This article includes a detailed comparison between the iPhone 15 and the Galaxy S23 and explains the difference between the two phones, including performance, design, price, camera, and more. Therefore, follow the article until the end so you can make your decision wisely.
A comprehensive comparison between iPhone 15 and Galaxy S23
The iPhone 15 series arrived on the twelfth of last September, and although the new series did not receive that much welcome from Apple fans, it is still an ideal upgrade for those who have not been able to update their iPhone for several years.
If you are interested, we also have a detailed comparison that shows the most important differences iPhone 15 VS iPhone 14.
I mean, you'll get the dynamic island on the iPhone 15, including the base model, which we're targeting in this comparison. You will finally get a USB-C port, which makes you able to use the same cable to charge all your devices. There is also a new 48-Megapixel main camera and an A16 Bionic processor, which was unique to the iPhone 14 Pro phones last year.
They're already impressive updates, but we weren't happy with the screen that didn't get a higher refresh rate, the battery capacity that didn't improve significantly, and the charging speed that was still very limited.
With the loss of these much-needed features, some find it difficult to consider the iPhone 15 an ideal upgrade for 2023, especially when we find ourselves talking about a phone priced at $799.
But despite this, the basic iPhone 15 is still a more than wonderful smartphone, and most of us believe that the set of updates it has received is more than enough to be convinced of it. Some people don't pay any attention to refresh rates, and the phone still offers more than great battery life with moderate use and the charging speed is more than enough to fill the battery with a full cycle during the night. But is the iPhone 15 your only option? of course no.
With the arrival of the new iPhone series every year, our full focus shifts to comparing it with Samsung's Galaxy phones in order to clearly see the extent to which the smartphone experience has improved among the technology giants.
Since Apple and Samsung are the most popular smartphone companies around the world, it is not surprising that you might find yourself a little hesitant about whether to jump into the world of Android, enjoy the Samsung ecosystem, and own one of the best Android phones ever.
Therefore, let us be more clear than that and talk about all the differences between the iPhone 15 and the Galaxy S23 in detail. Perhaps we will be able to end your suffering and confusion and help you make the appropriate decision in the next purchase.
The difference between the iPhone 15 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 in terms of price
Although Apple and Samsung phones are the most expensive flagship phones on the market, we must be honest with ourselves.
With these phones you get exactly what you pay for, and upgrading to either often pays off.
The iPhone 15 comes at a price of $799, which is the same price as the official launch of the Samsung S23 phone. But note that we say launch price, and this is a fact, because the price of the Samsung S23 phone has dropped significantly as we approach the announcement of the new generation of the flagship Galaxy S series early next year.
Now, you can find the Galaxy S23 in retail stores at discounted prices, making it a bargain by all accounts. By the way, they both come with 128 GB of storage, and this is for the prototype.
But if you are not happy with the idea of a small screen, you can consider the “Plus” models from both companies, although the price of the iPhone 15 Plus is cheaper than the Samsung S23 Plus by a difference of $100, but of course the final prices in the local markets differ a lot due to supply and demand. And the increasing demand for both of them.
The reason for the increase in the price of the Galaxy S23 Plus is the larger storage capacity, as the phone comes with a storage capacity that starts with 256 GB instead of 128 GB. So, as we mentioned a moment ago – you get what you pay for.
Although the iPhone 15 Plus has a higher resolution screen, the pixel density will remain significantly higher in favor of the Galaxy S23 Plus.
As for the leading models, the Galaxy S23 Ultra comes at a value of $1,199. Likewise, the iPhone 15 Pro Max comes for the first time at a value of $1,199, meaning an increase over last year’s model of $100, which unfortunately was not received appropriately by fans of the American apple.
If you feel that the idea of owning a Pro Max model is not suitable for you or perhaps you feel that the price is too exaggerated, you can still get the iPhone 15 Pro model, which will save you approximately $200. But this means that you have to sacrifice the new Telephoto lens that supports 5x optical zoom, but instead you will get 3x zoom with the iPhone 15 Pro.
The differences between the two phones are in terms of design and durability
Now we have come to the design and durability section to explain the difference between the iPhone 15 and Samsung S23. What do you need from your next phone? You have to think about it carefully. Of course, you cannot accept the idea of owning a phone worth hundreds of dollars without bragging about it to your friends, and the good news is that both Apple and Samsung are able to give you this feeling.
Both phones feature a professional design and the highest quality of raw manufacturing materials. Both the iPhone 15 and Galaxy S23 have an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, which means you can still use the phone in dusty and sandy environments or take the phones with you to the pool without worrying about the phone being contaminated or being damaged by water leaking inside.
When we talk about the front side, we will find on the Galaxy S23 phones a central punch hole in the middle of the screen to house the selfie camera, while on the iPhone 15 you will get a dynamic island hole. The dynamic island was a great strategy by Apple to replace the notch that has plagued iPhones for many years.
The dynamic island was first introduced on the iPhone 14 Pro, so you definitely know all about it. It is much better than the old notch, and it is now available on the basic iPhone 15.
The dynamic island inside contains a TrueDepth camera that contains a Face ID sensor that works through machine learning technology for secure iPhone authentication via the face. That being said, from Samsung you get an under-screen fingerprint scanner that works with ultrasound – it's much better than the optical one but still takes several moments to authenticate.
Moving on to manufacturing materials, Apple has relied on Ceramic Shield to ensure the solidity and durability of the phone’s exterior.
As for the Galaxy S23, it is protected by a layer of Gorilla Glass Victus 2 from Corning, which is resistant to corrosion, scratches, and bacteria.
However, Apple claims that Ceramic Shield glass is several times stronger than Corning's solutions. However, you should be completely reassured that both phones are able to withstand light shocks and rough uses. But in any case, you should be careful and check where you are going to put your phone.
While all Galaxy S23 phones feature frames made of high-quality aluminum, the iPhone 15 has frames made of stainless steel. They are high quality materials, durable and enough for all scenarios.
But if you are looking forward to more than that, you may feel attracted to the iPhone 15 phones that came with titanium alloy. Titanium is better than previous solutions, not only thanks to its durability, but also because it is lighter.
Compare performance and which one is stronger than the other
If you want a short answer to this question, you must make sure that the iPhone 15 processor is the most powerful. The Galaxy S23 series contains the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 For Galaxy processor, but the iPhone 15 contains the A16 Bionic processor, which was unique to the iPhone 14 Pro phones in the past. While the iPhone 15 Pro series features Apple's new A17 Pro processor, Apple has decided to give it a new title to convey a feeling and suggest the extent of its power and the features it offers over last year's processor.
In terms of performance level, the A16 Bionic processor inside the iPhone 15 can achieve 1882 points in the test based on single-core performance, while it is able to score 5554 points in the multi-core test. In contrast, the Galaxy S23 Ultra can barely achieve 1545 points in the single-core test and achieve 5078 points in the multi-core test.
So, intuitively, the Apple A16 Bionic processor on the iPhone 15 will give you more power, and perhaps help you handle multitasking better. But the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 For Galaxy still does a great job at all kinds of tasks.
Although Apple has not yet disclosed the size of the RAM in the iPhone 15 phones, the first leaks indicate that 6 GB RAM was found in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models, while the iPhone 15 Pro series got 8 GB RAM. for the first time.
As for Samsung, you get 8GB of RAM on the Galaxy S23. But the size of the memory does not make it a source of inconvenience for you, especially on the iPhone 15, because the iOS system is able to manage resources professionally, which makes you not feel any slowdown or delay in the phone’s performance, regardless of the type of tasks you are dealing with.
But in the end, if you want a future-proof solution, you might consider upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro because you'll get 8GB. Or of course, you can invest in the Galaxy S23 Ultra and get 12 GB of memory and a storage unit with a capacity of up to 1 TB.
The difference between battery life and charging speed for the iPhone 15 and Galaxy S23
Do not expect Apple to reveal the battery capacity of its own phones, and the iPhone 15 series was no exception. Since the phones have not yet reached the hands of reviewers, we cannot estimate the battery capacity of the iPhone 15 until this moment.
Instead, you will get the operating time standards that Apple classifies within the technical specifications sheet, which indicated that you will get approximately 16 hours while streaming video over the Internet. As for the Galaxy S23 phone, it contains a 3900 mAh battery, which was shown through its reviews to be able to continue for approximately 13 hours of video streaming.
If Apple's rating is accurate, this means you may get a few extra hours of playback time on the iPhone 15. However, to be honest with you, we cannot confirm the validity of this information before the phones reach the review labs.
If you want to be sure, it is possible to consider the iPhone 15 Plus model, which is rated for up to 20 hours of video streaming.
On the other hand, the Galaxy S23 Plus was able to last for about 15 hours. As for the Pro Max model, it certainly contains a battery of no less than 4200 mAh - this is just an approximate number considering the battery capacity on the iPhone 14 Pro Max - and thus this phone will give you at least 25 hours while streaming video.
Although Apple's rating indicates longer battery life than Samsung Galaxy phones - just as was the case in the past - but you should know that Apple's ratings do not tell you the whole truth because the way phones are tested in laboratories differs greatly from the way they are used in the real world.
In any case, you can't use a phone if you can't charge it quickly. In this regard, Samsung provides wired charging at a speed of 25 watts for the Samsung Galaxy S23 and at a speed of 45 watts on the Plus and Ultra models.
As for the iPhone 15, it is now able to support 20-watt fast charging thanks to the switch to the USB-C port, but the wireless charging speed is still limited to 7.5 watts even after moving to the Qi 2 standard, while the Samsung S23 phone guarantees you 15-watt wireless charging. By the way, neither of them comes with a charger included in the box, which means you have to buy it separately.
Read also on Review Plus iPhone 14 VS iPhone 14 Pro VS iPhone 14 Pro Max: Comparison
Comparison of the screen, display technologies, and image quality between the two phones
When we move to the iPhone 15 screens, you must determine what screen size is appropriate for your hand. If you have small hands, it is better to consider the iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro model, because both screens on these phones are 6.1 inches. If you want to enjoy visual content on a larger screen, you can consider the iPhone 15 Plus model or of course the iPhone 15 Pro Max, as you will both get a 6.7-inch screen.
The iPhone 15 counterpart also comes with a 6.1-inch screen, while the Galaxy S23 Plus model comes with a 6.6-inch screen, and the flagship Ultra remains with a 6.8-inch screen.
Whether you choose the iPhone 15 or Galaxy S23, you can be sure that you will get a wonderful, high-resolution screen with amazing details for visual content. But the refresh rates on the iPhone 15 are still standard at 60Hz, which makes it lag behind the competition even with mid-range Android phones.
Although the display resolution on the iPhone 15 reaches 2556 x 1179 while on the S23 it reaches 2340 x 1080 pixels, the differences will not be noticeable in your daily use. Even the difference in pixel density will not be noticeable in any way.
If you want the best screen ever, your next choice should be the S23 Ultra because it is the only one that offers a QHD+ resolution of up to 3088 x 1440 pixels.
The difference between the iPhone 15 and Galaxy S23 in terms of camera and optical technologies
There is no doubt that cameras are one of the most important selling points that smartphone companies play on. They get better over time thanks to larger sensors, improvements to camera drivers, and computational processing powered by processing chips.
If you choose the Galaxy S23, you will get a 50-Megapixel main camera with an f/1.8 lens aperture supported by OIS. Besides the main sensor, you also have a 12-Megapixel ultra-wide camera with an f/2.2 aperture for group photos. Most important, of course, is the 10-Megapixel Telephoto camera, which supports 3x optical zoom to enlarge the image without losing its quality.
While the phone supports shooting 4K video at a rate of 60 frames per second, it gives you more than that - 8K resolution at a rate of 30 frames per second - although it is expected that this resolution will not be useful to you, but it is good to have it in all cases. Whenever necessary.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra features a 200-Megapixel professional camera with a larger f/1.7 aperture that has the ability to capture more light to improve the quality of photos and video recordings in low-light conditions. The main camera sensor is supported by optical image stabilization (OIS) and automatic phase adjustment using lasers.
The other Ultra lenses are the same as those in the basic model, but it gets an additional 10-Megapixel Telephoto lens that supports 10x optical zoom, making it a professional periscope lens.
The front camera on Samsung phones, including the Samsung S23 model, is 12 Megapixels, which is still capable of shooting in 4K at 60 frames per second.
As for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models, they have a new 48-Megapixel camera sensor with an f/1.6 lens aperture, which has the ability to shoot at 24 Megapixels as well as at 48 Megapixels.
You can rely on this sensor as a 12MP Telephoto lens with a 2x optical zoom rate and still have a 12MP ultra-wide camera.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max will certainly be the clear winner of this comparison, not only because of the new 48-Megapixel main camera and second-generation OIS stabilization, but also thanks to the new periscope lens that has the ability to support 5x optical zoom. It is the first Apple phone to support this dimension of zoom, which exceeds the iPhone 15 Pro by 2x.
All iPhone 15 phones have a 12-Megapixel front camera with an f/1.9 lens aperture. But the Pro series still has the ability to record ProRAW video exclusively.
Are there other differences worth noting?
Yes, the iPhone 15 has some interesting features such as emergency SOS communication via satellite and accident detection. However, this does not mean that the Galaxy S23 phones are not unique with some individual features, perhaps the most notable of which is the S-Pen stylus, but you can only get it with the Ultra model.
We can also point out that Android phones work in an ideal environment with Windows systems, unlike iPhones, which work better with macOS devices.
The ecosystem alone is not a critical decision to choose one over the other. You can think about the set of accessories that you own or plan to buy in the future, as AirPods and Apple Watch work best with iPhones, while Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Watches are shaping up to be an essential part of the user experience with Galaxy phones.
Last but not least, what should be taken into consideration is that by moving to a different operating system, you will have to purchase all your paid applications again on the new system.
If you are interested in past iPhone models, you may benefit from the explanations iPhone 13 VS iPhone 14 Show the differences between the two phones
Conclusion
iPhone 15 or Samsung Galaxy S23, it is impossible to regret purchasing either of them, whether in terms of design quality, aesthetic appearance, performance, or photography experience. But there is one essential factor that may make you able to make your decision easily – Android or iOS.
The App Store contains more than 2 billion applications, but for some this number may not be enough. So, you might consider jumping on the Android bandwagon to enjoy the huge number of additional apps and games on the Google Play Store, not to mention the apps available on unofficial Android stores.
Do not let advertisements, colors, shapes, or even your inclinations for a particular brand affect your final decision. Rather, choose what suits your requirements, matches your needs, and is compatible with your devices and other possessions. It is also advisable to look at phone reviews on more than one European third-party review site to verify the advantages and disadvantages of each phone individually.
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