Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
50.8Performance90
53.3Display62.7
47.3Camera74
47.9Battery61.2
78.7Features94.7
2 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S2319 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
InnoReviews verdict
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra wins this phone face-off, 76 to 52.8, pulling ahead mainly in performance (+39) and camera (+27). Samsung Galaxy S23 still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S23
- 21% lower weight: 168 g vs 214 g
- Lower launch price: $800 vs $1,299
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Stronger performance score: 90 vs 51
- Stronger display score: 63 vs 53
- Stronger camera score: 74 vs 47
- Stronger battery score: 61 vs 48
- Stronger features score: 95 vs 79
Display
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S23 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.1 ″ | 6.9 ″+13% |
| Panel type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X | LTPO AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1080x2340 | 3120x1440 |
| Pixel density | 425 ppi | 498 ppi+17% |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,750 nits | 2,600 nits+49% |
| Screen-to-body | 87.1 % | — |
| AnTuTu 10 (CPU) | 552,625Top 50% | 1,017,509+84%Top 7% |
| AnTuTu 10 (GPU) | 410,856Top 57% | 1,344,505+227%Top 4% |
| AnTuTu 10 (Memory) | 273,971Top 54% | 390,717+43%Top 7% |
| AnTuTu 10 (UX) | 420,723Top 44% | 685,076+63%Top 7% |
Performance
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S23 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy |
| AnTuTu 10 | 1,658,175Top 21% | 3,437,807+107%Top 2% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 1,950Top 35% | 3,850+97%Top 1% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 5,100Top 33% | 11,900+133%Top 1% |
| RAM (max) | 8 GB | 12 GB+50% |
| Storage options | 128/256/512GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
| Storage type | UFS 4.0 | UFS 4.1 |
Camera
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S23 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 50 MP | 200 MP+300% |
| Main aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.7 |
| Ultra-wide | 12 MP | 50 MP+317% |
| Telephoto | 10 MP | 50 MP+400% |
| Optical zoom | 3 x | 5 x+67% |
| Max video | 8K@30fps | 8K@30fps |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S23 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 3,900 mAh | 5,000 mAh+28% |
| Wired charging | 25 W | 60 W+140% |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 25 W+67% |
| Active use endurance | 11 h | — |
Design
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S23 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 168 g+21% | 214 g |
| Thickness | 7.6 mm+4% | 7.9 mm |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Frame material | Armor Aluminum | Titanium |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S23 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB-C 3.2 | USB-C 3.2 |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
Software
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S23 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | Android 13 (One UI 5.1) | Android 16 (One UI 8.5) |
| OS update pledge | 4 years | 7 years+75% |
Audio
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S23 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
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