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Updated January 10, 2024·
If camera quality is a priority for you, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has an edge over the Apple iPhone 13, offering higher overall camera quality. Moreover, the S23 Ultra also has a longer battery life. On the other hand, the iPhone 13 is priced in the upper midrange, making it a more affordable option. It's important to note that the iPhone 13 runs on iOS, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra on Android, which could influence your decision based on your preferred ecosystem. Lastly, the Galaxy S23 Ultra's larger screen and higher refresh rate provide a more advanced viewing experience, but the iPhone 13 will be lighter and potentially easier to handle due to its smaller size. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple iPhone 13
- The Apple iPhone 13 has no clear advantages over the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Best in class for taking photos
- Very good for recording videos
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class display quality
- Excellent performance
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
7.7
9.2
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has excellent overall camera quality, while the Apple iPhone 13 has good overall camera quality.
The Apple iPhone 13's cameras are regarded as very good due to strong performance across various critical areas like dynamic range, low light performance, and software experience, but its selfie camera and camera versatility are scored slightly lower. In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra excels with excellent scores in camera versatility and selfie quality, alongside a superior software experience, low light capability, and dynamic range, making its overall camera performance stand out.
Photo Quality
7.5
9.5
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra takes best in class photos, while the Apple iPhone 13 takes good photos.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra delivers excellent selfies due to its superior selfie camera quality and optimizes photo results with more sophisticated software experience, dynamic range, and low-light performance. On the other hand, the Apple iPhone 13, while offering very good selfie capabilities, falls slightly behind as its camera setup is less versatile and its photo software experience, dynamic range, and low-light handling are not as advanced.
Battery
7.1 Hours
10.4 Hours
The Apple iPhone 13 has 7.1 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has 10.4 hours of battery life.
Screen Size
The Apple iPhone 13 has a screen size of 6.1 inches and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is 6.8 inches.
Cost
$630
$1,200
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple iPhone 13 has a price of $630 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
Video Quality
8.0
8.0
The Apple iPhone 13 and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra both have very good videos.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra excels in video due to its higher video resolution/framerate, superior video software experience, more effective stabilization, better dynamic range, and improved low light performance; additionally, it has a better microphone quality compared to the Apple iPhone 13. While the iPhone 13 delivers very good video quality overall, the Galaxy S23 Ultra's enhancements across these aspects make it an excellent choice for videography enthusiasts who are looking for the best possible result from a smartphone.
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How the Apple iPhone 13 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple iPhone 13 | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$630 | $1,200 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Samsung | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | iOS | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 24, 2021 | February 17, 2023 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.1" | 6.8" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2532 x 1170 | 3088 x 1440 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | No | Yes | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 460 | 501 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | A15 | SD8G2 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 256 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 7.7/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 8.1/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto, Super Telephoto | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 12 megapixels + OIS | 200 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.1 Hours | 10.4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 3240 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 15 W | 15 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | Yes (4.5 watts) | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 5.78" x 2.81" | 6.43" x 3.07" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.14 oz | 8.25 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Glass | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | Yes | Yes | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.3 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 6 | 6e | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 258, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6) 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 7, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 270 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Blue, Pink, Midnight, Starlight, Green, Red | Green, Phantom Black, Cream, Lavender, Graphite | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | N/A | No | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | No | |
Shopping
Apple iPhone 13
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
James Peckham | September 2022
"The iPhone 13 isn’t a game changer for Apple’s series of smartphones, but it’s an important iteration that offers better battery life, a better processor and an upgraded camera setup than iPhones that have gone before it. If you’re looking for a fast and capable smartphone, and don’t need the extra features of the pricier Pro model, this is a top choice."
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
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Dig into reviews and images
Android Authority
Ryan Haines | March 2023
"The Galaxy S23 Ultra doesn’t just want a place at the top right now; it expects to stay there. Samsung’s excellent update commitment and connectivity standards will keep its flagship feeling fresh for years to come, and the high-end materials will put up with more than their share of wear and tear. It might be more than most users need in terms of size, power, and cost, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a glaring weakness."
Get a great deal on the Apple iPhone 13 or the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
About Apple
The tech giant called Apple is synonymous with the most popular smartphone in the world: the iPhone. Known for their build quality and aesthetics, as well as for their excellent integration between hardware and software, iPhones have defined the smartphone industry ever since their conception and they continue to do so by setting new industry standards. Apple's own operating system, called iOS, is known for its simplicity and ease of use, and the company tends to complement it well by creating devices with some of the most powerful processing hardware available in the mobile world. The iPhone is also known for its robust ecosystem of accessories, as it facilitates a very seamless experience when interacting with other Apple products, more so than most of its competitors.
About Samsung
Samsung is one of the most recognizable names in the smartphone industry, standing as the undisputed best-selling brand of Android smartphones in the United States for many years now. Samsung is known for offering a variety of smartphones in all available price points, as well as for implementing cutting-edge technology and innovative features in their flagship devices, ones that often shape the market going forward. The company offers its own unique spin on Android, called One UI, which focuses on offering a multitude of features and is heavily customizable, according to user preference.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec phones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest phone information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
68
Phones evaluated
7,820
Phones stats compiled
8
Proprietary Phones ratings developed
151,800
Recommendations made
86,020
Consumer hours saved
About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Phones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Seth Peoples
Phones Expert
Seth is a US-based product expert focusing on smartphones and he is a moderator of one of the largest smartphone subreddits. His tailored recommendations have helped him earn over 87k comment karma, putting him in the top 1% of Redditors.
Efthimis Kotanidis
Phones Expert
Efthimis is a Greece-based product expert focusing on smartphones. He has been recommending phones for 4 years and his recommendations on Reddit have earned him over 35k karma.
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