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Galaxy S23 Ultra
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Xperia 5 III
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What we think

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The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·

If you prioritize a top-tier camera with a very capable telephoto lens and an integrated stylus for productivity, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra should be your choice, but be prepared to spend more. Alternatively, if a headphone jack is important to you and you are looking to save money while still getting a good quality device, the Sony Xperia 5 III is a solid choice. The Galaxy S23 Ultra has a larger and more advanced display, a higher battery capacity, and newer processor technology which may translate to better performance and longevity. The Xperia 5 III, although older, offers a more compact form factor and still holds well in terms of performance with its capable hardware. 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 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
Advantages of the Sony Xperia 5 III
  • The Sony Xperia 5 III has no clear advantages over the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Key differences

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Overall Camera Quality

9.2
Galaxy S23 Ultra
Xperia 5 III
6.0
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has excellent overall camera quality, while the Sony Xperia 5 III has only fair overall camera quality.

Photo Quality

9.5
Galaxy S23 Ultra
Xperia 5 III
5.9
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra takes best in class photos, while the Sony Xperia 5 III takes poor photos.

Video Quality

8.0
Galaxy S23 Ultra
Xperia 5 III
6.0
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra takes very good videos, while the Sony Xperia 5 III takes only fair videos.

Battery

10.4 Hours
Galaxy S23 Ultra
Xperia 5 III
7.3 Hours
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has 10.4 hours of battery life. The Sony Xperia 5 III has 7.3 hours of battery life.

Screen Size

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a screen size of 6.8 inches and the Sony Xperia 5 III is 6.1 inches.

Cost

$1,200
Galaxy S23 Ultra
Xperia 5 III
$450
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Product image

$200

$400

$600

$800

$1,000

$1,200

$1,400

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a price of $1,200 and the Sony Xperia 5 III costs $450.
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How the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the Sony Xperia 5 III compare to other phones

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Spec Comparison

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Samsung Galaxy S23 UltraSony Xperia 5 III
Samsung Galaxy S23 UltraSony Xperia 5 III

GENERAL

Price
$1,200
$450
Brand
SamsungSony
Operating System
AndroidAndroid
Release Date
February 17, 2023October 8, 2021

SCREEN

Screen Size
6.8"6.1"
Resolution
3088 x 14402520 x 1080
Variable refresh rate
YesNo
Pixels Per Inch
501449
Display Type
OLEDOLED

INTERNAL

Processor
SD8G2SD888
Internal Storage
256 GB128 GB
RAM
8 GB8 GB

CAMERA

Overall Camera Quality Score
9.3/106/10
Photos Score
9.5/105.9/10
Videos Score
8.1/106/10
Rear Cameras
Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto, Super TelephotoMain, Ultrawide, Telephoto
Main Camera
200 megapixels + OIS12 megapixels + OIS

BATTERY

Battery Life
10.4 Hours7.3 Hours
Battery Capacity
5000 mAh4500 mAh
Wireless Charging
YesNo
Wireless charging Speed
15 W0 W
Reverse wireless charging
Yes (4.5 watts)No

PHYSICAL

Size
6.43" x 3.07"6.18" x 2.68"
Weight
8.25 oz5.93 oz
Back Material
GlassGlass
Stereo Speakers
NoYes

CONNECTIVITY

Dual SIM
YesYes
Bluetooth Version
5.35.2
A2DP
YesYes
WiFi Version
6e6
NFC
YesYes
US 5G Bands
(SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 7, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 270(SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78

OTHER FEATURES

Biometric unlock
Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under DisplayFace unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Side
Unlockable Bootloader
NoNo
Color
Green, Phantom Black, Cream, Lavender, GraphiteBlack, Green
Stock Android
NoYes
SD Card
NoYes

Shopping

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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."

Sony Xperia 5 III

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Dig into reviews and images

Android Authority

Robert Triggs | October 2022
"The Sony Xperia 5 III excels when it comes to rear camera photography, its display and multi-media features, and all-day battery life. Buy the Xperia 5 III if you’re looking for a fun but imperfect camera setup, customizable gaming features, all-day battery life, and all the best multimedia capabilities that Sony has to offer"

Get a great deal on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 5 III

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.

About Sony

Sony has had a long history in the mobile market, entering the scene all the way back in 1993 with its first commercially available phone, the CM-H333. Nowadays, their Xperia line of phones provide well-rounded and sometimes expensive devices with a focus on camera software that includes extensive support for manual tweaking of settings. Sony's dedication to audio quality is also evident in its smartphones, which often feature high-resolution audio support while also being one of the few remaining manufacturers that consistently provide headphone jacks in their phones. The company's version of Android is also considered to be close to stock, enabling a bloatware-free experience for its users.

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Why trust us

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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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