Google Pixel 8 vs Samsung Galaxy S23: which is the better buy?

The regular Galaxy S23 is the cheapest of Samsung’s 2023 flagship phones.

Despite launching almost eight months later, the Google Pixel 8 is its most obvious rival. So, how do these phones stack up against each other, and which should you buy?

In this comparison, we cover all the key specs and features to help you make an informed decision.

Differences between Google Pixel 8 and Samsung Galaxy S23

The Pixel 8 continues with the sleek, minimalist design of recent Pixel phone. It’s relatively compact by modern phone standards, and weighs just 187g. But that doesn’t mean it’ll be flimsy, with tough Gorilla Glass Victus on both the front and back.

The Galaxy S23, on the other hand, has a slightly larger body and also weighs more at 196g. But it certainly doesn’t feel bulky, and features the even more durable Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on both sides of the phone. However, both are generally resistant to scratches and damage from drops.

The Pixel 8 boasts a 6.2in, 1080×2400 OLED display with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, meaning the latter can automatically drop down to 60Hz when not required to conserve battery life. Google claims you can get up to 1400 nits of HDR and 2000 nits of peak brightness, making it one of the best smartphone displays around.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S23 has a slightly smaller 6.1in display, but also a slightly lower 2340×1080 resolution. But it’s still OLED, and still offers an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate which can go down to 48Hz here. HDR support and a peak brightness of 1750 nits are both here, so there’s very little difference between the displays.

With regards to software, the Pixel 8 runs Android 14 out of the box. The S23 is likely to be one of the Samsung devices getting the update “later this year”, but at the time of writing it’s still Android 13.

All Pixel phones run what’s often referred to as ‘stock’ Android. Given Google makes the software, this is exactly how it was intended to work. You can expect a clean, simple user interface that focuses on ease of use. There’s also no extra pre-installed software, as you will get on many other Android phones.

Google will also offer an industry-leading seven years of both OS updates and security patches. The company has confirmed that this will include a theoretical Android 21. New features are usually added more than once a year, though.

While the Galaxy S23 runs Android 13 at the time of writing, it’s with Samsung’s One UI 5 skin over the top. When the Android 14 update arrives, it’ll be branded as One UI 6.

The current iteration is quite different to Pixel phones, but also relatively easy to get the hang of. The notification shade and Settings menu have been redesigned, but the extra pre-installed apps are probably the main thing you’ll notice.

Some of these are certainly useful, whether it’s Samsung Health for data from wearables and SmartThings for managing smart home devices. But many are functionally very similar to Google’s version, while the likes of Bixby and Samsung Internet are generally considered inferior to the Google Assistant and Chrome.

Samsung’s update commitment isn’t quite as impressive as Google’s, but you can still expect four years of OS updates (up to Android 17) and security updates until 2028.

The Pixel 8 is powered by the Google Tensor G3 processor, which is focused on both performance and AI functionality. It also features a Titan M2 security chip for enhanced device security.

The Galaxy S23 is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, which is known for its powerful performance and efficiency.

With the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in many of the best Android phones of 2023, we already know it’s one of the most capable chips on any phone. It’s not quite clear how the Tensor G3 will compare, but it’s not likely to be as powerful.

But pure performance isn’t always the top priority for Google, and the Pixel 8 is still likely to be plenty powerful enough.

Both the Pixel 8 and Galaxy S23 have two identical configurations to choose between: 8GB of RAM with either 128- or 256GB of storage. But with no support for expandable storage on either, you may need to go for the 256GB model if you want to store lots of files and apps on the your phone.

Both phones feature 5G support and Bluetooth 5.3 for fast connectivity. They also have stereo speakers for an immersive audio experience, a USB-C port for charging and data transfer, and are IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. The Pixel 8 offers Wi-Fi 7 compared to Wi-Fi 6E on the Galaxy S23, but that’s more about future proofing.

Google says the Pixel 8’s 4575mAh battery can get you “beyond 24-hour battery life”. That’s essentially a full day on a single charge, but it remains to be seen how it fares in real-world usage. With Extreme Battery Saver mode, you can supposedly get up to 72 hours.

Charging is still limited to 30W, with up to 50% charge in 30 minutes claimed. There’s also support for Qi wireless charging and Battery Share reverse wireless charging (letting you charge another phone using the Pixel 8).

The Galaxy S23’s 3900mAh battery sounds small by comparison, but you can still expect all-day battery life. Judging by our review, you can get to the end of a moderate usage day with around 10-20% battery left.

There’s only 25W charging here, which is well behind the competition but not far behind the Pixel 8. There’s also 15W Qi wireless charging (with a compatible pad) and 4.5W reverse wireless charging.

The Pixel 8 boasts a 50MP main camera with 2x optical zoom and a higher quality Super Res Zoom up to 8x. You also get a 12Mp ultrawide and 10.5Mp selfie lens.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S23 also has a 50Mp main camera and 12Mp ultrawide. But also a 10Mp telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and 12Mp selfie camera.

While we’re still waiting to test the cameras on the Pixel 8, it’s safe to assume that they won’t be significantly different from those of the Pixel 7. After all, the smartphones have the same cameras, but the Tensor 3 could prove to be significant here.

However, the Galaxy S23 has the advantage of a larger optical zoom, and we know it takes very good photos when the lighting is good.

Price & availability

The Pixel 8 starts at $699/£699. You can pre-order one now from the Google Store, ahead of its release on 12 October 2023.

The Galaxy S23 starts at $799/£849. It’s available from Samsung US, Samsung UK and many third-party retailers.

Check out our round-up of the best smartphones to see more options. 

Verdict

Choosing between the Google Pixel 8 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 ultimately depends on your specific preferences and needs. Both phones offer the likes of solid performance, an attractive design and powerful cameras within a compact yet premium design.

Deciding which to go for will depend on your specific preferences. Want the versatility of a telephoto lens? Go for the S23. Prefer a cleaner software experience? The Pixel 8 is a better bet.

But if there’s no specific features which stand out, pricing may be significant. Unless you can find a deal, the starting price of the Pixel 8 is $100/£150 less than the S23.

Specs

Google Pixel 8:

• Full-screen 6.2in Actua display, 20:9 aspect ratio, (1080 x 2400) OLED at 428 PPI, 60–120 Hz
• Corning Gorilla Glass Victus cover glass
• Always-on display with At a Glance and Now Playing
• Up to 1400 nits (HDR) and up to 2000 nits (peak brightness)
• >1,000,000:1 contrast ratio
• HDR support
• Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colours
• Google Tensor G3 with Titan M2 security coprocessor
• 8GB LPDDR5X RAM or 128GB / 256GB UFS 3.1 storage
• Beyond 24-hour battery life
• Up to 72-hour battery life with Extreme Battery Saver
• Minimum 4485 mAh, typical 4575 mAh
• Fast charging up to 50% charge in about 30 minutes
• Qi-certified
• Fast wireless charging
• Battery Share
• Cameras:
  • 50 MP Octa PD wide camera
  • 12 MP ultrawide camera with autofocus
  • 10.5 MP Dual PD selfie camera
• 5.9 height x 2.8 width x 0.4 depth (inches)
• 187 g
• Colours: Hazel, Rose, and Obsidian

Samsung Galaxy S23:

• 6.1in, 120Hz, FHD+, Dynamic AMOLED display
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
• 8GB RAM
• 128/256GB storage
• Cameras:
  • 50Mp f/1.8 main camera
  • 12Mp f/2.2 ultrawide camera
  • 10Mp f/2.4 3x optical telephoto camera
  • 12Mp f/2.2 front facing camera
• 5G
• Wi-Fi 6E
• Bluetooth 5.3
• Stereo speakers
• USB-C
• 3900mAh battery
• 45W wired charging
• 15W wireless charging
• 4.5W reverse wireless charging
• IP68
• Gorilla Glass Victus 2
• 157.8 x 76.2 x 7.6 mm
• 196g