Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: Android Flagships Face Off!

It’s the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra versus the Google Pixel 7 Pro! How do the Android giants compare?

Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra is vying for dominance in the smartphone world. We’ve already looked at how it compares to Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus, as well as Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max.

But how does the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra compare against Google’s Pixel 7 Pro?

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Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: Specs

First, here’s a look at the specs of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Google Pixel 7 Pro:

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: Design

When it comes to design, both phones are noticeably different. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has sharp, squared-off edges, while the Pixel 7 Pro looks much more like an iPhone 14, with its rounded edges. However, both phones are made of aluminum, so they have roughly the same shine (or lack thereof).

But if looks are important to you in a phone, know that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will give you many more options. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra comes in a staggering 8 different color options (four on online exclusives). The Pixel 7 Pro only comes in three color options.

And while appearance preferences are highly subjective, some will like the Pixel 7 Pro’s rear more than the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra’s. That’s because Google has designed the phone with a polished band around the rear camera system. It gives the phone a unique look.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: Display

As far as displays go, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has the largest display at 6.8-inches. The Pixel 7 Pro is just a smidge smaller at 6.7-inches. However, due to the number of pixels in the Pixel 7 Pro, the phone actually has a slightly – slightly – higher pixel density, which means it’s technically sharper. But most people won’t be able to see this with the naked eye.

Both phones support up to 120Hz refresh rates and both also offer HDR support. However, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has the higher peak brightness at 1750 nits. The Pixel 7 Pro peak brightness is limited to 1500 nits. That means that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra’s display should be easier to see in bright, outdoor settings.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: CPU & Storage

If you want the most internal storage possible, you are going to want to go with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. That’s because the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra comes in a 1TB storage option in addition to 256GB and 512GB. The Pixel 7 Pro comes in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options. There is no 1TB Pixel 7 Pro.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra also wins when it comes to CPU. Its Octa-Core Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 outperforms the Google Tensor G2 chip in many areas. Much of this performance boost can be attributed to the fact that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a 4nm chip, while the Google Tensor G2 still uses 5nm technology.

As always, however, performance will vary based on the task – and it’s questionable wether the average user would notice a difference between the two chips in normal everyday tasks like texting and web browsing.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra’s winning streak doesn’t stop here. While both phones offer a 5000 mAh battery, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts 26 hours of video playback. The Pixel 7 Pro, on the other hand, brags about “beyond” 24 hour battery life.

Now each of those claims, of course, is heavily dependent on an individual user’s usage patterns of the device – so results will vary widely. But technically, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts slightly better battery life.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: Camera

When it comes to the front camera, the 12MP selfie camera of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra beats the 10.8MP selfie camera on the Pixel Pro 7.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra also has the superior rear camera system. The Pixel Pro 7 has a respectable triple-lens system featuring a 12MP ultra wide, 50MP wide, and 48MP telephoto lenses, but the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a quad rear camera system, featuring 2MP ultra wide, 200MP wide, and dual 10MP telephoto.

The lens to look at here is the telephoto lens. While the telephoto on the Pixel 7 Pro is 48MP – most people don’t need to take 48MP telephoto pics. I’d much rather have the dual 10MP telephoto lenses on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, because they allow for up to 10x optical zoom. The Pixel 7 Pro only has 5x optical zoom.

Also, people shouldn’t get too excited about the 200MP lens on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Most users will never need to take such photos – and at 200MP each (up to 40MB), those snaps will quickly fill up the storage on your Ultra.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: Cost

Finally – cost. The Google Pixel 7 Pro costs $740 for the 128GB model, $849 for the 256GB model, and $949 for the 512GB model.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra costs $1199.99 for the 256GB model, $1379.99 for the 512GB model, and $1619.99 for the 1TB model.

Michael Grothaus

Apple expert and novelist, Michael Grothaus has been covering tech on KnowYourMobile for the best part of 10 years. Prior to this, he worked at Apple. And before that, he was a film journalist. Michael is a published author; his book Epiphany Jones was voted as one of the best novels about Hollywood by Entertainment Weekly. Michael is also a writer at other publications including VICE and Fast Company.