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Apple launched two compact smartphones back in September. Samsung currently has only one flagship-grade compact device. We’ve already compared that phone with the ‘Pro’ iPhone 15, and it’s now time to do that with the vanilla version. In this article, we’ll compare the Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Apple iPhone 15. These two phones do have somewhat similar price tags too, which is yet another reason to see how they compare.
We’ll first list their specifications, as we usually do in comparisons. Following that, we’ll compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio output. These two devices are not that similar in any way, except for their size, and price tags. So… that should make for an interesting comparison, that’s for sure. Let’s get going, shall we?
Specs
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Apple iPhone 15, respectively
– Screen size:
6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (120Hz, HDR10+, 1,750 nits)
6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display (60Hz, HDR, 2,000 nits)
– Display resolution:
2340 x 1080
2556 x 1179
– SoC:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Apple A16 Bionic
– RAM:
8GB (LPDDR5X)
6GB
– Storage:
128GB (UFS 3.1)/256GB/512GB (UFS 4.0)
128GB/256GB/512GB
– Rear cameras:
50MP (f/1.8 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV), 10MP (telephoto, f/2.4 aperture, 3x optical zoom)
48MP (f/1.6 aperture, sensor-shift OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.4 aperture)
– Front cameras:
12MP (f/2.2 aperture)
12MP (f/1.9 aperture) + TrueDepth
– Battery:
3,900mAh
3,349mAh
– Charging:
25W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless (charger not included)
20W wired, 15W wireless (charger not included)
– Dimensions:
146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6mm
147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8mm
– Weight:
168 grams
171 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
In-display fingerprint scanner (ultrasonic)
Advanced facial scanning
– OS:
Android 13 with One UI
iOS 17
– Price:
$799+ (often discounted to $699)
$799+
– Buy:
Amazon
Apple
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Apple iPhone 15: Design
If you place these two devices side by side, you won’t see that many differences. They do have flat displays, and they’re both made out of metal and glass, but that’s where their similarities end. The Galaxy S23 has a centered display camera hole, while the iPhone 15 includes a pill-shaped hole, which is also centered. Their bezels sure are extremely thin, all around their displays.
All the physical keys are placed on the right-hand side of the Galaxy S23. That’s not the case with the iPhone 15, they’re balanced between the phone’s left and right sides. If we flip the two phones over, we’ll see even more differences. The Galaxy S23 has three cameras, which are vertically aligned. They sit in the top-left corner of the phone’s back, and each of the cameras is its own camera island.
The iPhone 15 includes two cameras in the top-left corner, and they’re part of the same camera island. The sides of the iPhone 15 are flat, but they do have curves towards the very edges. That makes the device far more comfortable to hold than its predecessor. The Galaxy S23 doesn’t exactly have flat sides, as they’re slightly curved all around. Both smartphones are IP68 certified for water and dust resistance.
The Galaxy S23 is slightly shorter than the iPhone 15, and also slightly narrower. The two devices are almost the same in terms of thickness and weight. Both of them feel really nice in the hand, and both are very comfortable to use.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Apple iPhone 15: Display
You will find a 6.1-inch display on both of these smartphones. The thing is, those two panels are very different. The Galaxy S23 includes a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a resolution of 2340 x 1080. That display is flat, and it supports a 120Hz refresh rate. HDR10+ content is also supported here, and the panel goes up to 1,750 nits of brightness at its peak. The display aspect ratio is 19.5:9, while the panel is protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
The Apple iPhone 15, on the flip side, features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display. That is also a flat display, and it supports HDR10 content. Dolby Vision is also supported here. This panel goes up to 2,000 nits at its peak. That display has a resolution of 2556 x 1179, but it’s stuck at 60Hz in terms of refresh rate. The display aspect ratio is 19.5:9, so the same as on the Galaxy S23. The panel is protected by the Ceramic Shield Glass.
The Apple iPhone 15 does have a sharper display, though the difference is not that big, so that’s not something you’ll notice. The two panels also get equally bright during usage, but the Galaxy S23’s panel has one major advantage… its refresh rate. That’s something the vast majority of you will easily notice during usage. Both panels are quite vivid, have great viewing angles, and do offer deep blacks. The touch response on both sides is also quite good.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Apple iPhone 15: Performance
Samsung’s Galaxy S23 is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. Samsung also included LPDDR5X RAM here, and 8GB of UFS 4.0 flash storage in all variants except for the 128GB model. That variant offers UFS 3.1 flash storage. The iPhone 15, on the other hand, is fueled by the Apple A16 Bionic chip. Apple also included 6GB of RAM here, and NVMe flash storage.
Both of these devices offer great performance, actually. That goes for pretty much all situations, as you’d expect. They are great when it comes to opening apps, browsing, consuming multimedia, multitasking, and so on. Yes, even when it comes to gaming both of these devices can hold their own. The chips that the two companies used are very powerful still, even though they’re no longer the most powerful chips out there… at the time if writing this comparison.
Both phones do get quite warm during gaming. That is especially true for longer gaming sessions with graphically-intense titles. Still, there are no major complaints that we can highlight when it comes to performance.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Apple iPhone 15: Battery
Samsung’s Galaxy S23 handset includes a 3,900mAh battery. The iPhone 15, on the other hand, has a 3,349mAh battery. Do note that Android and iOS have different battery consumption, so don’t pay much attention to this difference. The question is, do they offer good battery life? Well, yes, but neither phone is outstanding in that regard. Also, the iPhone 15 fares better.
We managed to get around 5.5-6 hours of screen-on-time on the Galaxy S23. The iPhone 15, on the flip side, managed to get us over the 7-hour screen-on-time level. In our experience, the iPhone 15 does offer better battery life. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get the same results, though, of course. You will use different apps on your phones and will have different usage, with different signal strengths. The point is, that neither phone offers outstanding battery life, but they’re both okay.
In terms of charging, the Galaxy S23 supports 25W wired, 15W wireless, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The Apple iPhone 15 offers support for 20W wired, 15W wireless (MagSafe and Qi2), 7.5W wireless (Qi), and 4.5W reverse wired charging. They’re on a similar playing field in terms of charging. That even goes for chargers, as neither device offers a charger in the retail box.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Apple iPhone 15: Cameras
A 50-megapixel main camera sits on the back of the Galaxy S23. A 12-megapixel ultrawide camera (120-degree FoV) is also included, as is a 10-megapixel telephoto camera (3x optical zoom). The iPhone 15 has a 48-megapixel main camera, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit (120-degree FoV). Apple’s handset doesn’t have a telephoto camera at all. The most important thing is that both of these smartphones do offer good camera performance.
The pictures coming from the two devices are quite different, though. The iPhone 15 tries to keep things closer to real life, while the same cannot be said for the Galaxy S23. Samsung’s handset still tunes up the saturation in images, for better or worse. They both provide plenty of detail in daytime conditions. In low light, the iPhone 15 keeps things a bit darker, but both devices do a great job.
Ultrawide cameras on both smartphones do a commendable job, that’s for sure. They are a step below the main shooters, however. The Galaxy S23 wins the telephoto battle easily, though, as the iPhone 15 doesn’t even have a telephoto camera. On the flip side, the iPhone 15 easily wins the video comparison, as it’s better in basically every way when it comes to video recording.
Audio
You will find two stereo speakers on both of these smartphones. Those speakers offer good audio quality, while the Galaxy S23’s is technically slightly louder. That’s not something you’ll notice, however.
What neither of these two phones have is a 3.5mm headphone jack. They do include Type-C ports, so you can use that to connect your headphones via a wired. They both also support Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, for wireless audio.