Samsung Galaxy S23+ vs. iPhone 14 Plus: How Do They Compare?

The Samsung Galaxy S23+ joins the smartphone fray in 2023 with a redesigned back panel and flagship-grade specs. Until recently, Samsung’s Plus models had no direct competition from Apple, but the launch of the iPhone 14 Plus in September 2022 has left the option open to interested buyers.

Here’s a comparison of the two big phones to see how they stack up against each other and which one you should consider.

price

Both the Galaxy S23+ and iPhone 14 Plus are devices with a retail price of around $1000. The iPhone 14 Plus starts at $899 all the way up to $1,099, while the Galaxy S23+ starts at $999.99, offering his second variant for $1,119.99. The devices may seem to trade blows on the price front, but when it comes to value on offer, the Galaxy S23+ outperforms the iPhone, especially on the display.

Technical specifications

design

If you were asked to rate how similar the designs of these devices are on a scale of 1 to 10, you would answer 7. Both phones have flat displays and flat glass back panels, but differ when it comes to frame design. The Galaxy S23+ is slightly rounded on all sides, while the iPhone 14 Plus is more angular. It’s also about 5 grams lighter than an iPhone.

The Galaxy S23+ has the advantage of a rear glass that uses Gorilla Glass Victus 2 with a matte finish. This keeps it fingerprint-free most of the time, but the frame can get a little sticky. The device also removes the traditional camera module design we’ve seen in the past in favor of something more minimalist, with only the lens protruding from the back of the device.

As for the iPhone 14 Plus, the device looks almost identical to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14, but without the size increase.Also, the brushed aluminum rails and glossy back glass finish continue this year. Of the two devices, the Galaxy S23+ likely feels more comfortable due to the frame’s subtle curves and lighter weight.

screen

The Galaxy S23+ features a 6.6-inch FHD+ display that uses Samsung’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel. It features an adaptive refresh rate (48Hz to 120Hz) that seamlessly transitions within that range based on display content. Samsung doesn’t publish numbers for normal use, but in high brightness mode the display puts out 1200 nits (HDR content also matches this number) and for outdoor use he has a peak of 1750 nits said it would be possible.

The iPhone 14 Plus has a slightly larger 6.7-inch panel and uses Super Retina XDR technology with a resolution slightly above FHD+. The display does not lag behind the Galaxy S23+ in terms of quality, but it lags behind the Galaxy S23+ in terms of features. Push to 1200 nits. And it doesn’t even have an outdoor mode like the S23+ and iPhone 14 Pro.

Processor, RAM, and Storage

The Galaxy S23+ is powered by a custom Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor with higher CPU and GPU core clocks than the standard variant. Anyway, this is the latest option available from Qualcomm and it uses a 4nm manufacturing process that promises better performance and efficiency.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 14 Plus will ship with the A15 Bionic (which has more GPU cores) from 2021. Although this is an upgraded variant, the processor is still over a year old and he would fall short of the Snapdragon in synthetic benchmarks.

However, when it comes to everyday use, if you plan on navigating between multiple apps or even rendering videos within your mobile editing app, you likely won’t see much of a difference in performance. However, if you plan to capture a lot of images or play newly developed games, the Snapdragon’s processing power will have a positive impact on image quality and in-game rendering.

When it comes to RAM and storage options, the Galaxy S23+ comes in two storage options of 256GB and 512GB with 8GB of RAM. The iPhone 14 Plus comes in three options: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB, all with 6GB of RAM.

camera

Waiting for the review to arrive, we’ll dive into the core aspects of the Galaxy S23+’s camera performance, but let’s take a quick look at the hardware differences between the two phones.

The Galaxy S23+ has a triple camera system on the back, with a 50-megapixel wide sensor at Headline, supported by a 12-megapixel ultra-wide angle and a 10-megapixel telephoto lens. There’s also a new 12-megapixel shooter up front. As for the iPhone 14 Plus, the device features a dual-camera system that uses a 12-megapixel wide camera and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera. The table below details the apertures used by each of these lenses.

Of the two devices, the Galaxy S23+ is clearly more versatile due to the addition of the telephoto lens. So if you’re planning on taking creative photos that don’t require quick captures, the S23+ offers more options. However, if you want to quickly capture a photo and move on to the next subject, you have to consider the iPhone’s fast shutter speed.

battery

When it comes to durability, the iPhone has proven to be a difficult device to last, despite its small battery size. And while the Galaxy S23+’s 4,700 mAh cell is larger, we expect it to fall short of the backup provided by the iPhone’s 4,323 mAh cell. There is no doubt that other factors contribute to this result.

But while the Galaxy S23+ is expected to lag behind the iPhone when it comes to durability, it can’t be beaten when it comes to charging, even with a larger cell. Supports input from any 45W charger. The iPhone 14 Plus makes similar claims with a smaller cell.

The Galaxy S23+’s wireless charging technology is also a step ahead. It accepts up to 15W input from Qi-certified chargers and can charge other devices with 4.5W output via Wireless PowerShare.

With iPhones, Qi-certified chargers can only deliver 7.5W of power, and to accept 15W, you’ll have to pay extra for a MagSafe-compatible wireless charger. Powering other phones with your iPhone using reverse wireless charging is not supported.

Galaxy S23+ is a few steps ahead

Overall, looking at the two phones on paper, the Galaxy S23+ outperforms the iPhone 14 Plus with its better display, versatile camera, and powerful processor. If you choose to leave out subjective aspects such as the ecosystem in which it operates, and if you’re a buyer who prefers the best hardware available for the cost, Samsung has a device to consider between those two am.

Well, if you’re looking to save money, you might also want to consider last year’s Galaxy S22+. Its predecessor isn’t all that different from the Galaxy S23+, making it another great option for 2023.