← Back to Smartphones
2026 comparison
Updated Jan 7, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerSamsung Galaxy S23 vs Google Pixel 9
The Google Pixel 9 offers a premium experience with a stunning 2,700 nits peak brightness and a commitment to 7 years of software updates. In real-world use, the Galaxy S23's compact 6.1" display is more manageable for one-handed use, while the Pixel 9's larger 6.3" screen means you can enjoy more content at once. But that extra screen size comes with a trade-off: the Pixel 9 is also at 7.0oz, compared to the Galaxy S23's lightweight 5.93oz.
📱 Display: 6.1" vs 6.3"🔋 Battery: 3900 mAh vs 4700 mAh⚖️ Weight: 5.93 oz vs 6.98 oz
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Samsung Galaxy S23
★4.4
(101)•Best Buy
Operating System:Android
Software Support:4 generations of OS upgrades (Android 14, 15, 16, 17); 5 years of security updates (guaranteed until 2028)
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (4nm; 8-core CPU: 1x3.36GHz Cortex-X3, 2x2.8GHz A715, 2x2.8GHz A710, 3x2.0GHz A510)
Graphics:Adreno 740 (719 MHz)
Check Amazon Price→
Google Pixel 9
★4.5
(1,044)•Amazon
Operating System:Android
Software Support:7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates
Processor:Google Tensor G4
Graphics:Arm Mali-G715 MC7
Check Amazon Price→
Key spec differences
Only the specs that differ are shown here. Winners are highlighted when the data is clear.
Winner= clear advantage
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S23
Google Pixel 9
Display2 specs
Display SizeKey
Samsung Galaxy S23
6.1" (6.1" full rectangle; 5.9" accounting for rounded corners)
Google Pixel 9
6.3" (measured diagonally; actual viewable area is less)Winner
Refresh Rate
Samsung Galaxy S23
Adaptive 48–120 Hz
Google Pixel 9
60–120Hz (Smooth Display)
Performance3 specs
ProcessorKey
Samsung Galaxy S23
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (4nm; 8-core CPU: 1x3.36GHz Cortex-X3, 2x2.8GHz A715, 2x2.8GHz A710, 3x2.0GHz A510)
Google Pixel 9
Google Tensor G4
RAMKey
Samsung Galaxy S23
8 GB (LPDDR5X)
Google Pixel 9
12GB LPDDR5XWinner
Storage
Samsung Galaxy S23
128GB (UFS 3.1) / 256GB (UFS 4.0) / 512GB (UFS 4.0)
Google Pixel 9
128GB / 256GB (UFS 3.1)
Camera2 specs
Main CameraKey
Samsung Galaxy S23
50MP Wide (24 mm, f/1.8), Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
Google Pixel 9
50MP Wide (f/1.68, 82° FOV), Octa PD AF, OIS
Ultra-Wide Camera
Samsung Galaxy S23
12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° FOV), Super Steady video
Google Pixel 9
48MP Ultra-Wide (f/1.7, 123° FOV) with Macro Focus
Battery2 specs
Battery CapacityKey
Samsung Galaxy S23
3900 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 22 hours video playback
Google Pixel 9
4,700 mAh (Typical)Winner
Wireless Charging
Samsung Galaxy S23
Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 (up to 15W); Wireless PowerShare (4.5W)
Google Pixel 9
Up to 15W (Pixel Stand 2nd Gen); up to 12W (Qi certified); Battery Share
Design2 specs
Weight
Samsung Galaxy S23
5.93 oz (168 g)Winner
Google Pixel 9
7.0 oz (198 g)
Dimensions
Samsung Galaxy S23
5.76" x 2.79" x 0.30" (146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6 mm)
Google Pixel 9
6.0" x 2.8" x 0.3" (152.8 x 72.0 x 8.5 mm)
Connectivity1 specs
Connectivity
Samsung Galaxy S23
5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave); Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC
Google Pixel 9
5G (Sub6/mmWave varies by model); Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; Dual Band GNSS
+Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Expand
Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Comparison: Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Google Pixel 9
Samsung Galaxy S23
★4.4(101)Best Buy
Google Pixel 9
★4.5(1,044)Amazon
| Criterion | Samsung Galaxy S23 | Google Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.4(101)Best Buy | ★4.5(1,044)Amazon |
Operating System | Android | Android |
Software Support | 4 generations of OS upgrades (Android 14, 15, 16, 17); 5 years of security updates (guaranteed until 2028) | 7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (4nm; 8-core CPU: 1x3.36GHz Cortex-X3, 2x2.8GHz A715, 2x2.8GHz A710, 3x2.0GHz A510) | Google Tensor G4 |
Graphics | Adreno 740 (719 MHz) | Arm Mali-G715 MC7 |
RAM | 8 GB (LPDDR5X) | 12GB LPDDR5X |
Storage | 128GB (UFS 3.1) / 256GB (UFS 4.0) / 512GB (UFS 4.0) | 128GB / 256GB (UFS 3.1) |
Display Size | 6.1" (6.1" full rectangle; 5.9" accounting for rounded corners) | 6.3" (measured diagonally; actual viewable area is less) |
Screen Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X | Actua OLED Display |
Resolution | 2340 x 1080 pixels (FHD+, 425 ppi) | 1080 x 2424 pixels (FHD+), 422 ppi |
Refresh Rate | Adaptive 48–120 Hz | 60–120Hz (Smooth Display) |
Peak Brightness | 1200 nits (HBM); 1750 nits peak (outdoor) | 1,800 nits (HDR) / 2,700 nits (Peak) |
Main Camera | 50MP Wide (24 mm, f/1.8), Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS | 50MP Wide (f/1.68, 82° FOV), Octa PD AF, OIS |
Ultra-Wide Camera | 12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° FOV), Super Steady video | 48MP Ultra-Wide (f/1.7, 123° FOV) with Macro Focus |
Telephoto Camera | 10MP Telephoto (70 mm, f/2.4), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom | N/A (No dedicated telephoto lens) |
Optical Zoom | 3x optical zoom; 30x Space Zoom | 2x Optical Quality (via sensor crop) |
Digital Zoom | Up to 30x | Up to 8x Super Res Zoom |
Video Recording | 8K video at 24/30 fps; 4K at 30/60 fps; Slow motion 1080p at 240/960 fps | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@24/30/60fps; 10-bit HDR |
Front Camera | 12MP Front (26 mm, f/2.2), Dual Pixel PDAF; 4K video at 30/60 fps | 10.5MP Front (f/2.2, 95° FOV), Dual PD AF |
Battery | 3900 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 22 hours video playback | 4,700 mAh (Typical) |
Wired Charging | USB-C; Up to 50% in ~30 minutes with 25W adapter (sold separately) | Up to 27W (charges up to 55% in ~30 min with Google 45W USB-C Charger) |
Wireless Charging | Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 (up to 15W); Wireless PowerShare (4.5W) | Up to 15W (Pixel Stand 2nd Gen); up to 12W (Qi certified); Battery Share |
Connectivity | 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave); Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC | 5G (Sub6/mmWave varies by model); Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; Dual Band GNSS |
USB | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gb/s) | USB Type-C 3.2 |
Durability | IP68 (up to 1.5 m freshwater for 30 min); Armor Aluminum frame; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back | IP68 (Dust and water resistant); Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (front/back); Fingerprint-resistant coating |
Dimensions | 5.76" x 2.79" x 0.30" (146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6 mm) | 6.0" x 2.8" x 0.3" (152.8 x 72.0 x 8.5 mm) |
Weight | 5.93 oz (168 g) | 7.0 oz (198 g) |
Biometrics | Ultrasonic Fingerprint (under display); Face recognition | Ultrasonic Fingerprint Unlock; Face Unlock |
Extras | Samsung DeX; Samsung Knox; Stereo speakers tuned by AKG; Dual eSIM support (varies by carrier) | Satellite SOS; Gemini AI integrated; VPN by Google One; Car Crash Detection |
| Pros |
|
|
| Cons |
|
|
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. | Check Price on Amazon→ | Check Price on Amazon→ |
Samsung Galaxy S23
Rating:★4.4(101)Best Buy
Operating System:Android
Software Support:4 generations of OS upgrades (Android 14, 15, 16, 17); 5 years of security updates (guaranteed until 2028)
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (4nm; 8-core CPU: 1x3.36GHz Cortex-X3, 2x2.8GHz A715, 2x2.8GHz A710, 3x2.0GHz A510)
Graphics:Adreno 740 (719 MHz)
RAM:8 GB (LPDDR5X)
Storage:128GB (UFS 3.1) / 256GB (UFS 4.0) / 512GB (UFS 4.0)
Display Size:6.1" (6.1" full rectangle; 5.9" accounting for rounded corners)
Screen Type:Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Resolution:2340 x 1080 pixels (FHD+, 425 ppi)
Refresh Rate:Adaptive 48–120 Hz
Peak Brightness:1200 nits (HBM); 1750 nits peak (outdoor)
Main Camera:50MP Wide (24 mm, f/1.8), Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
Ultra-Wide Camera:12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° FOV), Super Steady video
Telephoto Camera:10MP Telephoto (70 mm, f/2.4), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom
Optical Zoom:3x optical zoom; 30x Space Zoom
Digital Zoom:Up to 30x
Video Recording:8K video at 24/30 fps; 4K at 30/60 fps; Slow motion 1080p at 240/960 fps
Front Camera:12MP Front (26 mm, f/2.2), Dual Pixel PDAF; 4K video at 30/60 fps
Battery:3900 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 22 hours video playback
Wired Charging:USB-C; Up to 50% in ~30 minutes with 25W adapter (sold separately)
Wireless Charging:Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 (up to 15W); Wireless PowerShare (4.5W)
Connectivity:5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave); Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC
USB:USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gb/s)
Durability:IP68 (up to 1.5 m freshwater for 30 min); Armor Aluminum frame; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back
Dimensions:5.76" x 2.79" x 0.30" (146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6 mm)
Weight:5.93 oz (168 g)
Biometrics:Ultrasonic Fingerprint (under display); Face recognition
Extras:Samsung DeX; Samsung Knox; Stereo speakers tuned by AKG; Dual eSIM support (varies by carrier)
✓ Pros:
- • Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip outperforms standard version
- • Compact, lightweight design is easy to use with one hand
- • Bright 1750 nits display ensures excellent outdoor visibility
- • Versatile camera system with genuine 3x optical zoom
- • Solid battery life for its size class (3900 mAh)
✗ Cons:
- • Base 128GB model uses slower UFS 3.1 storage (256GB+ uses UFS 4.0)
- • Charging speed is limited to 25W (significantly slower than competitors)
- • Lacks UWB (Ultra-Wideband) support found in Plus/Ultra models
- • Refresh rate floor is 48Hz (not 1Hz like LTPO panels on Ultra)
- • Small screen size may be limiting for heavy media consumption
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Check Price on Amazon→
Google Pixel 9
Rating:★4.5(1,044)Amazon
Operating System:Android
Software Support:7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates
Processor:Google Tensor G4
Graphics:Arm Mali-G715 MC7
RAM:12GB LPDDR5X
Storage:128GB / 256GB (UFS 3.1)
Display Size:6.3" (measured diagonally; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type:Actua OLED Display
Resolution:1080 x 2424 pixels (FHD+), 422 ppi
Refresh Rate:60–120Hz (Smooth Display)
Peak Brightness:1,800 nits (HDR) / 2,700 nits (Peak)
Main Camera:50MP Wide (f/1.68, 82° FOV), Octa PD AF, OIS
Ultra-Wide Camera:48MP Ultra-Wide (f/1.7, 123° FOV) with Macro Focus
Telephoto Camera:N/A (No dedicated telephoto lens)
Optical Zoom:2x Optical Quality (via sensor crop)
Digital Zoom:Up to 8x Super Res Zoom
Video Recording:4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@24/30/60fps; 10-bit HDR
Front Camera:10.5MP Front (f/2.2, 95° FOV), Dual PD AF
Battery:4,700 mAh (Typical)
Wired Charging:Up to 27W (charges up to 55% in ~30 min with Google 45W USB-C Charger)
Wireless Charging:Up to 15W (Pixel Stand 2nd Gen); up to 12W (Qi certified); Battery Share
Connectivity:5G (Sub6/mmWave varies by model); Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; Dual Band GNSS
USB:USB Type-C 3.2
Durability:IP68 (Dust and water resistant); Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (front/back); Fingerprint-resistant coating
Dimensions:6.0" x 2.8" x 0.3" (152.8 x 72.0 x 8.5 mm)
Weight:7.0 oz (198 g)
Biometrics:Ultrasonic Fingerprint Unlock; Face Unlock
Extras:Satellite SOS; Gemini AI integrated; VPN by Google One; Car Crash Detection
✓ Pros:
- • Compact and premium design with satin metal frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 2
- • Bright Actua display reaches 2,700 nits peak brightness
- • Industry-leading 7-year software update commitment
- • Excellent dual-camera system with Macro Focus on the ultrawide lens
- • Includes useful AI features like Add Me, Best Take, and Gemini integration
✗ Cons:
- • Lacks a dedicated telephoto lens (zoom limited to 8x Super Res Zoom)
- • Charging speed (27W wired) is slower than many competitors
- • Base storage starts at 128GB with UFS 3.1 (slower than UFS 4.0)
- • Tensor G4 performance lags behind Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in raw benchmarks
- • Display refresh rate bottoms out at 60Hz (not LTPO 1–120Hz like Pro models)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Check Price on Amazon→
Which one is better?
Grab the Samsung Galaxy S23 if you prefer a more compact phone that's easier to use one-handed.
Who should buy each?
Choose the Samsung Galaxy S23 if: you want a lightweight design at 5.93oz, prefer a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip for gaming, or need a phone that's easy to use one-handed.
Choose the Google Pixel 9 if: you shoot a lot of photos with its excellent dual-camera system, want the brightest display at 2,700 nits for outdoor use, or value long-term software support with 7 years of updates.
Conclusion
With the key differences outlined, the decision should be clearer. Both options deliver quality—choose the one that fits your priorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Samsung Galaxy S23 excels if you value powerful snapdragon 8 gen 2 for galaxy chip outperforms standard version. Google Pixel 9 is better if you prioritize compact and premium design with satin metal frame and gorilla glass victus 2. 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
PageBen uses Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This supports independent content for US shoppers.