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The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
Choose the Google Pixel 8 Pro if you prefer a less expensive phone with a high-quality camera and solid battery life, even though it may not match the premium camera capabilities and longer battery life of the expensive Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. The S23 Ultra also has a slightly larger screen and a higher storage capacity out of the box. Both phones have glass backs, OLED displays, no headphone jacks, and support for wireless charging, but only the S23 Ultra supports a variable refresh rate and a stylus. Both operate on Android and offer high-quality video recording capabilities, though the Galaxy S23 Ultra has a better overall camera quality and allows for 8K video recording. 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 Google Pixel 8 Pro
- The Google Pixel 8 Pro 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
Battery
7.8 Hours
10.4 Hours
The Google Pixel 8 Pro has 7.8 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has 10.4 hours of battery life.
Cost
$999
$1,200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Google Pixel 8 Pro has a price of $999 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
Overall Camera Quality
9.1
9.2
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Google Pixel 8 Pro both have excellent overall cameras quality.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra's cameras are considered excellent because they provide a high photo resolution and dynamic range across varying light conditions, enhanced by an extensive software experience and camera versatility, including a powerful telephoto lens with significant optical zoom. The Google Pixel 8 Pro, while having very good cameras, sets itself apart with its superior selfie quality, leveraging strong low light performance and software features designed to enhance the selfie experience.
Photo Quality
9.3
9.5
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra to have best in class photos, while the Google Pixel 8 Pro takes excellent photos.
The Google Pixel 8 Pro stands out with its top-tier software that enhances photo quality, alongside impressive capabilities in capturing dynamic range and low-light scenes, making it excellent for selfies. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra's camera versatility is unrivaled, and while its selfie performance is also very good, it excels with a slightly broader range of photo-taking opportunities, which incorporates a very capable telephoto lens.
Video Quality
8.0
8.0
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Google Pixel 8 Pro both have very good videos.
The Google Pixel 8 Pro offers very good video capabilities with strong video stabilization and a solid video software experience, while the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra excels with its superb mic quality and top-notch video in low light, dynamic range, and resolution/framerate, making it an excellent choice for video recording.
Screen Size
The Google Pixel 8 Pro has a screen size of 6.7 inches and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is 6.8 inches.
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How the Google Pixel 8 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Google Pixel 8 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$999 | $1,200 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Samsung | ||
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Android | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 12, 2023 | February 17, 2023 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.7" | 6.8" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2992 x 1344 | 3088 x 1440 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | No | Yes | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 489 | 501 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | TensorG3 | SD8G2 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 256 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 12 GB | 8 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 9.1/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 9.3/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 8/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide, Super Telephoto | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto, Super Telephoto | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 50 megapixels + OIS | 200 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.8 Hours | 10.4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 5050 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 23 W | 15 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | Yes (5 watts) | Yes (4.5 watts) | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 6.4" x 3.01" | 6.43" x 3.07" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.51 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 | 7 | 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, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6) 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 7, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 270 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | Yes (Except Verizon Models) | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Bay, Porcelain, Obsidian | Green, Phantom Black, Cream, Lavender, Graphite | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | Yes | No | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | No | |
Shopping
Google Pixel 8 Pro
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Dig into reviews and images
The Guardian
Samuel Gibbs | October 2023
"The screen, body, performance and battery life are all good. The Pixel has a distinctive look that elevates it from the many of the competition, too. It has a really great camera system, with an array of advanced AI-infused editing tools that blur the line between what’s real and what’s fake.
But the biggest upgrade is in the full seven years of software support, bringing the Pixel up to par with Apple and outlasting all but the Fairphone 5 on the Android side."
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
See more
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 Google Pixel 8 Pro or the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
About Google
Google can be considered a relatively new player in the smartphone industry, joining as late as 2016 with their phone, the Google Pixel. Since then, the Pixel lineup has undergone many changes, but it has always been characterized by a focus on photography and clean software, by providing a pure Android experience. By virtue of Google being the creator of the Android operating system, Pixels are known for receiving timely software updates and for being supported with updates for a long time. Additionally, over the past few generations of devices, Google started designing their own processors. This allowed for the implementation of unique software features that are not present in any other phone, such as automatic call screening and unique voice transcribing capabilities.
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
144,900
Recommendations made
82,110
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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