Galaxy S23 vs Galaxy S23 Ultra

Phone 1

Phone 2

Winner

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

The Galaxy S23 Ultra wins this one, taking battery and display decisively. Against the Galaxy S23 it's also the sounder buy at $16.98 per month of safe use.

Value Score: Galaxy S23 67 · Galaxy S23 Ultra 76 — methodology

The lifespan decider

When specs are close, support length decides it — this is what each phone costs per month of safe use.

Samsung Galaxy S23 $175

Buy with care$8.77/mo

2023◆ Buy-by Feb 20262028

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra $339

Buy with care$16.98/mo

2023◆ Buy-by Feb 20262028

Category by category

Display

Galaxy S23 70Galaxy S23 Ultra 90

The Galaxy S23 Ultra's screen is the better one — 6.8-inch dynamic amoled 2x, qhd+, ltpo 1–120hz, 1750 nits peak.

Performance

Galaxy S23 85Galaxy S23 Ultra 85

Performance is a wash — same chip tier.

Camera

Galaxy S23 79Galaxy S23 Ultra 96

The Galaxy S23 Ultra has the stronger camera system (4 real rear lenses vs 3).

Battery

Galaxy S23 58Galaxy S23 Ultra 80

5,000mAh vs 3,900mAh — the Galaxy S23 Ultra lasts longer between charges.

Software longevity

Galaxy S23 24Galaxy S23 Ultra 24

Both phones' support windows end around the same time.

Value

Galaxy S23 67Galaxy S23 Ultra 76

Overall value goes to the Galaxy S23 Ultra at $16.98 per month of safe use.

Full spec table

Spec	Galaxy S23	Galaxy S23 Ultra
Price (street)	$175	$339
Display	6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, FHD+, 120Hz	6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, QHD+, LTPO 1–120Hz, 1750 nits peak
Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
RAM	8GB	8GB/12GB
Storage	128GB/256GB	256GB/512GB/1TB
Battery	3,900 mAh	5,000 mAh
Charging	25W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless	45W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless
Rear cameras	50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto 3x	200MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto 3x, 10MP periscope 10x
Dimensions	146.3 × 70.9 × 7.6 mm	163.4 × 78.1 × 8.9 mm
Weight	168 g	234 g
Water resistance	IP68	IP68
Supported until	Feb 2028	Feb 2028

Galaxy S23 full verdict →Galaxy S23 Ultra full verdict →Longevity master board →

Scores and verdicts are computed from our verified database — see exactly how. Specs from manufacturer documentation; prices reflect major US retailers.