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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you value a larger screen and superior camera features, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra might be your choice, equipped with a periscope camera for long-range zoom and the ability to shoot 8K video. However, it's more expensive than the iPhone 14. The iPhone 14, while more budget-friendly, offers a smaller screen and a more modest camera setup without the periscope zoom, but it should suffice for everyday photography and video. Bear in mind, the Galaxy S23 Ultra also offers a higher refresh rate for smoother visuals, particularly beneficial for gaming or scrolling through content. Both have glass backs and similar battery life, but the choice could depend on your preference for iOS or Android. 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 14
- The Apple iPhone 14 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
8.0
9.2
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has excellent overall camera quality, while the Apple iPhone 14 has very good overall camera quality.
The Apple iPhone 14 boasts an exceptional selfie quality score, primarily due to its high-quality selfie camera and robust photos software experience, which enhances dynamic range and low light performance. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra matches these capabilities with very good performance in the same areas and adds a versatile rear camera setup, including a very capable telephoto lens with 10x optical zoom, contributing to excellent camera versatility.
Photo Quality
7.9
9.5
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra takes best in class photos, while the Apple iPhone 14 takes good photos.
The Apple iPhone 14 is praised for its selfie quality due to its well-tuned camera software that enhances the user experience and produces dynamic range and low light performance that consumers widely appreciate. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra also offers exceptional selfie quality, complemented by its own software experience, together with versatility given its multiple rear cameras that excel in resolution, dynamic range, and low-light situations.
Video Quality
8.8
8.0
The Apple iPhone 14 and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra both have very good videos, though the Apple iPhone 14 takes somewhat better videos.
The Apple iPhone 14 excels at video recording with exceptional stabilization and dynamic range, ensuring smooth and lifelike footage, but its microphone quality isn't rated as high as the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, which also offers a slight edge in low-light video performance. While both take excellent videos, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has a stronger emphasis on microphone quality, and it supports higher video resolutions and frame rates, which can be beneficial for more detailed and slow-motion content.
Battery
7.3 Hours
10.4 Hours
The Apple iPhone 14 has 7.3 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has 10.4 hours of battery life.
Screen Size
The Apple iPhone 14 has a screen size of 6.1 inches and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is 6.8 inches.
Cost
$629
$1,200
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple iPhone 14 has a price of $629 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra costs $1,200.
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How the Apple iPhone 14 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple iPhone 14 | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$629 | $1,200 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Samsung | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | iOS | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 16, 2022 | 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 | 6 GB | 8 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 8.1/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 7.9/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 8.8/10 | 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 | 7.3 Hours | 10.4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 3279 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 | 6.07 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 | 5.3 | 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, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 79, 258, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 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, Purple, Yellow, Midnight, Starlight, Red | Green, Phantom Black, Cream, Lavender, Graphite | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | N/A | No | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | No | |
Shopping
Apple iPhone 14
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
Lance Ulanoff | October 2022
"The iPhone 14 is a capable smartphone with a seriously snappy CPU, lovely screen, and good cameras. The iPhone 14’s camera array is better than the iPhone 13’s, and will make most mobile photogs very happy. It also lasts more than a day on a single charge. This isn’t the fastest or most feature-rich iPhone, but it’s light, fast, and attractive."
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 14 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
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Proprietary Phones ratings developed
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Recommendations made
86,190
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
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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.
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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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