Google Pixel 8 vs Galaxy S23 FE: The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE and Google Pixel 8 share so many similarities. However, both phones are different in a few ways and these differences are what should influence your decision on whether you should buy either of these phones.
This leads to the question, of which is the better smartphone, the Google Pixel 8 or the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE. Well, in this Pixel 8 vs Galaxy S23 FE specs comparison article, I’ll share with you the similarities and differences to help you answer the question of which is better.
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Google Pixel 8 vs Galaxy S23 FE: Similarities
| Features | Pixel 8 | Galaxy S23 FE |
| Display Size | 6.2-inches | 6.4-inches |
| Display Panel | OLED(120Hz) | OLED(120Hz) |
| Operating System | Android | Android |
| Display Design | Flat | Flat |
| microSD Card | NO | NO |
| 3.5mm Jack | NO | NO |
| Wireless Charging | YES | YES |
| Battery | 4575mAh | 4500mAh |
| Security | Fingerprint | Fingerprint |
| Waterproof | YES – IP68 | YES – IP68 |
Display
The display and display features of both smartphones are similar. Both the Pixel 8 and Galaxy S23 FE have a flat OLED display that supports 120Hz refresh rate. The display size of the Pixel 8 is 6.2-inch which is very close to the 6.4-inch of the Galaxy S23 FE.
Both phones have the same 1080 x 2340 pixels resolution. The Pixel 8 has an 85.5% screen-to-body ratio while the Galaxy S23 FE 83.2% screen-to-body ratio. The bezels of both phones are very slim and both phones have a punch hole on the center top of the phone.
See Also: Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Galaxy S23 Ultra: Which is Better
Operating System
The software/operating system in both phones is the Android operating system. While the Pixel 8 boots Android 14 out of the box, the Galaxy S23 FE boots Android 13 out of the box but will upgrade to Android 14 in a few months.
Security
The Pixel 8 and Galaxy S23 FE use an under-display fingerprint scanner to secure the phone. Other security available are Pattern, PIN, password, and Face Unlock. The under-display fingerprint scanner technology in both phones is an Optical fingerprint scanner.
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Battery and Charging
The Google Pixel 8 is powered by a 4575mAh battery while the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is powered by a 4500mAh battery. Both smartphones support wired and wireless charging. But the Pixel 8 supports reverse wireless charging while the Galaxy S23 FE does not.
Other Similarities
Other similarities between the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE and Google Pixel 8 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. Now let’s talk about the differences between the Pixel 8 and Galaxy S23 FE.
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Pixel 8 vs Galaxy S23 FE: Differences
| Features | Pixel 8 | Galaxy S23 FE |
| Chipset | Google Tensor G3 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| GPU | Immortalis-G715s MC10 | Adreno 730 |
| Rear Camera | 50 + 12MP | 50 + 8 + 12MP |
Design
The first difference between the Pixel 8 and Galaxy S23 FE is the design. Both smartphones look very different and you can tell the differences at first glance. The rear camera module of the Pixel 8 runs horizontally across the back panel while that of the Galaxy S23 FE is vertical on the top left corner of the rear panel.
The back panel of the Pixel 8 is slightly curved which is a different design than the flat back panel of the Galaxy S23 FE. For the Pixel 8, its power button is located on top of the volume buttons but the reverse is the case for the Galaxy S23 FE.
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Chipset and Performance
The performance of both smartphones is different. The Samsung Galaxy 23 FE features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset while the Google Pixel 8 features the Google Tensor G3. Both chipsets are 5G chipsets and have similar performance.
The chipsets in both phones have the same 3.0GHz prime core but while the performance core of the chipset in the Pixel 8 is 2.45GHz, that of the Galaxy S23 FE is 2.5GHz (which gives an edge). However, the efficiency cores of the Pixel 8 have a 2.15GHz core speed which is better than the 1.8GHz core speed of the Galaxy S23 FE.
In performance, the chipset of the Galaxy S23 FE coupled with its Adreno 730 GPU is slightly better. However, the chipset of the Pixel 8 with its Immortalis-G715s MC10 GPU is more power efficient.
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Software, UI, and Customization
Although both phones run on the Android operating system software, the Galaxy S23 FE has Samsung’s OneUI software on top of the Android OS. This makes its icon, UI, and customization different than those of the Pixel 8.
Another difference is the years of software support. Google has promised 7 years of software updates for the Pixel 8 while the Galaxy S23 FE will get four years of software update support from Samsung.
See Also: Google Pixel 7a vs Apple iPhone 14: Which Offers Better Value for Money
Camera: Photography and Videography
The camera system is another area where both phones are different. The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE has triple rear cameras while the Google Pixel 8 has dual rear cameras.
On the rear, the Galaxy S23 FE has a 50MP primary camera, a 3x optical 8MP telephoto camera, and a 12MP ultra-wide camera. In contrast, the Pixel 8 has a 50MP primary camera and a 12MP ultra-wide camera on the rear.
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On the front, the Pixel 8 has a 10.5MP camera while the Galaxy S23 FE has a 10MP camera. The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE gives you one extra camera which is a dedicated telephoto camera that is not available in the Pixel 8.
Both phones have camera features such as OIS, gyro-EIS, PDAF, 4K video recording, etc. However, the Google Pixel 8 has more camera features and better stabilization. You can read about these impressive Pixel 7 Pro camera features coming to the Pixel 8.
Google Pixel 8 vs Galaxy S23 FE: Price
The price of the Google Pixel 8 and Samsung Galaxy S23 FE starts at $699 for the 128GB storage option. Both phones are now available for purchase and you can use the details in the tables below to buy one or both phones.
Buy Google Pixel 8
| Google Pixel 8 | Price |
| Buy on Amazon | $699.00 |
| Buy on Amazon(UK) | £699.00 |
| Buy on Amazon(EUR) | €799.00 |
Google Pixel 8 vs Galaxy S23 FE: Conclusion
Although the Google Pixel 8 and Galaxy S23 FE share so many similarities, the few differences have shown that the Pixel 8 is a better smartphone. The Google Pixel 8 offers smaller important features like reverse wireless charging, a more efficient chipset, more camera features, and longer software update support.
Since the price of both phones is the same, I’d advise you to buy the Google Pixel 8 instead of the Galaxy S23 FE. However, for the extra screen and slighter performance, you can consider the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE.
