Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Galaxy S23 Ultra: Google and Samsung make some of the best Android smartphones in the world. The Google Pixel 8 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are the 2023 flagship Android phones from both companies. But which is the better Android phone, the Pixel 8 Pro or Galaxy S23 Ultra?
The Galaxy S23 Ultra from Samsung is no doubt very useful and arguably the most productive smartphone in the world. However, after comparing the Galaxy S23 Ultra with the Pixel 8 Pro, the difference is not that much.
See Also: Google Pixel 8 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Which is Better
Let me show you what I mean by comparing the similarities and differences between both phones.
Pixel 8 Pro vs Galaxy S23 Ultra: Similarities
| Features | Pixel 8 Pro | Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Display Design | Curved, Punch Hole | Curved, Punch Hole |
| Display Size | 6.7-inches | 6.8-inches |
| Display Panel | LTPO OLED | LTPO OLED |
| Software | Android | Android |
| Display Features | 120Hz, HDR10+ | 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| microSD Card | NO | NO |
| 3.5mm Jack | NO | NO |
| Wireless Charging | YES | YES |
| Security | Fingerprint | Fingerprint |
| Waterproof | YES – IP68 | YES – IP68 |
Display Design
The front screen of both phones has a similar design. Both phones have the same curved screen design (though the Galaxy S23 Ultra is more curved) and the same punch-hole design on the screen. The bezels of both phones are also very slim thanks to the curved screen.
See Also: iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Galaxy S23 Ultra: Which is Better
Display Size and Features
The size and features of the display of both phones are another area where they’re similar. Both the Pixel 8 Pro and Galaxy S23 Ultra have a similar display size. Both phones also have the LTPO OLED display panel that supports 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, etc.
Software and UI
Both phones boot the Android OS (Android software) out of the box. The S23 Ulta boots Android 13 and will upgraded to Android 14 while the Pixel 8 Pro boots Android 14 out of the box. The UI and icons of both phones might be different, but the navigation system and settings are very similar.
Other Similarities
Other similarities between the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Google Pixel 8 Pro are, USB type-C charging ports, no microSD card slot, no 3.5mm headphone jack port, wireless charging, IP68 dust/water resistance (up to 1.5m for 30 min), Nano-SIM and eSIM, 4K video recording, etc. But there are also some differences.
See Also: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is stronger than the iPhone 15 Pro Max
Pixel 8 Pro vs Galaxy S23 Ultra: Differences
| Features | Pixel 8 Pro | Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Chipset | Google Tensor G3 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| GPU | Immortalis-G715s MC10 | Adreno 740 |
| Rear Camera | 50 + 48 + 48MP | 200 + 10 + 10 + 12MP |
| Stylus Support | NO | YES (S-PEN in-built) |
| Battery | 5050mAh | 5000mAh |
| Price | $999 | $1,199 |
Rear Design
The front design and screen of both phones might have some similarities, but the designs of both phones are different. It’s easy to spot and tell the difference. The screen of the Galaxy S23 Ultra is more curved and both phones have different rear camera module designs.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra also has a space for an inbuilt S-PEn and gives a more box-like feeling than the Pixel 8 Pro. The rear design of both phones is also very different. Pixel 8 Pro has a camera module that runs across its rear back panel. In contrast, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has a rear camera that sits in the top left corner.
See Also: Xiaomi 13 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: which is the better ULTRA Phone
Chipset and Performance
Both smartphones also have different performances. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra features the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset while the Google Pixel 8 Pro features the Google Tensor G3. Both chipsets are 5G chipsets but the chipset in the Galaxy S23 Ultra is more powerful.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset in the Galaxy phone has faster CPU cores and a more powerful GPU than the Tensor G3 chipset in the Pixel 8 Pro. So, when it comes to performance such as playing games, rendering graphics, etc. the Galaxy S23 Ultra is better than the Pixel 8 Pro.
See Also: OPPO Find X6 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Which is better
Camera: Photography and Videography
The camera system is another area where both phones are different. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with a 200MP primary camera while the Google Pixel 8 Pro has a 50MP primary camera.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra has two 10MP telephoto cameras and a 12MP ultra-wide camera to complete the rear cameras. In contrast, the Pixel 8 Pro has a 48MP telephoto camera and a 48MP ultra-wide camera.
Both phones can take incredible photos and record great videos. However, if you want to take photos of objects from a distance, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is the best for those.
See Also: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: Which is better?
The distance the telephoto of the Galaxy S23 Ultra can cover is twice that of the Pixel 8 Pro. However, the Pixel 8 Pro has more interesting camera features. You can read about these impressive Pixel 7 Pro camera features coming to the Pixel 8 Pro.
Battery and Charging
The Pixel 8 Pro has a 5050mAh battery while the Galaxy S23 Ultra has a 5000mAh battery. The Pixel 8 Pro supports 30W wired and 23W wireless charging while the Galaxy S23 Ultra supports 45W wired and 15W wireless charging.
The battery of both phones can last you more than 9 hours of intensive use. If you’re a light user, both phones can give you more than 24 hours of battery use.
See Also: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Which should you buy
Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Galaxy S23 Ultra: Price
The price of the Google Pixel 8 Pro (128GB) is $999 while the price of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (256GB) is $1,199. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is more expensive but both phones are available for purchase. You can use the details in the tables below to buy one or both phones.
Buy Google Pixel 8 Pro
| Google Pixel 8 Pro | Price |
| Buy on Amazon | $999.00 |
| Buy on Amazon(UK) | £999.00 |
| Buy on Amazon(EUR) | €1,099.00 |
Buy Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
| Galaxy S23 Ultra | Price |
| Buy on Amazon | $1,199.99 |
| Buy on Amazon(EUR) | €1,399.00 |
| Buy on Amazon(UK) | £1,249.99 |
Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Galaxy S23 Ultra: Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is better than the Pixel 8 Pro. The Galaxy S23 Ultra offers extra features like S-PEN, two telephoto cameras, better performance, and a better ultra-sonic fingerprint reader (Pixel 8 Pro has a slower optic fingerprint scanner).
However, the Pixel 8 Pro is cheaper and offers lots of software features. If price is something you consider and you don’t have need for S-PEN, you should buy the Pixel 8 Pro but I’ll recommend the Galaxy S23 Ultra for you if you need a complete productive smartphone.
