Intro
- 6.7″ AMOLED with 120Hz refresh rate vs 6.8″ AMOLED with 120Hz refresh rate
- Google Tensor G3 vs Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
- 50MP vs 200MP main camera
- 27W vs 45W fast charging
- Stock Android vs One UI
Table of Contents:
Design and Size
No surprises
At this point in time, we don’t expect Google to introduce any significant or otherwise major changes to the Pixel 8 series’ general design. That’s why you can probably count on the fact that the Pixel 8 Pro will look pretty similar to the Pixel 7 Pro, with the signature camera strip at the rear and the slightly curved display. The phone is almost certainly scoring a bunch of new color options, namely Licorice, Porcelain, and Sky.
Size-wise, the Pixel 8 Pro most certainly wouldn’t grow and will retain the same size as its predecessor. This means that the 6.7-inch AMOLED display is likely to stay unchanged. As a refresher, the Pixel 7 Pro stood at 6.41 x 3.02 x 0.35 inches (162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9 mm), so we are likely looking to a Pixel 8 Pro that will be mostly similar.
At the same time, the Galaxy S23 Ultra will most likely remain the slightly larger and heavier phone, but its comes along with a larger 6.8-inch AMOLED display and also has an S Pen built inside, which is a mighty useful accessory, all things considered. The flagship stands at 6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 inches (163.3 x 78 x 8.9 mm) and houses quite a lot of technology inside.
Display Differences
As we mentioned, the Pixel 8 Pro will likely retain the 6.7-inch display of its predecessor. The screen will most certainly be an OLED one and will have a maximum refresh rate of up to 120Hz, with a possible resolution of 1440 by 3120 pixels. The screen would likely be ever-so-slightly curved to the sides and will most likely feature Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy S23 Ultra comes forth with a 6.8-inch 1-120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with high maximum and low minimum brightness. Generally speaking, the Galaxy S23 Ultra looks spectacular, as most Samsung displays usually do.
When it comes to biometrics, the Galaxy S23 Ultra features a fast and reliable ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, and we generally expect the same to apply to the Pixel 8 Pro as well. Of course, picture-based face unlock will be found on both devices once the Pixel 8 Pro launches.
Performance and Software
The Snapdragon’s unlikely to be overtaken
Meanwhile, Samsung is putting all of its eggs in the raw performance basket, and this year, the name on the basket reads “Qualcomm” and lacks the often-dreaded by Samsung fans “Exynos” name. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset powering the phone in all regions is a slightly tuned version of the regular Qualcomm flagship and was exclusive to Samsung flagships.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is an absolute unit that delivers excellent performance, especially in graphics-intensive tasks, where this custom Snapdragon even outperforms Apple’s top-notch A16 Bionic chip.
The Tensor G3 beating the custom Snapdragon in terms of overall performance sounds like a pretty far-fetched idea. Then again, it will still be more than sufficient for all of your regular needs.
Camera
The Galaxy S23 Ultra, as well as most of its direct predecessors, can easily be considered “the phone” when it comes to overall camera versatility. This is unlikely to change once the Pixel 8 Pro arrives, as Samsung’s top flagship will still have more features and be the more versatile camera phone.
The Pixel 8 Pro is rumored to feature a 50MP main camera with a staggered HDR feature, which simultaneously captures both short and longer exposures of a scene, resulting in less artifacts and potentially great power savings. More interestingly, the Pixel 8 Pro will likely employ Samsung’s ISOCELL GN2 camera sensor. There will be two extra cameras, a ultra-wide and a periscope camera, likely offering 5.0X optical zoom.
In comparison with its predecessors, the Galaxy S23 Ultra delivers more detailed images, with more natural-looking pictures that lack that undesirable over-processed look. Quality has improved both in broad daylight and low light on the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Audio Quality and Haptics
The Pixel 8 Pro will likely continue the tradition and feature excellent audio quality. The Galaxy S23 Ultra already has excellent audio quality, possibly the most capable one we’ve heard this year.
Battery Life and Charging
Which phone will be winning the endurance game?
The Pixel 8 Pro would likely feature a 5,000mAh battery, just like the one found on the Pixel 7 Pro. Paired with the Tensor G3, it should deliver decent battery endurance and outlast its predecessor, but it’s of course too early to have any concrete expectations.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy S23 Ultra also has a 5,000mAh battery on board and easily outlasts its predecessor by a mile. It also beats the Pixel 7 Pro in our independent web browsing and 3D gaming tests, but the Pixel 7 Pro scored a victory in the video streaming test.
Charging-wise, we expect the Pixel 8 Pro to come with 27W wired charging, and up to 12W wireless charging speeds. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts 45W wired charging, which fills up the phone in a little over an hour, and 15 wireless charging, which tops up the phone in roughly one hour and fifty minutes.
Summary
Overall, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is easily the most well-established flagship prodigy available on the market right now, with the most features among most of its rivals and overall delivering excellent value despite its very premium price tag.
Could the Pixel 8 Pro successfully rival that? Of course, provided that Google perfects the overall package and prices its next flagship right, it could establish itself as the phone to get if you don’t vibe well with the Galaxy ecosystem.
