If you find the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Pixel 7 Pro too big for your liking, luckily they have smaller siblings. In this article, we compare the Samsung Galaxy S23 to the Google Pixel 7. Again, these are flagship smartphones, albeit technically inferior to their bigger siblings. However, for those of you who prefer more compact devices, these can be ideal alternatives.
As usual, we first list the data sheets of the two smartphones and then compare them in several categories. We’ll compare their designs first, then move on to displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance. There’s a lot to talk about here, so… let’s get started.
Specifications Samsung Galaxy S23 Google Pixel 7 Screen size 6.1-inch FullHD+ AMOLED flat panel (120 Hz refresh rate, 1,750 nits peak brightness) 6.3-inch FullHD+ AMOLED flat panel (90 Hz refresh rate, 1,400 nits peak brightness) Screen resolution 2340 x 1080 2400 x 1080 SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Google Tensor G2 RAM 8 GB (LPDDR5X) 8 GB (LPDDR5) Storage 128 GB (UFS 3.1)/256 GB (UFS 4.0)/512 GB (UFS 4.0), non-expandable 128 GB/256 GB, not expandable (UFS 3.1) Rear view cameras 50MP (f/1.8 aperture, 24mm lens, 1.0um pixel size, OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF)
12 MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 13 mm lens, 120 degree field of view, 1.4 µm pixel size)
10 MP (telephoto, f/2.4 aperture, 70mm lens, 1.0um pixel size, OIS, 3x optical zoom, PDAF) 50 MP (Samsung ISOCELL GN1 sensor, 1.2um pixel size, f/1.85 aperture, 82 degree field of view, Super Res zoom up to 8x)
12 MP (ultrawide, 1.25 µm pixel size, f/2.2 aperture, 114 degree FoV, lens correction) Front cameras 12 MP (f/2.2 aperture, 26 mm lens, Dual Pixel PDAF) 10.8 MP (1.22 µm pixel size, f/2.2 aperture , 92.8 degree field of view, fixed focus) Battery 3,900 mAh, non-removable, 25W wired charging, 15W wireless charging (Qi/PMA), reverse wireless charging
Charger not included 4,355mAh non-removable 21W wired charging 23W wireless charging Reverse wireless charging
Charger not included Dimensions 146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6mm 155.6 x 73.2 x 8.7mm Weight 168g 197g Connectivity 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C Security In-display fingerprint scanner (ultrasonic) Face Unlock
In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) Android 13 operating system
One UI 5.1 Android 13 Price $799/$849/TBA $599/$699 Purchase Samsung Google Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. Google Pixel 7: Design
Both phones are made of aluminum and glass, although they both look and feel different. The Galaxy S23 has more rounded corners and is actually a lot more compact than the Pixel 7. It’s almost 10mm shorter and over 2mm narrower than the Pixel 7. It’s also about a millimeter thinner. Not surprisingly, the Galaxy S23 also weighs less at 168 grams compared to 197 grams. None of this is surprising given that the Pixel 7 packs a significantly larger display.
Both smartphones have flat displays and a centered display camera hole. The bezels are fairly thin on both phones, but the Galaxy S23 has uniform bezels unlike Google’s phone. If we turn them over, you’ll notice that their camera modules look significantly different. The Galaxy S23 has three cameras in the top left corner, aligned vertically. These cameras protrude straight out of the backplate. The Pixel 7, on the other hand, has a large camera strip on the back covered in aluminum that hides two cameras inside.
Both smartphones are quite slippery, so using a case can be a good idea. However, they feel quite high-quality in the hand. The Galaxy S23 is much easier to use with one hand due to its smaller footprint. Both smartphones offer an IP68 certification for water and dust resistance. That’s a little reassuring, that’s for sure.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Google Pixel 7: Ad
The Samsung Galaxy S23 has a 6.1 inch FullHD+ (2340 x 1080) Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. This panel is flat and offers a 120Hz refresh rate. It supports HDR10+ content and gets quite bright too with 1,750 nits of peak brightness. This panel has an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 and is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The screen-to-body ratio is higher here than on the Pixel 7.
The Google Pixel 7, on the other hand, has a 6.3-inch FullHD+ (2400 x 1080) AMOLED display. This panel is also flat and offers a 90Hz refresh rate. It also supports HDR10+ content and achieves a peak brightness of up to 1,400 nits. We’re looking at an aspect ratio of 20:9 and the Pixel 7’s panel is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus.
So the Galaxy S23’s display looks better on paper and it is better in real life. However, the vast majority of you really won’t care about the differences. Both panels offer great viewing angles, vibrant colors, deep blacks, and are more than sharp enough. The Galaxy S23 has an advantage in smoothness due to its higher refresh rate, and it also gets noticeably brighter in direct sunlight. These are two of its main advantages. Touch response is really good on both phones.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Google Pixel 7: Performance
The Galaxy S23 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC in all markets. Samsung decided against the Exynos chip this time. The phone packs 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and either UFS 3.1 or 4.0 flash storage. Note that only the 128GB base storage model has UFS 3.1 storage. The Pixel 7, on the other hand, is powered by the Google Tensor G2 SoC, Google’s second-generation smartphone chip. The phone packs 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage in 128GB and 256GB storage variants.
When it comes to regular everyday performance, both phones do a great job. You can open and close apps very quickly, same goes for multitasking. They are great for surfing, consuming multimedia and various other actions. They are buttery smooth in all of these aspects. However, the differences become clear when playing. The Galaxy S23 is the better phone for gaming of the two. The Pixel 7’s Tensor G2 chip isn’t made for gaming, and Google has never said it will be. It will work fine with most games, but it may run into problems when launching the most demanding games you can find.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Google Pixel 7: Battery
The Samsung Galaxy S23 has a 3,900 mAh battery inside. The Pixel 7, on the other hand, has a 4,355mAh battery. So how do they compare in terms of battery? Well, first and foremost, the Galaxy S23 offers significantly better battery life than the Galaxy S22, which was really bad in this regard. It’s about 25% better if we had to give you a rough improvement. It’s not as good as some other flagship phones just yet, but it will be more than good enough for most people.
You should be able to get over 5 hours of screen time (perhaps significantly more) on the Galaxy S23, although this all depends on your usage, installed apps, location, etc. The Pixel 7 packs a larger battery and, combined with its chip and lower refresh rate, offers more in the battery department. With the Pixel 7, around 6-7 hours of screen-on-time are possible. Sometimes even more. Your mileage may of course vary.
When it comes to charging, both offer both wired and wireless charging. The Galaxy S23 supports 25W wired, 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. Pixel 7 supports 20W wired, 20W wireless, and 5W reverse wireless charging. Note, however, that both smartphones come without a charger in the box.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Google Pixel 7: Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S23 has three cameras on the back. It packs a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit, and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera. The Pixel 7 has two cameras on the back, a 50-megapixel main unit and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. A 12-megapixel selfie camera sits on the front of the Galaxy S23, while a 10.8-megapixel unit sits on the front of the Pixel 7.
The camera results of these two phones are completely different. The Galaxy S23’s images are much warmer, while the Pixel 7 delivers cooler-looking images. The Pixel 7 also offers the high-contrast images we’ve come to expect from Pixel phones in general. To be honest, the Galaxy S23’s camera results are significantly better than the Galaxy S22. The images are sharper and at the same time better balanced. However, the Pixel 7 is still the king of dynamic range.
The same goes for both daylight and night images, you’ll notice the difference in color temperature, but both phones do a great job. I’d still go for the Pixel 7, mostly for the overall look of pixel images, the excellent dynamic range, and the way the phone makes those sunset photos look. As said, the Galaxy S23 is a significant improvement over the Galaxy S22. Depending on the scene, it can beat the Pixel 7, especially if you love those warmer tones. Even in low light, its images are sharper most of the time, if a bit too yellow at times. The telephoto results are undoubtedly better on the Pixel 7, while the ultrawide camera’s performance tries to match that of the main cameras, although it’s a notch below in both cases.
Selfies look a little more lifelike and warmer at the same time on the Galaxy S23. The Pixel 7 offers higher-contrast selfies, so actually in line with the rear cameras. Video performance is good on both devices, but also quite different. It all depends on what you prefer, but both deliver good, stable shots.
Audio
Both the Galaxy S23 and Pixel 7 pack a set of stereo speakers. What they don’t have is an audio jack. Those speakers sound good on both phones, as good as you’d expect. There are certainly better speakers out there, but these get both loud and detailed enough. Not many people will have complaints.
When it comes to headphones, you can either connect them to a Type-C port on both phones or use Bluetooth. The Galaxy S23 comes with Bluetooth 5.3, while the Pixel 7 supports Bluetooth 5.2.
Copyright © 2023 Android Headlines. All rights reserved.
This post may contain affiliate links. You can find more information in our data protection declaration.
February 13, 2023
