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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 16, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro: which is the right fit? We cover performance, value, and use cases to make the call easier.
Ratings: 4.4★ vs 4.8★
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Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
★4.4
(1,332)•Best Buy
Operating System:Android
Software Support:4 generations of OS upgrades; 5 years of security updates
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
Graphics:Qualcomm Adreno 740
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Apple iPhone 17 Pro
★4.8
(108)•Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine; hardware-accelerated ray tracing)
Graphics:Apple 6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro)
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Comparison: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
★4.4(1,332)Best Buy
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
★4.8(108)Best Buy
| Criterion | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra | Apple iPhone 17 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.4(1,332)Best Buy | ★4.8(108)Best Buy |
Operating System | Android | iOS |
Software Support | 4 generations of OS upgrades; 5 years of security updates | Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy | Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine; hardware-accelerated ray tracing) |
Graphics | Qualcomm Adreno 740 | Apple 6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro) |
RAM | 8GB / 12GB LPDDR5X | 12 GB (LPDDR5X) |
Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (UFS 4.0) | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB (NVMe) |
Display Size | 6.8" (measured diagonally; actual viewable area is less) | 6.3" (6.27" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less) |
Screen Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O Display | Super Retina XDR OLED |
Resolution | 3088 x 1440 pixels (QHD+), 500 ppi | 2622 x 1206 pixels (460 ppi) |
Refresh Rate | 1–120Hz (Adaptive) | Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz); Always-On display |
Peak Brightness | 1,750 nits (Peak) | 1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 3000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum |
Main Camera | 200MP Wide (f/1.7, 85° FOV), Laser AF, OIS | 48MP Fusion Main (24 mm, f/1.6), second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP) |
Ultra-Wide Camera | 12MP Ultra-Wide (f/2.2, 120° FOV) | 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° field of view), Hybrid Focus Pixels, 48MP macro photography |
Telephoto Camera | 10MP Telephoto (3x optical, f/2.4) + 10MP Periscope (10x optical, f/4.9); OIS | 48MP Fusion Telephoto (100 mm, 4x, f/2.8), tetraprism design, 3D sensor-shift OIS, autofocus; enables 12MP optical-quality 8x zoom (200 mm equivalent) |
Optical Zoom | 3x, 10x Optical Zoom | 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x optical-quality zoom steps (16x optical zoom range) |
Digital Zoom | Up to 100x Space Zoom | Up to 40x |
Video Recording | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps | 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60/100/120 fps (Fusion Main); ProRes up to 4K at 120 fps with external recording; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps |
Front Camera | 12MP Front (f/2.2, 80° FOV), Dual Pixel AF | 18MP Center Stage (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps |
Battery | 5,000 mAh (Typical) | 4252 mAh (Li-ion, eSIM model); Up to 33 hours video playback (30 hours streamed) |
Wired Charging | Up to 45W Super Fast Charging 2.0 (Adapter sold separately) | USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~20 minutes with 40W adapter or higher |
Wireless Charging | Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 (15W); Wireless PowerShare | MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W |
Connectivity | 5G (Sub6/mmWave); Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; UWB | 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 6.0; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode |
USB | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1 | USB-C connector with USB 3 speeds (up to 10 Gb/s); Native DisplayPort output |
Durability | IP68 (Water resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30 min); Armor Aluminum frame; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield 2 front; Ceramic Shield back; Aerospace-grade aluminum unibody (with internal vapor chamber) |
Dimensions | 6.43" x 3.07" x 0.35" (163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm) | 5.89" x 2.81" x 0.32" (149.6 x 71.5 x 8.25 mm) |
Weight | 8.25 oz (234 g) | 7.27 oz (206 g) |
Biometrics | Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor; Face Recognition | Face ID |
Extras | Integrated S Pen (2.8ms latency); Samsung DeX; Samsung Knox | Apple Intelligence support; Camera Control button; Action button; Dynamic Island; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite |
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Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Rating:★4.4(1,332)Best Buy
Operating System:Android
Software Support:4 generations of OS upgrades; 5 years of security updates
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
Graphics:Qualcomm Adreno 740
RAM:8GB / 12GB LPDDR5X
Storage:256GB / 512GB / 1TB (UFS 4.0)
Display Size:6.8" (measured diagonally; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type:Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O Display
Resolution:3088 x 1440 pixels (QHD+), 500 ppi
Refresh Rate:1–120Hz (Adaptive)
Peak Brightness:1,750 nits (Peak)
Main Camera:200MP Wide (f/1.7, 85° FOV), Laser AF, OIS
Ultra-Wide Camera:12MP Ultra-Wide (f/2.2, 120° FOV)
Telephoto Camera:10MP Telephoto (3x optical, f/2.4) + 10MP Periscope (10x optical, f/4.9); OIS
Optical Zoom:3x, 10x Optical Zoom
Digital Zoom:Up to 100x Space Zoom
Video Recording:8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps
Front Camera:12MP Front (f/2.2, 80° FOV), Dual Pixel AF
Battery:5,000 mAh (Typical)
Wired Charging:Up to 45W Super Fast Charging 2.0 (Adapter sold separately)
Wireless Charging:Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 (15W); Wireless PowerShare
Connectivity:5G (Sub6/mmWave); Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; UWB
USB:USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1
Durability:IP68 (Water resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30 min); Armor Aluminum frame; Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Dimensions:6.43" x 3.07" x 0.35" (163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm)
Weight:8.25 oz (234 g)
Biometrics:Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor; Face Recognition
Extras:Integrated S Pen (2.8ms latency); Samsung DeX; Samsung Knox
✓ Pros:
- • Class-leading 200MP main camera and versatile 10x optical zoom
- • Custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy provides top-tier performance
- • Excellent battery life with 5,000mAh capacity
- • Integrated S Pen adds unique productivity features
- • Premium build with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and IP68 rating
✗ Cons:
- • Slow charging speed (45W) compared to competitors
- • Large and heavy (8.25 oz) form factor is difficult for one-handed use
- • Expensive starting price
- • No microSD card slot for expandable storage
- • Included USB cable is only USB 2.0 despite port supporting 3.2
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Rating:★4.8(108)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine; hardware-accelerated ray tracing)
Graphics:Apple 6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro)
RAM:12 GB (LPDDR5X)
Storage:256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB (NVMe)
Display Size:6.3" (6.27" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type:Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution:2622 x 1206 pixels (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate:Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz); Always-On display
Peak Brightness:1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 3000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum
Main Camera:48MP Fusion Main (24 mm, f/1.6), second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP)
Ultra-Wide Camera:48MP Fusion Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° field of view), Hybrid Focus Pixels, 48MP macro photography
Telephoto Camera:48MP Fusion Telephoto (100 mm, 4x, f/2.8), tetraprism design, 3D sensor-shift OIS, autofocus; enables 12MP optical-quality 8x zoom (200 mm equivalent)
Optical Zoom:0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x optical-quality zoom steps (16x optical zoom range)
Digital Zoom:Up to 40x
Video Recording:4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60/100/120 fps (Fusion Main); ProRes up to 4K at 120 fps with external recording; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps
Front Camera:18MP Center Stage (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps
Battery:4252 mAh (Li-ion, eSIM model); Up to 33 hours video playback (30 hours streamed)
Wired Charging:USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~20 minutes with 40W adapter or higher
Wireless Charging:MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W
Connectivity:5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 6.0; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode
USB:USB-C connector with USB 3 speeds (up to 10 Gb/s); Native DisplayPort output
Durability:IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield 2 front; Ceramic Shield back; Aerospace-grade aluminum unibody (with internal vapor chamber)
Dimensions:5.89" x 2.81" x 0.32" (149.6 x 71.5 x 8.25 mm)
Weight:7.27 oz (206 g)
Biometrics:Face ID
Extras:Apple Intelligence support; Camera Control button; Action button; Dynamic Island; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite
✓ Pros:
- • Brightest 6.3-inch display ever (3000 nits peak outdoor)
- • Triple 48MP camera system with new 4x tetraprism telephoto
- • A19 Pro chip with 12GB RAM and vapor chamber cooling
- • Excellent battery life (up to 33 hours video playback)
- • Fast 40W wired charging and 25W wireless charging
✗ Cons:
- • Charging requires purchasing a 40W+ adapter separately for max speed
- • No physical SIM tray (eSIM only in US models)
- • Telephoto aperture (f/2.8) is narrower than the main lens, impacting low-light zoom
- • Heavier than the standard iPhone 17
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Which one is better?
Overall, Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers better satisfaction. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is still a quality option with specific strengths worth considering.
Who should buy each?
For performance and polish: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (Class-leading 200MP main camera and versatile 10x optical zoom, Custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy provides top-tier performance)
For value or versatility: Apple iPhone 17 Pro (Brightest 6.3-inch display ever (3000 nits peak outdoor), Triple 48MP camera system with new 4x tetraprism telephoto)
Conclusion
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Apple iPhone 17 Pro are both solid choices. Match the strengths above to your budget and workflow to make the best call.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra excels if you value class-leading 200mp main camera and versatile 10x optical zoom. Apple iPhone 17 Pro is better if you prioritize brightest 6.3-inch display ever (3000 nits peak outdoor). Pick based on your budget and daily use.
+Is this an independent review?
Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.
+Do newer models exist?
Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.
Affiliate disclosure
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