.1-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. This display features an Adaptive refresh rate of 48Hz to 120Hz and a peak brightness of 1750 nits. Like the previous Samsung flagship smartphones, this display also features Always-On display, which allows you to check important information such as the time, date, and notifications, even when your device is locked.
The iPhone 14 also features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, but its refresh rate is limited to 60Hz only. Compared to the Galaxy S23, the iPhone 14 also has a lower peak brightness of 1200 nits, though it still supports Dolby Vision and HDR10. In today’s tech-driven world, where even social media apps are quite heavy, a high refresh rate display is crucial for a smooth user experience. While we haven’t heard anyone complain about iPhone’s 60Hz refresh rate — simply because apps are quite optimized — you’re still better off with the Samsung Galaxy S23 if you want a great display.
Camera
The Galaxy S23 boasts a powerful triple camera system with a 50MP primary sensor, complemented by a 12-megapixel ultra-wide and a 10-megapixel telephoto lens. The telephoto lens allows for up to 3x optical zoom and 30x digital zoom photos.
Samsung says it has significantly improved its night shots and has also incorporated an advanced AI system that produces clear, bright, and vivid images and videos. For selfies, there is a 12MP camera on the front that features fast auto-focus and HDR.
The iPhone 14 features a dual camera setup consisting of 12MP wide and 12MP ultra-wide cameras. This camera setup is supported by the A15 Bionic’s ISP. Apple also offers numerous camera software features on the iPhone 14, such as Deep Fusion, Smart HDR, and Night mode.
When it comes to video recording, the Galaxy S23 has a massive advantage over the iPhone 14, as it can record up to 8K 30fps. Meanwhile, Apple’s flagship is limited to 4K 60fps. However, the iPhone has the edge in professional video production as it supports ProRes and can record higher-quality videos.
Processor
Gone are the days of Samsung offering phones with Exynos chips. The whole of the Galaxy S23 series, including the base model, is powered by Qualcomm’s ‘Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy’ processor. This chipset offers up to 30% better CPU performance, 41% better GPU performance, and up to 49% better NPU performance compared to the Galaxy S22. Samsung has also focused on improving the cooling system of the phone by providing a larger vapor chamber compared to the previous generation.
The iPhone 14 is driven by the A15 Bionic chip, equipped with a hexa-core CPU, a five-core GPU, and a powerful 16-core Neural Engine capable of executing up to 17 trillion operations per second. With 6GB of RAM and up to 512GB of internal storage, the A15 Bionic chip ensures exceptional daily performance with ease.
Whichever you choose, the iPhone 14 Pro Max or the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, you can be confident of their exceptional performance in everyday use. Both are equipped to effortlessly manage demanding workloads.
Battery & Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S23 features a 3,900 mAh battery which is slightly larger than the iPhone 14’s 3,687 mAh cell. The Samsung Galaxy S22 was widely criticized for its poor battery performance. It remains to be seen how the Galaxy S23 with its larger battery and a better chipset performs in this segment. In contrast, the iPhone 14 boasts impressive battery life, despite its smaller battery, due to the optimizations of iOS and the A15 Bionic chip.
When it comes to charging, the Galaxy S23 beats the iPhone 14 by a small margin as it features 25W USB-C charging, while the iPhone 14 supports up to 20W wired charging. Both smartphones feature support for wireless charging, but only the Samsung Galaxy S23 supports reverse wireless charging — which can come helpful in charging accessories such as TWS earbuds.
Price
The Samsung Galaxy S23 and the iPhone 14 are the latest flagship offerings from their respective brands and carry a premium price tag. The Galaxy S23 starts at $799 for the 128GB model and goes up to $849 for the 256GB variant. The iPhone 14 starts at $799 and goes up to $1099 for the 512GB option.
Which Small Flagship is Right For You?
In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy S23 and the iPhone 14 are both top-of-the-line smartphones with premium features and capabilities. Choosing between the two ultimately comes down to personal preference and what you value most in a device.
For those who are looking for a fast and compact Android device, the Samsung Galaxy S23 is a great choice. It offers the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, and a 6.1-inch that is arguably the best in the industry. Even though this smartphone may not have seen a camera hardware bump, it captures stunning photos thanks to the optimization of the new chipset. The bigger battery should also help the battery woes of the Galaxy S22.
On the other hand, the iPhone 14 stands out with its powerful A15 Bionic chip and seamless integration into the iOS ecosystem, offering improved performance and a host of productivity features. Despite having a smaller battery, the iPhone 14 delivers excellent battery life. This smartphone offers excellent value for money.
If you have the money to spend, check out our Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max comparison to find out which is the best ultra flagship for you.
