Google Pixel 8 / Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Google Pixel 8: Pixel 8 (2023); 128 and 256 GB; Obsidian, Hazel and Rose. The Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8a are separate models.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Galaxy S23 Ultra (2023): 8 GB + 256 GB, 12 GB + 512 GB or 12 GB + 1 TB. Every market uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy. The Galaxy S23 and S23+ and the later S24 Ultra are separate models.

SpecificationGoogle Pixel 8Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Release year20232023
Display6.2-inch Actua OLED; 1080 × 2400, 428 ppi; 20:9; Smooth Display 60–120 Hz; always-on display

Google quotes 1400 nits for HDR and 2000 nits peak; contrast above 1,000,000:1. Because the corners are rounded, the visible area is slightly smaller than the 6.2-inch rectangle.

Google		6.8-inch QHD+ Edge Dynamic AMOLED 2X; 1–120 Hz adaptive refresh; 1750 nits; 240 Hz touch sampling in Game Mode

Adaptive refresh drops to as low as 1 Hz when content is static to save power and rises to 120 Hz when scrolling and gaming. Vision Booster adjusts colour and contrast in bright conditions across three lighting levels; the edge curve is reduced compared with the S22 Ultra.

Samsung
Body and durabilityCorning Gorilla Glass Victus front and back; matte aluminium frame; IP68

IP68 (IEC 60529) applies when the device leaves the factory; Google notes the phone is not waterproof or dustproof and resistance is not permanent. The aluminium in the housing is 100% recycled.

Google		—
Processor and securityGoogle Tensor G3; Titan M2 security chip

Google provides seven years of Android OS, security and Pixel Drop updates from when the device first became available on the US Google Store.

Google		—
Memory and storage8 GB LPDDR5X RAM; 128 GB or 256 GB UFS 3.1

Storage options vary by region and channel; there is no memory card slot.

Google		8 GB + 256 GB, 12 GB + 512 GB or 12 GB + 1 TB

Memory depends on the storage option; usable space is lower because of preloaded software. There is no memory card slot.

Samsung
Rear cameras50 MP wide (ƒ/1.68, 1/1.31-inch sensor, 82°, optical + electronic stabilisation); 12 MP ultrawide with autofocus (ƒ/2.2, 125.8°); Super Res Zoom up to 8x

There is no telephoto camera; 8x zoom is software-based. Autofocus on the ultrawide enables Macro Focus shots.

Google		200 MP Wide (F1.7, 85°), 12 MP Ultra Wide (F2.2, 120°), 10 MP 3x telephoto (F2.4, 36°), 10 MP 10x telephoto (F4.9, 11°)

The 200 MP sensor outputs 200, 50 or 12 MP images through pixel binning. 100x Space Zoom combines 10x optical with 10x AI-assisted digital zoom; image quality may deteriorate beyond 10x. The optical stabilisation angle was doubled compared with the S22 Ultra.

Samsung
Video4K at 24/30/60 fps on rear and front cameras; 10-bit HDR video; slow motion up to 240 fps; HEVC (H.265) and AVC (H.264)

Editing features such as Audio Magic Eraser require the Google Photos app.

Google		Up to 8K at 30 fps

The Expert RAW app (downloaded separately from the Galaxy Store) offers RAW capture at up to 50 MP.

Samsung
Front camera and unlocking10.5 MP dual PD selfie camera (ƒ/2.2, fixed focus, 95°); under-display fingerprint sensor and Face Unlock Google—
Battery and chargingMinimum 4485 mAh (typical 4575 mAh); beyond 24 hours, up to 72 hours with Extreme Battery Saver; up to 27 W wired and 18 W wireless charging; Battery Share

27 W is measured with the Google 30 W USB-C Charger (USB-PD 3.0 PPS) and gives about 50% in 30 minutes; the adapter is sold separately. 18 W wireless needs the Pixel Stand (2nd gen); Qi EPP chargers give up to 12 W.

Google		5000 mAh (typical; rated minimum 4855 mAh); 45 W wired charging; Fast Wireless Charging 2.0; Wireless PowerShare

45 W requires a separately sold 45 W adapter and a 5 A USB-C cable; wired charging is compatible with QC2.0 and AFC. Wireless PowerShare charges Qi-compatible devices from the back of the phone when the battery is above 30%.

Samsung
WirelessWi‑Fi 7 (802.11be, 2.4/5/6 GHz; US, Canada, UK, EU and Australia); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; dual-band GNSS

It is listed as Wi‑Fi 6E in Japan and Wi‑Fi 6 in Taiwan, Singapore and India. The model for Europe and other markets is GPJ41.

Google		—
SIMDual SIM (single nano-SIM + eSIM)

eSIM depends on the carrier and country.

Google		—
Port and audioUSB Type-C 3.2; stereo speakers; three microphones

The USB-C cable in the box is USB 2.0.

Google		—
SensorsProximity, ambient light, accelerometer, gyrometer, magnetometer, barometer Google—
Size and weight150.5 × 70.8 × 8.9 mm; 187 g Google78.1 × 163.4 × 8.9 mm; 234 g Samsung
Front and back glass—Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2; Armor Aluminum frame

According to Samsung, the S23 series was the first S series to use Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

Samsung
Processor—Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy

Samsung says the vapour chamber is larger on every S23-series model.

Samsung
Front camera—12 MP, F2.2, 80°

On the S23 series the front camera gets fast autofocus and 60 fps Super HDR.

Samsung
Software and updates—Launched with Android 13 and One UI 5.1; four Android OS upgrades and five years of security updates

Update timing can vary by model and market.

Samsung
Connectivity—5G, LTE, Wi‑Fi 6E, Wi‑Fi Direct, Bluetooth 5.3

Using Wi‑Fi 6E’s 6 GHz band needs a Wi‑Fi 6E router and market availability.

Samsung
Security—Samsung Knox, Knox Vault

Knox Vault keeps critical data in separate hardware isolated from the operating system.

Samsung
Water resistance—IP68 (up to 30 minutes at 1.5 metres in fresh water)

Samsung does not recommend beach or pool use.

Samsung