Google Pixel 9 / Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Google Pixel 9: Pixel 9 (GUR25 global model, G2YBB US, G1B60 Japan); 12 GB RAM with 128 or 256 GB; Obsidian, Porcelain, Wintergreen and Peony. The Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9a 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 9Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Release year20242023
Display160 mm (6.3-inch) Actua OLED; 1080 × 2424 at 422 ppi; Smooth Display (60–120 Hz); 20:9

According to Google it reaches up to 1,800 nits in HDR and up to 2,700 nits peak, with contrast above 2,000,000:1. Smooth Display varies the refresh rate between 60 and 120 Hz with the content.

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
Glass and buildCorning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back; polished back with satin metal frame; IP68

IP68 is a dust and water resistance rating; Google notes it is not permanent and that liquid damage is not covered by the warranty.

Google		—
ChipGoogle Tensor G4; Titan M2 security coprocessor Google—
Memory and storage12 GB RAM; 128 GB or 256 GB

There is no memory card slot; storage options may vary by region.

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 (Octa PD, ƒ/1.68, 82°, 1/1.31-inch sensor, optical + electronic stabilisation) and 48 MP ultrawide (Quad PD, autofocus, ƒ/1.7, 123°, 1/2.55-inch); Super Res Zoom up to 8x

There is no telephoto camera; Google lists optical-quality zoom at 0.5x, 1x and 2x. The ultrawide camera also handles Macro Focus; a laser autofocus (LDAF) sensor is fitted.

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
Front camera and video10.5 MP front camera (autofocus, ƒ/2.2, 95°); rear 4K at 24/30/60 fps, front 4K at 30/60 fps; 10-bit HDR video; slow motion up to 240 fps

Video offers optical stabilisation, fused stabilisation, Cinematic Pan and Audio Magic Eraser; digital video zoom goes up to 7x.

Google		—
Battery and chargingTypical 4,700 mAh (minimum 4,558 mAh); 24+ hours; up to 27 W wired, about 55% in roughly 30 minutes; 15 W wireless with Pixel Stand, 12 W with Qi EPP; Battery Share

Google measures 27 W and 55% in 30 minutes with its separately sold 45 W charger; the box contains only a 1 m USB-C cable (USB 2.0). Battery Share lets the back of the phone wirelessly charge other Qi devices.

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
Operating system and updatesLaunched with Android 14; seven years of OS, security and Pixel Drop updates

The seven years count from when the device first went on sale on the US Google Store.

Google		—
Connectivity5G sub-6 GHz (the US model adds mmWave); Wi-Fi 7 (2.4/5/6 GHz); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; dual-band GNSS

The Indian model has Wi-Fi 6 (2.4 + 5 GHz). Dual-band GNSS receives two frequencies from positioning satellites for more accurate location in cities.

Google		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
SIM, port and audioSingle nano SIM + eSIM; USB Type-C 3.2; stereo speakers, three microphones

There is no 3.5 mm headphone jack; unlocking uses fingerprint and face recognition.

Google		—
Size and weight152.8 × 72.0 × 8.5 mm; 198 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
Video—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—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
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